Dalats the Way To Do It

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Having heard from various people that 'you must go to Dalat', I decided to venture to Central Vietnam and visit this quiet jewel of a city.

I booked the night bus for the journey, leaving at 1115pm. It can take anything from 5 to 7 hours to reach Dalat from Ho Chi Minh City depending on traffic so this seemed to be the best way to go (actually flying was probably the best way to go, it only takes 50 minutes; but since this was as much about life experience as it was about getting there the bus was the only option). The day before leaving I started to have second thoughts though. Having been told that the buses were hot and smelly, with the only toilet stops being in a field; I packed the emergency toilet roll, antiseptic wipes and any other items that would fit in my bag (ironically I did not need them until actually arriving in Dalat; the cafe I chose for breakfast had neither toilet roll or a working sink. Well planned thought I).

The journey was not as bad as I had been led to believe. The bus was well air conditioned and the seats quite comfortable. I could have done with slightly more leg room but this is becoming a common theme in Vietnam. There was a lot of noise on the bus which did not aid my sleeping (not good for a night bus). I survived the journey though, albeit slightly more tired than I had planned for. Most of the roads were fine, although there were a couple of rough sections that the bus struggled with. It wtould have been a very scenic route, if it were done in the daytime. I was able to see a lot of stars though which you cannot do in the city.

The first thing you notice about Dalat is how much colder it is. Although not quite in the same category as Aberdeen, there was a definite need for a long-sleeve t-shirt. The city itself is quite charming, quieter than HCMC although the traffic was still quite heavy. The centre piece is the lake and this is where the tourism is at its worst. The best places to go though are on the outskirts of Dalat (if 10km can still be considered the outskirts). It is here you find the local waterfalls. Although naturally beautiful, they have been spoiled by tourism a little. You cannot walk for long without being asked by a 'professional' photographer whether you want your photo taken. Prenn Waterfall was by far my favourite, and if you are only going to choose one waterfall to see it would have to be this one. There is a bridge that goes behind the waterfall which gives you the opportunity to get up close and personal with it (you also have the option of hiring a dinghy if the bridge does not get you close enough; I did but had to be rescued when my rowing skills were not upto the current and I drifted closer to the dropping water which would have filled my little boat very quickly).

There is some stunning scenery around Dalat, and I think the best thing to do is hire a bike (motor or bicycle) and just wander around. The gardens within Dalat are nice, but there are better ones once you are out of the city. There are also several palaces used by one of the Kings for his summer retreat. These are nice to view, but you can see why he was not popular when his homes are very extravagent while the people starved.

The Saigon Dalat hotel was well worth the visit and they were very helpful.

The journey back was much better, in that I slept all the way this time. So yes, 'you must go to Dalat' but don't take the bus.

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