Dalat - Wikitravel

Dalat

Contents

• 1 Understand
  • 1.1 Fakes and copycats
• 2 Get in
  • 2.1 By bus
  • 2.2 By plane
• 3 Get around
• 4 See
• 5 Do
• 6 Buy
• 7 Eat
• 8 Drink
• 9 Sleep
  • 9.1 Budget
  • 9.2 Mid Range
  • 9.3 Tourist and FIT Hotels
• 10 Stay safe
• 11 Get out

Dalat, also Da Lat (Đà Lạt), located in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam, was originally the playground of the French who built villas in the clear mountain air to escape the heat and humidity of the coast and of what was then called Saigon (now) officially known as Ho Chi Minh City.

Understand[edit]

Dalat: "Le Petit Paris"

Dalat is a mid-sized city that looks like a cross between Vietnam and the French Alps. Outside of the city centre, it is surrounded by a series of pine-covered hills, lakes, and higher peaks, making for some lovely scenery quite different from the rest of Vietnam.

Temperatures are pleasantly warm by day, and quite cool at night, down to perhaps 10 degrees Celsius. Be aware that during summer months, rain comes at least once a day and can sometimes dictate the mood and activities you are planning.

The city centre is quite small and feels very urban, concrete, and patches of streets and buildings are in disrepair or construction. However, outside of the small urban centre is a spacious landscape of well kempt and pretty hotels, cafes, restaurants, and lakes peppered among the rolling green hills and pine trees to offer tourists an escape from city life. Even further out from those are fields of fruits, vegetables, coffee, and canopied flower gardens that are harvested and exported across Vietnam. The tempo of life in Dalat is very relaxed, traffic is not frenetic except for the central area, streets are spacious, and the local populace is friendly to foreigners.

Dalat is very much a niche tourism town, open to those seeking a respite from the heat of the rest of Vietnam, a change in scenery to lush pine forests and rolling hills, or those seeking world class golf. There is a steady flow during some parts of the year of tourist from all walks of life and places, small hotels, cafe's lining its streets and plenty of small shops offering anything from orchids to knitwear. The vast majority of visitors are Vietnamese, although plenty of Americans and Europeans find their way, either on short package tours, soul searching, or drawn by the scenery, vivid blue skies, fresh air, flower-filled parks, and local culinary treats. Dalat is a favourite destination for company weekend outings, family get-aways, and honeymooners. Most guidebooks for overseas visitors describe Dalat as a tourist town with a colourful approach to tourism.

Dalat is a very pleasant stop, on a north-south tour (or vice versa), or a pleasant outing from the heat of Saigon. For overseas visitors, it offers mostly a chance to cool down, observe some beautiful landscape and agriculture, view a bit of the French legacy, the Indochine legend and its momentous glories and the architecture untouched by the Vietnam conflict left behind,a unique place to enjoy the atmosphere of a unique country and its people.

Dalat is also surrounded by some of the best mountain biking, hiking and canyoning opportunities in Vietnam, with hills of coffee and tea plantations, which evoke images of the colonial hill stations of the north of India.

Dalat's high altitude (1500-2000m) and fertile landscape make it one of Vietnam's premier agricultural areas, producing varieties of fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee beans, and flowers that do not grow in the lowlands. In markets as far north as Hanoi and Hai Phong, vegetable and flower vendors will tout their "made in Dalat" produce.

Fakes and copycats[edit]

Be aware of copycat establishments in Dalat. Dalat's tourism industry has taken on a very particular character that also may show up in many other cities in Vietnam; some establishments have chosen to copy the name of successful businesses and misrepresent themselves as "the original".

For example, there are two restaurants called "Peace Cafe" within a block of one another. There are at least four companies that claim to be the original Easy Riders, and maybe upwards of ten that all proudly have shops with the name "Easy Riders" and variants of the blue jackets that they are known for.

Get in[edit]

By bus[edit]

Most local and foreign travellers arrive in Dalat by bus, including those travelling on the famous Sinh Cafe Hanoi-HCMC open-tour bus. Private car service run several daily to Dalat from Nha Trang, Mui Ne and HCMC. From Nha Trang Phuong Trang Bus Station [1], the bus ride is about 3-4 hours, including a 30-minute breakfast/WC stop about one hour out of Nha Trang, and costs 145 000 VND including hotel pick-up. (Mar 2014)also other bus name is Nam phuong bus pick up at your hostel, and drop off i the middle of backpacker area, cost is 120.000vnd.

From Danang - Danang Central Bus Station, sleeper bus from Danang to Dalat [2], departs from Danang at 17:00 and arrives Dalat at 8:00 - 9:00 am (15 hours), it costs 265.000/ticket, you may come directly to the Bus Station or online booking via email [email protected].

From Ho Chi Minh City, the bus ride is about 6 hours (recently renovated roads reduced the commute time by a few hours), VND210,000 (Nov 2017) on Phuong Trang (FUTA)'s semi-sleepers. If coming from Mui Ne, be careful as the road is terribly rough most of the way, so try to book a large bus or at least a seat towards the front. Dropoff is at the Interprovincial Bus Station a couple Kilometers south of the city, FUTA has a free transport van to take you to your hostel or hotel, but be prepared to wait, hours, for when they no longer have any Vietnamese riders.

Mekong Delta There is a sleeper bus at 8pm from the Dalat bus station that goes directly to Can Tho ~8h / VND 325k, good option if you want to skip HCMC

For western visitors it may be best to book a ticket on a bus without a television. The entertainment offered could be loud and unappealing if you prefer sleeping before arriving at their next destination. FUTA's semi sleepers dont have TV.

There are various travel agencies in the town that can book buses to all parts of the country.

Alternatively, catch a local bus at HCMC, Bien Hoa, Phan Rang, Nha Trang or Buon Ma Thuot.

By plane[edit]

One airport, Lien Khuong Airport is 30km south of the city linked by a modern and yet scenic two lane highway and offers flights to and from HCMC, Danang, Hanoi, Hue, Vinh, Haiphong and Bangkok. Dalat is being serviced by three airlines at this present time (May 2018), being Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways and Pacific Airlines. Checking the timetables and prices being offered is well worth while since competition offers better rates with advanced bookings, Vietjet Air like Vietnam Airlines is linked into overseas reservation and ticket issuing through the GDS and airline systems. Generally, price ticket from Hanoi to Dalat or from Ho Chi Minh to Dalat between 169,000 and 699,000 VND.

There are shuttle buses available just outside the airport building, tickets are sold on spot for 50,000 VND. Beware when catching the shuttle bus that the driver might try to drop you off elsewhere in Dalat rather than your hotel - make sure to specify which hotel you want to be dropped off at to the tout and see that this is communicated to the driver. Be firm but polite with the driver if he tries to drop you off elsewhere, unless you don't mind walking! By default, the shuttle drops you off at Ngoc Phat Hotel which is opposite the Big C mall and may be counted as a central area of the city.

Mai Linh Taxi from the airport counter without any pre-booking was 250,000 to Dalat city (as of February 2022) and 250,000 to hotels outside the center. Some hotels offer special arrangements with taxi companies to ferry hotel-stayers to and fro the airport also around 250,000 VND.

There is also an option to catch a local bus. The route 1 buses run from Dalat to Duc Trong, thus passing by the airport. The local bus stop (which is just a bus stop sign) is on the QL20 highway near the turn to the airport. You'll have to walk about 1 km from the airport to that bus stop. The price is 15,000 VND.

Get around[edit]

Depending on where you stay, you can walk to most parts around town. You can catch a Xe Om (motorbike taxi) from most corners, so if you're going somewhere farther out of town, you have a fast way to get there. Taxis are also abundant and reasonable in price, yet watch the meter, as meter fixing is a common practice from north to the south.

There is a local bus which passes near most of the main tourist sites. Heading south you can catch it at the bus shelter by the lake. Otherwise, the bus hub can be found on Khu Hoa Binh street, just up from the market. The last bus each day is at 5PM.

There are many places around town to rent a bicycle, tandem or motorbike. Please consider carefully before you move to rent a motorbike, as according to the Vietnamese law you must be in the possession of a valid Vietnamese drivers license, to be able to operate and drive a motor vehicle in the country, failure to have one, cancels any insurance that the bike might come with and makes you liable according to the law for any damages and remember in South East Asia, you are always liable, as you are always guilty, as you are presumed to have more money then the other party. Hence you will have to pay for damages to the bike and its full value, damages to other people and their property, as well you might have just ruined your own vacation time, due to injury and of course hefty payments to third parties.

Car rental prices (as mostly anything in Vietnam) usually increase during holiday seasons especially around Tet (Vietnamese’s New Year). Make sure to avoid high prices by booking it beforehand with the car rental services.

See[edit]

Dalat Countryside Cable ride to Thien Vien Truc Lam Monastery

Packaged day tours are easily purchased round town, which will take you to a variety of sites, it is recommended to use one of the three licensed operator, as they are registered with the tourism department, offer insurance coverage and in the event of any disputes, or grievances have to respond to the claims against them. Fair pricing policies apply to them, which might not be the case with some of more shady characters in the business, hence ask for the government registered license and receipt with a red invoice when contracting any services. (An indignity not uncommon in the developing world -- visitors from outside Vietnam are often required to pay double what Vietnamese pay for admission to many places when visiting individually, hence going through licensed operators will avoid some of those challenges.)

Tours typically include a handful of stops like the following:

• The three palaces and summer home of the colonial-era, last emperor of Vietnam Bao Dai, which is of great interest once you visit these three heritage sites, named as Palace I., II and III, the Dalat Palace Hotel being one of them, with its adjacent Dalat Du Park Hotel, all from the 1922's, together with the Dalat Palace Golf Club, which was built in 1922, to give his majesty the opportunity to practice his golf skills picked up during his years of study in France. The golf course is a awesome site, whether you enjoy the swinging and putting or not, as the coffee shop at the golf course has some wholesome meals of Asian and European making, with great view of the deep green fairways and classy environment. The Palace I is located on the same street when you walk to the Crazy House. It is about 15-30 minutes walk depending on your pace (1.1 km. from Tran Phu, 47 meters elevation gain). Palace II is located on Tran Hung Dao, not far from the Xuan Huong Lake (next to Yersin Park).

• A striking, not-quite-finished fantasy house designed by the daughter of an independence war hero. Known as the Crazy House. Worth a visit if you are interested in architecture, or like Dr. Seuss-style surroundings. It is located on Huỳnh Thúc Kháng, Phường 4, Da Lat; which is about 0.3 km off Duy Tan Street. Admission 50,000 dong.

• A set of flower gardens centered around a re-constructed traditional Vietnamese teakwood house. The Flower Garden is located on the northwestern end of the Xuan Huong Lake, so if you go for a stroll around the lake, it can be visited as a stop. Admission 30,000 dong.

• A hill-top pagoda coupled with a brief cable car ride over the pine forest.

• A ride in a UAZ jeep up to the top of Langbiang mountain, with spectacular views of Dalat and the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Other sites of interest:

• Ho Xuan Huong (Hồ Xuân Hương) aka Xuan Huong lake, center of town. Open daily, all hours. No admission fee but rental fees vary if you want to boat. Approximately 5km in diameter, this lake was made after two dams on the Camly river were destroyed during a storm in the 1930s. Now, Xuan Huong lake is one of the main draws of Da Lat, and you can see honeymooners and locals strolling its banks. Many nice hotels have a view of the lake. The lake was drained in 2010, but is now filled again.

Xuan Huong Lake

• Da Lat market filled with local specialities: strawberry jam, fruits conserves, avocado, artichoke.

• Nha Tho Domaine de Marie:(on Ngo Quyen, 1 km from where Hai Thuong and Ba Trang Hai (3 Trang Hai) meets.) A pink church on top of a hill, with a store selling various dried fruits and snacks from the local orchards run by the nuns of the monastery.

• Da Lat train station: take the steam train through the 7km historical line to Trai Mat, from there you can visit the Linh Phuong pagoda. Price for train ride is 124,000d return (January 2013, price for foreigners).

• Ho Suoi Vang (Golden Spring lake). Rather unspoiled scenery.

• Thien Vien Truc Lam Monastery, at the hill where the cable car drops you off (one way 50,000 VND, return 80,000 as of December 2019) The monastery (admission free, donations accepted) has a magnificent view over the dams below and its gardens are full of landscaped shrubs in animal form. Extremely peaceful - a great place to relax and soak in the tranquility. People who do not want to complete the round trip could opt for a 4.1 km walk back to Tran Phu. Be sure to bring a map. On the walk back you can go down to Tuyen Lam lake (see below), visit nearby Datanla waterfall and take the bus back to town. Appropriate clothes are requested, no shorts or short skirts, shoulders should be covered.

• Thung Lung Tinh Yeu (Thung Lũng Tình Yêu) aka Valley of Love, Phu Duong Thien Vong str. Open daily until 5PM. Admission fee= 250.000 VND. About 5km outside of town, the Valley of Love is common stop on Dalat tours and is very popular with honeymooners. The Valley of Love is also a great spot for canyoning. See contact info below for canyoning operators.

The Valley of Love

• Lake of Sorrow or Lake of Sighs,(closed at the moment) 5km northeast of town on Ho Xuan Huong road. Open daily until 5PM. Admission fee= 20.000 VND.The Lake of Sorrow is another common destination in Dalat. The Lake of Sorrow is so-named because of a tale of two lovers, one who committed suicide after the other was called up to serve in the army.

• Tuyen Lam Lake (Hồ Tuyền Lâm), 5km south of town on highway 20. Its clean green waters flow from the beautiful Tia Spring and from the Da Tam River, which flows down from Voi mountain. Its waters stretch over an immense 350 hectares and because of its various sources, Tuyen Lam is known as the lake where rivers, springs and forests meet. The lake was built in the 80s. It is one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in town. The other side of the lake is the Voi mountain which is a good place for hiking.

• Prenn Falls, At the foot of Prenn Pass, about 10km outside of town. Open daily until 5PM. Admission fee= 220.000 VND A very common stop on a typical Dalat tour, Prenn Falls is quite beautiful but is a lot more fun when you're hiking it than just taking pictures of it.

• Pongour Falls, 50km south of town on highway 20, it's one of the largest and widest waterfalls in Vietnam and during the wet season is a magnificent sight. Although a dam built nearby has reduced the water flow recently. 50.000VND (as of December 2019). Make sure you can climb quite a steep concrete stairs down to the bottom.

• Elephant Falls, 30km west of town on the way to Daklak , is is so nice and full of water all year around, entrance fee : 10.000VND (as of December 2019). Quite treacherous "stairs" hacked out of rocks on the way to the bottom. Very slippery and muddy when raining. Nearby, a large statue of Buddha can be visited as well.

Do[edit]

Most popular activities include: 'Canyoning, Mountain bike, White water rafting, Hiking, Rope course.

• Canyoning Dalat 64 Truong Cong Dinh, website canyoningdalat.com, Canyoning is the must thing to do in Dalat. Great value, great adventure, highly recommend this activity.

• Easy Riders Vietnam, ☎ 0909596580, [x]. Easy Riders Vietnam offers unique motorbike tours off the typical tourist trails where you can experience the authentic Vietnam, local diverse cultures in ways that no one can offer.

• Vietnam Riders, 287/21/7 Phan Dinh Phung, [x]. Vietnam Riders provides Premium Motorcycle Adventures designed for intrepid travelers to discover 'off the beaten path' tours in Vietnam

• Mimosatravel-Dalat private tour, 27H Le hong Phong, [x]. Mimosatravel provides Private tour for family or group tour in dalat, in Vietnam

• Lak Lake is a nice stop on a bike-tour in the central Highlights. NHA TRANG and then Take the busy Road 26 to BUON MA THUOT. Its a beautiful ride down to the Elefant-Waterfall through Cafeplantations ect. and then up to Lak Lake over a mountain and then through sunny highlands with Rice-Fields. The Road is partly very bad though, but doable.

• LangBiang Mountain Located 12 kilometers from Da Lat city centre, Langbiang, which has an elevation of 2167 meters above sea level, is a well-known and charming destination. The peak is reachable by a steep paved path, ideal for a 2 hours hike, or take a ride in a jeep for 100,000 vnd per person to reach the 1950m peak (including return after 45 minutes). Also visit the minorities village under the mountain foot. No other vehicles than with special permit are allowed to use the mountain road. Entrance fee 50,000 vnd.

• Vietnam Motorcycle Tours, ☎ +84982628882, [x]. This is a company specializing in organizing camping tours and sightseeing tours by Vietnam Motorcycle Tours or private cars. This is one of the activities that tourists should experience when coming to Dalat.

Buy[edit]

Most visitors to Dalat are Vietnamese, and most of them leave loaded with stuff. What they like to take home is dried and candied fruits, strawberry preserves, coffee, green and artichoke tea, local wine, dried venison, orchids, strawberries, avocados, and other fresh produce. If you take any sort of organized tour, chances are you will be off-loaded for a half hour at a shop selling these items. Local treats are also for sale in abundance in the large central market located in the area around Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Le Dai Hanh. Part covered and part outdoor, the market has dozens of small stalls selling also fruits and vegetables, clothing, and a wide variety of other goods. There is a supermarket on the top floor selling necessities for travellers. Strolling around the market is a favorite evening activity, and every night it buzzes with thousands of sweater-clad visitors.

Dalat does not offer lot of high-end handicrafts of the sort favored by overseas tourists. Dalat is famous, however, for its beautifully crafted silk embroidered pictures, which can be purchased at a massive mark up from the many galleries around Dalat or at a fraction of the price from the central Dalat market.

Dalat also has an abundance of fruit, vegetables and flowers available for purchase if you plan to stay for a few days and want to liven up your hotel room or cook your own meals.

Eat[edit]

Dalat has countless restaurants to serve the diverse visitors, from all walks of life and origins, with offerings ranging from Local Lamdong province, Dalat food, to central and southern Vietnamese dishes and a fair number of Western and French inspired eateries, bars and restaurants, serving every budget and aspirations.

• Chocolate restaurant. Located on a street (Truong Cong Dinh st.) with many other dining options. The setup is not fancy, but the food is amazing and cheap! You should definitely check it out if you like Vietnamese or western food but tired of eating on the street but dont want to go bankrupt. Good Pizza. Check out the specials..

• Backpackers Tourists' Cafe 61- 3 thang 2 Street, F 1, Dalat. TEL: 0903640643- Good food and cheap price with very nice decoration. The staff speak good English and you can get more information for the area around Dalat.

• Nhat Lien- 17 Huynh Thuc Khang, P.4, Da Lat. TEL: 063 382 1126 (or +84 63 382 1126). EMAIL: [email protected]. Open until 9PM. Vegetarian restaurant. They serve primarily Vietnamese food, but the menu does have some English. The servers don't speak much English but the owner does and he is happy to help you out. There are two dinning area, the older original cafe area and the newer classy section. They sometimes have live music. They are located on the same street as the Crazy House (see things to do above), just walk 5 min west of Crazy House until you see their big green sign and some statues out front. Quality food and service.

• V Cafe- 1/1 Bui Thi Xuan, Dalat, Tel (84) (63) 352 0215- Open daily from 7:00 to 22:30. International dishes, and live music.

• Dalat (Central) Market / Chợ Đà Lạt, center of town. Open daily until early evening. Fresh fruits and vegetables. Near the entrance, there is a lively and always busy vegetable restaurant that serves excellent soups. A tiny vegetarian food stall is in a corner of the second level.

• Dalat Palace Golf Club, No.1 Phu Dong Thien Vuong Street, Dalat. Tel: (+84 63) 3821 201 - Cafe, Pro Shop and Clubhouse, open daily from 6 a.m. until about 8PM. If you are craving quesadillas, tacos and haven't had Mexican, Western Food in the months, you will find what you're looking for at the Pro Shop.

• Cafe de la Poste (No More , Right now is NAMA bank) No. 12 Tran Phu Street, Tel. (063)825 777, part of the Dalat Du Parc and Dalat Palace compound, French and Western Country Style cuisine, at affordable prices, outstanding service and open from 6 a.m. till 11 p.m., wide selection of traditional dishes and fast food favorites, cold beer and a pretty impressive wine list, besides their famous fresh Dalat fruit juices. Service is great,served by English speaking friendly staff.

• Le Rabelais, French Fine Dining Restaurant, Dalat Palace Hotel 12, Tran Phu Street, one of the best fine dining experiences, besides fancy eateries in Hanoi or Saigon, receiving each year visitors just to experience a unique French ~ Vietnamese influenced fine dining experience, second to none. Recipient of numerous international prizes and accolades. Great service, elegant and distinctly old fashioned with class and style, if its unique 1920's atmosphere and cusine and refined service, this is the place in town for that fancy birthday, anniversary, or special moment in life.

• Larry's Bar No.12 Tran Phu Street, Dalat Palace Hotel, based in the belly of the colonial style hotel, its a bar established by the late American billionaire, philanthropist and controversial bon vivant Larry Hillblom, with a unique colonial - outback bar atmosphere, great music ( live Friday and Saturday evening performances) and the best pizza to be found east of the Mekong river and beyond. The friendly staff have been there for years and know their punters by name and preferred drinks. One of the few waterholes in town to close past the midnight hours, kitchen service until closing moments. Prices are pretty high (e.g. for a personal pizza as of Dec. 11).

• Nam Giao Cafe No. 4C Chu Van An street, tel: 0633822875, 15' walking from Xuan Huong Lake, 10' walking from "Dinh Bao Dai" (Bao Dai's Summer Palace #2)), well known for "Bún Bò" and "Mì Quảng", the traditional noodle that Vietnamese often have for breakfast. Price: 12,000-45,000 VND. 7AM-10PM.

• Peace Café next to Peace Hotel 1 offers some of the cheapest eats in Dalat, with a variety of items on the menu.
• Sunshine Town" (Ap Anh Sang) has traditional food quite cheap in clean surroundings, right out the circle.
• Âu Lạc, Bui Thi Xuan Street, offers good vegetarian food.

• Việt Mỹ CaFé No. 9A Le Dai Hanh) offering both local and western food along with an excellent selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Small and neat atmosphere, overlooking the city gardens. Either eat alfresco, watching the hustle and bustle of DaLat's streets moving by, with some nice indoor dining. Owner speaks English.

• Vinh LoiLê Quý Đôn St. Serves pretty standard local fare at reasonable prices and is packed with locals for both lunch and dinner. In the evening, try the hot milk (7000 dong) from the stall just to the left of the restaurant which is likewise packed. (January 2014)
• IndiaGate Indian Restaurant, 19 Đường Bùi Thị Xuân, Phường 2 Thành phố Đà Lạt Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, ☎ 0263 3677 779, [x]. 10.00 AM - 11.00 PM. Truly traditional Indian restaurant in Dalat Vietnam, serving exotic Indian food from different regions of south and North India prepared using aromatic spices ground in house combined with fresh herbs. (11.944391,108.439914)

Drink[edit]

Nightlife is extremely muted in Dalat (at least at time of writing in July 2014). It usually starts up around 8pm, peaks around 10pm, and all drinking establishments are emptied out by midnight or 12:30am at the latest without fail. While there are several bars listed below, the only ones that have more than a handful of people are The Hangout, Beepub, and Alo.

• The Hangout Bar[3], 71 Truong Cong Dinh street, next to Peace Hotel. It is mainly known as a foreigner bar, and a great place for travelers to meet each other. It locates in the center of the city, at the backpackers' area. They offer cheap cold beer, cocktails, free pool table, board games, darts, wide HD screen TV, movies and free travel tips, and and has an open air front for those who want to people watch. It has music selection from different artists around the world - tourists can choose the music to listen as well. The great-English-speaking owner and staffs are really friendly and willing to provide you any tips you need for your travel in Vietnam. It is also the latest bar still open after midnight.

• Beepub, 74 Truong Cong Dinh street, nearly end of the northern end of the street, Beepub is decorated impressively. It caters to a younger crowd of 20's and 30's, catering to a mixed group of locals. Friendly atmosphere with cheap drinks. Young and energetic English-speaking staff are very helpful and friendly. A variety of pop music and rock is played by a DJ from 6-9 PM, then live music from 9pm until closing, rotating genres (acoustic, pop, rock, oldies) each night of the week.

• Cafe 13, 13 Tang Bat Ho street, Corner of Truong Cong Dinh street & Tang Bat Ho street. This bar is mainly a chill spot for people looking to relax and have a drink with friends surrounded by a lush garden bar set under the biggest avocado tree in Dalat. The atmosphere is spacious, relaxed, and comfortable with the space almost exclusively lit by fairy lights, plants scattered everywhere through the courtyard and walls decorated with Warhol-esque portraits of pop culture idols, who frequently come on the stereo. You can get beer for 15000dong, or mixed drinks from 30000dong (the mojitos are the real deal). They also do coffee and smoothies (try the mulberry yogurt drink). Food is also amazing, with all produce hand picked locally. The mixed western/Vietnamese menu includes bacon&eggs for brekky, Thai currys, steak, Pho, and hamburgers.

• Larry's Bar, 12 Tran Phu (in the basement of the Dalat Palace Hotel). Mainly targets those looking for a more upscale atmosphere. Open every night. The Dalat Palace was championed by philanthropist, controversial American billionaire and bon vivant, Larry Hillblom, who saved the palace from obscurity and demolition and who also happened to have lots of American dollars to spent, as the co-founder of DHL. Larry's Bar pays homage to Larry's British background. Library-style with dark wood paneling, pool table, darts and lots of good beer and nuts available. Great place to relax after a day of biking or hiking. Currently January 2011 has happy hour 5-7.

• V Life - located on Le Dai Hanh street, at the roundabout at the end of the Dalat night market. This is a typical trendy Vietnamese nightclub, with tables for bottle service and fruit platters. Prices at these types of establishments are more expensive than bars or pubs, but cater to those who are looking for nightclubs.

• Rain Club - located at 1 Lê Hồng Phong. Similar to V'Life, it is the most well known club in Dalat and is mainly patronized by locals.

Escape Bar and Saigon Nite are also frequently listed bars in Dalat, but as of July 2014 are consistently quiet during evenings.

Sleep[edit]

Accommodation in Dalat is very reasonable in the 'off-season', for as little as US$10 per night for a perfectly presentable hotel room with double bed and ensuite. In high season prices rise and advance booking is a good idea - particularly during weekends most hotels in the centre are fully booked.

Budget[edit]

• ""Dora hostel 92 To Ngoc Van street, in the heart of the city, Price: 5$-8$ included breakfast. Super comfy beds, great location, staffs are friendly and helpful.
• ""Tuan Vu Homestay Da Lat 57 Tran Nhat Duat, ward 5, Da Lat City Near City center (about 2km) Price: 5$ - 10$ (Normal day)
• Smiley Backpackers Hostel - 71 Thu Khoa Huan tel: (+84) 0987 406 506, website: []. Family run hostel style accomodation 2 minutes walk from the Da Lat market. 6 bed dorms and 2 private rooms at the top. Good solid beds in the dorms and hot showers. Rooms cleaned daily. Breakfast included. Very cheap beer (10,000VND). Motorbikes for hire (semi or auto). Laundry service available. Fast Wifi. Motorbike tours and canyoning offered. The young husband and wife team running the hostel are amazing and will really go out of their way for guests. Dorms - $5 per day (Jun 2015), Motorbike rental $5 per day, Laundry 20,000VND/KG.

• Hanhoan hotel - 108 Nguyen Van Troi St., Clean spacious rooms. Awesome Wi-Fi. 10 min walk from lake and city center.services for bus booking, tour information... price is from 7USD/room, contact : [email protected] or phone 0898007200

• Dalat Backpackers Hostel - 11 Ha Huy Tap St., website: [4] Clean spacious rooms. Very clean. Awesome Wi-Fi. 10 min walk from lake and city center. Hostel owner (Mr. Vu) and his wife are very friendly and will help you with booking cooking class, day-tour, rent motobikes etc. Breakfast is included. You can also always cook for yourself if you feel like it. There's BBQ on the roof, cheap beer and other backpackers every other day (great view from the top). Tel +84 164 6688883.

• Sleep in Dalat Hostel, 83/5B Nguyen Van Troi, 10 minutes walk from the city center. Dorms from 7 USD. Exceptionally clean dorms and washrooms. Very friendly staff and free Wifi plus great tours assistance. Free breakfast.

• Dalat Garden Homestay, 1D Nguyen Khuyen street, Dalat, website: dalathomestay.com, TEL: +84 917 008499 (Ms. Giang) - +84 913 684754 (Mr. Hien). Whether you're a tourist or traveling on business, Garden Home Stay is a great choice for accommodation when visiting Dalat. The excitement of the city center is only 3.3 Km away. For sightseeing options and local attractions, the hotel enjoys close proximity to Lam Dong General Hospital, Domaine Cathedral, Domaine de Marie Convent.

• Mr.Peace backpacker's house, 3/8 Hai Ba Trung, frontsight of alley is Saccombank, Email:[email protected]. tel: +84633828456 / +84977 089 159. Centrally located in the downtown, cosy, easy to walk to several of tourist destinations such as: city center, crazy house, lake, market... Excellent english speaking staff. free wifi, breakfast, city map, tour infomations, book for you bus tickets, any tour you like to do.

• Beepub, 74 Truong Cong Dinh, near the end of the street. Next to Art Cafe. website: http://www.beepub.vn, tel: +84 633 825 576 and +84 964 927 627. This budget accommodation located right downtown offers dormitories and private rooms decorated with boutique art. Private rooms (for between one and four people) - 150'000 to 300'000. New Zen room is 500'000 but hadn't been completed when we stayed there. Dorm room: 95'000 - 120'000. Cheaper if you book online through their website.

• Dalat Easy Friends Hostel, 3- Doan Thi Diem street- Da Lat- Facebook:Easyrider Club Da Lat. Tel :+84.633.510.777 (Mr Long-Phone Nr:0903703912 ).50m away from the mainroad in a quiet alley, you will find this hostel where you can chillout in a quiet athmosphere but also make friends easily. You can also expect to be pestered constantly by Easy Rider cyclists who take a totally cynical attitude. If you hire them, preferably, paying over the odds then they will be all smiles. If you do not hire them, expect to be treated like a leper. Price is from $4.99 to $5.99 with breakfast included.

• Camtucau 27 Le Hong Phong Hotel Dalat 27 H le Hong Phong Street, Dalat, Lam Dong Province - email : [email protected] , price is from 10 USD/room

• Binh Yen Located on Hai Thuong. Spacious and light 8-person dorms with good beds for $6 per night that gets quite cold at night. Free basic breakfast and coffee is included. Shower in the dorm is abysmal. The manager is friendly, bordering on pushy, but speaks English quite well.

• "'Joyful spring cafe/guesthouse " tel: 0916889880. A family-owned guesthouse and cafe, located about 5 minutes outside Dalat city center by motorbike. Overlooking a lush forested valley, our quiet, cosy little home is the perfect place to experience Da Lat at it's finest start at 10 USD/ night. Motorbikes for rent, an open kitchen to cook the best scenery in all of Dalat, and all this with the comforts of a warm and friendly home. Plus you get to meet little Xuan Hy (the inspiration for the place).

• Les Sapins 60 Hotel, Tel. +84 (0) 633830839, 60 Truong Cong Dinh Street, next to peace cafe, is a new choice for sleep and drink. It has been recently renovated. Very clean rooms, rooms don't smell like in many other cheap locations, hot shower system (all day), free wifi and internet down in the lobby. The cafe bar downstairs has a selection of Dalat and French wines and cheap prices for cocktails. The staff is super friendly and they will make your coffee just the way you want it. Rate for room is 12$ to 20$ per night. (Website http://www.lessapins60dalathotel.com)

• Hoa Binh 1 Hotel, also known as Peace Hotel 1, is anything but peaceful, and fills to capacity on weekends. But staff are friendly, rooms are available from US$10-15 per night, and there is a cafe next door. +84 (0)63 382 2787

• Dreams Hotel, 151 Phan Dinh Phung Street, ☎ 3833748 ([email protected]), [x]. Clean rooms, friendly staff and full big breakfast. They also have Sauna, Steam and Hot tub for free use of guests (4.00 p.m to 7.00p.m). The hot shower system was real good & of course up-to-date in style!

• Thanh Huong Hotel, 02 Bui Thi Xuan St., ☎ 063 382 7699 ([email protected]), [x]. is located on Bui Thi Xuan close to Xuan Huong lake. Reasonably priced, includes cable tv, wifi, fridge. Some rooms have balconies.

• Ngoc My Hotel is nice location, at 01 Le thi Hong Gam St with the Xuan huong lake view, big parking and clean room,nice balcony face to lake, costs from 25 USD/double room.

• Van Anh Hotel is located on Di Bui Thi Xuan, and charges US $10 for a twin or double room, and US $15 for a triple. The staff are extremely friendly, helpful and speak good English, rooms are clean with cable TV, private bathrooms and hot water, and there is excellent wifi. Also very motorcycle-friendly.

• Nam Ky Hotel is located at 11 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Tp. Da Lat. good overview and cheap rates. Telephone: (063) 3824493 - 3828295 or Vinaphone : 091 3789449

• Try the Ngoc Quynh Hotel_2 Yersi, about 2km from the centre, good overview, cheap and also very friendly.

• Or you may want to stay near the student centre, try the Sakura Hotel on Bui Thi Xuan Street. This street is full of cheap hotels.

• In the centre, opposite the market, Nguyen Chi Thanh Street also offers cheap lodgings.

• Hang Nga Guest House on Bui Thi Xuan Street (opposite Trung Cang Hotel) is worth checking out - friendly staff, clean rooms, good English spoken, with rooms from $7. email: [email protected] Tel. Mr. Gentle +84903100132 (As at January 15th 2013 the email address doesn't work)

• My Dream hotel :213A Phan Đình Phùng Thành Phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng , cheap rate from 7 to 10 USD/night. contact: Ms. Leha +84.918564472 or email:[email protected] / www.mydreamhoteldalat.com

• 128 Hotel is located on 128 Nguyen van Troi St - Dalat-

1-star standard,(branch of mydreamhotel)contact Ms Leha at 0918564472 or Ms Hong at 0938002002 and charges from US $10 The staff speak English,French , Korean. rooms are clean with cable TV, hot shower,safety box... and there is excellent wifi for all floors. You can book for a daily tour by car or motorcycle here, managed by mimosatravel.

• Hồng Tâm Hotel located at 12 Nam Kỳ Khời Nghĩa is about a 5-10 minute walk from Da Lat market. Cost was about 450,000 VND per night during the week of Tet. Clean, comfortable rooms and friendly staff. Tel: +84.063.837554

Mid Range[edit]

• Christina’s Da Lat, 12b1 La Son Phu Tu, Ward 2, Da Lat, ☎ +84 909198831 ([email protected]). Christina’s Da Lat has 8 beautifully designed apartment units, all of which are well-furnished with full amenities and essentials. My favorite aspect of the whole stay is how social the hosts are, going out of their way to ensure your utmost comfort. It’s more like staying in someone’s home rather than at an impersonal hotel—they will cook with you, drink with you and laugh with you. You can find Christina’s accommodation in all major cities of Vietnam. From $30. http://www.christinas.vn From US$30.

• * Mrlee Dalat house - hẻm 27 Le Hong Phong, Ward 4, Da Lat " phone="+84 898007200" "" price="From US$15,email="[email protected]"> , house is located near the Summer Palace of the last King of Vietnam , and just 5 minute walk to the crazy house, all rooms has window , some have balcony with nice view, staff speak English and little French

Tourist and FIT Hotels[edit]

• Dalat Edensee Lake Resort & Spa, Tuyen Lam Lake - Zone VII.2, ☎ +84 63 383 1515, [x]. Superior mountain view, deluxe garden view and eden suite, all equipped with 32-inch LCD TV, King bed and Fully equipped mini-bar. Facilities and services are Wi-Fi Internet access, Nam Xuan, Eden Lake Café, and Riesling Restaurant. From USD 139.00.
• Golf 1 Hotel. 3 star hotel at Dinh Tien Hoang Street. 5 minute walk to Xuan Huong lake and Dalat market.

• The Dalat Palace Heritage Luxury Hotel, 12, Tran Phu Street, [x]. the only 5-star hotel in Da lat, with 43 luxury rooms and suites, one presidential suite, built in the Art Deco style of the 1920's French architecture and refurbished during later stages in a Victorian Art Deco style, with imperial dining rooms and facilities. It has beautiful gardens, it was conceived as the very center of the city and dominates with great views onto the Xuan Huong lake. It also has an 18-hole championship golf course,tennis courts, spa, a unique site and among the most beautiful in Vietnam. It has been home away from home to the famous and scandalous from all over the globe for the past many decades, with historical figures and moments in time, so special and unique that it has inspired many books and novels.

• Dalat Du Parc Heritage Boutique Hotel, [x]. 3/4-star hotel built in 1922, part of the original Dalat Palace compound, with 143 rooms and one Ambassador suite, unique style and glory of yesterday, with any and all of the services through friendly, competent and English speaking staff, with excellent services, a very old fashioned lift and great views from the rooms at the back of the hotel of slopping Dalat's housing and hill scenery. The must stay at least one night for any visitor to Dalat, as the adjecent restaurant part of the hotel just completes the picture with great food.

• Empress Hotel, 5, Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Dalat, Lam Dong Province, [x].

• Ngoc Lan, [x]. 4-star hotel in the center of Dalat city, on a poetic hill and overlooking the picturesque Xuan Huong lake, Ngoc Lan is one of the newer hotels in Dalat, ( Three years ) with an extensive sauna and massage parlor in the basement.

• Hoang Anh Dalat resort. The resort covers five hectares, is comprised of six villas with 75 rooms in total.

• Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa, Le Lai Street, Da Lat. TheAna Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa is nestled on the gentle slopes of Vietnam’s rural highlands. This five star resort houses 65 well-appointed rooms that are ensconced in 17 fully refurbished French colonial villas. Le Lai Street, Da Lat, a bit far from the city center and only recommended for those who like to walk on very rough surfaces gobble stones, with large distances between the accommodation and the other services of the resort. Charming and for the adventurous, must like sharing living rooms and other services, as each villas houses several rooms, hence the sharing issue.

Stay safe[edit]

Get out[edit]

To get to Lien Khuong Airport, for taxi and local buses see Get In section, as they naturally work both ways. With the shuttle it's a bit more tricky. You can take a shuttle to the airport for the same price (40,000 VND) but the schedule is uncertain since these shuttles are tied to Vietnam Airlines flights' schedule. You can find it out calling 0913747480 or asking at the reception of Ngoc Phat Hotel. Actually, just as on the way in, you can arrange the shuttle to pick you up from your hotel. But, just as on the way in, the shuttle service may be moody in this issue. Again, you can always catch the shuttle at Ngoc Phat Hotel.

There are brand -new- luxury limousine buses from Mimosatravel office at 118 Nguyen Van Troi St , daily depart to Nhatrang (8h00, 13h00, 18h00)depart to Bienhoa & HCMC (8h00, 10h, 16h00 , 20h00)contact 0633907272 or email : [email protected] for more information www.mimosatravel.org

To Nha Trang it costs 120.000 VND/ticket, 4 hrs/trip. To Ho Chi Minh city is 230.000VND/ticket, 7hrs trip. To Muine Beach is 120.000VND/ticket, 4hrs trip.( Mimosatravel bus , the sinh tourist bus))

To Da Nang (for Hoi An), sleeper buses leave at 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00. 275.000 VND, Futa bus (Phuong Trang), 14 hours. There is also a Nam Phuong bus at 12:30 that goes first to Nha Trang, connecting with a sleeper leaving for Hoi An at 19:00. 320.000 VND.

To Ho Chi Minh City, it costs around 250,000 VND. There are many buses from Da Lat to Ho Chi Minh and you can easily get your hotel to book one for you. Duration is about 7 hours. Many companies run this but the reputable ones are Sinh Tourist or Phuong Trang (Futa bus). Alternatively, you can fly.

If you're short of time and want to avoid connections, you can go straight to Hanoi as well. A sleeper bus (Tai Thang Bus) direct to Hanoi on a 45 seat sleeper bus will cost 700.000 VND/ticket. You can buy the ticket at the bus station (1 To Hien Thanh St, Ward 3) or at the office of the bus company (5 Pham Ngoc Thach St, Ward 6). Total duration is around 30 hours.

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