Most Remarkable Places in Dalat, Vietnam You Must Visit
When you think of Vietnam, what are the few things that come to mind? Hanoi – its capital city, Vietnam War, Vietnamese food, culture and traditions or its picturesque and unique landscapes. Well, if you’re an off-the-beaten-track traveler, you’d definitely want to explore more than just the obvious places and things that Vietnam is famous for. So, why not include Dalat in your itinerary?
Also known as DaLat, this mid-sized city is situated in the South Central Highlands and looks like a cross between the French Alps and Vietnam. Although the city centre is small and feels very urban and concrete-like, the places outside of the city center are surrounded by lakes, pine-covered hills and higher peaks. It makes it a perfect escape from the bustling city life! Many tourists prefer this side of Dalat, which offers a world-class golf course, rolling hills and lush pine forests. Peppered among this scenery are these 5 places that you absolutely can’t miss.
Pongour Waterfall
Situated in the Lam Dong Province, if you’re looking to get away from the crowd, then you must visit the Pongour waterfall. It’s a long way out of Da Lat, about an hour and a half ride using a motorcycle. So, a lot less tourists venture in this part of the city! Once you get there, you’ll see the ride was definitely worth it. With seven levels of waterfalls, the sight is breathtaking. You can walk around and into the water, which makes the trip worthwhile. If you happen to visit during the wet season, the grandeur and gravity of the falls is palpable.
Langbiang Plateau
Sometimes called Lam Vien Mountain, the Langbian plateau isn’t as far as the Pongour Waterfall. It’s only about 12 kms from Dalat center. These imposing mountains are clearly visible from the entrance to the city. They are the two highest peak of the highland and often termed as the roof of Dalat. There are two ways to get to the top – using a motorcycle/car or trek to the top. If you’re up for an adventure, then the hike to the top is the best way to get there. The top of the mountains offers some spectacular views of the rivers, forest, homes of the tribal people as well as Dalat city. Camping, paragliding, bird-watching are some of the other activities that are highly recommended here.
Truc Lam Pagoda and Tuyen Lam Lake
The best way to get to Truc Lam Pagoda is by cable car. It’s about a 2.5 km long ride that takes approximately 15 minutes. The cable car journey follows the Prenn mountain pass and offers some spectacular views of the Tuyen Lam lake. Truc Lam Pagoda is a Zen Buddhist temple that is still active. There are two areas at the temple – domestic and public. While the domestic area is a no-entry zone, the public area is located on a large plateau area on the temple grounds. The serenity of the temple flanked by a rose garden in the front and air that smells of fresh pine trees is an attraction that you shouldn’t miss!
Dalat Flower Park
There is a reason why City of a Thousand Flowers is one of the nicknames of Dalat. This city is home to several species of flowers and for that reason the Dalat Flower Park needs to be in your must-see list. Spread over 7,000 square meters, it’s only about 2 km from the city center. The Dalat Flower Park has been hosting the Flower Festival every year since 2005. So, if you’d like to see the park in its full glory, December and January are the best months to visit. Even before you enter the park its magnificent arc-shaped flower arrangement at the entrance will impress you. The park has a minimum of 300 different species of flowers, both native as well as exotic. What’s more is that, out of these, hundreds of species bloom all the year round! In addition to the flowers, you’ll also find a huge cactus garden here.
Cat Tien National Park
Dalat is a nature lover’s paradise. If you’re one of them, then the Cat Tien National Park will definitely be the highlight of your trip. This massive park is 72,000-hectare large and is situated between Dalat and Ho Chi Minh City. If you’re planning a trip to the national park, you’ll need to pack overnight as it’s about 5 hours from the city center. You can stay here for a couple of days if you’d like to explore the park more. You’ll be able to find private as well as government accommodations. But it’s highly recommended to book in advance. Finding a place to stay during the peak season can often be difficult. Home to a variety of rare flora and fauna, the park is the protector of one of the biggest areas of lowland tropical rain-forests in Vietnam. Mountain-biking, half-day or overnight treks, kayaking, boat trips, bird-watching tours and night safaris are some of the best ways to explore this vast expanse.
There are also a lot of exciting places you can visit in Dalat. However, the five on above list is definitely on the top of the most beautiful places that you shouldn’t miss. Once you’ve explored the dreamy city then you will love it and want to go back again.
About the Author
Peter Hanson Peter Hanson loves travelling by motorcycle. Over 8 years he has gone to a lot of countries. Each destination, he always records his impressions of the journeys. He founded Letsridemotorbike.com so he can connect to people who have the same passion. At here he shared the things he has experienced with motorcycles and hopes his contribution will be useful for the motorcyclists and travel lovers. Visit his blog to read more articles about motorcycle travelling and helpful tips!
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