Vietnam Diaries: Day 6 - Welcome to Da Lat

Spending the first few days in crazy Ho Chi Minh City, it was a pleasant relief to land in beautiful Da Lat. That’s right, welcome to Da Lat where the greener pastures, quieter roads, cooler weather and stunning landscapes make up this small city tucked away in the middle of the mountains of central Vietnam.

Straight off the bat, when I say quieter roads, it’s still quite busy in the town centre with a steady flow of traffic, but compared to the big city chaos in the South, it’s like walking into an abandoned village.

Dalet, Vietnam

Best bit of the day

Welcome to Da Lat: About twenty-degrees, tame humidity and a little rain, gave us a cool welcome on arrival in Da Lat. Pure relief. Straightaway you are captivated by its amazing scenery with a much cleaner smell in the air. Large mountains can be seen wherever you look and how beautiful it is to see so much green.

The town centre has unique difference. With soaring apartments suturing the town. Almost a European look. It is still busy and you need to watch your step as you cross the road, but not nearly the same rush as in Saigon.

Arriving at Dalat Airport.

The view from Nguyen Minh Hotel.

Best foods

Pho Nuong – This restaurant was found by chance down a side alley street, sometimes those hidden restaurants make for great eating. On this occasion it was no different. We enjoyed the sliced beef and pig stomach on a charcoal grill we cooked ourselves. It was the first time I tried the pig stomach and fair to say with its crispy taste that it didn’t let down.

Highlights of the day

Dalat Night Market: Good old google came to the rescue on this occasion. Arriving in Dalat we were unsure what to do. With the markets about to open at 5pm, it was a good chance to check it out.

The markets are not too different to those in Saigon, crowded and a lot of cheap stuff that is a real bargain for a tourist. The Dalat Markets has all the basics that come with a market, fruit and veg section, butchers, food court and clothing. the atmosphere is buzzing in the evening and it is a great way to enjoy the nightlife of Dalat.

Dalat Markets.

Welcome to Da Lat where everyone is keen to make a buck.

Lien Hoa Bakery: It may seem strange to get excited about a bakery, but this one was quite incredible. A large range of bread, savouries, pastries, sweets and magnificent looking cakes. It was quite like a bakery I had never seen before and everyone seemed to agree, it was rather packed out. Grab yourself a tray and some tongs at the entrance and go nuts selecting a variety of breads. Lien Hoa bakery will get more than one visit.

Check out GPSmyCity for further details on Dalat in Vietnam!