Things to do in Da Lat: top sights and where to go
Da Lat is a cool hill town at 1,500 m where Xuan Huong Lake, Lam Vien Square and the 1930s railway station sit within a 20-minute walk, with the Crazy House and the Flower Park a couple of kilometres away. Spend day one in town and at Linh Phuoc Pagoda; take a taxi south on day two for Datanla and Prenn falls and Truc Lam Monastery by cable car, keeping Langbiang (12 km north) or Pongour Falls (45 km) for a separate half day.
Sights
Da Lat itineraries
Da Lat travel guide
Before you go: Xuan Huong Lake and the old station, Crazy House, Datanla and Pongour falls, the cable car to the monastery, getting there.
Da Lat on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- 2–3 days: town, waterfalls, hills
- When to go
- December–March: dry and sunny
- Climate
- ≈ 1,500 m up: ≈ 22–26° by day, ≈ 13–17° at night
- Visa
- Depends on your passport — visa-free or e-visa
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Currency
- Vietnamese dong (VND); cash for markets
- Airport
- Lien Khuong (DLI) ≈ 30 km south
- From Nha Trang
- ≈ 3 h over a mountain road
- From Ho Chi Minh City
- ≈ 1 h by air or ≈ 6–7 h by bus
- Packing
- A jumper and jacket for evenings
- Time zone
- UTC+7 all year
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Da Lat”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Da Lat”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Da Lat railway station”Sourcei
Dalattourist — official websiteThings to do in Da Lat
The top things to do in Da Lat are Xuan Huong Lake in the centre, the old railway station, Crazy House, the Flower Park, mosaic Linh Phuoc Pagoda, Truc Lam Monastery with its cable car, the Datanla, Prenn and Pongour waterfalls, and Langbiang Mountain’s plateau views. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above.
| Centre | Xuan Huong, Flower Park | 2 h |
|---|---|---|
| Town | Crazy House, station | 2 h |
| Pagodas | Linh Phuoc, Truc Lam | ½ day |
| Prenn Pass | Datanla, Prenn | ½ day |
| South | Pongour | ½ day |
| North | Langbiang | ½ day |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries for 1–2 days, with places in a sensible order.
Getting to Da Lat
Flights land at Lien Khuong (DLI), ≈ 30 km south — about 40 minutes by taxi. Many visitors come from Nha Trang over the mountains in about 3 hours, or from Ho Chi Minh City by bus in about 6–7 hours. In town, use Grab and taxis.
| Taxi, Grab | Lien Khuong airport | ≈ 40 min |
|---|---|---|
| Bus, car | Nha Trang | ≈ 3 h |
| Bus | Ho Chi Minh City | ≈ 6–7 h |
| Flight | Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi | ≈ 1 / 2 h |
Da Lat weather by month
Da Lat is cool all year — ≈ 22–26 °C by day and ≈ 13–17 °C at night — thanks to its ≈ 1,500 m altitude. The best time to visit is December to March: dry, sunny and in bloom. May to October brings rain, usually in the afternoon.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 24° | 25° | 26° | 26° | 26° | 25° | 24° | 24° | 24° | 23° | 22° | 22° |
| Night | 13° | 13° | 14° | 16° | 17° | 17° | 17° | 17° | 17° | 16° | 15° | 14° |
| Rain | 3 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: January–March and December
- day ≈ 24°
- night ≈ 13°
- rain 3 days
Dry, ≈ 24°, cool nights.
- day ≈ 25°
- night ≈ 13°
- rain 2 days
Dry; Tet and cherry blossom.
- day ≈ 26°
- night ≈ 14°
- rain 5 days
About 26°, dry.
- day ≈ 26°
- night ≈ 16°
- rain 13 days
Rains begin.
- day ≈ 26°
- night ≈ 17°
- rain 19 days
Afternoon rain.
- day ≈ 25°
- night ≈ 17°
- rain 20 days
Rainy season.
- day ≈ 24°
- night ≈ 17°
- rain 22 days
Rain.
- day ≈ 24°
- night ≈ 17°
- rain 23 days
Rain.
- day ≈ 24°
- night ≈ 17°
- rain 24 days
The wettest month.
- day ≈ 23°
- night ≈ 16°
- rain 20 days
Rains easing.
- day ≈ 22°
- night ≈ 15°
- rain 10 days
About 22°, drier.
- day ≈ 22°
- night ≈ 14°
- rain 5 days
Dry; flower festival.
Da Lat has no sea: the nearest beach is in Nha Trang, 3 hours away.
What to eat in Da Lat
Da Lat is Vietnam’s capital of vegetables, strawberries and coffee. Try banh trang nuong — the “Da Lat pizza” on rice paper — hot soy milk at the night market, artichoke tea and coffee from local farms.
- Banh trang nuong — rice paper with egg and toppings over charcoal.
- Hot soy milk — at the night market by the lake.
- Artichoke tea — a local souvenir.
- Strawberries and coffee — from farms around town.
Da Lat ticket prices
Xuan Huong Lake, Truc Lam Monastery and Linh Phuoc Pagoda are free. You pay for Crazy House, the station, the Flower Park, the waterfalls (Datanla’s toboggan is extra), the Truc Lam cable car and Langbiang. Prices are in dong.
| Da Lat Railway Station | 38 | 45 min | 50,000 VND; train extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crazy House | 37 | 1 h | 80,000 VND; under 1.2 m free |
| Da Lat Flower Park | 37 | 1 h | 40,000–100,000 VND |
| Datanla Falls | 31 | 2 h | 80,000 VND; coaster extra |
| Prenn Falls | 30 | 1 h | Combo about 110,000–250,000 VND |
| Pongour Falls | 22 | 1 h 30 min | About 20,000 VND |
| Langbiang Mountain | 20 | 2 h 30 min | 50,000 VND; car to Radar 120,000 |
Free — 3 places: Xuan Huong Lake, Truc Lam Monastery, Linh Phuoc Pagoda.
Tips
- Evenings in Da Lat are ≈ 15 °C — bring a jumper even in the dry season.
- Go to the Datanla toboggan in the morning before the queues.
- The night market by the lake is the best place for dinner and street food.
FAQ
Is Da Lat worth visiting?
Yes, for cool mountain air, waterfalls, quirky architecture like Crazy House and a break from the coastal heat.
Do I need a visa for Vietnam?
It depends on your passport: some nationalities are visa-free for a set number of days, others apply for a 90-day e-visa online. Check the official rules for your passport.
What is the weather like in Da Lat?
Cool all year: ≈ 22–26 °C by day and ≈ 13–17 °C at night, with afternoon rain from May to October.
How do I get from Nha Trang to Da Lat?
By bus or car over the mountain road in about 3 hours.
How do I get from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat?
By air in about an hour, or by bus in 6–7 hours.
What to do in Da Lat in one day?
Crazy House and the station in the morning, the Truc Lam cable car and Datanla falls at midday, the lake and night market in the evening.
Which waterfall in Da Lat is best?
Datanla is closest, with a toboggan; Prenn is on the airport road; Pongour is the widest, 50 km south.
When is the best time to visit Da Lat?
December to March: dry, sunny and flowers everywhere.
How far is Da Lat airport from the city?
About 30 km — around 40 minutes by taxi or Grab.
What to eat in Da Lat?
Banh trang nuong, hot soy milk, strawberries and local coffee.
Sources and fact-check
- Wikipedia, “Da Lat”; “Da Lat railway station”; Da Lat climate (1991–2020 normals)
- Dalattourist — official website (Datanla, Langbiang, cable car)
Day trips from Da Lat
- Nha Trang · 88 km
- Phan Thiet · 118 km
- Ho Chi Minh City · 230 km
- Hoi An · 438 km
- Da Nang · 459 km
- Phu Quoc · 526 km
- Hanoi · 1048 km