What to do in Dalat Travel Guide

Dalat is a city located in the highlands that offers a cooler weather environment. Beautiful nature provides a landscape view for those who like to walk and admire waterfalls and flower parks. Panoramic views of the highlands make Dalat a worthwhile visit, including but not limited to Datanla Falls, Mount Liang Biang, Linh Phuoc Pagoda, and Bao Dai’s Palace. For more details on things to do and foods to try, check out our What to do in Dalat Travel Guide below.

Book your tickets to Dalat on 12GoAsia

Places to See in Dalat:

Datanla Waterfalls

 

While other attractions in Dalat include visits to the mountains, flower gardens, and lake, the waterfall is another Must-SEE of the city. Among the beautiful waterfalls in Dalat, Datanla is no doubt the most recommended one. You will have a chance to ride a thrilling roller coaster journey from the top of the falls through the woods.

Hours: 8 AM – 6 PM

Address: Prenn Pass, Ward 3, Dalat, Lam Dong

Entrance: VND 10,000 ($0.5)

Strawberry and Persimmons Gardens

 

 

Strawberry and persimmons fields are popular in Dalat. If you would like to have a beautiful photo and enjoy the fresh fruits, it is a good choice to spend time visiting these gardens.

It is worth noting that visitors can pick the strawberries or persimmons by themselves and buy directly in the garden. Since they are fresh, the price could be a little higher than the ones sold at the local markets. You can also buy jams, dried fruits, and other fruit products at these places.

Dalat Flower Gardens

 

If you love flowers, Dalat Flower Garden is your ideal destination. In Vietnam, Dalat is named as the City of Love not only because of the great man-made constructions but also for its variety of flowers and plant species making up beautiful natural sceneries.

On the northern side of Xuan Huong Lake and covering an area of approximately 7,000 sqm, Dalat Flower Gardens are one of the most visited by tourists. Coming to the gardens, you could be lost in a multi-color maze spreading the fragrances catching the visitors’ attention. And if you would like to bring a bouquet of flowers home, the garden owners are ready to sell one on the spot.

Hours: Daily from 7:30 AM – 4 PM

Address: Tran Quoc Toan, Ward 8, Dalat, Lam Dong

Entrance: VND 30,000 ($1.5)

Truc Lam Temple by Cable car

 

With around VND 50,000 - VND 70,000 ($2 - $3) per round trip for an adult and VND 30,000 - VND 50,000 per round trip for a child, you could overlook Dalat city in a very embracing view including the pine forest, strawberry gardens and flowers planted in the glasshouses. It guarantees a pleasant trip for every visitor. Moreover, the cable car will lead to Tuyen Lam Lake and Truc Lam Temple, which are the Must-SEE attractions in Dalat.

Lake of Sighs (Ho Than Tho)

 

Located in the East of Dalat, the lake used to be a swamp before the French built a dam to provide water for the city in 1937. At this place, there is a sad love folklore often told of a Vietnamese couple. They promised to unite after the war, but they all ended up killing themselves. At first, the woman heard the news that the man died in battle, so she was depressed and threw herself into the lake, but he didn’t die in battle. When he returned and sadly heard about his beloved’s death, he also threw himself into the lake. Since then, the lake was called “Than Tho” or “Sighs”, sighs for the depressed love.

Hours: Daily from 7 AM – 5 PM

Address: Ho Than Tho, Ward 12, Dalat, Lam Dong. 6 KM away from the city center to the east, along Quang Trung-Ho Xuan Huong Street

Entrance: VND 20,000 ($1)

Crazy House (Hang Nga Guesthouse and Art Gallery)

 

Established in 1990 by Soviet-trained Vietnamese architect Dang Viet Nga, “Crazy House” puts on a unique feel attracting a vast number of visitors every year. This building was designed in extraordinary architecture involved in a bizarre concept and tree-like shape. Being here, some people say it looks like being in Alice’s Wonderland, but others argue it is a horror garden! This attraction is an unusual place of visit in our What to do in Dalat Travel Guide.

More interestingly, the Crazy House was listed as one of the 10 weirdest constructions in the world, nominated by People’s Daily magazine in 2009.

Hours: Daily from 7 AM – 6 PM

Address: 3 Huynh Thuc Khang Street, Dalat

Entrance: VND 20,000 ($1)

Lam Ty Ni Pagoda (aka the Mad Monk Temple)

  

Lam Ty Ni Pagoda is a mix of religious sites and an art gallery. The master of this small monastery is Vien Thuc, who is both a Zen monk and a painter. He is very guest-welcoming and can speak French, English, Swedish, Chinese, and Thai. People give him the nickname Mad Monk because he is different in comparison with other Zen monks, but he is a fascinating guy. Hence, tourists often come to talk with him and see his arts.

Hours: All year round

Address: 2 Thien My (not far from Hang Nga’s Crazy House)

Entrance: Free

Linh Phuoc Pagoda

 

Linh Phuoc Pagoda or Dragon Pagoda, located in the romantic city of Dalat, is a one-of-a-kind pagoda that you should not miss when visiting Vietnam.

This attraction was built from the period 1949-1952 and all funded by the Buddhists. The design of the unique features was of 5th Master Monk Thich Tam Vi, and it has been well-kept after a major renovation in 1990. It is distinguishable to note that the Pagoda was made of debris of glass, pottery bowls, and porcelain, so the locals usually call it Ve Chai Pagoda.

At this place, besides the special materials of the construction, visitors have a chance to enjoy the intricate mosaics and the sophisticated sculptures made from broken glass. For instance, the pillars make this Pagoda super unique. Each of the colorful and decorated pillars forms a dragon. And you can see a spectacular 4.9 meters statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. Thus, take pictures if you can!

Hours: 8 AM - 5 PM

Address: 120 Tu Phuoc, Dalat, Lam Dong

Entrance: Free

Mist and Fog “Hunting”

 

One of the Dalat activities is mist and fog sightseeing. Ideally, 5 AM is the best time to submerge yourself in the mystical sights around town when mists are still lingering near the ground from the condensation at night. It sounds crazy to have to wake up early for this, but it promises a memorable experience for people who are not from the highlands!

The “hunting” seasons in Dalat are May, June, and July.

Additional places for mist and fog “hunting” and a panoramic view of Dalat are at Mt. Lang Biang.

 

Option 1: Rada Hill - MT. Lang Biang (1929 meters in height)

With a 6 km road, you should hire a Jeep instead of trekking. Visitors usually spend around 30 minutes at the mountain top. If you go up with the jeep, remember your jeep number because you'll go down with the same jeep.

By jeep (capacity: 6 adults excluded kids under 6 years old)

Round-trip price (last updated Oct. 2019): VND 480,000 ($22) per car, or VND 80,000 per person 

Journey time: 15 minutes (Jeep) and 1.5 - 2 hours (Walking)

Lang Biang entrance fee: VND 30,000 ($1.5)

Option 2: Nui Ba - Mt. Lang Biang (2167 meters in height)

Phase 1: Tourist zone Checkpoint to Nui Ba

Follow the road to Rada Hill by Jeep, when reaching the National Park’s Checkpoint after 3 - 4 km, turn right and go to a track until arriving at the Checkpoint of Nui Ba.

Phase 2: Checkpoint of Nui Ba to LangBiang

Keep going on the track, you will get through a pine forest. On this track, we cannot go by Jeep but on foot.

Dalat Central Night Market

Dalat Central Night Market is a lively gathering place providing a broad range of souvenir selections and Vietnamese street foods. Read more on Dalat’s night markets and other top night markets in Vietnam.

Xuan Huong Lake at night

 

Visiting Xuan Huong Lake is one of the things to do in Dalat. If tourists are so impressed with its gorgeousness in the daytime, they will be more impressed when the sun goes down. It turns into a romantic atmosphere in the evening. For locals, it is by far the most fantastic feeling when holding their beloved's hand and wandering around the lake under a slightly chilly night. This is a peaceful lake to visit.

Valley of Love (Vallée d’Amour) Park

 

In this area, it is a romantic environment with green hills, lakes, lovely gardens, and spacious fields to relax. Apart from the amusement park, young people commonly visit it because of the ‘cowboys’ service offering horse rides and western-liken posing for photos.

Hours: Daily from 6 AM – 5 PM

Address: 5 - 7 Mai Anh Dao, Ward 8, Dalat, Lam Dong, less than 5km north of the town center

Entrance: VND 40,000 - $2/adult, VND 20,000 - $1/child

Bao Dai’s Palace

 

Bao Dai Palace is a unique French architectural heritage. King Bao Dai was the last Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty of the Vietnam feudal court. This attraction in Dalat consists of Palace I, Palace II, and Palace III. Also known as Bao Dai’s Summer Palace, Palace III, is most popular among tourists because it is the best-preserved one built from 1933 - 1937. This 2 stories structure with 25 rooms and its amenities is one of the most famous attractions in Dalat.

Hours: 9 AM - 6 PM

Address: 1 Trieu Viet Vuong, Dalat, about 1.5 km from the city center to the South

Entrance:

• Adult: VND 15,000
• Children: VND 10,000
• Renting costume: VND 20,000/dress

Dalat Pedagogy College

 

Recognized by the World Construction Community, the College of Pedagogy of Dalat is one of the 1000 unique buildings of the 20th century. This is the ideal destination where most young people seek a photoshoot to post on their social media. Unfortunately, as of date, the school is no longer opened for tourists to visit.

This is a French school established in 1976. The vintage atmosphere together with the spacious and romantic environment is a significant combination that tourists cannot miss.

Address: 29 Yersin, Ward 10, Dalat, Lam Dong

Hours: Monday to Saturday visit after 4:30 PM

Sunday: all day

The school is now no longer open for tourist visits

Where to Stay in Dalat

Dalat Edensee Lake Resort & Spa

Booking link: Dalat Edensee Lake Resort & Spa.

Indulge yourself in the ultimate luxury services and pristine nature of Dalat highlands in Dalat Edensee Lake Resort & Spa. All private villas reside in the lush greenery of the resort-owned peninsula, offering customers an idyllic nature retreat with distinguished hospitality and modern sophistication.

Swiss-Belresort Tuyen Lam Dalat

Booking link: Swiss-Belresort Tuyen Lam Dalat.

Surrounded by an 18-hole golf course, Swiss-Belresort Tuyen Lam Dalat delivers not only the most comfortable stay but also the most memorable experience for all visitors to the city of love. With more than 150 upscale rooms and suites, and an excellent dining experience at their contemporary restaurant, the resort promises to cater to every need of the most sophisticated customers.

Ladalat Hotel

Booking link: Ladalat Hotel.

With the semi-classical architecture surrounded by a vibrant and blooming garden, Ladalat Hotel blends harmoniously with the grace of Dalat's nature. The ultra-modern amenities and high-class services are what have given the hotel its reputation for class and professionalism. Most rooms overlook a panoramic view of the mountains and shimmering lakes, offering customers a peaceful sanctuary from all stresses and strains in their busy life.

River Prince Hotel

Booking link: River Prince Hotel.

Well-equipped with more than 100 rooms, modern conference rooms, and high-class restaurant services, River Prince Hotel is the optimal choice for business travelers to the city of Dalat. The facilities also include a golf course which is only 3km away from the hotel, which will offer some pleasant relaxation in the breezing climate of Dalat.

La Xanh Hotel

Booking link: La Xanh Hotel.

La Xanh Hotel is a budget accommodation in Dalat which prides itself in providing the top-quality service. Thanks to its strategic location right in the heart of Dalat, visitors can feel free to explore Dalat's main attractions and culture. There is a bar inside in case you want to grab a nice, cold drink before bed.

Osaka Resort

Booking link: Osaka Resort.

Although this is a more economical option for resorts in Dalat, Osaka Resort is still committed to providing the best of its service. Besides its reputation for lovely breakfast services, the resort offers hiking trails, hot tubs, tennis courts, and a garden, which is guaranteed to make the most of all leisure trip-goers.

Find more hotels on Agoda 

Foods to Try in Dalat:

Enjoy a Vietnamese Coffee

Dalat is an ideal destination for coffee lovers. There are a vast number of beautiful coffee houses for tourists. Not only offering an excellent cup of coffee, but these sites also provide several beautiful spaces with gorgeous architecture from classic to vintage and modern. These vibes spread out and capture the attention of all visitors, even the strictest ones.

Banh Can Dalat (Mini Pancakes) and Meatballs

 

Banh Can is a Dalat’s signature which is a must-try for every visitor. Additionally, the Vietnamese shu mai is also a popular breakfast on Dalat's chilly morning. The shu mai is more of a meatball with sweet and sour sauce, and is always served warm and freshly made.

Recommended location: 7 Tang Bat Ho, Dalat

Price: VND 20,000 - VND 30,000 ($1 - $1.5)

Banh Trang Nuong (Vietnamese Pizza)

Recommended location: 58 Nguyen Cong Tru, Dalat, Lam Dong

Price: VND 15,000 - 20,000

Hour: 4 PM - 10 PM

Read more on Banh trang nuong.

Sua Dau Nanh (Soy Bean Milk)

 

Recommended location: 64 Tang Bac Ho, Dalat, Lam Dong

Price: VND 5,000 - 11,000

Hour: 5 PM - 12 AM

Read more on Vietnamese Drink.

Banh Uot Ga (Steamed Rice Noodle With Chicken)

 

Price: VND 30,000 - 66,000

Nem Nuong Dalat (Grilled Pork)

 

Price: VND 15,000 - 50,000

Summary of What to do in Dalat Travel Guide

Although all the above images and insider information would make you feel tempted to visit this romantic city, Dalat, they could hardly ever illustrate the whole beauty and attractions of Dalat. This What to do in Dalat Travel Guide offers you an amazing experience of all aspects of the city, ranging from nature, food, historical attractions, and culture. Therefore, if you are planning a dream trip or an unforgettable Vietnam honeymoon, prepare your pack and plan your Vietnam private tours today.

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