The Best Things to See and Do in Dalat, Vietnam
Dalat is a cool mountain retreat in otherwise steamy Vietnam, with temperatures that flutter between 15C and 24C. A sizeable city located in the Central Highlands region, it offers the buzz of bars and markets as well as the adventure of surrounding rainforests, waterfalls and canyons.
1. Hike up Lang Biang Mountain
Natural Feature
Dalat’s highest mountain, Lang Biang, sits at 2,169m (7,116ft) above sea level. Just a short drive from the city, past fields of wildflowers and rows of crops, you will start your hike at the parking lot or catch the shuttle bus closer to the top. However you reach the summit, take your time to enjoy the panorama of lush hills sloping down to the Golden Stream and Silver Stream, which are said to resemble slivers of silk.
2. Stay at the Hang Nga Crazy House
Hotel, Villa, Guesthouse
3. Ride a cable car to Truc Lam Pagoda
Architectural Landmark
Take the 2km (1mi) cable car from Robin Hill to Truc Lam Pagoda, soaring over pine forests, farmland and a ravine, as you’re whisked to the top of Phung Hoang (Phoenix Mountain). The pagoda is Vietnam’s biggest Zen monastery – among its grounds you can walk through flower and bonsai gardens, see the pond’s terrapins basking in the sun and watch Buddhist monks going about their routines. This easy excursion can be done in just a couple of hours.
5. Stroll around Dalat Flower Gardens
Natural Feature
One of Dalat’s several affectionate nicknames is The City of Flowers. Due to the temperate climate and plentiful rains, the region is ideal for growing certain crops and blooms that won’t flourish anywhere else in Vietnam. The 7,000sqm (75,000sqft) gardens feature 300 types of flowers, some of which blossom throughout the year. Highlights include a cactus garden, orchid house and a perfectly pruned topiary.
6. Shop at the Night Market
Market, Street Food
7. See live music at The Escape Bar
Bar, Cafe, Vietnamese
This cool 1970s-style cocktail bar could be the setting of an old-school movie, with geometric wallpaper and a wavy cut-away ceiling. But the best thing about it is the music performances, which range from rock n’ roll to reggae. The house band has a repertoire of great covers, including songs from the Rolling Stones and Radiohead. Located in the basement of the Muong Thanh Dalat Hotel, it’s a short walk from the central market and Xuan Hong Lake.
8. Join a canyoning excursion
Natural Feature
With its waterfalls, pools, boulders and rainforest, the environment around Dalat is an ideal environment for canyoning. The Dalat canyoning tour leads you through the Central Highland rainforest in a perfectly safe outdoor adventure (using European ropes and professional rigging gear), including a 100m (328ft) zip line and abseiling route down the Waterfalls of Datanla. It takes a leap of courage to jump the 10m (33ft) into a pool below – but the adrenaline rush is well worth it.
9. Ride a motorbike to Lak Lake
Natural Feature
Sign up for a tour with Easy Riders to take in the sights on that quintessentially Vietnamese method of transport – the motorbike. Riding pillion or taking control of your own bike, the knowledgeable guides lead small groups around a range of routes, from a few hours exploring the highlights of Dalat to multi-day trips. One of the more interesting destinations is Lak Lake because of the ethnic Mnong tribes that live and work in the region.
10. Drink at the Maze Bar (100 Roofs Cafe)
Bar, Pub Grub
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.