Contents
A/ Overview
General Information
Best time to visit
Map
B/ Da Lat sights and activities
1/ Prenn pass
2/ Prenn waterfall
3/ Datanla waterfall
4/ Xuan Huong lake
6/ Truc Lam zen monastery
7/ Strawberry garden
8/ Flowers
Dalat "sakura" flower
Dalat "sakura" flower
9/ Vegetable garden
10/ Dalat cathedral
11/ Domaine De Marie church
12/ Dalat train station
13/ Linh Phuoc pagoda
14/ Linh Quang pagoda
15/ Pedagogical college of Dalat
16/ Bao Dai's summer palace
17/ X.Q embroidery
18/ Gong show
C/ Where to stay
D/ Food and Drink
E/ Shopping
F/ Getting there
G/ Songs
H/ Others
Japan farmers wish to create ‘miraculous village’ in VietnamMan builds basalt sculpture tunnel in Vietnam’s resort city
A/ Overview
This is a comment from www.vnafmamn.com :“ Indeed, the Shangrila of Vietnam today has gone, not only its old people, but the places and its romantic atmosphere also! If any remains, it's the deception of the melancholy feeling of nostalgia. Dalat today is crowded and hassled, not tranquil and romantic as it's used to be any more. Its misty pine-forests have been chopped down for many kinds of commercial constructions and projects. Its many pristine adjacent lakes have been dried up due to long time negligence and illegal irrigation. The same terrible fate happened to attractive waterfalls near Dalat. How about the tourist landmarks? They all look artificial, clumsy renovation, bearing no more the delicate touch of natural landscapes”
General Information
Geographic Location: Da Lat is located on Langbiang highland with an average altitude of 1,500m above sea level.
Its about 305Km from Saigon
Topography:
The center of the city is about 1,500m above sea level. Surroundings of the city are great mountain ranges. Among them Gio Hu range is 1644m and Lang Biang range is 2169m
Natural area: 391.06km2
Population: 210,633 people of Kinh (Vietnamese), Chinese, Lach, Chil, Sre groups (in July 2011, according to Lam Dong newspaper)
Best time to visit
December till February is best time to visit Dalat as the weather is usually good with less cloud, no rain.
The rainy season coincides with the Southwest monsoon season, which starts from May and ends in October. This is also the season of Vietnamese tourists (summer break for pupils )
Map
Pic: lamdong.gov.vn
B/ Da Lat sights and activities
1/ Prenn pass with green pine forests
This winding 11-km pass is a beautiful welcome gate of Dalat city. Along the pass are vast green pine forests. Great for driving motorbike!
Pics: vietnamguidebook
2/ Prenn waterfall
Pics: vietnamguidebook
The city of eternal spring with an average temperature of 18oC.
One of two most famous mountain resorts of the country which once was home to over 1,000 French villas.
South Vietnam honeymoon capital and a favorite destination of the lovers.
The meandering streets running into mist-covered pine forests of early morning.
Many kinds of flower blossom everyday making it a large flower exporter.
Time slowly passes by while local men are reading newspaper and sipping ginger tea.
Large beautiful lakes and plenty of small waterfalls. Old French churches and peaceful Vietnamese zen pagodas.
A place where Saigonese and Mekongese come to enjoy temperate vegetables and fruits, especially salad, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, artichoke, avocado, persimmon, strawberry...
When I was 18 years old, I wanted to come here to study university. It once was one of three largest educational center of Vietnam in French colonialist period (To be honest, I love its romantic beauty!)
That is Dalat city of Lam Dong province, located at an an average altitude of 1,500m above sea level, and is some 300km from Saigon.
All the best? Asian people like it while some Westerners feel disappointed. And for many old-timers who are in 50s, 60s, Dalat is a lost Shangrila.
One of two most famous mountain resorts of the country which once was home to over 1,000 French villas.
South Vietnam honeymoon capital and a favorite destination of the lovers.
The meandering streets running into mist-covered pine forests of early morning.
Many kinds of flower blossom everyday making it a large flower exporter.
Time slowly passes by while local men are reading newspaper and sipping ginger tea.
Large beautiful lakes and plenty of small waterfalls. Old French churches and peaceful Vietnamese zen pagodas.
A place where Saigonese and Mekongese come to enjoy temperate vegetables and fruits, especially salad, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, artichoke, avocado, persimmon, strawberry...
When I was 18 years old, I wanted to come here to study university. It once was one of three largest educational center of Vietnam in French colonialist period (To be honest, I love its romantic beauty!)
That is Dalat city of Lam Dong province, located at an an average altitude of 1,500m above sea level, and is some 300km from Saigon.
All the best? Asian people like it while some Westerners feel disappointed. And for many old-timers who are in 50s, 60s, Dalat is a lost Shangrila.
This is a comment from www.vnafmamn.com :“ Indeed, the Shangrila of Vietnam today has gone, not only its old people, but the places and its romantic atmosphere also! If any remains, it's the deception of the melancholy feeling of nostalgia. Dalat today is crowded and hassled, not tranquil and romantic as it's used to be any more. Its misty pine-forests have been chopped down for many kinds of commercial constructions and projects. Its many pristine adjacent lakes have been dried up due to long time negligence and illegal irrigation. The same terrible fate happened to attractive waterfalls near Dalat. How about the tourist landmarks? They all look artificial, clumsy renovation, bearing no more the delicate touch of natural landscapes”
General Information
Da Lat city serves as the educational, cultural, economic and political centre of Lam Dong Province.
The city economy is based on tourism and services, argiculture (temperate vegetables and fruits; tea and coffee; flowers...)
Geographic Location: Da Lat is located on Langbiang highland with an average altitude of 1,500m above sea level.
Its about 305Km from Saigon
Topography:
The center of the city is about 1,500m above sea level. Surroundings of the city are great mountain ranges. Among them Gio Hu range is 1644m and Lang Biang range is 2169m
Natural area: 391.06km2
Population: 210,633 people of Kinh (Vietnamese), Chinese, Lach, Chil, Sre groups (in July 2011, according to Lam Dong newspaper)
Best time to visit
December till February is best time to visit Dalat as the weather is usually good with less cloud, no rain.
The rainy season coincides with the Southwest monsoon season, which starts from May and ends in October. This is also the season of Vietnamese tourists (summer break for pupils )
Map
B/ Da Lat sights and activities
1/ Prenn pass with green pine forests
This winding 11-km pass is a beautiful welcome gate of Dalat city. Along the pass are vast green pine forests. Great for driving motorbike!
2/ Prenn waterfall
Location: on Highway 20, 10km from Da Lat (under Prenn pass)
Entrance fee: 20,000VND/ticket (adult) - 10,000VND/ticket (children)
Overview: a small 20-m high waterfall with beautiful pine forests; one of the main destinations in the program of tour companies (therefore, its usually crowded with Vietnamese travellers, especially on weekends and holidays); elephant and ostrich riding service (300,000VND/2 people/10 minutes/elephant; 100,000VND/person/2 rounds)...
3/ Datanla waterfall
Location: The site is situated in the middle of Prenn pass, some 5km from the center of Dalat city.
Tel: 0632 212 145
Admission: 10,000VND/pax
Admission: 10,000VND/pax
Toboggan ride: 40,000VND (round trip); 30,000VND(One way)
15,000VND (round trip for children under 1.2m tall)
Overview:
This pretty little waterfall is 20m high. The entrance is at the top of the fall. There are two ways to get to its foot: 1/ A 15-minute walk through the winding roads and sheer rocks shaded by green pine forest. 2/ A 2-minute toboggan ride.
The toboggan system was designed and installed by Germans in May 2006. It has 48 small “sliding cars”, each capable of carrying two people, with the person at the back controlling the speed through an easy braking system. It has a maximum speed of around 40 km. Signs throughout the ride remind passengers to
keep a safe distance between cars, regulated at 25 meters.
Back to the top by a 200m long cable system. (For me, going up by this system is quite boring)
Datanla waterfall is a main sight in the program of tour companies. Its usually crowded with Vietnamese travellers coming from Saigon and Mekong delta.
Business: Dress like cowboy and take photo with pony
Service: There is a restaurant near the entrance.
Tips: Bring some water. Drinks are sold at a high price here.
4/ Xuan Huong lake
Location: In the center of Dalat city, some hundred meters from Dalat market
Overview:
Xuan Huong lake is the heart and soul of Dalat city.
The lake covers an area of 38ha and has an avearge depth of 1.5m. Surroundings are grasslands, pine trees and peach trees
In the dry season (November till April), the lake is in green colour. During the rainy season, the colour of the lake sometimes changes to red as the alluvial water sources of some rivers flowing into it.
Activities and foods and drinks:
Great for walking and bicycling along the streets with a total length of more than 5km around the lake.
Relax and enjoy coffee at a lakeside restaurant.
Watch people passing by.
At night there are many women selling some hot foods and drinks, especially the grilled sweet potatoes over charcoal and soymilk
Brief History:
This artificial lake was formed in 1919 as a main part of Dalat city constructing program of French colonialists and had oringinal name Grand Lac (Big lake).
In 1953, It was renamed Xuan Huong
Pic: vietnamguidebook
Pic: Dalat.gov.vn
5/ Crazy House or Hang Nga villa (In Vietnamese: "Biet thu Hang Nga")
Address: 03 Huynh Thuc Khang street, Da Lat city
Tel: 063 3822 070 - 063 2211 520
Admission: 35,000VND
Architect (and is the owner): Ms Dang Viet Nga who graduated at Architecture University of Moscow (1959 - 1965), and obtained a Ph.d in architecture (1969 - 1972). She is also a daughter of Vietnam General Secretary Truong Chinh.
Accommodation: Want to stay in this strange house? There are some rooms available for tourists. Should book in advance via phone.
Overview:
Crazy house is one of the world's ten most bizarre buildings ( China People's Daily)
A not-to-be missed hotel stay on any trip to Vietnam. (French travel guide Hachette)
Come to this house and stay in its strange rooms will give you a new definition of freedom. (an American tourist stayed in gourd-shaped room)
Architect Dang Viet Nga
Pics: vietnamguidebook
6/ Truc Lam zen monastery
Location: Truc Lam is situated on Phung Hoang mountain, about 7km from center of Dalat city
Construction: Almost 01 year (08 April 1993 – 08 February 1994)
Admission: Free
Regulation: Please dress properly. No short. Keep quiet. Shoes off when entering the main hall of Truc Lam.
Admission: Free
Regulation: Please dress properly. No short. Keep quiet. Shoes off when entering the main hall of Truc Lam.
Cable car service: The cable car ride above vast pine forests, from Robin hill to Truc Lam monastary gives a best view of Dalat.
Most tourists take a one way cable car to Truc Lam and then take car/bus fromTruc Lam to other destinations.
The 2,267m long cable car system has 50 cabins and takes about 12 minutes from Robin hill (1575m above sea level) to the last station near parking area of Truc Lam monastery (1490m)
The system was designed by Austria. Robin hill is about 2km from Dalat city center.
Price of cable car service: see the below pic
Parking: There are large parking areas for bus, car and motorbike in Truc Lam monastery and Robin hill.
Overview:
Truc Lam is one of the most worth visiting monasteries/pagodas in Vietnam. It is surrounded by green pine forests and overlooks the great Tuyen Lam lake. Especially, the garden around it, including colourful flowers and bonsai, is much more beautiful than the large but clumsy Flower Park in center of Dalat city! Eventhough Truc Lam is often crowded with Vietnamese tour groups but its atmosphere is very peaceful and quiet. You will enjoy many hours wandering around it or sitting by the Tuyen Lam lake.
The main hall of Truc Lam has a big bronse statue of Sakyamuni with a lotus flower holding on right hand. Outside of the hall is a bell tower. The bell is 1.98m high and has a weight of 1.1 tonnes.
Truc Lam wakes up at 3:15AM and has its first practise at 3:30AM. Come here in the early morning and you will feel a deep peacefulness...
The main hall of Truc Lam with Sakyamuni statue
Truc Lam beautiful garden with colorful flowers
Overlook the great Tuyen Lam lake
Taking a motorised boat along the peaceful lovely Tuyen Lam lake
Cable car to Truc Lam
Price of cable car
Price of motorised boat trip on Tuyen Lam lake
7/ Strawberry garden
Pics: vietnamguidebook
8/ Flowers
Dalat sakura flower in spring
Xuan Huong lake
Tran Hung Dao street
(Source: Do Que Mi Huong and Tuan Coi. www.phuot.vn)
9/ Vegetable garden
10/ Dalat cathedral
Address: Tran Phu street
Mass schedule:
Weekdays: 5:15AM & 5:15PM
Saturday: 5:15PM
Sunday: 5:15AM - 7:15AM - 8:30AM - 4:00PM - 6:00PM
Name: The cathedral is commonly referred to as Nha Tho Con Ga (Cock church) because there is a rooster statue placed on the top of the 47-meter high bell tower.
Construction: The construction began on July 19, 1931 and completed on January 25, 1942.
Overview:
With 65 meters long, 14 meters wide, and 47 meters high, its the largest cathedral in the city.
There are 70 French-made stained glass windows that make the interior dazzlingly colorful as the sunlight shines through.
11/ Domaine De Marie church
12/ Dalat train station
Address: Quang Trung street, ward 10, Da Lat city
Tel: 0633 83 44 09
Built in 1932, it is one of the oldest train stations of Vietnam and is evaluated as the most beautiful architectural work among train stations in Indochina. Located at an altitude of 1,500m above sea level, its also thehighest train station of the S-shaped country.
The structure which was designed by two French architects Moncet and Reveron is a perfect fusion of Western architecture and Central highland stilt house architecture. It has a shape symbolizing the great Lang Bian mountain with a length of 66.5m, a width of 11.4m and a height of 11m.
The 84km long Thap Cham – Dalat railway included a 41km long Thap Cham - Krong Pha section opened in 1919 and a 43km long Krong Pha - Da Lat section opened in 1932, the latter of which was sloping and has cog railways in three different places and five tunnels. It was one of a few unique cog railways in the world. Because of some reasons, since 1975, the train service from Thap Cham to Dalat has been stopped.
At present, there is only a service of 7km long railway linking Dalat train station with Trai Mat station.
Note: From Trai Mat station , a 5-minute walk will take you to Linh Phuoc pagoda
Time table of the train trip Dalat - trai Mat
13/ Linh Phuoc pagoda
14/ Linh Quang pagoda
15/ Pedagogical college of Dalat (Cao Dang Su Pham Da Lat; also well-known as Petit Lycée Dalat and Grand Lycée Yersin)
Address: 29 Yersin street
Tel: 0633 822 489
Overview:
Dalat pedagogical college which was designed by French architect Moncet, has been recognized as one of 1,000 unique structures of the 20th century by the International Union of Architects (UIA).
Built in 1927, the structure includes a long crescent and a high tower.
Baked bricks and tiles that were used to build walls and roof of the structure were brought from France.
Photo credit: vietnamguidebook
16/ Bao Dai's summer palace (Dinh III)
Address: No.1 Trieu Viet Vuong street, some 2km from Dalat city center.
Admission:
Regulation: Cloth coverings must be placed over your shoes before entering the building
Business: At present, there is one room in the palace where visitors can dress royal costume and take photo on a fake throne.
Overview: The last king of Nguyen dynasty (1802 – 1945), Bao Dai, had 3 palaces in Dalat city named I, II, III. Among them, Palace III is well-known as the Summer Palace.
Built from 1933 to 1938 according to a design of a French architect and Vietnamese architect Huynh Tan Phat, the Summer Palace has been evaluated as one of the most beautiful architectural works in Da Lat with a hamorny between pine forests and parks.
During King Bao Dai holidays in the palace, there were always a regiment of imperial guards, a train of cars called “Cong xa biet dien” and private airplanes to serve him and his family. In 1948, when the French persuaded Bao Dai to serve as “head of state” and then established “Hoang trieu Cuong tho”(Domaine de la Couronne in French) in 1950, Bao Dai’s summer palace was renamed “Biet dien Quoc truong” (the palace of the head of state).
The ground floor of the Summer Palace includes Bao Dai's office, library, relaxation room and a big dining room. In Bao Dai’s office, there are many precious objects of the King displayed, including a painting on Angkor Wat presented by Cambodian King Shihanouk, as well as three tiger skins and an elephant’s tusk hunted by himself.
Upstairs are the private space of the royal family with bedrooms of King Bao Dai and his wife, Queen Nam Phuong, and their three daughters and two sons. Near the bedroom of the king stands a beautiful tower called Vong Nguyet (waiting for the moon). The bedroom of Prince Bao Long who was selected to ascend the throne was painted yellow and all decorations have the same colour.
Outside, to the right of the main gate and in the back of the palace are small parks with a style often seen in French palaces. Around the palace are small paths shaded by pipe trees.
17/ X.Q embroidery
18/ Gong show
C/ Where to stay in Da Lat
Bui Thi Xuan street along with its alleys constitute Dalat backpacker area. With 9USD up you can have a clean, nice, large room with hot shower, Tivi. Please note that its many standard hotels and guesthouses are quickly fully booked during summer and the room rate is increased. From Bui Thi Xuan street, its just a 5-minute walk to Xuan Huong lake. Quite near Dalat market. The famous TheSinhTourist bus/tour operator has its office and hotel at 4A Bui Thi Xuan street (Has daily buses to Mui Ne and Nha Trang)
Dalat matket: This area has some 3 and 4-star hotels. Quite noisy
Old villas: Want to relax to fullest? Look for a nice garden and quiet? Come to Old villas at 01 Quang Trung street. Room rate starts at 8USD!
Tuyen Lam lake: Dalat Edensee resort
Bui Thi Xuan street (Dalat backpacker area)
1/ Hoang Kim hotel
Address: 3C Bui Thi Xuan street
Tel: 0903 744 521
Email: totrinhvt@yahoo.com
Room rate: 180,000VND up
Overview: Mini nice hotel on a small hill facing the Bui Thi Xuan street, clean and good room, friendly, popular with Vietnam tour group
Pictures:
Photo credit: vietnamguidebook
2/ Thang Loi hotel
Address: 3C Bui Thi Xuan street (sister of Hoang Kim hotel)
Room rate: 180,000VND up
Overview: Mini nice hotel on a small hill facing the Bui Thi Xuan street, clean and good room, friendly, popular with Vietnam tour group
Pictures:
3/ (My stay) Thanh Dong hotel
Address: 9A Bui Thi Xuan street
Tel: 063 382 6800
Room rate: 200,000VND up (10USD)
Overview: This standard hotel has nice, big and clean rooms with hot shower, Tivi, fridge. Friendly
Pictures:
4/ Phuong Huy hotel
Address: 5 Bui Thi Xuan street
Tel: 098 928 1324 - 0907 863 086
Email: lienhe@phuonghuyhotel.com
Website: www.phuonghuyhotel.com
Room rate: 220,000VND (11USD)
Overview: A mini hotel with friendly staff, hot shower, Tivi, fridge
Pictures:
Old villas
1/ (My pick) Villa number 4 (Biet Thu So 4)
Address: 01 Quang Trung street, Ward 10, Da Lat city
Tel: 0169 340 4263 (Ms Lan)
Room rate: 160,000VND up
Overview: Look for a place to relax to the fullest with cheap price, Villa number 4 is one of the best choices. Very nice garden, quiet, large room, hot shower...
Pictures:
Photo credit: vietnamguidebook
2/ Villa number 7 & 8 (Biet Thu So 7 & 8)
Address: 01 Quang Trung street, Ward 10, Da Lat city
Tel: 063 3822 667
Room rate: 250,000VND - 300,000VND / triple room (3 pax)
Overview: Nice garden, quiet but rooms are quite old (and some are smelly), hot shower
Pictures:
3/ Villa number 6
Address: 01 Quang Trung street, Ward 10, Da Lat city
Tel: 0938 435 092 (Ms Ngan)
Room rate: 150,000VND/room
Overview: Juss passed by. Havent checked it out yet. According to Ms Ngan, a double room with hot shower and Tivi is 150,000VND/night (7USD). Nice garden.
Pictures:
Tuyen Lam lake
Dalat Edensee lake resort and spa (I haven't been here)
Tuyen Lam lake - Zone V11.2 (About 10Km from center of Dalat city)
Tel: +84 63 383 1515
Fax: +84 63 352 4499
Email: info@dalatedensee.com
Website: http://www.dalatedensee.com/
Video: from Dalat Edensee resort
D/ Food and Drink
1/ Ấp Ánh Sáng area: where local people come to enjoy Bún bò Huế (Beef noodle soup)
2/ Banh cuon Ha Noi
Address: 31 Phan Boi Chau street (near Blue Moon hotel)
Overview: Breakfast. Quite delicious
Pics:
3/ Bap, khoai nuong
4/ Beef noodle soup (breakfast)
Address: opposite Linh Quang pagoda
Photo credit: Vietnamguidebook.blogspot.com
E/ Shopping
F/ Getting there
1/ By bus
Distance: Dalat city is about 300km from Saigon.
Travel time: It takes about 7 - 8 hours from Saigon to Dalat by bus (morning bus). Most Vietnamese passengers prefer night sleeping bus which just takes about 5 - 6 hours from Saigon to Dalat.
Price: 180,000VND (seating bus)
200,000VND (Sleeping bus)
(Price of Phuong Trang bus operator)
Other destinations: From Dalat, it takes about 4 hours to Mui Ne or Nha Trang (220km) and 13hours to Danang city (690km)
Most famous bus operators: Phuong Trang, TheSinhTourist, Thanh Buoi
* Phuong Trang
Address: 272 De Tham Street, district 1 (Backpacker area, next to TheSinhTourist bus operator).
Email: lienhe@futa.vn
Website: http://futatrans.com.vn
Booking: Give them a call at least 2 hours before to reserve a seat. In Dalat, they will pick you up at your hotel. In Saigon, please come to their office
Overview: Phuong Trang offers seating and sleeping bus. Daily departure. 15 minutes to 1 hour has one bus. The buses are new, clean and nice with air-conditioned.
Depart at 272 De Tham street, Saigon and arrive in Dalat bus station which is about 7 minutes from Dalat city center. Phuong Trang offers free shuttle buses taking you to the center of Dalat city. Tell the driver where you want to get off.
Other destinations: From Dalat, Phuong Trang offers bus to Nha Trang ( Depart at 08:00AM, 09:00AM, 10:00AM, 01:00PM, 03:00PM) (4 - 5hours for 220Km) and Danang city (Depart at 3:00PM, 4:00PM). On the way to Danand, you can get off at Quy Nho city and Quang Ngai city too.
Nha Trang city: 07 Hoang Hoa Tham street, Southern bus station of Nha trang city
Danang city: Danang bus station, 201 Ton Duc Thang street, Lien Chieu district
Quy Nhon: Quy Nhon bus station, 71 Tay Son street, Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province
Other destinations: From Dalat, Phuong Trang offers bus to Nha Trang ( Depart at 08:00AM, 09:00AM, 10:00AM, 01:00PM, 03:00PM) (4 - 5hours for 220Km) and Danang city (Depart at 3:00PM, 4:00PM). On the way to Danand, you can get off at Quy Nho city and Quang Ngai city too.
Nha Trang city: 07 Hoang Hoa Tham street, Southern bus station of Nha trang city
Danang city: Danang bus station, 201 Ton Duc Thang street, Lien Chieu district
Quy Nhon: Quy Nhon bus station, 71 Tay Son street, Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province
Minus: The bus is often full and its sometimes noisy (Local passengers love chatting)
* TheSinhTourist
Office 1: booking ticket; get on bus for Dalat
246 - 248 De Tham St., Dist. 1, Sai Gon
Tel: +84.8.38389597
Fax: +84.8.38369322
Email: info@thesinhtourist.vn
246 - 248 De Tham St., Dist. 1, Sai Gon
Tel: +84.8.38389597
Fax: +84.8.38369322
Email: info@thesinhtourist.vn
Website: www.thesinhtourist.vn
Office 2: just only for booking ticket
24 -26 Pho Ðuc Chinh St., Dist. 1, Sai Gon
Tel: +84.8.38222892
Fax: +84.8.38217416
Da Lat: for booking ticket; get on bus for Sai Gon, Mui Ne, Nha Trang
4 A Bui Thi Xuan St., Da Lat
Tel: +84.63.3822663
Fax: +84.63.3836701
Email: dalat@thesinhtourist.vn
Overview: Everyday TheSinhTourist just offers one seating bus to Dalat city. The bus often departs at 7:15AM and arrives in TheSinhTourist's hotel (Trung Cang hotel) in Dalat about 4:00PM. Lunch is at Tam Chau restaurant, Bao Loc town. The bus is quite old now. Most passengers are foreigners and Vietnamese oversea, therefore, its quiet on the bus!
Other destinations: Mui Ne, Nha trang
Mui Ne
144 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St., Phan Thiet
Tel: +84.62.3847542
Fax: +84.62.3847656
Email: muine@thesinhtourist.vn
Nha Trang
Office 1
2 A Biet Thu St., Nha Trang
Tel: +84.58.3522982
Fax: +84.58.3523085
Email: nhatrang@thesinhtourist.vn
Office 2
54I Nguyen Thien Thuat St., Nha Trang
Tel: +84.58.3521981
Fax: +84.58.3523085
2/ By Air
Lien Khuong airport is about 28Km from Dalat city
At present, Vietnam airline and Air mekong have daily flights from Saigon and Hanoi to Lien Khuong airport
Please see "Transport" for details of Vietnam airline and Air Mekong.
3/ Train
There is no train service linking Dalat with other destinations
G/ Songs
1/ Thanh pho buon
Composer: Lam Phuong
Singer: Truong Vu & Thanh Truc
Overview: the most famous song about Dalat city which has a history of more than 35 years
2/ Tinh yeu nhu bong may
Singer: Khanh Ha
3/ Ai len xu hoa dao
Composer: Hoang Nguyen
Singers: Hoang Oanh & Trung Chinh
4/ Da Lat trong noi nho muon mang
Composer: Tu Nguyen
Singer: Thuy Duong
H/ Others
Japan farmers wish to create ‘miraculous village’ in Vietnam
Two Japanese farmers wish to bring their ‘enriching technology’ to Vietnam by setting up a ‘miraculous village’ in Da Lat.
‘Miraculous village’ is the nickname of Karakumi village in Japan, which was transformed from the poorest to the richest village after 20 years thanks to high-technology agriculture.
Notably, Karakumi, located in the west of Tokyo in Minamisaku District of Nagano Province, is the most barren locality in Japan. It can only support agricultural production for four months a year, from June to October. During the remaining months, it is covered in snow with freezing temperatures, reaching -20 degrees Celsius on the coldest days.
With only 1,735 hectares of agricultural land–a quarter of the farmland in Da Lat--the ‘miraculous village’ earns an annual income of US$150 million by sowing only American salad greens. Each household makes an average $250,000 a year despite working for only four months a year.
From Karakumi to Da Lat
In late November, two Japanese farmers, Masahito Shinohara, 34, and Takaya Hanaoka, 35, visited vegetable farms in Da Lat with agricultural experts and officials of the vegetable producing company An Phu Da Lat from the central highland province of Lam Dong.
The visit aimed at ‘multiplying technology to enrich’ Da Lat, which has a similar altitude to that of Karakumi, at 1,185m above sea level.
The plan to bring agricultural technology to Vietnam was initiated by Hironosi Tsuchiya, director of the investment fund HT Capital in Vietnam, after his visit to Da Lat in October. Proud of the ‘miraculous village,’ he suggested that young farmers of Karakumi expand its model to Da Lat, which has great potential thanks to its favorable growing conditions and fertile land.
The two Japanese farmers, owners of famous vegetable company Lacue, followed Tsuchiya to Da Lat with the motivation of expanding their business to Vietnam, because Karakumi has no more land to farm.
Scooping up a handful of soil at a vegetable farm in Lat Commune in Da Lat, Hanaoka crushed it in his fingers, smelled it, and said, “The most fertile plot of land in my village is possibly the worst here in Da Lat.”
He asked a local farmer for a cabbage and inspected every nook before eating it all, to the surprise of several local farmers looking on. He explained, “I understand the quality of the vegetable and the common method of production in this way.”
Hanaoka told a local farmer, “The current method of fertilization in Da Lat makes soil poorer in nutrients, contaminates clean vegetables, and degrades water quality.”
He added that he can transfer the farming technology of Karakumi to Da Lat, and told stories about farming in his homeland.
Masahito Shinohara (L) and Takaya Hanaoka are collecting soil samples in Da Lat (Photo: Tuoi Tre)
Karakumi was the poorest village of Japan until 1980 when a new head of the village was appointed and a new way of doing business was applied to create ‘a miracle’. The chief was Tadahiko Fujiwara, now 75.
The new way of farming in Karakumi is generally similar to the farming methods in Da Lat, but what differs is the unanimous decision of all farmers to abandon their old methods, said Shinohara.
Karakumi then had no GlobalGAP or any quality standards because the village chief told his locals simply, “what is used to fertilize vegetables must be friendly or edible to farmers,” according to Shinohara.
Discipline was strictly applied in Karakumi and quality standards became increasingly tightened.
Besides technology, discipline is Karakumi’s other key to earning US$150 million a year, he added.
Karakumi farmers also use a different method of collecting and keeping their vegetables than that of Vietnamese farmers. In Karakumi, vegetables are kept in air-conditioned containers that keep the temperature consistent after reaping, said Shinohara.
Karakumi students always return to their farming village to do business after graduating from agriculture schools.
Hanaoka, who has developed his two-hectare farm into a large company, produces 1,500 tons of American salad greens a year.
| Lacue is planning to start its business in Vietnam in 2014, after cooperating with farms in Da Lat to transfer their farming technology. In Karakumi, farmers have a television channel to provide information on the prices of agricultural products so they can adjust the time at which they reap their crops. |
Man builds basalt sculpture tunnel in Vietnam’s resort city
A Vietnamese man has created a fresco that depicts Da Lat’s
tourist destinations with basalt, a natural resource prevalent in the
area.
Trinh Ba Dung, 42, has carved replicas of many of Da Lat City’s famous
buildings—such as Con Ga (Rooster) Church, Da Lat Railway and Da Lat
Pedagogy College—into basalt along the walls of a 1.2km-long, 6m-deep
tunnel.
Known as a romantic resort town, Da Lat is the capital of Lam Dong Province in the Central Highlands.
The sculptures are featured at the Dat Do Tourism Complex, owned by Sao
Da Lat Co., which is located on a hill near Tuyen Lam Lake.
Also carved in the walls are replicas of houses built by Lach and Co Ho ethnic minorities, the city’s native residents.
Their daily lives are vividly depicted on the walls, alongside familiar trees, houses and fruits.
Many tourists consider the complex a guide to Da Lat, as the tunnel illustrates every aspect of the resort town.
The tunnel also reflects the history of the town, from the settling of
native minorities to the discovery of the Lang Biang Plateau in 1893 by
French-Swiss physician-bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin.
The final part of the tunnel depicts beautiful flower fields and planes
taking off from Lien Khuong Airport, which reflects the artists’ hope
of a bright future for Da Lat.
One especially important section of the tunnel is the replica of the
sovereignty house. On the roof of the house is a relief of a 2.75 x 11m
map of Vietnam, which features Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa
(Spratly) archipelagos.
Its interior furnishings such as sinks, bathtubs, fireplaces and furniture are all made from basalt and additives.
Dung, the tourism complex owner and mastermind of the unique tunnel, called the structure “a mere book cover of Da Lat.”
“After five years of living in Da Lat, I learned that the architectural
and cultural icons boast great aesthetic and historical values and mean
a lot to locals. So I’ve tried my best to convey their importance
through my recreations,” he shared.
In order to realistically illustrate the 120-year history of Da Lat on
the walls of the tunnel, Dung conducted extensive research from
materials collected by experts and elderly locals.
He shared that at 17, he was inspired to be an artist while he was working at a wedding card shop.
In 1996, Dung came back to Vietnam after studying in Germany, and
joined his friends in producing plastic furnishings, which prepped him
for his future tunnel project.
Captivated by sculpture tunnels the world over, he was set on building one of his own.
However, he still could not find a suitable material for his project.
One day in mid-2008, while he was digging, he discovered that if basalt is solidified, it is as durable as mortar.
It took Dung two years to make a special glue to solidify basalt as
well as a paint from basalt which he paints over any other materials
used in his sculptures.
In 2010, he kick-started his project. After three years, the amount of basalt dug to create his tunnel was well over 85,000m³.
According to Dung, basalt is very soft and easy to shape.
Workers use special knives to carve the basalt into their desired shapes.
Mortar made from basalt is then applied to the detail, which solidifies after drying for three hours.
Dung added that he used to be bothered by basalt, as the wet, slippery soil caused him at least five minor accidents.
“Now Da Lat’s basalt is my kin,” he said with a smile.
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