Da Lat is the largest city in the mountainous central highlands region of Vietnam, and is 300km from Ho Chi Minh City. Da Lat is known for its mild weather and stunning landscapes. It is known as ‘city of eternal spring’ because its weather provides a cool break from the hotter climate of southern Vietnam.
Our time in Da Lat was slightly frustrating because it was Tet which is the Vietnamese New Year. I’ll do a separate post about travelling in Vietnam during Tet, but my main piece of advice would be don’t travel in Vietnam during Tet.
Despite this we still got up to some fun things whilst in Da Lat.
How to get there
We travelled to Da Lat from Mui Ne which too around an hour. It cost us 700,000 Vietnamese Dong which is around £20. Bus is the cheapest and easiest way to travel in Vietnam.
We booked our bus through 12GoAsia which was very straightforward. I’d recommend this platform for all of your transport in Vietnam.
You can also fly into Da Lat as there is Lien Khuong airport about 30km from the centre of Da Lat.
How long to stay
We had three full days in Da Lat. I would recommend two full days instead. You could definitely do everything in that time.
Things to do
Datanla alpine coaster- this was lots of fun! The alpine coaster fits two people in it and is controlled by you. You push the lever forward to accelerate and pull it towards you to brake. You coast through the forest and see some lovely views. Just keep your fingers crossed that you don’t get stuck behind someone slow! It was very busy when we visited so be sure to get there early and be prepared to queue.
Datanla waterfall- at the same location as the alpine coaster there’s also a waterfall that you can see. Despite the amount of tourists in the area, it’s still stunning.
Maze Bar- this is an incredibly well built maze that is also a cafe/bar. They do the most delicious milkshakes, as well as lots of other drinks. It’s hard to describe just how intricate the detail is in this place so be sure to check it out yourself.
We went here twice because we enjoyed it so much. On our second visit we actually found more of the maze and made it to the rooftop garden where I made friends with a big ginger cat!
Rent a boat on Xuan Huong Lake- it was pretty windy on the day we did this but it was still a lot of fun. There are two different kiosks where you can rent a boat. It only cost us 80,000 Vietnamese Dong (around £2.50!) We spent most of the time battling the wind but I imagine on a calmer day it would be more relaxing! It’s also nice to have a walk around the lake as it offers some tranquility away from the craziness of Da Lat traffic.
Things we didn’t do
Crazy House- even though this was literally up the road from where we stayed we didn’t bother going. It’s essentially a hotel with has some ‘crazy’ architecture. There were constantly multiple tour buses parked outside and it looked incredibly busy. If weird architecture is your thing then maybe pay a visit, but we weren’t too fussed.
Where to eat
We struggled finding places to eat in Da Lat because of Tet (the Vietnamese New Year). A lot of places were closed and this hadn’t been updated on google maps. However, we did find a couple of good places that we returned to multiple times during our stay in Da Lat.
Aussie Burger- as the name suggests this place does burgers. They were pretty good but were more on the pricey side for Vietnam.
Sagar Indian Cuisine- this is the best Indian restaurant I’ve ever been to. We ended up going here every night because we loved it that much. I had a coconut vegetable curry which I’ve been thinking about ever since!
Best time of year to visit
The best time of year to visit is from December to March. This is the dry season so is when you’ll get the best weather. We visited in February. The weather was slightly cool at times so we needed a fleece but otherwise was fine.
How to get around
We rented a motorbike for a day whilst in Da Lat. I’ve got to say Da Lat is one of the worst places we drove on a motorbike in Asia. The roads were very busy and the roundabouts were just crazy. It seemed people were coming from every direction and just randomly pulling out.
Once out of the centre the roads weren’t quite as hectic but it really wasn’t a pleasant experience driving in the centre. If you aren’t a confident motorbike driver or lack experience then Da Lat isn’t a good place to rent a bike for the first time.
It’s easy to get around the centre by foot but if you want to get further afield, such as to the Datanla Alpine Coaster, then you will need some form of transport. Taxis are available but this will be more of a cost.
Down to Earth Travel 
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