Things to do in Da Lat

Da Lat is a hill city at about 1,500 metres on the Langbian plateau. The French built it as a hill station after Alexandre Yersin explored the plateau in the 1890s. Pines and a central lake set the tone.

Things to do in Da Lat split into two: the town, and the plateau around it. Tours in Da Lat mix a little of each.

What the town holds

• The lake. Xuan Huong Lake sits in the middle of town, with a flower park on its shore and the main square beside it.
• Crazy House. The Hang Nga guesthouse, begun in 1990 and designed by the architect Dang Viet Nga. Twisting passages and surreal shapes, modelled on nature.
• The railway station. Built in the 1930s. Tourist trains cover 7 km to Trai Mat, while the old line down to Thap Cham was dismantled after 1975.
• Bao Dai's Summer Palace. The residence of Vietnam's last emperor, still carrying its royal decoration.
• The cathedral. A Gothic church begun in 1931, with a bronze rooster on its tower.

Out on the plateau

• Langbiang. A full-day trek through pine forest and jungle to a summit above 2,100 metres. It ends at Lat village, home to K'Ho people, and asks for moderate fitness.
• Tuyen Lam Lake. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards at dawn, mid-morning or sunset. A cable car from Robin Hill reaches the Truc Lam Zen Monastery above it, where modest dress is expected.
• Datanla. A waterfall about 5 km south of the centre, with an alpine coaster through the pines.
• The countryside loop. Elephant Waterfall and Pongour Waterfall, plus silk workshops, a flower village, coffee farms and a cricket farm where you can taste them fried.
• Adventure days. A high ropes course with ten rounds of rising difficulty, go-karts and a rainbow slide.

Pick-up from hotels in the centre is often free. A private city day takes about eight hours from 8:30.

Practical

• Weather. Days stay between 22 and 26C all year. Nights fall to about 12C in January and sit near 16C in July. Rain totals about 1,750 mm a year, and December to March is dry.
• Getting here. Lien Khuong airport is about 30 km south, 30 to 40 minutes by road. Nha Trang is 140 km away, three to four hours.
• Early starts. Dawn kayaking runs from 5 to 8. The sunset slot runs from 2:30 to 5:30.
• Tickets. On several tours the waterfall, cable car and ride tickets are paid separately. Children under 90 cm are often free.
• Cancellation. Most tours are free to cancel more than 24 hours before the start.