How to spend 2 or 3 days in “The City of Flowers”? 2 or 3 days is suitable to discover not only the beauty of landscapes but also for the culture and lifestyle of the inhabitants in Da Lat. Here are the best destinations and things to do on your tour to Southern Vietnam.
Best Time to Travel to Da Lat
Unlike other purely seasonal tourist destinations, Da Lat is pleasant all year round as each season has its unique beauty. You can freely choose the best time for your trip to Da Lat.
Sunrise on Thien Phuc Duc Hill, Da Lat
- If you want to contemplate the blooming cherry trees around Xuan Huong Lake, you must visit Da Lat from February to April, since spring is the best time to admire the flowers.
- If you want to see many waterfalls of Da Lat, the rainy season in August is the best time.
- From October to December is the season of wild sunflowers.
Getting to Da Lat
By plane
The fastest way to get to Da Lat is travelling by plane. Lien Phuong Airport belonging this city is located 30km south of the city, on the road to Ho Chi Minh City. There are shuttle buses organized 1-2 times/ day by Vietnam Airlines for transportation. It will cost about 20,000 VND/ person and 50 minutes to transfer from the airport to your hotel. Otherwise, you can take a taxi with a price of about 200,000 VND.
- From/ To Ho Chi Minh City: 2 flights/ day. Duration: 45 Minutes
- From/ To Hanoi: 1 flight/ day. Duration: 1h40
By bus and minibus
Da Lat Bus Station has a location of 3km to the south of the city center. The bus and minibus here is provided from 6 am to midnight daily. Mai Linh Express comparison is most recommended for you when travelling this way.
- From/ To Nha Trang: 4 departures at 7h30, 10h, 14h, and 16h via Phan Rang. Journey in 6 hours (210km). Ticket price of 90,000 VND. With Phuong Trang Express, you can access 3 buses/ day.
- From/ To Hoi An: no direct bus. You should pass through Nha Trang.
- From/ To Phan Thiet – Mui Ne: Public buses, 1 bus/ day. Duration: 5h. Better to take T.M. Brother’s buses.
Suggested Itinerary for 2 or 3 Days in Da Lat
1. Visit the historical and religious monuments
Truc Lam Monastery
Truc Lam Monastery
The temple is located outside the center of the city, considered as the largest and most beautiful pagoda of Da Lat. Truc Lam can now be reached by cable car from a hill overlooking Da Lat. The monastery is quite simple. It lies in the middle of beautiful landscapes, with a view out of the lake as well as surrounding mountains.
Artistic discovery at XQ Su Quan Da Lat
XQ Su Quan Da Lat
Located in front of the picturesque Mong Mo Hill, on Mai Anh Dao Avenue, Da Lat City, XQ Su Quan, still called XQ Da Lat Su Quan, is a collection of traditional wooden houses from the ancient imperial city of Hue. This is where tourists can discover the ancient art of Vietnamese embroidery. In this place, original cultural activities are held regularly such as calligraphy, recitation of poems, traditional music, tasting local dishes… XQ Su Quan has become a must-see tourist attraction in Da Lat on your tour to Vietnam.
Bao Dai Palace
The living room of Bao Dai Palace
This site is one of the most fascinating attractions of the Da Lat Highlands. It is the French architectural heritage that still hidden deep in the pine forests. Thanks to its unique architecture, it is one of the spectacular legacies that leave such a deep impression on tourists.
132 roofs at the Maple Leaves tourist area
This house is located on top of a hill and has a unique and strange architecture. It is a combination of architectural structures with nature such as species of maple leaves, pines, cherry trees, …
The building with 132 roofs symbolizes the 132 maple leaves placed on a pyramid simulation. The house was built on the basis of the new pyramidal energy associated with maple leaves, symbolizing love, happiness, health, and luck.
Lam Dong Museum
This museum is located at No. 04 Hung Vuong Street, Ward 10, about 4 km northeast of downtown Da Lat. It is a large colonial house, perched on top of a hill in the city center; about 1km from the central market. It is accessed by Phan Boi Chau Street, at the end of which is a winding path in the shade of pine trees.
Visitors will have the opportunity to discover historical, traditional, archaeological and ethnological objects of Da Lat.
Da Lat Station
Da Lat Station
It is a great idea to discover the buildings of classical French architecture on your 2 or 3 days in Da Lat. It was designed in 1932 by two French architects: Moncet and Reveron, opening in 1938. The main building, inspired by the Trouville-Deauville Station, has its style of Art Deco. Its steeply pitched roofs are a reminder of the Cao Nguyen architecture of communal houses on Central Mountains.
You can see and take beautiful pictures of the unique old steam locomotive in southern Vietnam. This locomotive was produced in Japan in 1932.
Tran Le Xuan Palace
Located on a pine hill, at No. 2 Kieu Street, Da Lat City, the palace is now the National Preservation Center. It houses the wooden documents of the Nguyen Dynasty. Recently, it has been recognized as the World Heritage and a part of the program: Memory of the World.
After several restorations and decorations, the Tran Le Xuan Palace has become a well-known tourist site since 2008. Visitors can also see directly wooden pieces documented by the Nguyen Dynasty and other documents on Vietnam since 1962. They are documents on the central and mountainous regions of Vietnam during the war (1954 – 1975), including a book: “Da Lat – Lamdong past and present”.
2. Admire the beauty of flowers in Da Lat
F coffee – flower field in Da Lat
This cafe is located at Mimosa arc, surrounded by a green pine forest and a colorful flower field. You can order a cup of hot coffee, choose a table next to the windows and admire the beauty of the lavender field. This activity promises to offer you a beautiful morning during your trip to Da Lat.
The largest garden of hydrangeas in Da Lat
This beautiful garden is only 15 km from downtown Da Lat. This place is ideal for taking hundreds of amazing photos with pretty hydrangea flowers and dive deep into their charming beauty. This is also a perfect destination for a memorable honeymoon holiday in Vietnam.
The famous Valley of love
Valley of Love
This destination is only 5 km to the north of Da Lat. There are many tourist sites that you can take beautiful pictures such as the labyrinth of love, the love locks on a bridge, the unique faucet in the air, the public flower garden, …
The Sunflower Field
Sunflowers are planted at Da Lat Dairy Farm. This field is located in the hamlet of Truong Lake in Tu Tra Commune, Don Duong District, Lam Dong Province, about 35 km from downtown. Sunflowers usually bloom twice in late November and early December or late March and April each year. As mentioned above, you can explore the best of Da Lat during these amounts of time.
As soon as you walk through the farm gate, you will get surprised by the bright yellow sunflower field. Each large sunflower, the direction of the sun are perfect to create such a beautiful scene in any pictures. Fields of white and dry grass surrounding the sunflower field serve as a backdrop to the flower garden. Under the sun, this landscape is more lively than ever!
Besides your visit to this romantic flower field, you can have a chance to walk around the farmhouse and discover its European architecture, meadows, triangular flowers or buy milk and drinks on site.
3. Discover the famous waterfalls and lakes of Da Lat
Pongour Waterfall
Pongour Waterfall
This waterfall is located about 50 km from the city of Da Lat in Lam Dong province. It is considered one of the most beautiful and attractive falls of the Vietnamese High Plateau, with about 40 km high and more than 100 m wide. The picturesque landscape around the waterfall is still primitive.
If you visit this site in the rainy season, from April to October, you will see the water flowing in a large lake. In the dry season, from November to March, travelers can admire a breathtaking view of nature when wild sunflowers are in full bloom and the path to the waterfall is yellowed. Setting up a camping site and enjoying the beauty of the waterfall are unforgettable experiences during your 2 or 3 days in Da Lat.
The Lake of Sighs
It is a natural lake in the city of Da Lat (Lam Dong province) and also a tourist site of this city. This lake has been named after several sad love stories. It was originally a natural lake but was expanded to a dam by the French. Although the name has unfortunate connotations, the Lake of Sighs is a popular destination for the Vietnamese, especially young couples. Pedalos and motorboats will take lovers “flowing” on the lake. You can even go for a ride on horseback or aboard a horse-drawn cart.
Xuan Huong Lake
Magical sunset on Xuan Huong Lake
The icon of Da Lat is Xuan Huong Lake, also called Da Lat Lake. Located in the heart of Da Lat, the lake is 5 km in diameter and crescent-shaped.
It is an artificial lake with a circumference of about 5 square kilometers and 25 hectares wide. In fact, Xuan Huong Lake is renowned for its submerged pine forests, green lawns, and beautiful flower gardens.
It is also a favorite meeting place for tourists who like to walk or use a stagecoach to visit Da Lat. Boasting a prime location in the heart of the city, Xuan Huong Lake attracts many domestic and foreign tourists on their trips to Vietnam.
Best Gastronomy for 2 or 3 Days in Da Lat
Banh mi xiu mai
Banh mi xiu mai – Da Lat specialty
This is one of the traditional dishes not to be missed during your trip to Da Lat. They are sweet meatballs serving in a cup of hot sauce. When you slowly eat the first piece of crunchy bread in your mouth, you will be immersed in the delicious taste of the dish.
You can find the best of this specialty at the Ap restaurant or in any other stores on Bui Thi Xuan and Thong Thien Hoc Street.
Banh uot long ga
Whenever you enjoy this dish, you will appreciate the taste of moist cake, the smoothness of the meat pieces and the chicken viscera in the taste of the moderate sauce, adding a little freshness and fragrant aromas of herbs.
You can find the best on Phan Dinh Phung street with an average price of about 35,000 VND.
Avocado ice-cream
Avocado ice-cream, Da Lat
There are a lot of visitors who love to enjoy this dish during their trip to Da Lat, when it’s cold at night. It is a dish not to be missed, with the butter flavor mixed with fresh fruit from the highlands. The typical fatness of ice-cream, sweet taste and deliciously unforgettable fragrance will make your trip to Vietnam more complete than ever!
Vietnamese chicken fondue
The chicken meat is served with fresh bamboo shoots, squeezed with a few pieces of leaves then dipped in a cup of salt and pepper for a rich taste. You will not be able to forget this sweet and spicy taste of this unique fondue in Da Lat and it is totally worth your spending time to explore.
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thanks to your article i had precious material for convincing my wife to travel to Da Lat next month! I surely tuink she would agree to me, please suggest some funny trip choices so we could decide soon!
Thank you for your comment.
On your trip to Da Lat with your wife, you can take her to visit lovely and romantic sites such as F coffee, the famous Valley of love, the Sunflower field, Xuan Huong Lake,… The best time to travel to Da Lat is from February to April, when Cherry trees around Xuan Huong Lake and other pretty flowers of the city together bloom beautifully.
For further information in detail, please send your inquiries to service@vietnamparadisetravel.com or via contacts on our website.