9 Best Things To Do in Da Lat

Perched at the altitude of 2,167 meters above sea level, Langbiang is the highest mountain offering an unobstructed view of the dreamy city. Nature lovers can not miss a day exploring the mountain with a bunch of activities such as hiking or taking a jeep car to the top and watching a panorama view, paragliding, horse riding, or camping. Sipping a hot coffee while capturing the city overview and majestic greenery hills covered by cloud sea would be a blast.

From the city center, you can ride a motorbike or book a taxi for a 12-km way to get to Langbiang. The entrance fee is reasonable at VND 50,000/adult and VND 25,000/child under 1.2 meters high. Jeep car service costs VND 120,000/person/round trip.

• Location: Lac Duong Commune, Lam Dong
• Entrance fee: VND 50,000/adult, VND 25,000/child

Blessed with a mild climate all year round, Da Lat is known as "Paradise of Flowers" where you can see the most plants and flowers in Vietnam. You can find a lot of flower gardens scattered over the city but the three most accessible and famous ones are City Flower Garden, Minh Tam Flower Garden, and Van Thanh Flower Garden.

Stroll around Xuan Huong Lake, you should not ignore the City Flower Garden nearby to witness 300 different flower species neatly and beautifully decorated. Constructed by a French architect in 1938, Minh Tam Garden surprises visitors not only with alluring flowers but also the serene area embraced by verdant pine trees. Or get lost in the 200-hectare Van Thanh Garden with a series of roses and rare flower species, you will never regret it.

Location:

• City Flower Garden: 2 Tran Nhan Tong Street, Ward 8, Da Lat
• Minh Tam Flower Garden: 20A Khe Sanh Street, Ward 10, Da Lat
• Van Thanh Flower Garden: 42 Van Thanh Street, Ward 5, Da Lat

Want to get a local experience, head to Da Lat Night Market! The night market usually starts when the sun sets at around 5 pm daily but the peak time is 7 pm until night. Try to bargain like a local and get your favorite stuff or souvenir for your loved one such as handicraft products, clothes, fabric, Da Lat coffee, dried fruits, jam, etc. The best part must be a street food tour around the market with specialties such as banh trang nuong (crispy rice paper), grilled food, snail dishes, banh mi xiu mai (Vietnamese baguette with pork meatball), avocado ice cream, soy milk, etc.

• Location: 6 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ward 1, Da Lat
• Entrance fee: Free

Da Lat boasts plenty of stunning waterfalls namely Prenn, Datanla, Dambri, Lien Khuong, Elephant Waterfall, etc. However, Datanla is one of the most recommended thanks to the close distance from the city center (10km), both captivating natural landscapes and a myriad of outdoor activities for adventure seekers. Climbing, canyoning, swimming, sliding through the forest, rappelling over the waterfall, and many more fun activities can be combined with sightseeing at Datanla. Blessed with gentle and consistent water flow embraced by dense greenery, Datanla Waterfall is suitable to visit any time of the year.

• Location: Highway 20, Prenn Pass, Ward 3, Da Lat
• Entrance fee: VND 30,000/adult, VND 15,000/child

Originally named Hang Nga Villa, Crazy House raises curiosity among visitors due to its name and wows them with its surreal architecture and concept. From the very first steps into this 11-room guesthouse, you will feel surrounded by a forest with mysterious caves, meandering corridors, and unique decor statues. Unlike usual accommodations, Crazy House was constructed with cement in soft curve shapes, deeply expressing the architect's free design and second-to-none creativity. Grabbing some drinks and snacks in the "spider web garden" inside the Crazy House is a good idea if you are not planning to stay overnight here.

• Location: 3 Huynh Thuc Khang Street, Ward 4, Da Lat
• Entrance fee: VND 80,000/adult, VND 30,000/child

Get a bird-eye view of Da Lat from a cable car, why not? The only cable car on Da Lat is located in the cable car tourist center on Robin Hill, Prenn Pass with a length of 2,267 meters and a height of 1,517 meters above sea level. In 15 minutes, you can see the city overview, majestic mountains, expansive pine forest, and stunning Tuyen Lam Lake. At the end of the cable car, you can also visit Truc Lam Zen Monastery - a unique architecture work with spectacular natural landscapes.

• Location: Robin Hill, Ward 3, Da Lat
• Entrance fee: VND 100,000/adult/round trip, VND 70,000/child/round trip

Familiar with local Buddhists, Linh Phuoc Pagoda also amazes visitors worldwide with its extraordinary architectural design and up to 11 national records. Constructed in 1949 and renovated in 1990, the pagoda is now around 6,666 square meters and includes many exceptional architectures. Coming here, you can admire the sophisticated mosaic artistry from the outside to the inside, Vietnam's highest bell tower, the biggest statue made of concrete, and many other works made from thousands of bottles or debris of glass or porcelain. That's why Linh Phuoc Pagoda is also known as "Ve Chai Pagoda" or the pagoda built of bottles/debris of glass.

• Location: Trai Mat, Da Lat
• Entrance fee: Free

Besides Xuan Huong Lake, travelers cannot miss a day at Tuyen Lam Lake - a peaceful oasis in the middle of the city. Located in the Tuyen Lam Lake Tourist Center, this artificial freshwater lake covers an area of 350 hectares, allowing you to stay away from the hustles and bustles and immerse in vast nature. Imagine floating on the kayak and gently paddling along the bank of the lake filled with lush greenery, and capturing the magnificent sunset, it would be among the best relaxing moments during your Da Lat adventure.

• Location: Tuyen Lam Lake National Tourist Area, Ward 4, Da Lat
• Entrance fee: Free

Just 5 km from Da Lat center, the Valley of Love is the go-to place for not only lovers but also those looking for poetic landscapes and exciting activities. You and your partner can wander around the park on foot or by an electric car, chill on Vong Canh Hill, admire wonder models and exquisite Venus flower gardens, explore Love Maze or Wax Museum, or hop on a relaxing swan boat on the tranquil lake. With the spacious airy space, fresh atmosphere and multiple options from the food court, the valley is also perfect for a fun-filled family outing.

• Location: 03 – 05 – 07 Mai Anh Dao Street, Ward 8, Da Lat
• Entrance fee: VND 250,000/adult and VND 125,000/child