Da Lat city

Category: Da Lat

Dalat is a city located on Lang Biang highlands – part of the Central Highlands region of Vietnam. Because of its history, special architecture, unique climate features and wide range of beautiful spots, Dalat is known as one of the most popular tourist destinations of Vietnam.
History
This pure land of romance was discovered by the French during their invasion in southern Vietnam. Before 1893, Lang Biang highlands, an extremely cool and fresh aired area, was the accommodation of the Viet highlanders. Yet there came the day the French would like to settle a convalescent zone in a European weather-like land in 1899. Of course, they could not miss Lang Biang Highlands then. Ever since the significant choice, Da Lat was later on built with all required French-style houses, villas, treatment places, and temperate flowers & plants, etc. This has step by step formulated today’s romantic and glamorous Da Lat, a clear mountainous air zone for escaping the heat and humidity of the coast and Saigon, or the today’s Hochiminh City.
Natural beauty
It’s no easy at all for travelers to choose the initial visiting place in Da Lat for its widespread covering beauty. On a whole, Da Lat looks like a cross between Vietnam and the French Alps. As mentioned, most of its hotels and houses were built in French style. The town spreads across a series of pine-covered hills, with a small lake in the center, while surrounded by high peaks, creating a lovely scenery quite different from the rest of Vietnam. Temperatures are pleasantly warm by day and quite cool at night, down to perhaps 10oC.
Today, Dalat is undoubtedly a beautiful tourist town. The vast majority of visitors are both domestic and foreign tourists on short package tours, drawn by the scenery, vivid blue skies, fresh air, flower-filled parks, and local edible treatment. Dalat is a favorite destination for company weekend outings, family get-aways, and most of all, honeymoons. For overseas visitors, it offers a chance to cool down, view a bit of the French legacy, and enjoy the atmosphere. Also, Da Lat is surrounded by some of the best mountain biking, hiking and canyoning opportunities in Vietnam. Da Lat's high altitude of 1,500-2,000m and fertile landscape make it one among Vietnam's premium agricultural areas, producing a variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers that do not grow in the lowlands. In markets as far north as Hanoi, vegetables and flower vendors will tout their "made in Da Lat" produce.
Highlights of Da Lat:
- Xuan Huong Lake – locating at the right heart of the town, this is the common gathering place for tourists and the local alike.
- Tuyen Lam Lake – belonging to the complex of Truc Lam Buddha Institute, the lake truly leaves the peace in minds of every visiting people.
- Langbian Highland with the peak of 2,165 m, this is tempting all energetic climbers.
- Valley of Love – being well organized by the local government, this park is so much like paradise for newly couples where one can walk, take a horse dart or enjoy special highland cup of coffee nearby its lake.
- Da Lat Flowers Garden – being the home to wide range of strange and valuable tropical flowers, it is incredibly like the heaven on the planet.
Transportation
Most local and foreign travellers arrive in Dalat by bus, including those travelling on the famous Sinh Cafe Hanoi-HCMC open-tour bus. Mai Linh Express and Phuong Trang run several daily services to Dalat from Nha Trang, Mui Ne and HCMC.
The airport, is a mere 30km south of the city linked by a modern and yet scenic two lane highway and offers daily Vietnam Airlines/Vietjet Air flights to and from HCMC, Danang and Hanoi. Dalat is being serviced by two airlines at this present time, being Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air.