By air
Lien Khuong (DLI), ~30 km
Southeast Asia · Vietnam
Da Lat, Vietnam
Pine hills, flower farms and cool air
Getting there
Best time to visit
December to March — dry and mild
Don't miss
Xuan Huong Lake
Hang Nga (the Crazy House)
Truc Lam Monastery
Datanla Falls
Things to do
Canyoning
Coffee farms
The Crazy House
The night market
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Diane Selwyn · Public domain
What to pack
A warm jacket for the evenings, a rain layer
A quieter corner
Tuyen Lam Lake by bicycle
Questions travellers ask
Do I need a jacket in Da Lat?
Yes, bring a warm jacket for the evenings, plus a rain layer. December to March is dry and mild.
What activities does Da Lat offer?
Try canyoning, visit the coffee farms, see Hang Nga (the Crazy House) and browse the night market.
What food should I try in Da Lat?
Banh trang nuong, the 'Vietnamese pizza', plus artichoke tea and the strawberry markets.
What's a hidden gem around Da Lat?
Explore Tuyen Lam Lake by bicycle.
About Da Lat
- Hills
- Lakeside
Where it is
Da Lat is a highland city on the Lam Vien Plateau in the Central Highlands of southern Vietnam, at about 1,500 m, set among pine forests, lakes and farmland around Xuan Huong Lake.
History
The plateau was home to the Lat and Chil peoples when the scientist Alexandre Yersin explored it in 1893 and recommended it as a health resort. The French built Da Lat as a hill station in the early 20th century, with villas, a cog railway and a summer palace for Emperor Bao Dai, and the city kept much of its colonial layout as it grew.
People
Da Lat's people are largely Vietnamese families who settled from across the country, alongside the indigenous K'Ho (Koho) of the plateau, including the Lat, known for brocade weaving and gong music. Flower, vegetable and coffee farming are the region's main livelihoods.
Known for
- Xuan Huong Lake and French villas
- Flower farms and strawberry fields
- Coffee and artichoke tea
- Hang Nga, the Crazy House
- Canyoning near Datanla Falls
Did you know?
Da Lat's name is usually explained as stream of the Lat, after the indigenous people who lived along the water here.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.