Looking for things to do in Dalat? This former French hill station nestled in the central highland region is about a six-hour ride from Saigon.

A popular destination among locals and foreigners alike, Dalat experiences a median temperature of 60 to 75°F (15-25°C) year-round, which has earned it the nickname “The City of Eternal Spring.” The combination of cool weather, scenic lake vistas, and a landscape blanketed in evergreens creates a charming character unlike any other city in Vietnam. The city proper loops around a picturesque manmade lake but on the outskirts of the city lie kaleidoscopic pagodas and raging waterfalls begging to be explored. Rent a motorbike and zip through the winding roads flanked by coffee and tea plantations as far as the eye can see.  Here are my top five things to do in Dalat, Vietnam’s most artistic city.

1. Adrenaline Junkies: Go Canyoning!

This activity is not for the faint of heart but is an absolute must for adventurists looking to enjoy Dalat’s numerous waterfalls unencumbered. Canyoning, the act of abseiling down a waterfall, is a vigorous task that involves rapelling backwards starting from the mouth of a waterfall . In recent years, the sport has proved fatal in the Dalat region so choosing a reputable company cannot be stressed enough. We went with Groovy Gecko Tours recommended by friends and were not only surprised by the affordability, but by the level of professionalism and safety measures executed by the guides. I would do this again in a heartbeat!

Where? 65 Truong Cong Dinh, Ward 1, Dalat, Lam Dong Province

The 30-meter descent was something I’ll never forget!

2. Zigzag Around The Crazy House

Voted one of the top ten strangest buildings in the world, Vietnamese architect Dang Viet Nga’s structural wunderkind The Crazy House, is easily the best $2 USD (~40,000 VND) you’ll spend in Dalat. First built in 1990, the nebulous building feels part Gaudi, part Disney, with branch-like winding staircases that skirt through fairyesque conical hollows shaped from concrete. Even non-art enthusiasts can appreciate Dang Vietn Nga’s attempt to fuse the natural and the manmade, a slogan called “crazy in creation.” The ever-evolving has a final completion date slated for 2020. The attraction also doubles as a working guesthouse.

Where? 3 Huynh Thuc Khang St, Ward 4, Dalat, Lam Dong Province

Peeping out of the concrete cone hollow that has yet to be completed

Captain of the castle

3. Be Mesmerized by Linh Phuoc Pagoda

Located about an 8-km drive from the city center in the neighboring Trai Mat Village is Linh Phuoc Pagoda, a temple adorned in the bits and bobs of recycled ware. Built in 1952, the colorful pagoda is much more whimsical than the rest of the pagodas in Vietnam with polychromatic debris decorating every inch of the pagoda. The highlights: A massive statue of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara, decorated in 700,000 dried blossoms of Dalat’s so-called “immortal flowers”, the 49-meter winding dragon in the pond whose scales are made from 12,000 glass bottles, and the Dai Hong Chung bell decorated in cast iron reliefs of the four seasons. Visitors are invited to write their wishes on a small piece of paper, turn the bell to the current season, and stick the paper on the bell. After ringing the bell three times, the prayers are then sent to Buddha.

Where? 120 Tu Phuoc Street, Ward 11, Trai Mat Village, Lam Dong Province
How To Get There: Rent a motorbike (roughly 8 minutes) or take the train from Dalat Railway Station (about 1.5 hours total)

Tim looking out onto the front of the pagoda

Dragons made from debris looping around the pillars

4. Chill in your own Private Cable Car

Cable cars are not the most thrilling of experiences but Dalat’s cable car ride was an exception. The cable car takes you on a 10-minute aerial ride over the countryside, gliding over coffee plantations and pastel complexes, to the Truc Lam Pagoda. The candy colored cable cars are pod-shaped and are able to fit a max of four people, a privacy regularly unheard of when it comes to gondala rides. Tim and I had a pod all to ourselves while visiting during down season. A one-way trip costs 40,000 VND and the roundtrip costs 80,000 VND.

Our little cable car pod

5. Wander Through the 100 Roofs Café

Can’t get enough of Dan Viet Nga’s work? You’re in luck. 100 Roofs Café is another project by the famed architect that echoes the aesthetics of The Crazy House, just with a little more booze involved. From the outside, the café (which is actually a bar) looks like nothing special but after your purchase of one alcoholic beverage, which acts as your entrance fee, you’re invited to explore the network of tunnels down below. The 100 Roofs Café has an extensive maze of corridors decorated in bizzaro, demented artwork that goes two floors below and ascends four floors upwards. Play a game of hide and seek with some friends. Coming at night adds to the air of mystery but if you visit during the daytime, you can enjoy an outdoor courtyard sequestered in the middle of the labyrinth.

Where? 26 Phan Boi Chau, Ward 1, Dalat, Lam Dong Province

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Stock your pantries with premium teas and coffees from the highland plantations of Dalat. The independent seller Dalat 1893 on 1H Nam Ky Khoi Nghia bottles up fruit teas, their bestsellers being passionfruit and strawberry, while L’angfarm has a wonderful inventory of gourmet coffee roasts.
• An Café on 65 Ba Thang Hai feels more like a greenhouse than a coffee shop with swing sets for chairs, an assortment of succulents arranged around the wooden picnic tables, and a bed of gravel lining the footpaths around the cafes indoor and outdoor dining spaces.
• The central market, Cho Dalat, sells everything from knitwear to dried flowers, to banh trang nuong, aka Vietnamese pizza, the streetfood snack taking Vietnam by storm.
• Artist’s Alley on and Bicycle Up on, two well-known tourist hotspots, are next door neighbors. Go to Artist’s Alley on 86 Truong Cong Dinh if you’re looking for some Western food. The one-room Bicycle Up coffee shop at the top of the alley leaves a lasting impression with its charming décor.
• Lien Hoa Bakery on 15-17 Ba Tháng Hai Phường 1 is the ubiquitous fast food stop in Dalat. The first floor is a bakery selling all sorts of baked goods with the ingredients clearly listed in English, while the second floor is a fully-operating restaurant serving mostly Vietnamese food on the cheap.
• Nem Nuong Duc Long on B14 Hoàng Văn Thụ Street specializes in a location favorite, ‘nem nuong,’ a “roll-it-yourself” dining experience using rice paper, pickled vegetables, **tofu cracklings,*** and slices of pork
• Léon Bar on 278 Đường Hai Bà Trưng is a cinematic arthouse themed cocktail bar appealing to cinemaphiles.
• Enjoy some fresh air and the scenery of Dalat’s rolling mountains perched on the open-air patio at Tiệm cà phê Cheo veooo. This newly opened coffee shop’s unobstructed view can be found on 116 Hùng Vương, down Hẻm Dã Chiến.

Sitting on some swing sets

WHERE TO STAY

The sleeping scene in Dalat is mainly comprised of independent kitschy guesthouses and hostels that capitalize on hominess.

Pi Hostel (61 Thủ Khoa Huân Street) is an elegant hostel on an elevated roadside overlooking the city. The six floors at Pi Hostel features both private and dorm rooms, although the dorm rooms are a considerably better value with a bathroom en-suite and a warmer comforter. With its rustic look, in-house cafe/bar, and quiet corners to tuck into for some private time, I’d highly recommend this place to any backpacker. It is only a five minute walk to the Dalat Market and Lien Hoa Bakery. A dorm room starts at $6 per night and a private room starts at $25 per night.

Next door to Pi Hostel, you’ll see Memory Hostel and Dalat Lacasa Homestay just in case Pi Hostel has no vacancy.

The living room style common area at Pi Hostel

More Vietnam “Whereabouts” guides here:

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