There are so many things to do in Dalat, from waterfalls to interesting tourist attractions. Here are 19 of our favourites not to miss…
Located in the Central Highlands of Southern Vietnam, Dalat is not a spot to be missed when visiting the country. From its French colonial architecture to its weird and wonderful tourist attractions, Dalat has so much to offer during your stay.
We have conducted a list of the 18 best things to do in Dalat so you don’t miss out!
1. Crazy House
Location: Số 3 Đường Huỳnh Thúc Kháng, Phường 4, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 8:30AM to 7PM daily
Feel like you’re stepping into a fairytale at Crazy House – one of the most bizarre things to do in Dalat.
Created by Vietnamese architect Đặng Việt Nga, the unconventional building, officially known as Hằng Nga guesthouse, is designed to resemble a giant tree.
Entry costs 50k per person to have a wander through the impressive structure, or you can even book to stay the night in one of the 10 animal-themed guest rooms.
Crazy House is open from 8:30am to 7pm every day for tourists to visit and will take around an hour to walk around.
2. Dalat Flower Garden
Location: Trần Quốc Toản, Phường 8, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 7:30AM – 6PM daily
The Flower Garden in Dalat boasts a large landscaped park filled with thousands of plants including various flowers, shrubs and even bonsai trees. Take a leisurely stroll around to take in the displays, and don’t forget your camera! Open daily from 7:30 am – 6 pm, entrance costs 40k per person. Parking a scooter costs about 3k per bike.
3. Maze Bar / 100 Roofs – Đường Lên Trăng Bar – Coffee
Location: 57 Phan Bội Châu, Phường 1, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 8AM – 12AM daily
Ever got lost in a bar? Anything is possible at the 100 Roofs Cafe, known as ‘Maze Bar’ for a reason. Designed in a similar unique style to Crazy House, you could take hours exploring the bars six floors (with an occasional drink break if you can find the bar). Drinks are slightly more expensive than the Vietnamese norm here, however, it’s more than worth it for the fun experience. You can even sit out on the rooftop terrace overlooking the city below. We paid 85k for two drinks.
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4. Da Lat Night Market
Location: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Da Lat
Hours: 5PM – 10PM daily
Whether you’re hungry, looking for some new clothes or after an evening stroll, the Night Market has got you covered. Located in the city centre, it is easily reachable from most places. If you have rented a scooter, you can park it right by the market for 5k. To reach the parking simply type in Dalat Night Market in Google Maps and park next to the stairs by the roundabout. You never know what you might be able to pick up from this market – we managed to grab a bargain of two real-looking Adidas jackets for 250k!
5. Datanla Waterfall
Location: QL20 Đèo Prenn, Phường 3, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng 66000
Hours: 7AM – 5PM daily
The advice TLC once gave us to not go chasing waterfalls couldn’t be further from what Datanla has to offer. The waterfall is actually the secondary attraction to the toboggan that you can hop on to reach the bottom of the falls. Whether you go it solo or in a pair, this coaster ride allows you to control your own speed with the do-it-yourself breaks. True roller-coaster style, a photo will be taken during your descent which is available to purchase. What’s more, once you’re done admiring the falls, the ride will take you straight back up. Of course, there are stairs available for the fainter hearted, but where’s the fun in that?! We paid 150k each for a round trip ride and 3k for parking at the falls.
6. Elephant waterfalls
Location: Gia Lâm, Lâm Hà District, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 8AM – 5PM daily
Located around 30km out of the city, Elephant Falls can be time-consuming and daunting to reach by scooter. Known as one of the most beautiful waterfalls of the Central Highlands, if you have some spare time, it’s definitely worth a visit. If you’re in a group you could rent a car/driver for the day and split the cost. Alternatively, there is a local bus that could get you to the falls. Ask your accommodation for more information.
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7. Cable Car
Location: 1, Đống Đa, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 8AM – 11:30AM, 1:30PM – 4:30PM daily
Dalat’s 4km long cable car allows you to see great views on a clear day of the surrounding land. The cable car will take you up to Tuyen Lam Lake, where you can visit the nearby Trúc Lâm Pagoda. The cable car costs 80k VND for the return trip. Hours seem to vary so head to the station in the morning to avoid disappointment.
8. Tuyen Lam Lake
Location: Phường 4, Dalat, Lâm Đồng, Vietnam
Take it back to basics by visiting the Tuyen Lam Lake. Look out on the calm waters surrounded by pine trees and mountains, enjoying the fresh air as you relax in nature. Reach it by cable car, or rent a scooter and take a drive around the lake.
9. Trúc Lâm Đà Lạt Zen Monastery
Location: Trúc Lâm Yên Tử, Phường 3, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 7AM – 5PM daily
For a piece of tranquillity and a peek into the surroundings of a practising Zen Buddhist temple, head to Trúc Lâm Monastery. Easily reachable by cable car or scooter, it is a wonderful place to walk around.
10. Canyoning
Location: We used Highland Sport Travel
Canyoning is by far one of the best things to do in Dalat! For a day filled with adventure and fun, this sport is not to be missed. We went Canyoning in Da Lat and could not recommend it enough. Although daunting at first, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is what travelling is all about! We paid 3,384,000 (around £60 each). The price seems expensive but it is a bucket list activity that will stay with you for life so definitely worth it.
MORE: Canyoning in Da Lat
11. Xuan Huong Lake
Location: Dalat, Lâm Đồng, Vietnam
Located directly in the centre of Dalat, Xuan Huong Lake is nice to have a drive around. Check out the unusual buildings by the lake which is actually a huge underground shopping mall.
12. D’lats Sauna
Location: Hẻm 31 Sào Nam đường Hùng Vương, Phường 11, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 7:30AM – 10PM
For a relaxing activity a bit different from the normal backpackers’ tourist attraction, visit D’lats Sauna. With man-made ‘hot springs’, an infrared sauna and a pink salt sauna, different packages are available to suit what you want to do.
Enjoy drinks being served to you while you sit in a large heated room overlooking the surrounding farmland of Dalat. You don’t need to take swimwear although we would recommend it, especially if you want to enter the hot spring.
Clean clothes are provided for you to wear in the sauna. We paid 95k each to enter the saunas for an hour. Hot showers are available for after you’ve finished and towels can be rented for a small additional fee.
13. Linh Phuoc pagoda
Location: 120 Tự Phước, Trại Mát, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng 550000
Hours: 8AM – 4PM
This mosaic pagoda is made out of beer bottles, making it a unique and colourful Buddhist temple to visit. Take a wander around, admiring the architecture, and don’t miss out on the bizarre basement that is designed as a portrayal of hell.
14. Clay Tunnel
Location: VCM6+2G Dalat, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 8AM – 5PM daily
For another strange but fun activity to add to this list of things to do in Dalat, visit the clay tunnel. An artists approach to a replica of Dalat made up entirely of clay! Entry costs 120k per person. Take your camera for some entertaining photo opportunities.
15. Mì PHÚ GIA
Location: 28 Đường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Phường 1, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, 6AM – 9AM & 3PM – 7PM
For a simple yet delicious lunch, head to Mì PHÚ GIA. Don’t worry about having to choose what to eat as there are only one or two options and they are all delicious. We paid 90k for two bowls of noodles and got a green tea each for free – bargain!
16. Chu BBQ place
Location: 4 Đường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Phường 1, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 12PM – 12AM daily
After some great atmosphere and interactive dining experience? Head to Chu BBQ for dinner. Choose what you want to eat and cook it yourself at your table with your very own BBQ. We paid 423k for pork chops, squid, prawns, garlic fried rice a couple of drinks and two very happy tummies.
17. Góc Hà Thành restaurant
Location: 51 Đường Trương Công Định, Phường 1, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng 650000
Hours: 11AM – 9:30PM daily
For a scrumptious meal in a sit-down restaurant recommended by lonely planet, Góc Hà Thành has got what you need. Offering friendly service in a cosy environment, the menu offers something for everyone with Vietnamese inspired vegetarian and meat dishes. We paid 377k for one starter, two mains, side order and two drinks.
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18. My le hot pot
Location: Đường Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Da Lat
Hours: unknown
Want to fully immerse yourself in a Vietnamese way of cooking and eating? Try a hot pot! We had our first ever experience of one at My le hotpot – a little eatery alongside the night market. A literal hot pot with bubbling broth will be brought to your table along with any meats or fish you have ordered and a big plate of vegetables and rice noodles. Cook it yourself in the broth and enjoy! We paid 320k for the hotpot and a couple of drinks.
19. Weasel Coffee
Location: Phường 10, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng
Hours: 7:30AM – 5:30PM daily
Weasel Coffee quite literally does what the name suggests – serves coffee that has come from a weasel. Known as one of the most expensive coffees in the world, here you can try a cup for 100k and learn about the process of how it is made.
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