Centre
First-timersNear Xuan Huong Lake and the night market, walkable.
Da Lat city guide
Things To Do In Da Lat
A cool highland town of French villas, pine forests and flower farms, with a house that looks like a melting tree, canyoning in waterfalls, and the best coffee in the country.
34
Hostels in the city
8.7
Average, from 18,278 reviews
1,500 m
Altitude
Crazy House
Tree-like building
7 h
To Ho Chi Minh City
The city of eternal spring
Da Lat sits at 1,500 metres in the central highlands, and the French built it as a hill station to escape the heat. It is still cool, with pine forests, lakes, colonial villas and farms growing flowers, strawberries and coffee.
It is a favourite of Vietnamese honeymooners and a quirky, creative town, with odd architecture and a lively night market.
Two or three days is right.
Where to stay
Most hostels are in the centre, within walking distance of Xuan Huong Lake and the night market. The streets are hilly, so staying central saves climbs; quieter guesthouses sit on the slopes around town among pine trees and flower farms.
Hillsides
QuietGuesthouses among pine trees and flower farms around town.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 12 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Da Lat
Da Lat sits at about 1,500 metres in the Central Highlands, and its cool climate drew the French, who built villas, a railway station and gardens here. Walk around Xuan Huong Lake, at the centre of town, and the old French quarter.
The Crazy House, a guesthouse designed by architect Dang Viet Nga to look like a giant tree, with tunnels, staircases and animal-themed rooms, is one of the strangest buildings in Vietnam. Linh Phuoc Pagoda, a short ride out of town, is covered in mosaics made from broken pottery and glass.
Da Lat is Vietnam's adventure capital. Canyoning trips abseil down waterfalls and slide through rock pools; choose an established operator with good safety records. Datanla Falls has an alpine coaster through the forest, and Langbiang mountain is a half-day climb with views over the plateau.
The Truc Lam Zen monastery sits above Tuyen Lam Lake, reached by a cable car over the pine forests. Coffee farms around the city, including weasel coffee producers, run tastings, and the old railway station has a short heritage train ride.
Free things
Free things to do in Da Lat
Xuan Huong Lake and the walk around it are free, as is the night market, which fills the steps and streets around the central market every evening.
The old French villas and the railway station building are free to see from outside. The pine forests and flower farms on the edge of town are free to wander, and Linh Phuoc Pagoda does not charge.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Da Lat
Da Lat's cool climate grows strawberries, artichokes, avocados and vegetables sold all over Vietnam, and its markets show them off.
The local specialities are banh trang nuong, a grilled rice paper snack topped with egg, spring onion and sauces, sometimes called Vietnamese pizza; banh can, little rice pancakes with dipping sauces; and kem bo, avocado blended with ice cream. Hot soy milk with a sweet bun is the night-market drink, and artichoke tea is the local brew.
A street meal is €1 to €3.
Nightlife
Going out in Da Lat
Da Lat's evenings revolve around the night market, where locals and travellers eat street food and drink soy milk wrapped up against the cold.
There are a few backpacker bars, some with live music, and hostels with family dinners and drinking games.
A beer is €1 to €2.50.
Getting around
Getting around Da Lat
Lien Khuong Airport is about 40 minutes from the centre by Grab, taxi or airport bus.
The centre is walkable, though hilly. Grab and motorbike taxis cover the rest, and many travellers rent a scooter to reach the waterfalls, Langbiang and coffee farms.
There is no mainline railway. Buses and sleeper buses run to Ho Chi Minh City, about seven hours, Nha Trang, about four, and Mui Ne, about four.
Costs
What Da Lat costs
Da Lat is cheap. Dorms start around €5 and a careful day is €18 to €28.
Canyoning, the main adventure cost, is usually €25 to €40 including lunch and gear. The Crazy House, Datanla Falls and the Truc Lam cable car each charge a few euros.
The currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND); prices here are euro equivalents, at roughly 30,000 VND to the euro. There are ATMs around the centre.
Safety
Staying safe in Da Lat
Da Lat is safe. Canyoning is the main risk: there have been fatal accidents in the past, so choose a well-reviewed, established operator, listen to the briefing, and do not go in heavy rain.
Nights are cool, sometimes below fifteen degrees; bring a warm layer.
From May to October, afternoon rain is common; roads on the hills get slippery for scooters.
Emergency: 113 police, 115 ambulance, 114 fire.
Day trips from Da Lat
Waterfalls, a mountain and coffee farms in the highlands.
Langbiang
A half-day climb with views over the plateau.
What's on
What is on while you are there
The Da Lat Flower Festival is held in some years in December.
December, some years
Flower Festival
Da Lat
Flowers and parades.
January or February
Tet
Da Lat
The lunar new year.
Hostels
Where to stay in Da Lat
The top-rated places to stay in Da Lat right now, live from Hostelworld.
Tigon Dalat Hostel
See dates and book
Dalat May House
Dorms from €3 a night
See dates and book
Sustainable
Mooka's Home
Dorms from €3 a night
See dates and book
Sustainable
Dalat Central Stay
Dorms from €2 a night
See dates and book
Pretty Backpackers House
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Cam Ly Homestay
Dorms from €4 a night
See dates and book
Dalat Family Hostel
Dorms from €2 a night
See dates and book
Redhouse Backpackers Hostel
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Sustainable
Dalat Note Hostel
Dorms from €0 a night
See dates and book
Sustainable
Mr Peace Dalat Hostel
Dorms from €2 a night
See dates and book
Tiny Tigers
Dorms from €3 a night
See dates and book
Kim Cuong House (King Kong Hostel)
Dorms from €2 a night
See dates and book
When to go
December to March is dry. May to October brings afternoon rain.
Jan
Dry
Feb
Tet
Mar
Dry
Apr
Warm
May
Rains begin
Jun
Wet
Jul
Wet
Aug
Wet
Sep
Wet
Oct
Wet
Nov
Drying
Dec
Flower season
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. Cool all year.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are in dong locally; these are euro equivalents. Excludes canyoning.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Da Lat travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is canyoning safe?
With a well-reviewed, established operator and good weather, yes. There have been fatal accidents with poor operators, so choose carefully and do not go in heavy rain.
Is it cold?
Cool rather than cold: days are mild and nights can drop below fifteen degrees. Bring a warm layer.
How do I get there?
By air to Lien Khuong, 40 minutes away, or by bus from Ho Chi Minh City (about seven hours), Nha Trang or Mui Ne (about four).
How many days do you need?
Two or three: one for the town and Crazy House, one for canyoning, and one for the countryside.
When is the best time to visit?
November to April is dry and clear. May to October has afternoon rain.
What should I eat?
Banh trang nuong, kem bo and hot soy milk at the night market.
Can I rent a scooter?
Yes, it is the easiest way to reach the waterfalls and farms, but the roads are hilly and slippery in rain.
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