Da Lat is a city perched 1,500 m above sea level on the Langbian Plateau. Not only that this city is the capital of Lâm Đồng Province, but it also is the largest city in Vietnam's Central Highlands region. Comprised of a scenic mountain town, Da Lat seems charming for tourists.
Are you curious about what is on there? Especially, about what you can do in Da Lat, Vietnam. Keep scrolling to find out!
Well, beforehand, let's glimpse at Da Lat's history. Vietnam was colonialized by the French during the 1890s. During the French colonial period, people came here on holiday to escape from the scorching heat of the lower coastal areas. As a result, magnificent French colonial-style buildings can be seen throughout the town.
Other than its history, if you wander a little farther, you will find some of the finest landscapes in the country. Da Lat's vicinity consists of magnificent lakes, flower gardens, lush woods, and quaint hill villages. Therefore, this place is a terrific option if you enjoy trekking.
Image Credit: Toni Wöhrl and Sang Cai, CC BY SA 4.0, via Wikipedia Commons
With a total area of 70,038 hectares, Bidoup Nui Ba National Park is one of Vietnam's largest biosphere reserves. It is home to almost 2,000 plant species and 60 animal species. It is situated in Lam Dong Province's Dam Rong and Lac Duong District, 50 kilometers from Da Lat. You can rent a scooter in Da Lat and ride one there to get there. It would take approximately an hour to make the trip, and I promise it will be rewarding.
You can find out more about tours and other aspects of the trip at the Centre for Ecotourism and Environmental Education for Bidoup Nui Ba National Par before visiting the park.
Its system of flora and wildlife is extraordinarily diverse, and many of its species are classified in the IUCN Red Book. You will have a fantastic experience trekking through coniferous woodlands, grasslands, and bamboo groves considering 91% of the park is made up of forestland.
Ninety-one of the thousand plant species are unique to Lam Dong and its surroundings. With the tour, you can visit the National Park for two days and one night. Perhaps you'll have the opportunity to observe black bears, vampire-flying frogs, or yellow-cheeked gibbons on the trip. A tribe known as the K'ho can also be visited; often, they will assemble around a big campfire and perform traditional dance.
Image Credit: Diane Selwyn, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Tuyền Lâm Lake is one of 21 National Tourism Areas in Da Lat. It is located six kilometers south of the center of Da Lat if you want to visit a location with a more accessible landscape. You might also need to rent a scooter to get here, and it's the ideal way to navigate Da Lat.
Coming here will make you feel as though you are in paradise, in harmony with the meaning of the place's name Tuyền Lâm. The oases around the lake, mountains covered in luscious pine trees, and magical mist over the water set this lake apart from the others in Da Lat.
At this lake, you can do plenty of activities. The activities that you should do in Tuyền Lâm Lake are taking a boat around the lake to enjoy the landscape, camping overnight facing the lake, conquering Pinhatt Mountain, exploring Truc Lam Zen Monastery which is located near the lake, and Experiencing Local Customs.
Remember to wear long sleeve shirt and to pack adequate equipment for your activities here.
Image Credit: Marco Verch Professional Photographer on Flickr
Your trip to a city is not complete if you have not visited a local traditional market. Da Lat Night Market opens daily from 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM which sounds good if you are a foodie. Moreover, the market Central Dalat Market opens at 6:30 AM early in the morning and then transforms into a night market. You may take in the beauty of the lake before supper at the night market because it is situated close to Xuan Huong lake.
Therefore, if you like food, we recommend staying nearby and preparing your money to spend here, because you will find lots of street food vendors, stalls with clothes, souvenirs, and even street performances. This market can be very lively and more crowded on holidays and weekends.
In Da Lat Night Market, food is offered for a fair price. You can possibly get a better price by bargaining. Therefore, make sure you are packed with the ability to bargain.
Going here, we urge you to savor its iconic Vietnamese pizza, also known as Bánh Tráng Nướng, which is grilled rice paper that serves as a pizza base. To ensure what you are eating, you might ask for the toppings. A lot of grilled foods are also available, including sweet potatoes, maize, chicken, shrimp, fish, and fish cakes. You can get fresh fruits like apples, cherries, strawberries, and even plums for a pick-me-up. Yummy!
Image Credit: Tâm Trần on Flickr
Where else but in Vietnam can you personally experience Vietnamese coffee? Particularly in Da Lat, where plantation coffee is all around it. To get to Me Linh Coffee Garden, take a scooter about 20 kilometers outside of Da Lat. As you enter the main gate, you will notice plenty of free, secure scooter parking to the right.
This Coffee Garden is open for business 7 days a week, from 7 AM to 6:30 PM. From the Coffee Garden's vantage point, as far as the eye can see is the coffee plantation. There are several different sorts of seats here. The area directly above the plantation is the most popular. In a little area, live music is being played as you drink coffee.
They provide a great selection of items on their menu, starting with weasel coffee and moving on to other variations including Italian and Vietnamese Moka, Cocoa, Matcha, Fruit concentrate, Yogurt, and Tea.
In addition, you may purchase coffee in both bean and ground form as well as the souvenirs they sell.
Halal restaurants are not common in Da Lat, especially in light of the pandemic. Nonetheless, Fatimah Restaurant offers a chance to experience local Vietnamese dishes. The staff at this restaurant has certified it to be Halal and offers a space for prayer. Therefore, we can eat here with greater comfort.
They can be found at 18-24 Nguyễn Du, Phường 9, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng, Vietnam, and are open every day from 9 AM to 7:55 PM. They provide a menu that includes salad, spring rolls, crab and asparagus soup, chicken, fish, and vegetarian options. Asian or Vietnamese food is included on every menu.
All five of the available activities in Da Lat when visiting Vietnam are listed above. By reading more about Da Lat in this article, we have learned that Vietnam is home to numerous attractions besides having known for its coffee, such as exploring its natural surroundings and unique flora and fauna.
Now that you know there are tons of exciting things to discover in Vietnam, I think you are ready to pack your bags and book a flight ticket! Right?
