Vietnam is not a large country by world standards but she is blessed with many beautiful landscapes. At the mention of Vietnam, the following popular sites will come to mind: Ha Long Bay, the Imperial Citadel of Hue, the Mekong Delta, the Hanoi old quarter. These destinations have indeed created a certain impression of Vietnam in the eyes of many travelers. However, unknown to many, these are many more destinations with beautifully diversified landscapes in our country. One of them is Da Lat, often referred to as “The most romantic city in Vietnam”. You will be surprised at what a different Vietnam this is from the one you knew before.
“Đà Lạt”
According to some sources, Da Lat (“Đà Lạt” in Vietnamese) derives from the acronym of the Latin phrase “Dat Aliis Laetitiam Aliis Temperiem” (“It Gives Pleasure to Some, Freshness to Others”), which the French colonial government used in their official emblem of Da Lat. In reality, the name Da Lat derived from the language of the local ethnic group “Lạt” and its original meaning is “Stream of the Lạt”, and the acronym above is in fact a backcronym. For locals, Dalat is also known by many other beautiful names such as “Misty city”, “City of thousands of pine trees”, “City of thousands of flowers”,etc.
“Misty city” (Photo: Internet)
History and climate characteristics
During the 1890s, explorers in the area, which was then part of the French colony of Cochinchina, asked the French governor-general, Paul Doumer, to create a resort center in the highlands. The governor agreed. The original intended site for the hill station was Dankia, but Étienne Tardif, a member of the road-building expedition of 1898-99, proposed the current site instead. In 1907, the first hotel was built. Urban planning was carried out by Ernest Hébrard
“City of thousands of pine trees” (Photo: Internet)
Located at an altitude of 1500m from sea level, Da Lat is also surrounded by mountains and forests which create a temperate climate throughout the year. There are two distinct seasons: the rainy season from April to October and the dry season from November to March. The dry season with its warm sunshine, little clouds and no rain, is the best time to have a great vacation in Dalat. The average daily temperature in Dalat is always below 20 degrees C. The temperature difference between day and night is appropriately 11 degrees C. Many Europeans used to travel up to Da Lat to escape the heat of the lower coastal areas in Vietnam.
The beauty of Da Lat
The city doesn’t only bring a beauty of French – Vietnamese culture but many cultural identities of the ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands. People of M’nong, Ede, K’ho, .. are living here with their own unique cultural features. All have created a legendary beauty in Central Vietnam.
Da Lat has a mild climate, so flowers bloom throughout the year. The city is literally the kingdom of flowers in Vietnam. There are three types of flowers in this city:
+ Forest flowers: cherry blossom, Melastoma, Rose myrtle flower, orchid …
+ Flowers from the East and the West: Camelia, Birds of Paradise flowers , mimosa, hydrangeas …
+ Wild flowers: Mexican sunflow, red grass, Lantana, Bindweed, Rose fairy lily…
There is an extremely famous festival here which is “the Flower Festival” held every 2 years. This is the time to honor a symbol of Da Lat beauty, “the city of thousands of flowers”.
Hydrangea is one of the symbol flowers of the city (Photo: Internet)
The beauty of Da Lat is also an endless source of inspiration for many generations of poets, musicians and artists in Vietnam. For that reason, many Vietnamese call the city with the affectionate name “the most romantic city in Vietnam”.
The famous sightseeing places in Da Lat:
- The Flowers Garden
- Truc Lam Monastery
- Xuan Huong Lake
- The old railway station
- The Center Market
- The Palace of Bao Dai King
- Da Lat Cathedral
- Valley of Love
- Crazy House
- Elephant waterfall
- flower and vegetable farms
Da Lat Cathedral (Photo: Internet)
This city is an ideal destination for those who want a relaxed holiday in a cool and fresh environment, yet immersed in nature and poetic scenery. There are countless options open for travelers to design a great vacation in Da Lat. However, if you are unable to decide on the right places for your family and friends do let us help you in planning your ideal vacation. With a team of experienced tour operators and knowledgeable guides, JPTraveltime perfectly positioned to help you plan your desired vacation with confidence.
(Justin Ngoc Pham)
