Da lat

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After Mui Ne, we got a bus to Da lat in the Central Highlands. We had planned to go canyoning in the mountains but Gabrielle had caught a cold so instead we just did some sightseeing around town. The first thing that we noticed when getting off the bus was how cold it was. Situated high in the mountains, the altitude brought in icy mornings and evenings. The quaint, hilly town also felt more like you were in the French Alps rather than Vietnam. The streets were very pleasant to stroll around which is part of the reason why Da lat is known for being a retreat for Vietnamese honeymooners. The other reason would be the picturesque, natural surroundings around the town, where the mountainsides are filled with tall trees. The area has lots of lakes, waterfalls and rivers also to add to the romantic atmosphere.

After walking up and down and taking in the pleasant streets, we stopped in at the central market to see all the fresh produce that is grown in the dalat region. Since the climate is cooler, you can find all those English favorites like strawberries and potatoes. Da lat is famous for producing some of Vietnams finest coffee and fresh milk which Adam was very happy to enjoy.

We went to a local attraction called Crazy House, which is a hotel building that has been created by an eccentric architect whose inspiration seems to have come straight from Alice in Wonderland in a bid to create living spaces inspired by nature. It was good fun wandering around all the nooks and crannies and finding strange touches. Afterwards, we got a cable car through the mountains to a hill-top monastery, which also serves as a meditation retreat. We wandered around looking at the Japanese-style temples before heading down to a beautiful lake. We hired out a swan pedalo (how cheesy!) and went out onto the lake with the mountains surrounding us. We were the only ones on the lake so it was very romantic.

Da lat was a lovely place to relax for a few days before heading back to the beaches. It really surprised us with its quaint european-feel and chilly weather! We were begining to really appreciate how different and unique places are from one another in Vietnam.

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