DALAT
Dalat at a Glance...
This is Vietnam’s alter ego: the weather is springlike cool instead of tropical hot, the town is dotted with elegant French-colonial villas rather than stark socialist architecture, and the farms are thick with strawberries and flowers, not rice.
Dalat is small enough to remain charming and its countryside is blessed with lakes, waterfalls, evergreen forests and gardens. The town is a big draw for domestic tourists, for whom it’s a honeymoon capital. For travellers the moderate climate is ideal for adrenaline-fuelled activities – mountain biking, forest hiking, canyoning and climbing.
A Day in Dalat
Head straight for the Hang Nga Crazy House and marvel at its kitsch eccentricity, and then take in the King Palace. In the afternoon book a toy train ride from the Crémaillère Railway Station, and finish off with a stroll around Xuan Huong Lake MAP GOOGLE MAP and a meal at Le Rabelais.
Two Days in Dalat
Sign up with a recommended adventure tour specialist for a day’s trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, canyoning, abseiling or rock climbing. Or just explore the region’s waterfalls by taxi if you’re not feeling that active. If there’s time in the late afternoon, catch the cable car to the Truc Lam Pagoda. Make for the Escape Bar in the evening for live music.
Arriving in Dalat
Dalat airport (30km from town) has daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang and other cities.
Very efficient and regular bus services link Dalat with HCMC from the central terminal 1.5km south of Xuan Huong Lake. Other cities including Danang are also covered.
Sleeping
Hotels and guesthouses are scattered around town and in the hills beyond.
Many budget places are located in the streets north of Hoa Binh Square.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Adventure Sports
Dalat is Vietnam’s highland adventure sports mecca, offering mountain biking and hiking, canyoning and rock climbing, white-water rafting, kayaking and motorbiking trips.
Compare prices, but make sure that you’re comfortable with all the equipment and safety procedures.
Great For…
yDon't Miss
The thrill of riding (like the locals) on two wheels is an essential Vietnam experience.
8Need to Know
Stick to the recommended tour operators listed, as accidents have occurred with unlicensed guides.
Tour Operators
Phat Tire Ventures
A highly professional and experienced operator (MAP GOOGLE MAP; 
%063-382 9422; www.ptv-vietnam.com; 109 Ð Nguyen Van Troi; 
h8am-7pm) with mountain-biking trips from US$49, trekking from US$39, kayaking from US$39, canyoning (US$75) and rappelling (US$57), and white-water rafting (US$67) in the rainy season. Multiday cycling trips are available and it also ventures into Cat Tien National Park.
Groovy Gecko Adventure Tours
Long-running agency (MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-383 6521; www.groovygeckotours.net; 65 Ð Truong Cong Dinh; h7.30am-8.30pm) that offers a unique (for Dalat) canyoning adventure that includes abseiling down a remote 65m waterfall (US$55). Also does mountain bike trips (from US$28) and day treks (from US$28), as well as a one-day downhill cycle to Nha Trang (US$75).
Pine Track Adventures
Run by an enthusiastic and experienced local team, Pine Track Adventures (MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-383 1916; www.pinetrackadventures.com; 72b Ð Truong Cong Dinh; h8am-8.30pm) offers canyoning (from US$55), white-water rafting (US$60), trekking (from US$35), biking (from US$41) and some excellent multisport packages. A seven-day bike tour from Dalat to Hoi An is US$595.
Mountain Biking & Cycling
There’s excellent biking around Dalat, which is ringed by hills and mountains. Trails run through pine forests and offer magnificent views.
Road cycling is also highly rewarding, with light traffic and sublime vistas. The routes to Nha Trang (one day including some rafting) and Mui Ne (two days) are wildly popular and involve some serious descents.
Canyoning
A dramatic day out at the Datanla canyon involves negotiating several waterfalls using ropes and rappelling and a natural water slide. Only book this trip with the experienced operators we recommend.
White-Water Rafting & Kayaking
White-water rafting the Da Don river through remote terrain and taking in Class II and III rapids makes a fine day trip. Some operators offer combined hiking and rafting trips.
5Take a Break
Check out the Dalat Train Cafe for snacks, meals and drinks in a classic colonial-era carriage.
Motorbiking
For many travellers, the highlight of their trip in Vietnam is an off-the-beaten-track motorcycle tour with an ‘Easy Rider’. Rider-guides can be found in hotels and cafes in Dalat. Read testimonials from past clients. Check the bike over. Discuss the route in detail – for scenery, the highways that link Dalat to Mui Ne and Nha Trang are wonderful. Rates start at US$30 or so for a day tour, or US$50 to US$75 per day for longer journeys.
oTop Tip
If considering an ‘Easy Rider’ motorbike trip, test-drive the rider first before committing.
Trekking
From day hikes through jungle rich with bird life to extended trekking trips through tribal villages and over rolling hills and along lonely wridges, there’s a fine choice of walks from Dalat. Troops of monkeys are sometimes encountered on some hikes.
Bidoup Nui Ba National Park
Occupying a densely forested highland plateau, this little-visited national park encompasses evergreen and coniferous woodlands, bamboo groves and grasslands at altitudes between 650m and 2288m. It is also home to various primates, black bears and the vampire flying frog. The park is 50km north of Dalat and most people visit on motorbike tours. English-speaking staff can be elusive. There are plans to make it more foreigner-friendly in the future.
Bidoup Nui Ba has 96 endemic plants, including the Dalat pine, and nearly 300 species of orchids.
The pleasant 3.5km trail from the visitor centre to a waterfall only fringes the national park; to penetrate deep inside Bidoup Nui Ba consider other options, which include ascents of Lang Biang and Bidoup mountains. Permits and a guide are needed and you’ll camp overnight.
Dalat
2Activities, Courses & Tours
5Eating
3Entertainment
8Information
1Sights
Hang Nga Crazy HouseArchitecture
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-382 2070; 3 Ð Huynh Thuc Khang; 50,000d; h8.30am-7pm Mon-Fri) A free-wheeling architectural exploration of surrealism, Hang Nga Crazy House is a joyously designed, outrageously artistic private home. Imagine sculptured rooms connected by superslim bridges rising out of a tangle of greenery, an excess of cascading lava-flow-like shapes, wild colours, spiderweb windows and an almost-organic quality to it all, with the swooping hand rails resembling jungle vines. Think of Gaudí and Tolkien dropping acid together.
The brainchild of owner Mrs Dang Viet Nga, the Crazy House has been an imaginative work in progress since 1990. Hang Nga, as she’s known locally, has a PhD in architecture from Moscow and has designed a number of other buildings around Dalat.
Hang Nga started the Crazy House project to entice people back to nature and although it’s becoming more outlandish every year, she’s not likely to have any trouble with the authorities. Her father, Truong Chinh, succeeded Ho Chi Minh as Vietnam’s second president from 1981 until his death in 1988. There’s a shrine to him in the ground-floor lounge.
A note of caution for those with young kids: the Crazy House’s maze of precarious tunnels, high walkways with low guard rails and steep ladders are not at all child-safe.
King PalacePalace
(Dinh 1; %0263-358 0558; Hung Vuong; adult/child 30,000/10,000d; h7am-5pm) Tastefully revamped, the main palace of Bao Dai, Vietnam’s last emperor, beckons visitors with its beautiful tree-lined avenue and a surprisingly modest but attractive royal residence. It was home to Bao Dai and his family until they went into exile in France in 1954. The house was subsequently taken over by then Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem.
K’Ho CoffeeFarm
(%0989 722 184; www.khocoffee.com; Lat Village; hby appointment 8am-4pm Mon-Sat) 
S This coffee farm has been in the family of Rolan since the 1860s. It’s part of a K’Ho coffee-growing cooperative that ensures that profits are directly supporting the K’Ho minority farmers. The beans are Arabica, including varieties grown in Africa, which are rarely found in Vietnam even though it’s the world’s second-biggest coffee producer.
Crémaillère Railway StationHistoric Building
(Ga Da Lat; 1 Ð Quang Trung; 5000d; h6.30am-5pm) From Dalat’s wonderful art-deco train station you can ride one of the nine scheduled trains that run to Trai Mat (return 108,000d, 30 minutes) daily between 6.55am and 4.39pm; a minimum of 25 passengers required.
A crémaillère (cog railway) linking Dalat and Thap Cham from 1928 to 1964 was closed due to VC attacks. A Japanese steam train is on display, and the classy waiting room retains a colonial feel.
Truc Lam Pagoda & Cable CarBuddhist Temple
(Ho Tuyen Lam; cable car one way/return adult 60,000/80,000d, child 30,000/40,000d; hcable car 7.30-11.30am & 1.30-5pm) The Truc Lam Pagoda enjoys a hilltop setting and has splendid gardens. It’s an active monastery, though the grounds frequently teem with tour groups. Be sure to arrive by cable car (the terminus is 3km south of the centre, up a short road next to the long-distance bus station), which soars over majestic pine forests.
Lam Dong MuseumMuseum
(%0263-381 2624; 4 Ð Hung Vuong; 15,000d; h7.30-11.30am & 1.30-4.30pm Mon-Sat) This hillside museum is a stampede through Dalat’s history, with a side trip into the natural history section, complete with outrageously bad taxidermy (look out for the angry wildcats!), and plenty of propaganda.
Waterfalls Around Dalat
Dalat’s waterfalls are obviously at their gushing best in the wet season but still flow when it’s dry. Most tend to focus on commerce rather than nature – Prenn and Cam Ly Falls are two to avoid.
An uneven and sometimes hazardous path heads down to Elephant Falls (Thac Voi; 20,000d; h7.30am-5pm), which are best seen from below. The falls are near Nam Ban village, 30km west of Dalat.
Datanla Falls (adult/child 30,000/10,000d, bobsled ride one way/return 30,000/50,000d) are 7km southeast of Dalat off Hwy 20. It’s a nice walk through the rainforest and a steep hike downhill to the falls. You can also take a fun bobsled-rollercoaster ride down (and back up) a winding elevated track. On weekends expect crowds and loud music.
Dambri Falls (adult/child 150,000/100,000d; h7am-5pm), 75km from Dalat, are the tallest falls (90m) in the area – walking down to feel the spray from the bottom is divine. You can take the elevator-like vertical cable car back up.
TTours
Dalat Happy ToursFood & Drink
(%0163 654 6450; www.dalathappytours.com; street-food tour US$4) After all the active exertions around Dalat, replenish your calories by going on an entertaining nightly street-food tour with friendly Lao. Food costs are not included.
5Eating
Tau Cao Wonton NoodlesNoodles$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 217 Ð Phan Dinh Phung; noodles 35,000-40,000d; h6am-8pm) This humble eatery is famed throughout Dalat and is always heaving with locals, who come for the noodle wonton soup. It’s served with thin slices of pork on top and a sprinkling of mincemeat. Add chilli, lime and bean sprouts to taste and you’re good to go. Classic Asian street eats are served here. No English is spoken.
Trong DongVietnamese$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-382 1889; 220 Ð Phan Dinh Phung; meals 75,000-150,000d; h11am-3pm & 5-9pm; 
W) Intimate restaurant run by a very hospitable team where the creative menu includes spins on Vietnamese delights such as shrimp paste on a sugar-cane stick, beef wrapped in la lut leaf, and fiery lemongrass and chilli squid.
Oz BurgersBurgers$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0902 475 923; 61 Ɖ Ba Thang Hai; meals 70,000-180,000d; h11am-2pm & 5.30-9pm Wed-Mon) Packed out every night with backpackers, Asian tourists and even a few locals, this Australian-run joint serves up delicious burgers on wooden platters, along with fries and imported beers. Various set meal options are available, but they all involve burgers.
Quan TrangVietnamese$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-382 5043; 15 Tang Bat Ho; dishes 50,000d; h1.30-7pm) Love it or hate it, the local speciality banh uot long ga here is among the best, so you can decide for yourself. The rice noodles are saucy not soupy, the liver easy to avoid in the bowl (if you hate it) and the fresh shredded chicken, herbs and chilli lift the dish. Delicious – people certainly aren’t here for the plastic decor.
Goc Ha ThanhVietnamese$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-355 3369; 53 Ð Truong Cong Dinh; meals 65,000-105,000d; h10am-10pm; W
v) Casual, popular, foreigner-friendly place with bamboo furnishings run by a welcoming Hanoi couple. Strong on dishes such as coconut curry, hotpots, clay pots, tofu stir-fries and noodles. Plenty of vegetarian options.
One More CafeCafe$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0129 934 1835; 77 Ɖ Hai Ba Trung; meals 85,000-110,000d; h8am-9pm, closed Wed; Wv) Comfy chairs to sink into, eclectic-lined peach walls and a glass display full of cakes greet you at this cosy, Aussie-owned cafe. The menu offers up Western classics: burgers, pasta, sandwiches and salads, as well as a recommended all-day breakfast. Fine for a coffee, tea or smoothie too.
Le Chalet DalatVietnamese$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-382 8886; 6 Huynh Thuc Khang; meals 79,000-230,000d; h7am-10pm; W) Strategically located almost opposite Dalat’s most popular tourist sight, Hang Nga Crazy House, this semi-open-air, artfully decorated bistro makes a fine lunch stop. The menu ranges across the Vietnamese classics with healthy soups and rice and noodle dishes. Good coffee and smoothies as well. There’s live music Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evenings.
Restaurant IchiJapanese$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-355 5098; 1 Đ Hoang Dieu; sushi 30,000-130,000d, meals from 160,000d; h5.30-10pm Tue-Sun, closed every 2nd Tue) Dalat’s only truly genuine Japanese restaurant is compact, with subdued lighting and jazz in the background. Spicy tuna rolls, chicken yakitori and tempura are all fantastic, the bento boxes are a bargain and there’s even natto (fermented soybeans) for aficionados. Perch in front of the bar (with extensive whisky offerings from around the world) to watch sushi-master Tomo at work.
Dalat Train CafeInternational$$
(%0263-381 6365; www.dalattrainvilla.com; 1 Ð Quang Trung; mains 79,000-159,000d; h8am-10pm; Wv) Calling all trainspotters! Don’t miss the opportunity to step inside this lovingly resorted French-era railway carriage for a meal in a unique setting, surrounded by images of trains worldwide. The blue-cheese burger, spicy tofu and veggie lasagne are all sound choices. From Dalat Train Station, turn right, walk up the hill, look for the sign on the left.
Le RabelaisFrench$$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-382 5444; www.royaldl.com; 12 Ð Tran Phu; meals 400,000-1,600,000d; h7am-10pm) The signature restaurant at the Dalat Palace is the colonial-style destination with the grandest of dining rooms and a spectacular terrace that looks down to the lake shore. Set dinner menus (1,300,000-1,700,000d) offer the full monty. Otherwise, treat yourself to flawless à la carte dishes, such as seared duck breast with orange or roast rack of lamb.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Escape BarLive Music
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Basement, Muong Thanh Hotel, 4 Ð Phan Boi Chau; h4pm-midnight; W) Outstanding live-music bar, owned by blues guitarist Curtis King who performs here nightly with a rotating band (from 9.15pm). Expect covers of Hendrix, the Eagles, the Doors and other classics, but the improvisation is such that the tunes take on lives of their own; travelling musicians are welcome to jam. The bar’s decor, all 1970s chic, suits the sonics perfectly.
La Viet CoffeeCoffee
(%0263-398 1189; www.facebook.com/coffeelaviet; 200 Ɖ Nguyen Cong Tru; h7.30am-9.30pm; W) Caffeine fiends will want to head to this unique mix of a coffee shop, farm and factory. Housed in a warehouse-like building with industrial design touches, and surrounded outside by coffee plants, you can either sip the excellent brews on offer at a table, or go on a tour of the facility and have the coffee production process explained to you.
100 Roofs CaféBar
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Duong Len Trang; %0263-837 518; 57 Ð Phan Boi Chau; h8am-midnight; W) This is a surreal drinking experience. The owners claim Gandalf and his hobbit friends have drunk here, and this dim labyrinth of rooms with multiple nooks and crannies and art and sculptures that range from the cool to the kitsch does resemble a Middle Earth location. A cheap happy hour and Wonderland-like rooftop garden add to the fun.
An CafeCafe
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0975 735 521; www.ancafe.vn; 63bis Ba Thang Hai; h7am-10pm; W) Perched high above the street, this cafe feels like a hip treehouse. Sip good lattes, healthy juices and smoothies or artichoke tea at the wood-chic booths inside or on garden bench swings outside. If you tire of people-watching, there are crayons and paper for doodling, and an atrium filled with coffee beans for sniffing.
French Hill Station
Home to hill tribes for centuries, ‘Da Lat’ means ‘river of the Lat tribe’ in their language. The city was established in 1912 and quickly became fashionable with Europeans – at one point during the French colonial period, some 20% of Dalat’s population was foreign, and grand villas remain scattered around the city.
During the American War, Dalat was spared by the tacit agreement of all parties concerned. Indeed, it seems that while South Vietnamese soldiers were being trained at the city’s military academy and affluent officials of the Saigon regime were relaxing in their villas, VC cadres were doing the same thing not far away (also in villas). On 3 April 1975 Dalat fell to the North without a fight.
8INFORMATION
Sinh Tourist (MAP GOOGLE MAP; %0263-382 2663; www.thesinhtourist.vn; 22 Ð Bui Thi Xuan; h8am-7pm) Reliable tours, including city sightseeing trips, and open-tour bus bookings.
8GETTING THERE & AROUND
There are regular flights with Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air and Jetstar to Danang, Hanoi and HCMC.
Lien Khuong Airport is 30km south of Dalat. Vietnam Airlines offers shuttle-bus transfers or a taxi is 170,000d to 200,000d.
Dalat is a major stop for open-tour buses. Sinh Tourist has daily buses to Mui Ne, Nha Trang and HCMC.
For reliable taxis try Mai Linh (%0263-352 1111; www.mailinh.vn).