Dalat, known as "Le Petit Paris" or "the Eternal Spring City", is the jewel of the Central Highlands in a temperate region dotted with lakes, waterfalls, forests and gardens, 300 km north of Ho Chi Minh City. The cool climate and the scenic environment make Dalat a good option for escaping the heat of South Vietnam as well as the most popular honeymoon spot.

What to do

Activities in Dalat include a stroll around Xuan Huong Lake (or better yet, a trip around the lakes by horse riding) and visits to nearby waterfalls. Other attractions include the Dalat flower garden, the "Crazy House", Bao Dai's Summer Palace, the Railway Station and the "Valley of Love" park. Most tourists spend their time exploring the beautiful countryside by foot, motorbike or bicycle

Dalat is also becoming one of interesting destinations for outdoor adventure activities including trekking to the nearby minority villages, cycling, canyoning, kayaking, rock climbing and rappelling.

In addition, with cool weather and the 18-hole Dalat Palace Golf Club, Dalat is a popular site for golfing.

When to go

Dalat has pleasant weather year-round, even sunny during much of the rainy season (April to November). The average maximum temperature is 24C and average minimum temperature is 15C. Ideal weather in Dalat is from November to March, when the air is fresh and cool.