This pearl of Vietnam is not like any other city in Southeast Asia. A mixture of European architectural style and national color make the busy resort extremely popular with foreign guests. The many-faced Dalat, the sights of which deserve the attention of tourists, opens for everyone the French page in the history of the country.
Paris in miniature
"Little Paris", which appeared at the beginning of the XX century, is very different from other cities in Vietnam. A pretty resort, which is compared to the Garden of Eden, is located in the mountains at an altitude of about 1,500 meters, and the hilly area gives it a peculiar flavor.
In a corner of paradise, built by the French colonialists, who dreamed of moving a piece of their beloved homeland to distant lands, a special atmosphere now looms. The capital of Lamdong province attracts those who want to see a completely different Vietnam. This is a mountain resort where the absence of beaches is compensated by a huge number of natural and man-made monuments.
Maze Hotel Crazy House
The fabulously beautiful Dalat (Vietnam), which has earned the name "City of Eternal Spring" for the fact that throughout the year there are much more sunny days than cloudy days, is famous all over the world for its amazing Crazy House guest house. One of the most extraordinary hotels, where guests can easily get confused, appeared in 1990.
The idea of a fantastic house belongs to the daughter of the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who lived for many years in Russia. After retiring from public service and engaging in creative work, she designed the Crazy House, a building in which it is impossible to find a single right angle. According to the architect, this building should return us to naturalness and true beauty.
It seems that the “crazy house” that stands out from the rest of the buildings came from the fabulous worlds of Tolkien, and in the architectural style the work of Dali and Gaudi can be traced. This is incredible, but the author of an unusual labyrinth created it without any drawings, and local artisans realized her imagination.
Unique piece of architecture
It is simply impossible to describe the concrete Crazy House, which does not fit into the city landscape at all. It is a huge branchy tree, inside which a giant spider weaved its web, connecting mysterious corridors, fancy staircases and living rooms. This work of architectural art fell into all the lists of the most "strange" buildings on our planet. Inside the fantastic-looking building are themed rooms dedicated to animals.
The favorite attraction of all tourists is open from seven in the morning until five in the evening, and those who want to stay in unique rooms need to know that they will have to pay more than $ 35 per night. However, the management of the amazing hotel warns that the doors must be open so that all visitors who feel like characters in "Alice through the Looking Glass" can admire the amazing sight.
Emperor's Summer Palace
Picturesque Dalat, the sights of which will bring a lot of pleasant emotions to children and their parents, will surprise you with interesting museums. The most interesting is Bao Dai Summer Palace, located in the west of the city. The residence of the last emperor of the country, built in 1933, does not look like a magnificent palace, but a spacious summer cottage, so tourists who visited the mansion in dark beige are surprised how unpretentious the ruler was. The house-museum gives an idea of how the aristocrats of the past era lived, since the situation during this time remained untouchable. Everything that appears before the eyes of the guests is exactly the same as during the reign of the emperor.
The Bao Dai Summer Palace consists of 25 rooms, each of which is filled with historical exhibits that once belonged to the emperor's family. Here you can see a glass engraved map of Vietnam, donated by local students who studied in France, the royal copper seal, busts of the ruler and his father. Of particular interest to visitors is the sauna located on the second floor of the mansion, and the ultraviolet machine used to get an even tan.
Xuan Huong Lake
At the beginning of the last century, the French colonialists decided to build a dam in order to preserve the life-giving moisture for the city. After 34 years, the resulting reservoir was named after the medieval poetess, who exposed the hypocrisy of the monarchs. The artificial Xuan Huong lake , resembling a crescent in shape, covers an area of 32 hectares. Favorite place for recreation and walks of the townspeople is of interest to tourists, as it is located in an extremely picturesque place surrounded by pine forests and flower gardens. The mirror-smooth surface of the reservoir along which the hiking trail bends calms and pacifies.
Couples in love, who often stroll here in the evenings, adore the huge dam, and weddings are often celebrated in local restaurants where you can taste delicious dishes of national cuisine.
Dalat flower park
The city, in which good weather always reigns, is decorated with flowers, but the largest garden is located next to Xuan Huong Lake in a city park, not far from the resort center. An amazing place, the area of which exceeds seven thousand square meters, was defeated in 1966. The flower garden in Dalat is visible from afar, and the entrance to it is preceded by a giant green arch in the shape of a horseshoe. Every year special festivals are held here, where hundreds of plant displays are exhibited by famous landscape designers.
In the park you can see various flower installations resembling human or animal figures. In the heart of the garden that has grown over time, there is a small lake, and everyone can ride on cute boats made in the shape of a swan.
Magical flower world
The flower park, which is carefully looked after by employees, is beautiful at any time of the year. Tiny bonsai blooming at every step, symbolizing prosperity and longevity. It is believed that such trees are required to be in every Vietnamese family. A large number of fabulous orchids and magnificent roses will surprise even the most sophisticated connoisseurs. A delightful park, the wealth of which plants can be envied by all the botanical gardens of the world, is divided into thematic parts: Japanese and French styles, classics, baroque and others.
Amazed visitors who came to rest in Dalat (Vietnam) are immersed in the fantastic world of flowers, from the riot of colors and aromas of which dizzy. Each object of the huge complex is the embodiment of a genuine work of the finest art. Even garbage bins in the form of animals cause delight.
Cableway
It must be said that in the mountainous regions of Vietnam it is quite difficult to get from one locality to another, and therefore cable cars are a real find for a country with a difficult terrain. The colorful Dalat, whose attractions make you want to visit it, is proud of the funicular road more than two kilometers long, located south of Xuan Huong Lake. Its beginning is located within the resort, and it leads to the Truc Lam monastery, and you can reach the final destination in just 15 minutes. Tourists often regret that the funicular delivers too quickly and there is absolutely no time to enjoy stunning views.
Visitors enjoy a picturesque city view from a bird's eye view. The cable car in Dalat, the route of which is laid through the most beautiful places, smoothly goes up and is gradually gaining momentum. The monastery located on the mountain is also admirable: it is a whole Buddhist village, consisting of decorated pagodas and dwellings of monks. It must be remembered that the road runs until 17.00, and if you are late you can leave by bus or walk.
City waterfall
One of the main natural attractions of "miniature Paris" is located within the city, and therefore is one of the most visited. The mesmerizing Kamli waterfall, the area near which is constantly being equipped, resembles a paradise, although you should not expect too much from it. Foreign tourists are not embarrassed that the water in Ly Waterfall itself can hardly be called transparent, since several rivers of the resort, which are not distinguished by purity, flow into it.
In the evening, a musical fountain begins to work with bright illumination, and there are even more visitors to the city. The air around the cascade, which consists of several levels, does not at all resemble a fresh mountain, but it does not bother anyone. Just above the waterfall is the necropolis of the same name, surprising European tourists. Unlike a cemetery, a place with thousands of buildings looks more like a small town.
A very young Dalat, whose sights are becoming the subject of admiration for all vacationers, is visited annually by about 80 thousand Europeans. Local authorities, in order to justify its informal name, even built a tiny Eiffel Tower, visible from all sides.
According to tourists, the real pearl of Vietnam is pleasantly distinguished by reasonable prices for accommodation and food, as well as hospitable residents who are welcoming to all guests.