Cold mornings, pine ridges and more cafes than anywhere else in Vietnam. A three day plan for two people who would rather sit somewhere with a view than tick off a list.
There is a practical reason Da Lat for couples works better than most Vietnamese destinations, and it is not the flower gardens. At roughly 1,500m (4,900 ft) the town runs cold enough that sitting still is pleasant, which is not true of anywhere on the coast in July. You get mist on the pines at dawn, a lake to walk around at dusk, and more small cafes per street than anywhere else in the country. Three days is the right length, and this plan keeps the driving short.
Planning Da Lat for couples: when to go
The dry season runs roughly November to March, with daytime highs in the high teens and nights near 10C (50F). Cold, for Vietnam. Late January into February brings the pink cherry-type blossom the town is famous for, which is genuinely lovely and also the point at which the domestic crowds and room rates peak. June to October is the wet season, but the rain is usually an afternoon event rather than an all-day one, and it is the cheapest and quietest time to come.
- November to December: wild sunflowers along the roadsides, dry and clear
- Late January to February: pink blossom in the streets, busy and expensive
- March to May: mild, bright, purple flowering trees, a good compromise
- June to October: afternoon rain, low prices, empty cafes, green everywhere
- Avoid Tet and the late-April and early-September public holidays unless you like queues
Day 1: the lake, the square and the night market
Arrive, check in, and do nothing ambitious. Xuan Huong Lake sits in the middle of town and the full loop takes about an hour on foot; tandem bicycles and pedal boats are available if you want the postcard version. Lam Vien Square on the shore is a modern plaza built around an oversized artichoke-bud sculpture, and it is where the town gathers in the evening.
Lunch should be lau ga la e, a chicken hotpot with a fragrant local leaf, at an estimated 150,000-250,000d for two (roughly US$6 to 10), or nem nuong, grilled pork rolled at the table with herbs and rice paper. Spend the afternoon at a hillside cafe over the valley, then walk down to the night market after dark. Grilled rice paper with egg and scallion, hot soy milk and a paper cone of strawberries, eaten on a plastic stool in the cold, is the single most Da Lat thing you can do.
The town does not need you to do anything impressive. Walking through mist holding a hot drink is the whole proposition, and it is a better one than the paid attractions suggest.
Day 2: cloud at dawn, tea hills, cafes at dusk
This is the day worth setting an alarm for. On a clear dry-season morning, cloud pools in the valleys below the ridges east of town and burns off within an hour or two of sunrise. Be at the Cau Dat tea hills, roughly 25km (16 miles) out, by around 5:30am. Dress properly; it is close to freezing up there before the sun clears the ridge, and the coffee stalls that open early are the reason anyone survives it.
Stay for the morning. The tea terraces are a working estate dating to the French period and the source of most of the arabica poured in town, so the coffee is better here than in the center. Have lunch nearby rather than riding back, then spend the afternoon on cafes. Da Lat's cafe culture is the genuine article: pine-view terraces, valley-edge decks, small vintage rooms down alleys. Drinks run an estimated 35,000-70,000d (roughly US$1.40 to 3), and some places charge an entry fee that is deducted from your bill.
For the evening, skip a second night market run. A small acoustic bar with live music and a warm room is the local version of a good night out, and it suits two people better than a crowd.
Day 3: a long breakfast and something to carry home
Keep the last morning slow. Banh mi xiu mai, a bread roll served with pork meatballs in a light broth, is the local breakfast and costs an estimated 15,000-30,000d. Then pick one gentle stop rather than three: the 1938 railway station with its Art Deco roofline, a strawberry farm where you pick your own at an estimated 120,000-200,000d a kilo, or one of the old villas on the ridges above town.
- Take home: artichoke tea, dried persimmon, candied fruit, Cau Dat coffee, local wine
- City flower garden: an estimated 40,000-50,000d (roughly US$1.50 to 2) each
- Railway station entry: an estimated 10,000-50,000d, with a short heritage train if you have time
- Da Lat market: the cheapest place to buy any of the above
What it costs and how to keep it down
- Two nights in a guesthouse or hotel: an estimated 700,000-2,000,000d (roughly US$27 to 77) for the room
- Food and coffee for two across three days: an estimated 600,000-1,200,000d (roughly US$23 to 46)
- Motorbike hire: an estimated 120,000-180,000d (roughly US$5 to 7) a day, or a car with driver for more
- Entry tickets, cafes and the night market: an estimated 500,000-900,000d (roughly US$19 to 35) for two
- Total for two, excluding flights or long-distance buses: an estimated 2,500,000-5,000,000d (roughly US$95 to 190)
Practical notes
- Travel Tuesday to Thursday if you can; weekends double the crowds and lift the rates
- Bring warm layers and a light rain shell, and flat shoes, because the streets are steep
- Book two weeks out in the dry season and further ahead for the blossom weeks
- Expect wedding photographers at every scenic spot; this is where Vietnamese couples come to shoot
- Carry cash and a power bank, because the small places take neither cards nor excuses
