There is a rumor about Da Lat’s weather which says that here we have all 4 seasons a day, yes you are reading it right and this is entirely not a rumor. Perched 1500 meters above sea level on the Lang Biang plateau – part of the Central Highlands region of Vietnam, Da Lat has the really pleasant weather that it is called “city of eternal spring”: warm temperatures and sunshine during the day and quite cool at night, and it happens all year round. In my opinion, Da Lat can be considered as the second Sapa in the summer.
So straight to the point, when should we pay a travel to Da Lat?
With “4 seasons a day”, it means when you wake up in the morning, the weather will feel like spring. Midday temperatures rise to a summery 24 degrees Celsius. At four o’clock the air turns as crisp as an autumn’s day. By nightfall, it’s winter – at least by Vietnamese standards. Because of the nice weather all day, you may think that traveling to Da Lat can be done anytime but sadly no, here it has the rainy season too though it does not last long but still might affect to your experience. Let’s talk more in details about this. The dry season in Da Lat starts from November to April, then in May – June there are drizzles like a slow step to welcome the rainy season which begins from July to October. But the rain is not like somewhere else, it is not raining cats and dogs like in the South, or together with storms like the North, here it is more like drizzling, soft and followed by a little bit foggy afterward which makes the city in a blur. It can be romantic and poetic in the mind of artists. The average numbers of raining days in this season is from 20-25 days per month, so that is really continuous. But be worry free, if you do not have another time frame, indeed Da Lat is still beautiful and here are some tips for your exciting trip:
- Umbrella, hat, raincoat, light waterproof jackets are highly recommended
- Bring both summer & winter clothes (but not too much). If you want to go outside at night to some bars or just wandering in the streets, long-sleeved shirts are totally useful. For those who are not familiar with season change so quickly, prepare a thin scarf and socks as well
- Handy hair dryer is for when you, unfortunately, get wet by the rain
- Experts suggest waterproof handbag should be on the list, for your mobile phone, charger, ATM card, passport and ID paper, etc. You can easily buy it when you are in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City in the streets, but you do not pass by those cities, it can be found in the supermarket in Da Lat.
- Book your private trip with Indochina Voyages. You will have a private van which brings you here and there without being afraid of the rain, a local tour guide who knows the place the most and will take care of you. And also, we have a special itinerary for the rainy season
So that is for the rainy season, if you can manage your travel to Da Lat in the dry season, it will be an extraordinary experience since Da Lat has so much to offer. This place looks like a harmony cross between Vietnam and the French Alps. Most of its hotels and houses were built in a French style during the French colonization, that makes walking around the city center wonderful. Besides, there is a lot of main sightseeing here as below:
- Ho Xuan Huongaka Xuan Huong Lake, a center of town. No admission fee but rental fees vary if you want to boat.
- Lake of Sorrow or Lake of Sighs, 5km northeast of town on Ho Xuan Huong road. Open daily until 5 PM. Sightseeing fee is 20.000 VND/person.
- Tuyen Lam Lake (Ho Tuyen Lam), 5km south of town on highway 20. Its clean green waters flow from the beautiful Tia Spring and from the Da Tam River, which flows down from Voi mountain. Its waters stretch over an immense 350 hectares and because of its various sources, Tuyen Lam is known as the lake where rivers, springs and forests meet. The lake was built in the 80s and is one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in town.
- Thien Vien Truc Lam Monastery, at the top of where the cable car drops you off. The monastery has a magnificent view over the dams below and its gardens are full of landscaped engraved in animal form. It is extremely peaceful – a great place to relax and soak in the tranquility. Appropriate clothes are requested, no shorts or short skirts, shoulders should be covered.
- The Bao Dai’s Palace, the summer home of Bao Dai King – the last emperor of Vietnam. The palace was evaluated as one of the most magnificent architectural works in Da Lat with a combination of pine forests and parks, royal garden, Ai An Forest and a small lake.
No doubt that with the nice condition, Da Lat is famous for a lot of beautiful flowers and fauna, but I think I will come back to you with another article just about the flower festival and local gastronomy. Stay tuned!
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