Dalat travel guide 2019

Dalat is clearly one of the highlights of Vietnam, especially if you like adrenaline. Dalat is completely different from any other place in Vietnam. The weather is spring-like cool instead of tropical hot, the city is littered with elegant French-colonial villas instead of a grim socialist architecture, and the farms around are littered with strawberries and flowers instead of rice.

5 reasons to visit Dalat

1. Increase the adrenaline pace with mountain biking, white water rafting, canyoning or a climbing adventure in the hills around Dalat.
2. Jump on a motorbike and explore the waterfalls, lakes and forests in the area.
3. In the early morning, gibbons wanted to track down and then search for crocodiles in the Cat Tien National Park.
4. Visit the local farms and plantations.
5. Enjoy local food, which comes directly from the area.

Index

1. Practical information
   • In short
   • Best travel time
   • Money
   • Local events and holidays
2. What to see and do in Dalat
   • Best things to do
   • Most popular activities in Dalat
3. Accommodation in Dalat
   • Where to stay
   • Best hotels & hostels in Dalat
4. Food & drinking
   • Restaurants
   • Nightlife
5. Transportation
   • How to get there?
   • How to get around?
6. Itinerary 2 days Dalat

Practical information

In short

Region

Central Vietnam, Lâm Đồng province

Number of residents

406,000

Recommended travel days

3 days

Vietnamese name

Đà Lạt

Best travel time

• Spring (January-March) – Season of trees and flowers; between 20 and 28 degrees
• Summer (April – June) – Season of fog and warm weather; between 24 and 31 degrees
• Autumn (July – September) – Season of rain; between 24 and 31
• Winter (October to December) – Season of flowers on the hills; between 20 and 26 degrees

Local events and holidays

• Dalat Flower Festival – A cultural festival which takes place every other year between late December and early January, with the purpose of exhibiting flowers, vegetables and ornamental plants from the local as well as other regions within the country.

Money

Dalat is a relative big town with enough ATM’s.

1. Canyoning
Canyoning in Dalat the best thing you can do. Abseil of cliffs, waterfalls, float in a river and slide down a natural water slide.

2. Explore waterfalls
The best known is Datanla waterfall with a roller coaster and cable car. The most beautiful are the Pongour waterfall, Elephant waterfall and the Bao Dai waterfall.

3. Mountain biking
A paradise for mountain bikers, with some great single-track, technical descents, mountain climbing and amazing views.

4. Trekking
Relaxed walks or adventurous treks through nature and along forest paths, with waterfalls, lakes, volcanic peaks, minority villages, suspension bridges and farmland.

5. Coffee shops
Dalat is the coffee capital of the country. Small coffee bars are often uniquely decorated or are located in a unique environment with fantastic views of mountains or lakes.

6. Easy Rider Tour
Because some sights are hidden and scattered throughout the region, it is best to visit these with an Easy Rider tour. An Easy Rider is a local guide who shows you the area on the back of a motorbike.

7. Tuyen Lam lake
Tuyen Lam Lake is the most beautiful lake in the Dalat area and is also called Paradise Lake, and has a cable car to Truc Lam Pagoda.

8. Dalat night market
The central market area is crazy busy in the evening, with thousands of people shopping and socializing.

9. Visit coffee and tea plantations
Vietnam is one of the world’s largest coffee exporters and many of the highlands around Dalat are used for plantations.

10. Crazy house
The Crazy House in Dalat is a fairy tail like guest house built as a bizarre structure, with hidden rooms and corridors and a completely unique experience.

Accommodation in Dalat

Where to stay

Staying in the center – Located near the Dalat night market, suitable for shopping, eating and relaxing, most means of transport (taxi, motorcycle, bicycle) are available, with many beautiful views that are worth seeing, including Xuan Huong Lake, the flower garden of the city of Dalat.

Hotels outside the city of Dalat – Staying further away from the city center also has some unique advantages: a peaceful and quiet atmosphere, less touristy and a cheaper price. Although it takes you more time to travel to the market or other highlights of the city, in return you get a beautiful landscape to enjoy, as well as more private space to relax.

Best hotels & hostels in Dalat

Budget hotels & hostels

• The Lake House
• Gaia hostel
• Magnolia
• Cozy Nook Hostel
• Mr.Peace Backpacker’s House

Mid range hotel

• La Vie En Rose Villa
• Tasme Hotel
• Boutique Stop and Go
• Tulip Hotel
• Iris Dalat Hotel
• Sam Tuyền Lâm Resort

High end hotel & resort

• Zen Valley Dalat Resort
• Swiss Belresort Tuyen Lam
• Terracotta Hotel and Resort Dalat

Restaurants
1. Artist Alley Restaurant
2. Le Chalet Dalat
3. Goc Ha Thanh Restaurant
4. Da Quy Restaurant
5. Chu Quan Bbq Grill

Cafe / coffee shop
1. An cafe
2. Me Linh Coffee Garden
3. Wednesday’s Violet book cafe
4. Ma Rung Lu Quan (Ma Rung Inn)
5. Panorama Cafe Dalat
6. Cafe Nông Trại Vui Vẻ

Nightlife

The nightlife in Dalat is quiet compared to other cities in Vietnam because it is best known as a place for rest and relaxation. However, you can still find a handful of great bars and pubs until late in the evening:

1. Dalat Night Market
2. Maze bar
3. The Escape Bar

4. Beepub Hostel & Bar
5. Rain Nightclub
6. V Club Da Lat

How to get around?

Car: Daily rental (with driver) starts at around $ 50.
Motorbike: Rent is 150,000d to 200,000d per day.

Taxi: Uses Mai Linh for reliable taxis

Day 1

• Visit the Datanla waterfall. Take the roller coaster down.
• Take the cable car to Truc Lam Pagoda.
• Kayak over Tuyem Lam Lake.
• Visit Crazy House Dalat.
• Walk across Dalat Night Market

Day 2

• Do the best there is to do in Dalat: canyoning!
• If you don’t want that, choose something else adventurous, such as trekking, mountain biking or rafting.
• Then relax by the Xuan Huong lake.
• Enjoy a drink at Maze bar.