at Dalat (2)

What to see

Dalat is known as the "City of Eternal Spring" or "Le Petit Paris" and is cool and crisp throughout the year. Visitors to Dalat are reminded of the days when the pursuit of leisure was an art form. The former Emperor Bao Dai was used to come here very often with his family and friends in different palaces which are still there with their original decoration in "New Style" from the years 1920/1930. It is also renowned in the Vietnamese memory as the place where the anti plague serum has been discovered in 1893 par Alexandre Yersin who opened a Pasteur Institute which is still working in Dalat.

Created in a European style in the first part of the 20th century, Dalat is a city-in-the-countryside. So walking, cycling or horse riding along the hills around the lake Xuan Huong is the best way to discover the numerous cascades or water falls much visited by Vietnamese "just-married". See the flower garden, the Linh Son pagoda, the Maria convent, the old colonial rail station, the central market…
Make sure you visit the Hang Nga Guesthouse & Art Gallery, nicknamed the Crazy House by locals. It's a counter-cultural gem created by artist and architect Mrs Dang Viet Nga (known as Hang Nga).

Emperor Bao Dai's Summer Palace is stuffed with interesting art and artefacts, and is well worth a look. It's also interesting to stroll around the old French Quarter, which is little changed since the French departed. The Valley of Love, 5km (3mi) north of the city centre, is a bizarre place with a carnival-style atmosphere where you can hire a paddle boat on the lake, or a horse from one of the Dalat Cowboys (no relation to the Dallas Cowboys), who are, indeed, dressed as cowboys. Further out, you can visit the villages of some of the hill tribes, such as Lat Village and the Chicken Village (with a huge statue of a chicken).

Dalat is famous for its cafes and is a paradise for people who love fresh vegetables. It's extremely popular with domestic tourists and honeymooners, so there's a wide range of accommodation options. One can fly to Dalat from Ho Chi Minh City, but the airport is 30km (19mi) from town; express buses also link the two cities.

And Dalat is also a good base to trip around in the Highlands or to go to Nha Trang and Phan Thiet where resorts arise along the sandy beaches around the fishers ports with their colourful boats.

Copyright (c) golftrotter.com. All rights reserved.