Da Lat The Summer Playground of the Imperial Family
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There are very few countries that give you an insight into the real life of its people in their truest form. Vietnam is one of those countries, revealing it’s rich culture, extraordinary history, and enchanting beauty. If you are lucky enough to travel to Da Lat, you will find, that it is one of those unique cities that the discerning traveler cannot ignore.
Dal Lat was a former French hill station and is the gateway to the central highlands, an actual Vietnamese wonderland. Dalat is a city with an elegant quality, an almost regal atmosphere, that transcends the other parts of Vietnam. Its moderate weather, farms with flowers and fruits, and European style architecture makes it a destination unlike any other in Vietnam.
Dalat, Vietnam’s alter ego
Da Lat could be described as Vietnam’s alter ego. The weather is spring-like instead of the tropical hot of Ho Chi Minh City. Da Lat dotted with elegant French colonial villas and holiday homes rather than the stark socialist architecture often seen in other parts of Vietnam. The town has a real European feel, with horse-drawn carriages and a radio tower replicating the Eiffel tower. The colorful heart shaped cut outs, in the ‘Valley of Love,’ reveal a different side to Vietnam. Dalat is known as the romance and honeymoon capital of Vietnam. Love and all its wonders are taken very seriously in Da Lat.
Travel to Dalat, to experience the City of the Eternal Spring
The City of the Eternal Spring (daily temperatures hover between 15°C and 24°C) characterized as a cross between the French Alps and Vietnam. Many of its hotels have a distinctive French style and tourists will experience an array of European-style architecture, like the Da Lat railway station. Dalat also has an airport 30km to the south of town with daily flights to and from HCMC and Hanoi.
Things to do in Dalat
Stuff to do when you travel to Dalat:
- Enjoy the delicacies and flavors of all Asia. Da Lat has an excellent variety of restaurants that capture the taste of every corner of the globe. Chinese to Pan-Asian and Japanese to their very own Vietnamese specialties. The choice is broad and diverse, from high-end restaurants like Restaurant Ichi, Da Quy, Long Hoa to the daily side road cafes and food stands in the Central Market.
- Da Lat is in close reach to spectacular waterfalls, none more beautiful than the Elephant and Datanla Waterfalls, the latter of which is also a national park.
- If you travel to Dalat canyoning has become a favorite Adventurous travelers can rappel down cliffs and waterfalls to their heart’s content.
- Easy Rider Tours are very common in Da Lat. Hope on a motorbike to discover the hidden beauty and intriguing corners of the region. From lakes to mountains, waterfalls, and all the fantastic food in between.
- The Valley of Love (Vallee d’Amour) is a true lovers’ experience. Da Lat is known as the honeymoon destination of Vietnam. With its forest-fringed lake and romantic boat rides, it will surely ignite your passions and reveal nature’s beauty.
- Cable car rides are also a specialty. To get the best view of Truc Lam Lake, take a cable car ride, where you get to see the majestic
- Also visit Lak lake, a place that will relax you to the core. With beautiful views, rice farms and even elephant sightings, what more could you want?
- A visit to Linh Son Pagoda is a must, to experience real inner peace. The Linh Son Pagoda is a place where you get to hear monks chanting and see them healing people.
- Rot’s secret tour is a much talked about unique Dalat experience. The tour makes you laugh, connect and get a better understanding of the culture of Da Lat. It also give you a look into its incredible history, with stops at all the famous places.
- No trip can ever be complete without shopping. Don’t forget to visit the Da Lat market and the many stalls that surround it to collect souvenirs or a beautiful silk scarf.
