Into the Mountains: Dalat

From coastal Nha Trang, we headed west into the mountains, ascending from sea level to an elevation of 5000 feet within a few hours.  

Shortly before reaching our destination, the town of Dalat, we made a stop at one of Vietnam’s most unusual temples, the Linh Phuoc Pagoda. This modern Buddhist temple complex was finished in 1991. Since our visit coincided with the monthly Buddha’s Day (a full moon day), we encountered large crowds of worshippers at the temple. Linh Phuoc is known for its fanciful mosaic designs, which brought to mind Gaudi’s Park Guell in Barcelona. 

And note the dragon, a 49-meter (160-foot) creation made of beer bottles! 

Dalat, a hilly city of 300,000, was built in 1916 by the French to provide a retreat for French officials and their families, especially during the summer months. The last emperor of Vietnam also had a residence here. Today, Dalat retains a sense of its former elegance with over 200 large colonial villas and an Eiffel Tower shaped telecommunications tower. Even our hotel’s grand sweeping staircase and wrought iron balconies were much more European than Vietnamese in style. 

Our hotel in Dalat

A house from the colonial era 

Dalat is still a popular summer vacation destination for the Vietnamese who seek an escape from the oppressive heat and humidity of the cities. Its nickname is the “city of eternal spring.” Actually, according to An, you can experience four seasons in a single day in Dalat. Spring-like temperatures in the morning give way to summer-like temperatures at mid-day, and autumn-like evening temperatures give way to wintery temperatures overnight – although it never snows. 

After moving around the country at a quick pace for several days, I enjoyed some relatively relaxing time in Dalat. When we arrived at our hotel, we were served small cups of artichoke tea. This popular caffeine-free beverage supposedly cures wrinkles. Whether I looked younger after consuming a cup is open to debate but I certainly felt rejuvenated by the cooler mountain air. In addition, Dalat’s somewhat saner traffic made it possible to stroll around the town at a leisurely pace and admire the colors of the flowering trees. The blooming jacarandas were my favorites, reminding me of springtime in Buenos Aires. 

Jacarandas blooming in Dalat

At our lunch in Dalat’s Train Café (a relic from the French-built railway system), we sat in a beautiful garden and were entertained by a group of musicians from a local hill tribe who sang and played traditional instruments. The sound was unlike anything I’d heard before. An told us that the owner of the restaurant and the surrounding villas (all built by the French) is an American expatriate and train enthusiast. 

One extremely pleasant spot in the heart of the city was a lakeside restaurant terrace, where our group spent an hour or so sipping tea (or wine or beer), and watching the swan boats glide past. If I ever go back to Dalat, I’ll take a ride around Xuan Huong Lake in one of the lavishly decorated horse drawn carriages (think Cinderella!) that were available for hire. 

Swan boats on Xuan Huong Lake

The economy of Dalat is based on tourism and greenhouse cultivation of flowers. More than 40,000 greenhouses cover about 90,000 acres of land in and around the town. 

The structures have double nylon roofs, allowing for ventilation. Among the flowers grown are roses, Asian lilies, and Gerbera daisies. All are harvested by hand, and most are destined for the Saigon market. The Vietnamese typically buy flowers to use as offerings at shrines in their homes and in temples. Our group visited one of the greenhouses and learned the proper way to pick a flower without damaging its stem. 

While we were in Dalat, we broke into groups for home-hosted dinners with upper middle-class Vietnamese families. The family I visited consisted of three generations living in a spacious modern house in a quiet residential area. 

Members of the host family in Dalat

The younger members of the family were eager to converse with us in English during a delicious meal, which included potato soup of a startlingly purple hue. Their comfortable lifestyle was in stark contrast to what we’d seen in Hanoi. So here was yet another side of Vietnam.