Dalat - Vietnam’s romantic mountain town
Vietnam has such hot summers that, back in the colonial days, the French established the town of Dalat, because being up in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, in the Annamese Mountain Range, there the weather is cooler. Dalat is 1,500m above sea level, and has a temperate climate that makes a welcome relief from the hot sticky weather closer to sea level.
Dalat seems to have become Vietnam’s romantic capital, but there is a little bit too much kitsch for most western tastes. Surprisingly, Dalat has also become a bit of home to those of an avant garde and bohemian persuasion as well.
Dalat Flower Gardens, is an attractive floral park with beautifully planted flower beds and topiary. It even has a boating lake, although this is somewhat marred by people in fancy dress believing that they are entertaining people.
Dalat has a Valley of Love, once named the Valley of Peace, which is a forested canyon full of romantically inspired sculptures such as white swans with their necks entwined, Venus as the goddess of love, and a love swing. The Valley of Love also has a lake where couples can pedal swan-shaped craft.
Other delights of the area include visits to a silkworm hatchery. The silk is made up into a variety of silken goods, including pyjamas, lingerie and ties, which make great gifts and souvenirs.
One of the features of natural interest to take a look at is Elephant Falls, a mighty cascade of water, and noisy too.
For some bizarre reason, Dalat seems to be famous for stuffed animals. I don’t mean soft toys, but actual taxidermically stuffed animals. Although not to everyone’s taste, the reason may be due to the fact that Dalat was once renowned for its big-game hunting.
It may be due to the cool weather, and its popularity with university students that Dalat seems to have become a home for things avant garde. There is a local guest house, Hang Nga Guesthouse, which has also been dubbed The Crazy House, which has plenty of offbeat sculpture and art on display.
If you are planning on visiting Vietnam, Dalat may be the place to come to cool off and see something a bit different.