Travelog - A travel guide to Vietnam

Dalat photos

Dalat is the name of the city, which apparently is the Lat language means ‘River of the Lat Tribe’. The city has a very pleasant and temperate climate where the fresh green atmosphere is all around. Here and there you will always find waterfalls, evergreen forests and gardens. No wonder why it is also called the “City of Eternal Spring”. It has been claimed that Dr. Alexandre Yersin, a European who was a protégé of Louis Pasteur in 1893, discovered this city. However, the city itself was established in 1912 and was widely known among Europeans as a cool retreat from the heat of the inner mainland. To that end of its popularity among Europeans, it was once called Le Petit Paris and does have a miniature replica of the Eiffel Tower at the back of the city’s central market. Till now, it has been popular as a honeymoon spot.

The city inhabitants, who are mainly of ethno-linguistic hill tribes, are commonly called montagnards, a French word meaning highlanders. Sometimes in market places they can be seen in their traditional dress. Most Vietnamese artists and the avant-garde opt to move to this place.

Getting around Dalat

Since most sights are scattered all around, it’s better to plan your routes before you set out for a journey. Starting from the inner city, Xuan Huong Lake is ideal place to start with. The lake is famous among locals as a romantic place where its lakeside road goes through a pine-tree park. Way southeastward of the lake are situated three pagodas, Thien Vuong Pagoda, Minh Nguyet Cu Sy Lam Pagoda and Su Nu Pagoda (Chua Linh Phong). The first two are Chinese pagodas with interesting architecture while the last is a Buddhist monastery.

Further down south of the city, you will head to a number of green forest and waterfalls. The popular spot is Datanla Falls, a place where you will see a nice cascade with squirrels, birds and butterflies along its entrance pathway. Then you can go further to Prenn Pass and Prenn Falls. The mature pine forests here make it possible for hikes and horse rides. Yet, a magnificent spectacle behind a curtain of falling water from the wide rocky outcrop at the Prenn Fall is very enjoyable. But if you want to see more before reaching these two sites, you can take a detour to Quang Trung Reservoir, an artificial lake where you can row about in a boat for a while.

The farthest tourist site south of Dalat is the Chicken Village. It’s the haven of the Koho minority. Although they have adopted some of Vietnamese ways of life, some of the authentic aspects of their lifestyle are prevailing and worth stopping by for a cultural tour. Look for a big concrete statue of a chicken standing at the heart of the village. To many, its origin is still a mystery.

For more indulgence of montagnards, just head up north of the city to Lat Village (locally pronounced “lak”). People of Lat ethnicity inhabit five of the nine hamlets that you will encounter. The inhabitants of the remaining villages are of Chill, Ma and Koho origins. They all speak different dialects. It should be noted that entry here requires an advanced permit. After that, you can enjoy yourself by hiking up the Lang Bian Mountain. The two peaks, K’ Lang (a woman’s name) and K’ Bian (a man’s name) once sheltered several wildlife animals. It takes 3-4 hours to reach the top and no advanced permit is required.