When wandering around Dalat, the city of mist and pine trees, tourists might experience four seasons in one day: a spring morning, summer afternoon, autumn twilight and winter evening.
However, in terms of business, the flower city has only two seasons: peak season and low season.
About 300 kilometers from HCMC, Dalat City, capital of the central highlands province of Lam Dong, exhales its own poetic and romantic charm with its beautiful mountain scenery and delightfully cool mountain weather. Peak season is from the first month of the lunar year and lasts until summer. During this time there are a number of festivals and tourist services tend to be priced higher.
On the other hand, tourists who visit the flower city in the low season can still enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the small city without spending a lot of money. Hotels and lodging houses nestled in corners of the city are at ‘soft’ prices, for example from VND 150,000 to VND 200,000 for a stay at two-star hotel and about VND 80,000 to stay at lodging house.
To experience the romance of valleys, magnificence of waterfalls and art of ancient houses and pagodas visitors can rent a motorbike to ride around the poetic city, or a tandem tourist bicycle, for only VND 50,000 to VND 80,000 per day.
When heading to Dalat, tourists should be sure to stop at Prenn Waterfalls, located at the foot of Prenn pass and about 10 km from Dalat City; a panoramic view of the falls can be enjoyed from the cable car for just VND 8,000 per ticket. Alternatively, a visit to the forest and Au Lac Temple nearby can be arranged with a hired carriage (VND 50,000 a unit) or jeep (VND 150,000 each for four people).
An adventurous and fascinating trip awaits tourists at Datanla Waterfalls, located about 3 kilometers from Prenn Waterfall, on a roller coaster bob sled which runs from the top of the cliffs to the bottom of the falls, for VND 35,000 per round ticket. The descent is breathtaking and exciting, but guests surely will find the landscape of the falls equally stunning and invigorating, as the falls create a sheet of silver pouring into a pool of water.
Next stop must be Cam Ly Waterfall, which is a well known as a tourist-magnet for domestic visitors and the home of horses and Dalat’s cowboys. Peace and tranquility is found in the nature and poetry of nearby Than Tho Lake (lake of sorrow).
At Mong Mo Hill (dreamlike hill) area, tourists can enjoy a relaxing and pleasant time wandering on this “little†Great Wall, listening to the sounds of water from the artificial waterfall and sensing the soul of the upland region at a cong chieng (gongs) performance of the local ethnic minority artists every weekend.
The most impressive venue may be Hang Cop (the cave of the tiger) Waterfall, so called because at the foot of the waterfall there is a large cave where a fierce tiger was trapped by people. On the descent to the bottom of the fall on old stone paths, adventurers will see abundant, violent waterfalls breaking off into small streams and falling over huge rocks. It is really a scene of the most attractive and majestic wild landscape.
Dalat owns many attractive landscapes from waterfalls to ancient pagodas and houses influenced by French architecture and Vietnamese charms. A two week holiday here will pass quickly exploring these and other sights.
Last but not least, Langbian Mountain is an absolute must for anyone wanting to conquer a peak of over 2,000 meter high, with endless views of green mountains reflecting the silver rays of the sun.