The ultimate guide to Dalat, Vietnam

One of the top things to see in the city (other than the amazing countryside) seems to be the famous Crazy House, which just so happened to be right opposite our hotel. That gave us the advantage of being able to run over there for when it opened at half past 8 in the morning before all the tour groups rolled in at 9. You really do need to get there for opening as it can become quite difficult to move around when it’s crowded due to the thin winding staircases and bridges. You’ll also be waiting behind countless overly keen tourists taking endless selfies! The house was designed by architect Đặng Việt Nga and comprises of all kinds of different rooms, staircases and gardens that can be explored. Believe it or not, you can actually stay there as it is a working guesthouse but do bear in mind that the place seems to be filled with wandering, curious tourists from the moment it opens until close. The entrance fee is 40,000 VND (£1.32 GBP).

If you love the Crazy House (or would rather see it with a drink in hand) then your best bet is to head over to the 100 roof bar, also known as Maze bar. The bar is similar to the crazy house in the sense that it is a crazy maze of rooms and staircases, so much so that you can quite easily get lost in there for an hour or so. We popped in, bought our drink (you have to purchase something to enter) and headed up into the maze. From the unusual decor to the even more unusual layout, it’s easy to see why so many people come here to spend an evening. However, as with most novelty bars the drinks aren’t the best.

Whilst the town itself is lovely and offers everything from crazy bars to street food and markets, the true wonder of Dalat is the countryside. One morning we headed over to the Dalat cable car for an unforgettable ride over the pine forest with incredible views of the city. Bear in mind that the cable car is open 7.30-11.30am & 1.30-5pm so unless you want to stay at the top for a couple of hours (like we did) then you’ll need to time your trip accordingly. The ride itself is an experience and there is no better way to see the city than from above. A return adult ticket is 80,000 VND (£2.60 GBP).

Arriving at the top station, we headed towards the Trúc Lâm Đà Lạt Zen Monastery, a Buddhist temple set in landscaped gardens with beautiful views. Continuing down the path from the monastery, we soon captured a glimpse of the man-made Tuyền Lâm Lake. This truly beautiful lake seems to be quite secluded but you do have the option of hiring pedalos or even going on a boat ride. We opted for grabbing a coffee at Pini Coffee right on the edge of the water. The view of the lake from here is absolutely stunning and it would be very easy to spend an hour or two sipping on coffee and enjoying the peace and quiet.

From Tuyền Lâm Lake it’s only a 5 minute drive (or 30 minute walk) to Datanla waterfall, one of the top waterfalls to see in Dalat. As it is only 6km from the city, it also happens to be one of the most touristy and developed waterfalls in the area. So much so that it seems to resemble something close to a small amusement park. What I presume was once a beautiful waterfall is now part of a touristy amusement park which includes a small ‘roller coaster’, trails and even souvenir stalls and small shops at the base of the waterfall. Whilst it is no longer a particularly a natural, peaceful experience it still is rather beautiful and is well worth a visit if you’re nearby. Entrance to the waterfall is only 30,000 VND (£1 GBP) with additional fees for the rollercoaster.

Depending on how far you’re willing to travel, there are plenty more waterfalls to visit around Dalat. One morning we decided to venture over to Elephant Falls, a large waterfall in the village of Nam Ban about 28 km away from Dalat. This was relatively easy to do using public transport once we had worked out where to get the bus from in the first place (see the vlog for more!). The bus that you’ll need is the green DaLat – Phu Son bus which leaves from the bus stop in front of the Saigon Dalat Hotel. From there it takes about 45 minutes to get to the Nam Ban village stop and will cost only 25,000 VND (£0.80 GBP) each. To make sure you don’t miss the stop, pop ‘Elephant Falls’ into google maps and you’ll be able to follow it along. If you’d rather do it without google maps, we found the bus attendant to be very friendly and they will inform you when you need to get off. From the crossroads in Nam Ban village it’s only a few minutes walk to the entrance of Elephant Falls.

Described as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the central highlands of Vietnam, it’s clear why so many come to visit Elephant Falls. The entrance fee is only 20,000 VND (£0.66 GBP) and the hike down to the base of the falls is very short (only 10 minutes or so) so it is quite accessible. Be sure to wear appropriate shoes as the pathway down is carved out of wet rocks which can get very slippery if it has rained. The view from the base of the falls is quite spectacular and it just happened to be our favourite waterfall that we came across in the country during our trip. Another viewpoint well worth clambering up to is a small viewing deck about halfway down to the bottom. From here you get a fantastic view of the falls and the countryside in the distance but you will get wet!

There are so many incredible waterfalls in the area and many activities on offer such as canyoning and climbing. We didn’t do these as we were sticking to a very tight budget, however we have heard it is a great thing to do in the area. As always in places in South East Asia, be sure to look for companies with high ratings for safety and make sure the activity is covered in your travel insurance.

The street food scene in Dalat is centred around the main night market in the centre of town. The bustling night market is on every evening from 5pm and has everything on offer from street food to souvenirs and warm clothing for those who didn’t come prepared for the cooler weather.

An absolute must-try in Dalat is Banh trang nuong (Vietnamese ‘street pizza’) which can be found all over the country but originates in Dalat. The thick rice paper based ‘pizza’ comes with a variety of toppings from dried shrimp to pork and egg and is grilled right in front of your eyes on makeshift grills right on the pavement. We actually tried this for the first time whilst on a street food tour in Ho Chi Minh City and loved the simple, cheap snack that has become so popular amongst tourists and locals alike.

Closeby to the night market there is a great little Korean BBQ restaurant called Fungi Chingu if you fancy a change from local food. Whilst not as cheap as the local places or street stalls, the food is delicious and makes for an interesting night out. This is actually where we had our first ever Korean BBQ meal and to say we’re now huge fans would be an understatement!

For a more romantic spot that is still very good value for money, head to Artist Alley, a great French-Vietnamese restaurant filled with art and live music. For the intimate, candlelit setting you would expect to pay far higher prices than what is charged, with a chicken curry and rice coming in at under £3 GBP. Serving everything from French classics to noodles and local and French wines, it’s the perfect place to go on a date whilst still sticking to the budget.

A little further outside of town, practically opposite the famous Crazy House there is a fantastic restaurant & cafe called Le Chalet Dalat. We actually happened to eat there multiple times as we were staying close by and the food was great. Whilst not the cheapest place to eat (meals starting at around 90,000 VND (£3 GBP)), it is a beautiful setting to enjoy a local meal and the portions are very generous. As with many places in the country, a seemingly endless supply of hot tea was served throughout the meal which is truly a lovely touch, something that I really do miss about being in Vietnam. There is also live music here on weekends which is the perfect way to enjoy a meal and a local Saigon beer.

Perhaps the best area to stay in if you want to be in in the centre of it all would be in the night market/Xuan Huong Lake area. This area is the centre of town with plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants all within a very short walk. However, if like us you prefer to be a little out of the way to be in a quieter, cheaper location then consider staying further out of town. We stayed at the Himalaya Phoenix hotel which cost only £15 per night for a large, clean double room including breakfast in a cafe next door. It was probably the best room we stayed in during our whole trip in Vietnam for the price and was only a 20 minute walk from the centre of town. It also happened to be a few minutes walk away from the Crazy House, Le Chalet Dalat and Maybe Blue. Using the taxi app Grab also made it very easy to get around at very low prices.