Da Lat Itinerary — A Magical Alpine Adventure in Southern Vietnam

The hill town of Da Lat has long been the most popular location in the region for getaways since French colonial times. Many people call it ‘Le Petit Paris’ and the town even features a mini-replica Eiffel Tower in its centre! Situated on a plateau 1,500 metres above sea level, this retreat town offers a welcomed change of atmosphere with a refreshingly cool climate – other cities in Vietnam can be very hot and humid, especially during summer. Trousers and jumpers are needed if visiting Dalat from November to around March as temperatures hover at about 10°C (50°F).

Da Lat is famous for its wide variety of flowers, vegetables and fruit harvested from its surrounding farmlands. The town also features countless nature sites with beautiful landscapes, evergreen forests and minority villages. The area’s main sources of income are from agriculture and tourism but the city is also very proud of being an education centre that produces multi-field professionals each year, including doctors and architects (Dalat University alone has more than 13,000 students). Therefore, there’s a good chance that you'll meet young, enthusiastic and friendly Vietnamese from every corner of the country during your visit here
 

One of the most unique attractions to visit in Da Lat is Crazy House, which is also a guesthouse. Intrigued by the outrageous concept, we decided that the best way to kick-start the trip was to spend the night here!

Datanla High Rope Course and New Alpine Coaster

Da Lat is surrounded by lush pine forests — making it nature’s playground. Unleash your inner child with the Datanla High Rope Course, a high elements obstacle course that’s built into the forest.

There are seven levels of difficulty to choose from so it depends on your appetite for adventure.

Walk up the main road and you’ll find the entrance to the Datanla New Alpine Coaster on the left. It’s the longest roller coaster trail in Asia, spanning 2.4km, and takes about 4 mins to complete at full speed! The speed can be controlled by the rider in the back seat so you can decide how much of a daredevil you want to be.

Dinner at DaLat Night Market

Exploring night markets is a must-do in Vietnam and the Da Lat Night Market is the best place for shopping and grabbing a bite. You can eat a lot of food and take it home as souvenirs.

Imagine a haunted-house-slash-escape room where every corner is carved and painted in a bizarre and unique style. 

The objective is to explore the different rooms and find your way to the secret garden on the roof. There are some areas that might require you to crouch down and enter, so if you’re vertically blessed remember to watch your head!

*Note: There won’t be any staff stationed within the maze so you have to find the way out!

Lang Biang Mountain

A great hiking spot here is Lang Biang Mountain, also known as the ‘Roof of Da Lat’ as it’s the tallest mountain in the area. The trail leading to the peak begins right before the entrance gate. Take a right and you’ll find a dirt path leading into the forest. The 4.5 km trek takes under two hours to complete.

Alternatively, you can reach the peak within 15 minutes from the entrance by taking a two-way jeep shuttle. Shuttles typically wait till passengers fill the six seats before making an ascent.

Da Lat Flower Park

Da Lat is also known as the City of Eternal Spring — probably because it’s home to 300 different flower species! Carve out some time in your Da Lat itinerary to drop by and admire the beautiful blooms.

Da Lat Flower Park is also home to multiple greenhouses, a bonsai garden, and a large lake; it's easy to get lost among the sprawling 7,000m² grounds!

The park also has many romantic photo spots adding to Da Lat’s dreamy charm.

Coffee Break at Cabin in the Woods

A Da Lat local recommended this hidden gem, so we had to drop in for a caffeine fix.

Located down a narrow dirt road, we were surprised to find a charming cafe tucked behind a corner. 

Linh Phuoc Pagoda

One of the most beautiful and artistically crafted temples we encountered in Da Lat is the Linh Phuoc Pagoda. The grounds are split into different sections, dedicated to the Buddha and the Goddess of Mercy.

Completely covered in glass, ceramic, and porcelain pieces, this Buddhist temple’s colorful style might also remind you of Gaudi’s mosaics in Barcelona.

Also known as the Dragon Pagoda, the grounds is home to a 49m-long dragon sculpture that is covered in recycled beer bottles from Hoi An!

There’s also an entire basement dedicated to the 18 Levels of Hell

Sunset at Cafe Túi Mơ To

Cafe Tui Mo To is a crowd’s favorite and overlooks Da Lat city. Only a 10-minute drive away from Linh Phuoc Pagoda, the compound is adorned with fairy lights and daisy bushes. The laid-back atmosphere of the cafe made it a relaxing way to end a long day of sightseeing.

Kayaking Tour at Tuyền Lâm Lake

This day begins at 5AM because we’ll be catching the sunrise at Tuyền Lâm Lake on a kayak! The early morning surprised us with still waters that reflected the entire sky and we barely broke a sweat while paddling the boat. Our eyes were blessed with misty mountains and we were dazzled by how quiet and peaceful the lake was. 

Pongour Waterfall
Pongour Waterfalls has earned the title of being one of the most beautiful attractions in Southern Vietnam. Known as the Seven Cascading Waterfalls, Pongour is made of seven-tiered rock terraces that cause the flowing water to have a silky-like illusion. 

Coffee at CỘI kissa

Stepping foot into CỘI kissa, we were instantly transported into the roaring twenties. The jazz-themed cafe has vintage furniture and a turntable playing music in the corner, creating a cosy yet nostalgic atmosphere.