Da Lat - why go, how to get there, what to see, where to stay

General information about Da Lat, what kind of vacation here and why go

Da Lat (Dalat, also Da Lat) – a city in the south-central highlands of Vietnam, capital of Lam Dong province. The city is located on the Langbiang plateau at altitudes of about 1500 meters above sea level. The city's population is just over 200,000 people (in 2009).

The first to actively develop this place were French colonizers, trying to escape the relentless heat and humidity of Saigon in the highland region. They built their villas here. Interestingly, the city of Da Lat was founded later than the resort: the first hotel in Da Lat was built in 1907, and the city was formed only in 1912.

Today Da Lat is one of the popular and visited tourist destinations in Vietnam. This is a special place. Not every tourist strives to get here, but those who do can confidently call themselves experienced and inquisitive travelers. Da Lat attracts those who want to get new impressions and see a different Vietnam away from the beaches and tourist areas filled with vacationers. Tourists who are sensitive to the atmosphere may feel like they have entered another country, a different Vietnam. The streets are cleaner here, taxi drivers and touts don't pester you at every corner, and if they do, it's quite delicate. Foreign tourists are treated with trepidation, if not tenderness.

Da Lat is a mountain resort, you won't find any beaches here. There are few cultural and historical attractions, as the city has no history and was originally formed as a resort. However, there are attractions of a different nature. These are, first of all, natural beauties and formations. In the vicinity of Da Lat lie picturesque valleys, evergreen forests, numerous waterfalls, lakes, passes, and natural parks. Here are the best routes for hiking and mountain biking. Thanks to the plateau's elevation at 1500-2000 meters above sea level, ideal conditions are preserved for growing fruits and vegetables, tea and coffee, flowers that cannot grow at sea level. Grown here, they are offered throughout Vietnam under the special label "made in Da Lat." This is the only place in Vietnam where wine is made. Da Lat is also the most popular honeymoon destination for Vietnamese newlyweds, as well as a city of artists and painters. And it's also one of the centers of Vietnamese science.

Flower Gardens of Da Lat — Da Lat is also a city of flowers

Most often, tourists visit Da Lat on one- or two-day excursions departing from Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Thiet, Nha Trang. The cost of excursions starts from $35. A one-day excursion is definitely not enough to get acquainted with the city and its surroundings, as during such tours, tourists are briefly shown several of the most "over-touristed" places, usually including the Crazy House, a couple of waterfalls, and visits to various factories. But all the hard-to-reach and most interesting places remain out of reach. However, Da Lat is a very pleasant city, and you will surely want to stay longer and see more.

A common question is how many days to allocate for visiting Da Lat. Of course, there are as many opinions as there are people, but most tend to think that two full days are enough to see the attractions of Da Lat and its surroundings. However, if you want to see not only the most popular attractions here, you need at least 4 days, or better - a week.

Our videos about Da Lat

If you prefer watching videos instead of reading or want to visually understand the atmosphere of the resort, we have made many thematic videos about Da Lat for you:

Infrastructure in Da Lat

Da Lat is not a small town at all, as one might sometimes read on the internet. It is a large and developed city by Vietnamese standards, and has everything you might need for a short vacation or a long stay.

The main tourist infrastructure is concentrated in the conditional tourist area and the city center north of the Main Market (center of Da Lat on the map). This is where tourist agencies, transport rentals, currency exchanges, many cafes and restaurants are located. But if desired, all this can be found in other areas of the city, for example through the reception of the hotel where you are staying, it's just easier to find everything in this area and the prices are lower.

Shopping in Da Lat, where and what to buy

In Da Lat, there are two main shopping spots that, in our opinion, will be interesting to everyone:

Shopping mall and GO! hypermarket under Lam Vien Square (square on the map). This is a new modern shopping mall that is actually located under the square. There are many different shops for "civilized" shopping and a gaming zone. In the center of it all is the large GO! hypermarket, formerly known as Big C. Prices here are good, often lower than at the market without haggling. You can buy Vietnamese coffee, tea, alcohol, fruits, fish, etc., basically everything. GO! has an internal food court where you can eat inexpensively in "sterile" conditions.

Shopping mall under Lam Vien Square
Main and night market. Also located in the center not far from GO! (main market on the map). This is not the cleanest or most convenient place for shopping, but very colorful. Prices without haggling can be higher, but if you look away from the main aisles and streets or haggle, you can get a very good price. After dark, a tourist night market starts working on the street next to the main market, also a very cool place not only for shopping but also for walking and eating. More about the Main and night market.

Main market of Da Lat

In Da Lat, you can and should buy local coffee, as it is the coffee capital of Vietnam. You can buy it at the city market, in shops on the streets of the tourist area, on coffee plantations. But buying at coffee plantations, in our opinion, is a somewhat dubious idea due to the high prices, we talked about this in our review of the Coffee Farm, read and draw your own conclusions.

At a coffee farm in Da Lat — Fresh coffee at the coffee farm, but prices are not low

Da Lat is also famous for its abundance of exotic fruits. Fruits grow here that are almost never found on the coast. For example, cat tay, pepino, tamarillo, persimmon, guanabana, guava, noina, etc. Read about what exotic fruits exist in our rating. There is also a lot of strawberries and grapes here. You can buy fruits fresh and eat them right away, or buy them dried to take home.

Main Da Lat market in Da Lat — You can buy very exotic fruits

One of the "visiting cards" of this region is the artichoke. Dishes are prepared from it, but as a gift it's better to buy local artichoke tea. It is believed that such tea has a therapeutic effect: improves digestion, stimulates bile production, improves liver function, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels. But that's not certain.

Another must-buy in Da Lat is wine. This is the only place in Vietnam where there are vineyards and wine is produced. Don't expect too much from the local wine, but be sure to try it. It's best to buy export wine. It costs only a little more than regular wine, about 20,000 dong, but is considered significantly better in quality. You can buy wine in almost any local store, and you don't necessarily have to go to various factories for this, where the same wine costs many times more. Honestly, Da Lat wine can be bought in any large supermarket in Vietnam, but it's more pleasant from here.

Where to exchange money in Da Lat

It is best to come to Da Lat already with local currency, so as not to waste time here looking for exchange offices. But if you find yourself here without local money, you can exchange it at a decent rate in jewelry stores on Phan Boi Chau street, this is the very center and near the market (street with exchange offices on the map). On this street, there are several jewelry stores immediately on both sides of the street, there are no signs about currency exchange, you need to approach and ask the sellers. The rate in them is really good, we compared at one time with the rate in jewelry stores in Nha Trang, the difference for amounts of several hundred dollars will be insignificant.

Phan Boi Chau street in Da Lat — Phan Boi Chau street, here are several exchange-jewelry stores with good rates

Bank cards are not particularly common here, mostly cash. For renting a car or motorbike, buying excursions, all this is in cash. You can pay by card only in a small number of stores, for example, they accept at the GO! hypermarket. There are ATMs, you can withdraw money without problems.

Russian cards now only work with UnionPay bank of Rosselkhozbank, all others are under sanctions. The "Mir" card, although it works in Vietnam, is useless in Da Lat, as there are no terminals or ATMs here that accept it. You can read more about this in our guide on bank cards and ATMs in Vietnam.

Where and what to eat

Most decent cafes and restaurants with clean settings are located on the streets of the tourist area and in this zone. A number of cool cafes with views of the center and the lake are located on D Nguyen Chi Thanh street (street on the map). However, the prices here are by no means cheap, a dish will cost from 300,000, and to eat well and tasty with a drink per person you need to spend 1,000,000 dong (3.8 USD).

You can eat cheaper at chain cafes and in food courts, here dishes cost from 100,000 dong (3.8 USD). There is a food court inside the GO! hypermarket. It is located inside the hypermarket in the area behind the shopping aisles, not in the underground shopping mall itself. However, besides the food court, there are quite a few places to eat in the shopping mall.

The chain coffee shop Highlands Coffee on Lam Vien Square in a sparkling glass building shaped like an artichoke is especially popular. This is not just a cafe, but also a new architectural landmark alongside the unusual opera building located nearby on the square.

Da Lat has chain restaurants KFC and Lotteria, chain coffee shop Starbucks. And the "cherry on top" - three restaurants of the Jollibee chain from the Philippines. If you haven't been to Jollibee elsewhere, we advise you to try to visit these restaurants in Da Lat to try their signature chicken.

Another popular and definitely worthwhile area to eat with pleasure is Da Lat's night market. It is located opposite the city market Cho Da Lat, stretching for several hundred meters along Đường Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai street. You won't miss it, because everything that happens in Da Lat in the evening happens right here, all tourists flock here. After dark, a huge number of street restaurants of authentic Vietnamese cuisine start working here, exotic fast food is sold. The price for a dish here starts from 80,000 dong (3.04 USD).

Fast food at the night market in Da Lat — Fast food at the night market

And finally, if you want to eat on a budget, you can do so in street cafes where locals eat. They are found everywhere, but the cheapest ones are best looked for a little away from the main streets in dark quiet alleys. Most often, these are mobile kitchens right in the open air, with settings of plastic or wooden tables and benches, and sometimes family establishments on the ground floor of a residential building. They cook one or two dishes, there is no menu. At first glance, such establishments may seem dirty, not all tourists dare to eat in them, fearing unsanitary conditions. But we always eat in such places without consequences. Besides, eating like the locals is also a kind of tourist activity and a new experience worth having. You can eat here from 50,000 dong for a full meal without drinks (1.9 USD), drinks cost from 10,000.

Typical local street cafe in Da Lat — Street cafes may not look very...

Hotels and accommodation, where to stay in Da Lat

There are many hotels in Da Lat, you can easily find one for any taste and budget. In our opinion, it's not worth "fussing" too much with selecting a hotel by comfort level, since visiting Da Lat assumes that you will only return to the room to sleep. Therefore, you can do without a pool, recreation area, beautiful restaurant, and the like. The main thing is to have a comfortable room with all amenities.

You can find and book accommodation in Da Lat on these reliable proven sites or through the search form:

🛌 Search for hotels in Da Lat on Trip.com (👍 "Mir" cards work)
🛌 Search for hotels in Da Lat on Yandex.Travel
🛌 Search for hotels in Da Lat on Ostrovok.ru

Weather and tourist seasons in Da Lat, best time to go

Xuan Huong Lake, Da Lat — Sunny Da Lat in winter

The climate in Da Lat is subequatorial. Due to the elevation above sea level, the temperature here is lower (and considered more comfortable) than in other parts of southern and central Vietnam, which is why it is called the "city of eternal spring." Temperature fluctuations throughout the year are insignificant. It is always warm and comfortable here during the day, the average daytime temperature is +27 °C, but at night even in summer it can be cool, so you can't do without a jacket or warm sweater. In the cold winter months, the night temperature can drop to +10°C. And if the cool evening weather is aggravated by rain, then it feels really cold. From October to March in Da Lat at night you can even get a little chilly in the hotel, because there is no heating. But in the rooms, warm blankets and the air conditioner, which can be turned on for heating, help.

A couple of important tips about the weather in Da Lat

Regarding precipitation in Da Lat, two seasons are distinguished:

🌞 Dry season also known as high tourist season from November to April. There is almost no precipitation, and this period is considered the ideal time to visit.
☔ Rainy season or low tourist season from May to October. During the rainy season, it is warmer here, and the rains occur mainly in the afternoon or evening. However, it also happens that the sky can be overcast for several days in a row, and the rain can continue all day, but this is rather rare.

Another unpleasant manifestation of the climate in Da Lat is fairly frequent fogs.

Fog in Da Lat — And in summer there are fogs and dense clouds here

Seasons in Da Lat by month, when is the best time to go

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

*best time to visit;
acceptable time to visit;
not recommended time to visit

Current weather in Da Lat and forecast for the near future:

How to get to Da Lat

Da Lat on the map of Vietnam
Distance from Ho Chi Minh City – 340 kilometers / 1 hour by plane, 6-10 hours by land.
Distance from Hanoi – 1500 kilometers / 2 hours by plane, at least 24 hours by land.
Distance from Nha Trang – 140 kilometers / 4-6 hours by land.
Distance from Mui Ne – 160 kilometers / 4-6 hours by land.

Da Lat is located in the mountainous part of Vietnam. It is one of the major transport hubs: there is an international airport and a large bus station with a huge number of routes. There is no railway.

It's quite easy to get here, here are brief instructions for directions:

From cities in Russia, CIS and other countries. You can fly directly to Da Lat airport, but it's a long flight with several connections, so it makes sense to fly to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or Nha Trang, and from there fly or go to Da Lat.
From Ho Chi Minh City or Ho Chi Minh City airport. You can fly, take a taxi (comparable to tickets, but you can save in a group), or take a bus with a transfer through the city center.
From Hanoi. It's best to fly. As a last resort, you can get to Nha Trang by train or bus and then transfer to a bus to Da Lat.
From Nha Trang. Buses run very often and many, the journey is only 4-6 hours, but only during the day.
From Mui Ne/Phan Thiet. Buses run several times a day from 05:00 to 15:00.
From Phu Quoc. By plane with a connection via Ho Chi Minh City airport, or you fly to Ho Chi Minh City and then taxi or bus.
From Vung Tau. Large sleeper buses Futa Bus run several times a day, including convenient night ones.
From Da Nang and Hoi An. From Da Nang there are direct flights. You can also take a bus, there are convenient night ones, the journey takes 16-20 hours.

Read everything in detail in the big guide How and what to get to Da Lat here.

Transport in Da Lat and how to get around

Da Lat is a large city that is not so easy to walk around. Moreover, most of the most interesting places in Da Lat are not in the city at all, but at least on its outskirts and in the distant surroundings, where sometimes even a taxi won't take you. Therefore, you can't do without transport here.

In short, in Da Lat you can:

Walk – but this is only suitable for walking around the center.
City buses – a very cheap option and will allow you to get even to some suburban attractions, but it's impossible to figure out the routes, there is no information.
Use rented transport – in our opinion, this is the most optimal option.
Taxi - a perfectly normal option for short trips within the city.
Hire a guide with a car or Easy Riders – an excellent option if you don't drive, but expensive.
Buy group tours – it's convenient, interesting and inexpensive, but group tours are not developed here.

We have explained everything in detail about transport and getting around Da Lat in a separate guide here, and now let's briefly go over the most important things:

You can only walk around Da Lat within the city center. This is the area around Xuan Huong Lake, the main market, Lam Vien Square. From here you can visit several temples and churches, Da Lat's flower gardens, or just walk. Install map apps Organic Map (recommended), Maps.me, or other similar ones, download points from our map, and walk with pleasure. The problem is that walking here is not very comfortable: sidewalks are occupied, they don't give way at pedestrian crossings.

Street in Da Lat — Sidewalks in Da Lat are usually occupied by motorbikes and trade

Da Lat has a network of city buses, Russian "Gazelle" minibuses of the FutaBus company run on the routes. Moreover, these are mostly suburban buses, as their routes go far beyond the city. The fare costs from 7000 dong (0.27 USD), depends on the distance by zones. That is, when boarding, you need to tell the driver where you are going so they can name the price. Payment is made to the conductor or driver in the cabin.

In Da Lat, you can rent a motorbike, car, and bicycle, and in our opinion, this is the most convenient and cost-effective way to get acquainted with all the places in Da Lat and its surroundings. For bicycle rental they ask for 50,000 dong/day (1.9 USD), for a motorbike from 130,000 dong (4.94 USD).

Rented motorbike in Da Lat — Such a motorbike cost 130,000

Renting a car is much more complicated. Prices for cars in Vietnam are very high (from $50/day), there are few rentals, conditions are strict.

There are many taxis in Da Lat, there are car taxis and motorcycle taxis. You can install the Grab or Maxim app, order a car through them, or the old-fashioned way by phone, through reception, or on the street.

By meter: boarding and first 0.75 kilometers – 15,000 dong (0.57 USD).
Each subsequent 0.8 kilometers – 14,500 dong.

In general, a short trip within the city will cost from 30,000 dong (1.14 USD), to the airport from 250,000 dong (9.51 USD). Motorcycle taxis are half the price, you can ride around the city for 15,000 dong.

In Da Lat, "Easy Riders" services are offered, with whom you can get acquainted with the attractions in the city and surroundings very comfortably, inexpensively, and with great interest. This is a local "invention", at least we haven't encountered it anywhere else. The essence of easy riding is that you hire a personal guide-driver on a motorbike for one or several days, and travel around the country with him. If you don't ride a motorcycle yourself and at the same time want to be independent of tourist groups – this option is ideal for you. You can also ride with them driving yourself on a rented motorbike, and he will be your guide on his own motorbike.

You can also rent a driver with a car. This is also offered in tourist agencies and by private individuals near the lake. This will cost from $50 per day, but what's good is that you can go by car in a group.

Attractions of Da Lat and what to see

There are more than enough attractions in Da Lat and its surroundings. Here there are worthwhile natural attractions (waterfalls, mountains, lakes), beautiful parks and flower and fruit farms, coffee farms, themed photo parks, beautiful and unusual temples, several museums and historical palaces.

We have been to Da Lat more than once, and still haven't managed to see everything. In our opinion, to see everything here, you need to come for at least a week, or even more. But not everyone can allocate that much time for one city, so here is our selection of interesting places in Da Lat that are worth visiting first and foremost:

Lam Dong Museum
Crazy House
Main Market
Flower Gardens of Da Lat
Domaine de Marie Church
Bao Dai Palace 3
Linh Phuoc Pagoda
One or several waterfalls Prenn, Pongour or Datanla
Elephant Waterfall and Linh An Pagoda
Thien Vien Monastery and cable car
Coffee Farms
Clay Tunnel

Our opinion is that it is best to get acquainted with Da Lat independently on rented transport. It's inexpensive, and you won't have to depend on anyone. You can rent a motorbike in Da Lat from 130,000 dong/day, a car from $50, we explained in detail about rental in Da Lat here. For navigation to attractions, you can download points from our map of Da Lat and load them into the navigator on your smartphone.

If you are not ready to rent transport, there is a special local "trick" - easy riders (Easy Riders). Easy Riders are individual guides on motorbikes who will drive you around Da Lat and its surroundings as a passenger. Easy riders have ready-made routes or you can create your own route with them. They also offer trips for several days with stops in different guesthouses. You can find easy rider services in street travel agencies, and private easy riders "on duty" and catch tourists in gathering places and walks near Xuan Huong Lake. The cost is from $20/day, but this is an approximate price, everything is negotiated individually.

As an alternative to easy riding, you can hire a driver with a car. It will be like an individual tour, and if you are traveling in a group or family, it may even be more profitable than on motorbikes. They ask for a car with a driver from $50, but again, everything is very individual.

But the bad thing about these methods is that guides in Da Lat do not speak Russian. They only speak English, and it's very difficult to understand. Therefore, if you don't understand English, it's better to visit Da Lat with Russian-speaking tours from Nha Trang or Mui Ne. There are one-day and two-day tours, they are easy to find on the spot in street travel agencies, or you can book online on these sites:

🕒 24 May, 2026

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