Last updated on November 1st, 2024 at 06:23 pm
Things to do in Da Lat- It’s no coincidence that Dalat is dubbed the dreamy city. Nature has bestowed upon Dalat its mountainous terrain, cloud-covered valleys, and cool, chilly weather all year round. Coupled with the trend of “million-dollar” view cafes and upscale resorts popping up everywhere, Dalat has become a magnet for many tourists. To continue part 1, in this article, I will primarily review two signatures of Dalat: hillside coffee shops and barbecue restaurants. If you’re looking for a well-plan itinerary and reviews of coffee shops and eateries in Dalat, then let’s read the article below 🙂
Day 1: Xom Leo area
Xom Leo BBQ restaurant
On the first day of our trip to Đà Lạt, we decided to explore Xóm Lèo, a charming area known for its numerous barbecue restaurants and cafés offering stunning views of the valley below. Xóm Lèo is especially beautiful at sunset, with the sky painted in hues of pink and red, creating a poetic atmosphere that makes it easy to get lost in the moment.
Perched on a hill, Xóm Lèo is dotted with barbecue joints and cafés, each offering panoramic views of the illuminated valley. One such spot is Quán nướng Xóm Lèo, situated on the left side at the intersection.
The menu at this restaurant primarily features grilled dishes such as beef, pork, hotpot, and salads. The food here is quite satisfying, with well-balanced flavors and delicious dipping sauces, especially the green chili salt dip.
Here, there’s also live music performances adding to the cozy ambiance illuminated by lights. Enjoying the fragrant grilled pork belly with family and friends while listening to soothing melodies amidst the chilly weather of Đà Lạt fills me with immense happiness.
Do note that this restaurant is different from the Xóm Lèo restaurant behind it, as I noticed there’s quite a bit of advertising. Initially, I intended to visit that place, but couldn’t recall its name, so I mistakenly ended up here, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
Xuân Café
Café Xuân stands out amidst the hustle and bustle of Xóm Lèo, offering a tranquil alternative to the lively atmosphere of places like Lời của Gió, which tend to attract crowds of young people looking to chill and snap photos for social media. Seeing the bustling crowd inside Lời của Gió, I opted to visit Café Xuân nearby instead, preferring a quieter environment to fully appreciate the view.
Café Xuân boasts a serene, spacious atmosphere with a refreshing breeze, occupying a prime location with two facades. Its interior is adorned in a Korean style, adding to its charm. The drinks at Xuân are exquisite, ranging from salted coffee to peach tea, each with a delightful flavor. The staff are friendly and affable, and the prices are reasonable (ranging from 35,000 to 50,000 VND). The first day of our trip ended on a light and joyful note at this tranquil café.
On the second day, we embarked on a journey along the Tà Nung route, exploring various barbecue restaurants and cafés in Đà Lạt. My family hired a taxi to visit the attractions along this scenic route.
The Tà Nung route is home to famous tourist destinations in Đà Lạt, such as Vạn Thành Flower Village, Puppy Farm, Mongogland, Fresh Garden, Mê Linh Café, Linh Ẩn Pagoda, Prenn Waterfall, among others. You can easily find these places using Google Maps for a better visualization.
Vạn Thành Flower Village, with an entrance fee of 80,000 VND per person, boasts a vibrant array of flowers, vegetables, and fruits, including strawberries, tomatoes, and various fruits. It’s an ideal spot for photography enthusiasts and nature lovers to explore a rich variety of plant life.
As I had previously visited Puppy Farm, this time I only stopped by Vạn Thành Flower Village, which bears some resemblance to Puppy Farm. The farm features not only puppies but also other animals like goats, camels, and more.
Day 2 -Tà Nung route
For transportation, using a taxi to cover the whole day trip might offer convenience and flexibility at better price than multiple Grab trips.
Mê Linh Café
Stepping into Mê Linh Café, we found ourselves in a sprawling green oasis, with lush coffee plants stretching out below. The café offers large seating areas connected by broad staircases painted in a sooth
It attracts numerous domestic and international tourists, drawn by its renowned coffee plantation with distant views of coffee gardens. The expansive space allows visitors plenty of choices for seating. Farther down, there’s an avocado garden and several picturesque spots.
The prices range from 105,000 VND to 145,000 VND, depending on the beverage you choose. We opted for the civet coffee at 145,000 VND for our first experience, along with the moka coffee at 135,000 VND,milk tea, and grilled meat served with bamboo rice.
In my opinion, the civet coffee, known as Cà phê chồn to the locals in Vietnam. is bold and slightly challenging to drink, but it’s worth trying for its unique Vietnamese specialty. It’s quite strong, so you can ask for additional ice or milk to dilute it for easier consumption.
On the other side, there’s a souvenir shop for tourists interested in purchasing gifts to take home
Linh Ẩn Pagoda
Adjacent to Mê Linh Coffee along the same road is Linh Ẩn Pagoda, a popular attraction for tourists visiting Đà Lạt.
The towering statue of Quan Thế Âm Bodhisattva stands majestically, surrounded by the sound of flowing water echoing from afar. To the left of the Bodhisattva statue, the distant Prenn Waterfall appears like a magnificent and breathtaking painting.
The immense statue of Quan Thế Âm amidst the clouds exudes a mystical beauty. Inside the statue, visitors can explore different levels, adding to the spiritual experience.
As you enter further, the sound of Buddhist music chanting fills the air, creating a sense of peace and tranquility. It’s as if all worries and troubles dissipate, leaving one immersed in the serene and poetic scenery of the moment.
If you happen to travel along this route, I highly recommend visiting this pagoda. Afterward, we stopped by a budget-friendly rice eatery nearby, where we enjoyed a simple lunch priced around 35,000 VND.
The Florest (Hoa trong rừng)
The next destination I chose was a tourist spot named The Florest. I must say, The Florest was a delightful surprise, as I was quite amazed by the vast and expansive space there. Driving straight into the café area, you find several houses and tables arranged outdoors, offering plenty of comfortable seating for guests to enjoy their drinks and the view.
At first glance, The Florest looked like a combination of a homestay/camping site and a farm, with its setup of tables and wooden chairs, decor details like campfires by a small pond, cool bamboo groves, and surrounding lush green grass creating an incredibly charming space. Farther up from the coffee drinking area, walking up to the hill, around 15-20 minutes from the main areas are sprawling fields of various flowers, including daisies, sunflower gardens, and vast marigold fields, which add to the picturesque charm of the place.
The entrance ticket includes a drink and costs 98,000 VND. The drinks here are quite good, the menu isn’t overly extensive but the flavors are delightful. All the items we ordered, including milk tea and peach tea.
Day 3 – Cau Dat route
Cau Dat tea hills
My family didn’t go hunting for clouds, but instead, we visited the tea hills area. After taking photos at the tea hills, we moved on to the nearby windmill. The lush green tea hills are a favorite spot for many tourists visiting Đà Lạt.
Surrounding the area are many cherry blossom trees, which bloom abundantly in January, adorning the landscape with fresh pink hues against the backdrop of blue skies and tea hills, creating a stunningly beautiful scene.
Wind-dried persimmon garden (Vuon Hong treo gio)
Visiting the wind-dried persimmon garden offers a unique experience, particularly for those who enjoy the taste of this fruit. In this special location, persimmons are hung in the wind to naturally dry, allowing the gentle breeze to slowly dehydrate them. This traditional method of drying preserves the persimmons’ natural sweetness and flavors, creating a special delicacy. Make sure to purchase some to enjoy this unique treat for yourself or as a special souvenir to take home.
Enjoy lunch at Tiệm gà Tuktuk (restaurant specializing in chicken dishes)
As a restaurant highly reviewed on social media platforms, Tiệm gà Tuktuk boasts a vast area, spanning hectares, beautifully decorated with a greenhouse view. Intrigued by its extensive advertising, we decided to give it a try.
My family visited during the midday, and it was quite hot, which may not be the best time for grilled dishes. It’s better to visit in the evening when it’s cooler, creating a more suitable ambiance for enjoying grilled food, especially since the restaurant lights up beautifully at night.
The menu offers a diverse range of options. While the green pepper chicken stew is a renowned dish at Tiệm gà Tuktuk, it didn’t quite suit my taste preferences. Additionally, there are various grilled chicken dishes, as well as options for pork and beef. However, the prices here are a bit on the higher side.
Last day: Enjoy great food-,night market and walking around Da Lat CBD
Tui Mo to cafe
Túi Mơ To is quite popular when mentioning Đà Lạt. This place offers both indoor and outdoor seating areas. The drink menu is quite varied, with prices starting from 45,000 VND upwards. The view from the lighted house is very beautiful, overlooking a rather spacious BBQ restaurant below.
The clientele here is mainly young people coming for check-ins, making it crowded. If you prefer a quiet and less crowded place, this might not be the ideal spot for you.
Nam Nuong grill restaurant
Quán Nầm Nướng, located near the city center, is a popular spot that you might want to avoid on weekends due to the long waiting lines. The grill menu features beef and pork. Other offerings include salads, hot pots, etc. A unique dish that caught my attention was the fried potato salad, offering a distinctive taste. Another highlight was the crispy fried shrimp with salted egg, coated in a rich sauce, perfectly complemented by dipping it in green chili salt, making for an incredibly delicious bite.
At the noodle counter, complimentary sauces are provided, so those who enjoy vegetables can freely add various types of vegetables and sauces. Guests can use the vegetables to create salads or enjoy them in hot pots. Additionally, there are dessert fruits such as guava and watermelon.
Night market- Da Lat square
After satisfying our appetites, we took a leisurely stroll to Đà Lạt’s square and night market to take photos. It was quite lively there, and we indulged in grilled rice paper with hot milk, a perfect combination for the slightly chilly weather, while enjoying the hustle and bustle of people passing by. It’s an experience not to be missed when visiting the city of thousands of flowers.
Afterward, we walked to the night market, a bustling area filled with stalls selling clothes, various fruits, and local specialties of Đà Lạt. Venturing further into the market, we found stalls offering dried food items and Đà Lạt specialties such as dried persimmons, dried mangoes, dried fruits, candied nuts, and artichoke tea. Remember to compare prices and negotiate when making purchases 🙂
I’ve noticed that Đà Lạt isn’t as cold as it used to be. It’s somewhat hot during the day and mildly cool at night, not excessively chilly. Despite the increased number of cafes, tourist areas, and industrialization compared to the past, Đà Lạt still retains its allure for tourists with its characteristic green pine forests and mountainous landscapes.
Things to do in Da Lat
My reviews of the grilled restaurants and cafes in Đà Lạt aim to provide specific insights into these establishments, helping you make informed choices for your trip. If you’re interested in discovering more about transportation options in Da Lat, click here to learn more.
Wishing you a delightful and fascinating journey full of wonderful discoveries and experiences.