Dalat Hotels

The Central Highlands of Vietnam was not immune from development. Though most justly associate hill stations with the British Raj, French Indochina was no different and sought succor in the altitudes of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Dalat, or Da Lat, is the most famous remnant of the era and, indeed, is unlike any other city in Vietnam.

More than six decades since the capital of Lam Dong province was the capital of the Federation of Indochina, Dalat still necessitates a double take from visitors fresh from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Nha Trang. The Gallic influence and aesthetic pervades still, from the Eiffel Tower radio mast homage to lakeside chalets, wide boulevards to the central marketplace. Despite the colonial residue, however, the “City of Eternal Spring” is distinctly Vietnamese in many ways, from the hill tribe villages that fringe the city limits to the swarms of domestic honeymooners who flock here to engage in the country’s most clichéd nuptial ritual.

DALAT'S TOP 10

DALAT EVENTS

The Dalat Cable Car is a 1.4 mi (2.3 km) adrenaline rush to Tuyen Lam Lake.

Dalat Flower Festival takes over the city in late December.

Tea Culture Festival lures thousands of tourists to Dalat in early December.

WHEN TO GO

Mild weather is at the heart of Dalat’s allure. The difference between the temperate climate of the Central Highlands and Saigon is significant, most notably in the fiery furnace of March, April and May. At minimum, Dalat is 15°F cooler than the ace metropolis of Vietnam.

Relief is on hand throughout the year, as Dalat seldom strays below or above the 55°F (13°C) to 77°F (25°C) window. The wet season wields less of a wallop as well, with 8 in (200 mm) less rain in Dalat than Saigon.

On the whole, the best months to visit the highlands city remain the dry season mainstays of December, January, February and March.

GETTING AROUND

Dalat is 186 mi (300 km) from Saigon and 85 mi (137 km) from Nha Trang. Long distance bus is the most reliable mode of transport from both.

Dalat is a small, compact city and eminently walkable. Private cars for hire or tour bus operators ferry visitors to vital points of interest outside the core city proper.