Dalat Sights and POI

No visit to Dalat can be complete without seeing some of the historical features that it has to offer.

Linh Phuoc Pagoda

One of the most attractive and popular attractions is the Linh Phuoc Pagoda, which we believe has to be up there as one of the most interesting and striking temples in SE Asia. We loved it so much that we went twice as there is so much to see including the main temple, a 36 metre tall tower that contains an 8,500 kg bell and the 49-metre long flying dragon statue. For the artists, historians and architects among you, prepare to gander at the intricate mosaics of the site for eternity but don’t miss out on the views from the top of the pagoda.

The site is free and is open from 8am–4pm.

Bao Dai Palace

Another great place for historians and architects to check out is Bao Dai palace, which we found insightful into the last dynasty of Vietnam. Whilst not being the prettiest of buildings, the palace gives tourists a great understanding of how the last emperor and his family lived. We saw photos, documents, antiques, furniture and you can venture off into the majority of the rooms.

The palace is open from 7am – 5pm and costs VND20,000.

Crazy House

Just a few minutes from the palace is the wacky and eccentric Crazy House, which has elements of Antoni Gaudi, Disney’s Haunted House and a Salvador Dali painting all blended into one. We felt like kids looking and scrambling around this unique tree house look-alike structure, which also includes a guesthouse. There are tree roots for pillars, melting walls and cave-like stairs and rooms and it left us in awe and thinking about how amazing this architect’s (Dang Viet Nga) imagination was.

The Crazy House is open from 8.30am – 7pm and costs VND40,000.

Dalat Market

One day we decided to check out the main market near to the centre of the city. This bustling and fun area of Dalat is everything we thought we would encounter and perfectly sums up a busy and vibrant Asian market. You can try your bargaining skills here as long as there are no prices on the items, which is always a fun experience.

You will find lots of local products and specialties including fresh fruit, jams, vegetables, souvenirs, clothes and much more. There are also plenty of little street vendors offering cheap delicious local dishes and because of this we spent a fair few lunches and dinners there.

Cable car

We found that one of the best ways to see the whole area of Dalat was by cable car and luckily for us it happened to be a clear day and so we got to see the jaw-dropping surroundings in all its true beauty.

The 4km journey takes you around the mountains, lakes and farms and connects up with other tourist attractions including Truc Lam Pagoda and Tuyen Lake, which are definitely worth a visit.

The Datanla waterfalls are also within reach, though a short taxi ride is required and here you can do some adrenaline sports like zip-lining as well as hiking.

The cable car operates from 7.30-11.30am and 1.30-5pm and costs for one way/return adult, VND 50,000/70,000, and for children it’s VND 30,000/40,000.

Train station

We heard about the wonderful art-deco train station and decided to go and see it on our last day. We were greeted with a big yellow French architectural building and inside there was an old Japanese steam train on display, which was a pleasant surprise. There are 5 scheduled trains that run the 7km trip to Trai Mat and the route takes you through the countryside and past various farms, gardens and hills. The trains run between 7.45am and 4pm and the price is VND124,000.