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Dalat

Dalat is an alternative Vietnam: the weather is spring-like instead of tropical hot, the town is dotted with French-colonial villas rather than socialist architecture, and the surrounding farms cultivate strawberries, coffee and flowers instead of rice.

The French were the first here, fleeing the heat of Saigon for average daily temperatures that hover between 15°C and 24°C. They left behind their holiday homes, which the Vietnamese have added to with their own unique, sometimes kitsch touches. Whether it’s the Eiffel Tower–shaped radio tower, the horse-drawn carriages or the colorful heart-shaped cut-outs at the Valley of Love, this is a town that takes romance seriously. Dalat is Vietnam's honeymoon capital and extremely popular with domestic tourists.

For foreign visitors, the moderate climate has made Dalat the adventure-sports capital of southern Vietnam, with canyoning, mountain biking, white-water rafting and treks into the surrounding hills all available.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Dalat.

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Hang Nga Crazy House
A freewheeling architectural exploration of surrealism, Hang Nga Crazy House is a joyously designed, outrageously artistic private home. Imagine sculptured rooms connected by super-slim bridges rising out of a tangle of concrete greenery, an excess of cascading lava-flow-like shapes, wild colours, spiderweb windows and an almost organic quality to it all, with the swooping handrails resembling jungle vines. Think of Gaudí and Tolkien dropping acid together and designing their own version of Disneyland.
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Crémaillère Railway Station
From Dalat’s wonderful art deco train station you can ride one of the nine scheduled trains that run to Trai Mat (return from 108,000d, 30 minutes) daily between 6.55am and 4.39pm; a minimum of 25 passengers is required. A crémaillère (cog railway) linking Dalat and Thap Cham from 1928 to 1964 was closed due to VC attacks. A Japanese steam train is on display alongside a collection of old carriages.
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Dambri Falls
En route between Bao Loc and Ho Chi Minh City, 130km southwest of Dalat, Dambri Falls are one of the highest (90m), most magnificent and easily accessible waterfalls in Vietnam – they are worth visiting even in dry season. For some incredible views, ride the vertical cable car (more of an elevator, really), or trudge up the steep path, to the top of the falls.
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K'Ho Coffee
This coffee farm has been in the family of Rolan since the 1860s. It's part of a K'Ho coffee-growing cooperative that ensures profits directly support K'Ho minority farmers. The beans are arabica, including varieties grown in Africa, which are rarely found in Vietnam. If you call Josh and Rolan in advance, you can stop by to see the plantation and pick up some Fair Trade, locally roasted beans.
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King Palace
Built by a French merchant in 1929, the surprisingly modest but attractive royal residence of Bao Dai (1913–97), Vietnam's last emperor, beckons visitors with its beautiful tree-lined avenue. It was home to Bao Dai and his family until they went into exile in France in 1954. The house was subsequently taken over by then Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem.
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Truc Lam Pagoda
The Truc Lam Pagoda enjoys a hilltop setting and has immaculately tended flower and bonsai gardens. It's an active monastery, though the grounds frequently teem with tour groups. Be sure to arrive by cable car, which soars over majestic pine forests; the terminus is 3km south of Dalat centre, up a short road next to the long-distance bus station.
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Lat Village
Less than 1km from the base of Lang Bian Mountain is Lat Village (pronounced ‘lak’), a fairly unremarkable minority community of about 6000 people spread across nine hamlets. Only five of Lat Village's hamlets are actually Lat; residents of the other four are members of the Chill, Ma and K'Ho tribes. It's worth peeking into the Catholic church for a glimpse of a K'Ho ritual pole alongside the altar.
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Xuan Huong Lake
Created by a dam in 1919, this banana-shaped lake was named after an anti-authoritarian 17th-century Vietnamese poet. It has become a popular icon of Dalat and a magnet for joggers and honeymooners. The lake can be circumnavigated on a scenic 7km path.
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Dalat Flower Gardens
These gardens were established in 1966 and include hydrangeas, fuchsias and orchids, the latter in shaded buildings to the left of the entrance. Like any good Vietnamese park, the gardens have been embellished with kitsch topiary.