If you can't stand the heat and humid saigon

[bobtrann 0]

For those of you who wants to visit your Viet wife or fiancee but can't stand the stiffling heat and humidity of Saigon or the south, may I suggest you take a trip to Dalat. Dalat is a very beautiful and cool mountanous town 5 hrs drive from Saigon. The impression I get of the place is similar to northern Cali but more green or a chillier hawaii. I was in Dalat in Feb and never sweat at all the whole time I was there. Unfortunately, Dalat has an unbelievable amount of flies...they're everywhere even in the fancy restaurants. Also, I saw a tour bus fall off the ditch...so the trip could be very exciting indeed.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Ride horses in the "Valley of Love" gardens. Lots of fun.

The guys who lead the horses will take pictures of your ride. I had my guide take some pictures with my camera, as well. After the ride, they take the pictures to the souvenir booth where you can have souvenirs printed with the pictures you select. We had a couple of coffee cups made with the attached picture (taken on my camera).

Also, if you aren't into the long cab ride from Saigon, there is a Da Lat airport. It's in the valley below the mountain, but it's only a half hour taxi ride to the city. The flight from Saigon is less than 1/2 an hour.

[hniHnitsuJ 8]

Ride horses in the "Valley of Love" gardens. Lots of fun.

The guys who lead the horses will take pictures of your ride. I had my guide take some pictures with my camera, as well. After the ride, they take the pictures to the souvenir booth where you can have souvenirs printed with the pictures you select. We had a couple of coffee cups made with the attached picture (taken on my camera).

Also, if you aren't into the long cab ride from Saigon, there is a Da Lat airport. It's in the valley below the mountain, but it's only a half hour taxi ride to the city. The flight from Saigon is less than 1/2 an hour.

Thung Lung Tinh Yeu, and Ho Thang Tho.

[EmYeu 3]

Loves Da Lat.. got my wedding pictures taken there last Feb.

very lovely place.

[Xinh_Will 1]

Da Lat was really nice just this last April, but one word of warning--don't forget the sunscreen.

I chillaxed a bit too much and got a nasty sunburn. Very sunny despite the mile temperatures, 70 degrees or so all day. Great place though! Lots to see and do. We did Prenn, Bao Dai's Palace, Datanla--just to name a few things. The produce is top notch. Wine is a big draw amongst the locals-usually decent, cheap and plentiful. Got a few bottles-including some persimmon "wine" that I didn't notice until I got home was 35%! It was a good enough liqueur, but certainly not what I expected.

[ScottThuy 140]

Will be in dalat in 3 weeks...

[quann 26]

i'm going against the grain here, but for me and my family dalat is overrated. it's not THAT cool, temp still in the 80's...and not that beautiful. maybe we just hit all the wrong spots (prenn, thung lung tinh yeu, all the touristy spots etc). been there twice and wasn't impressed either time. driving around the city and seeing some french colonial architecture and home designs was cool tho.

vung tau still my favorite city. beach town with a relaxing atmosphere with HCM only an hour+ away.

[pholy 0]

love da lat for it's scenery, weather and food. too bad there are so many tour buses. never seen so many buses in my life.

[ScottThuy 140]

i'm going against the grain here, but for me and my family dalat is overrated. it's not THAT cool, temp still in the 80's...and not that beautiful. maybe we just hit all the wrong spots (prenn, thung lung tinh yeu, all the touristy spots etc). been there twice and wasn't impressed either time. driving around the city and seeing some french colonial architecture and home designs was cool tho.

vung tau still my favorite city. beach town with a relaxing atmosphere with HCM only an hour+ away.

I liked Sapa more than Vung tau.. temps were chilly last time we were there and it was much like northern Italy..

[quann 26]

never been to sapa. going to sapa means i have to stop by hanoi, which i don't like for various reasons. i'm a southern vietnamese guy at heart.

[Matt_Stevens 5]

Very touresty and crowded, but still a wonderful place. I spent four magical days there in 2006 and would LOVE to spend more time. The weather is fantastic. Perfect for me.

I could only laugh slackjawed at the people in the morning, wearing heavy winter coats, harts and gloves.

Meanwhile I was in pants or shorts and a t-shirt.

[Anh map 2,098]

Count me in the DaLat is overrated camp. I can see the attraction if you're from the south. Cooler temps, etc.

[ScottThuy 140]

never been to sapa. going to sapa means i have to stop by hanoi, which i don't like for various reasons. i'm a southern vietnamese guy at heart.

You don't know what you're missin...

[tanstaafl 1]

I agree that Dalat is a little bit cooler but it's over-rated these days.

[quann 26]

You don't know what you're missin...

i've spent a little time in hanoi on my first trip back in '04 and also ha long bay and passed through noi bai this last time. hanoi is fine, i just don't like the people there. the southerners view the northern mass as more calculating, 2-faced, and ruthless. from my experience interacting with them i'd tend to agree.

of course as it works out my fiancee is northern ...thanh hoa to be specific. saw a sign in HCM recently when i was there, "Accepting work resumes, Thanh Hoa people need not apply" Hai Phong and Thanh Hoa people have bad reps.