Dalat - Vietnam Travel Information

Photos from Dalat

מנזר יער הבמבוק - Truc Lam Zen Monastery

Dalat is a mountain recreation town that lets you escape the humid climate of the coastal area. At 1500 meter above sea level, the weather is relatively pleasant throughout the year. Today Dalat is used as a main honeymoon vacation destination for young Vietnamese couples.

Dalat was built in 1897 as a recreation town for the French government officials in Vietnam. In my opinion, the city itself is not impressive at all, but the Crazy House and a tour of the area justify getting there.

Crazy House

The real name of this house is Hang Nga Guest House, but it is usually known as the Crazy House. The house is a crazy mixture of styles and materials that create a unique house, and touring it is a special experience.

The house was built by Dang Viet Nga, the daughter of Vietnam's former president, right after she finished her architecture studies in Moscow.

The house is built as an intricate maze of halls, passages and stairways, and you can roam around freely. It is even possible to rent a room for sleeping the night, but it is a bit above the average backpacker's budget.

Costs

5000 Dong (about 33 cents).

Hours

Daily: 07:00-19:00.

Pongour Waterfalls - Chicken Village

One of the interesting possibilities for a tour during your visit to Dalat is to rent a motorbike (it's possible to also take a driver) and tour the area.

The tour can include a visit to the Chicken Village and Pongour Waterfalls. The tour takes a whole day.

The Chicken Village is a village of the Koho tribe. The village's people earn their living from local crafts, but the village is famous for the huge chicken statue in its center.

The story tells about a young woman who wanted to marry a man from the nearby village but the chief forbade her from doing so. Eventually, the chief agreed to give his blessing for the wedding only if the woman will go to the forest and bring a chicken. Of course the woman did not find any chicken and died in the forest.

The reason for raising the statue is unclear - either it is a gesture for true love or an acknowledgement of the chief's authority.

The waters in the falls drop 25 meters along several steps, and when it rains, they crate an almost semi-circle of waterfalls.

The waterfalls are also named Seven Step Falls, and every year in January there is a festival where men and women try to climb the seven steps of the falls to "paradise" at the top of the waterfall.