To break up a long journey to HoiAn we decided to stopover in a mountain town of Dalat. There was an option to travel overnight from Saigon but the driving conditions mixed with head-on passing on a one-lane mountain coastal road full of twists and turns had me worried and we chose to hop on the early morning bus instead. This of course had some tradeoffs - we lost a day of sightseeing and the eight hours in transit left us tired, even though Phoung Thrang has super comfortable buses [and less expensive than companies that cater to tourists]. Once in Dalat we pulled out survival tactics from the backpacker's hat and walked in next door to the hotel where the minibus dropped everyone off - which got us a far superior room with floor to ceiling windows and a balcony for a fraction of a cost. Unfortunately, even though it’s not as overwhelming as in India, ‘Commission Enterprise’ in Vietnam is in full swing, forcing you to be on top of the game in order to get your money’s worth...we made sure we did, enjoyed our room to the fullest watching TV, taking countless showers and abusing wi-fi privileges.
After a day of overcast and passing rain the sun came out and Dalat’s beauty was at a short walk’s grasp. The City of Eternal Spring, as it’s nicknamed, offers spectacular weather year round and the time of our visit was no exception. The air was crisp, the sky iris blue, with beautiful cumulus clouds [we watched lots of Discovery Channel while in town], and the temperature perfect 30C @ 80% humidity. It was a given we would stay for more than one day.
Thanks to a tacit agreement between Saigon and Hanoi during the war, Dalat was not bombed and remains much as it was half a century ago. The town, dotted with lakes and waterfalls, is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains. Small streets hug the hilly terrain presenting amazing views and vignettes of picturesque urban beauty, while the environs offer many outdoor adventures. Colors and shadow lines are amazing, even in mid afternoon sun. Photo Geek Squad headed to town for full blown snapshot extravaganza.
After a day of overcast and passing rain the sun came out and Dalat’s beauty was at a short walk’s grasp. The City of Eternal Spring, as it’s nicknamed, offers spectacular weather year round and the time of our visit was no exception. The air was crisp, the sky iris blue, with beautiful cumulus clouds [we watched lots of Discovery Channel while in town], and the temperature perfect 30C @ 80% humidity. It was a given we would stay for more than one day.
covered in purple blossoms
Thanks to a tacit agreement between Saigon and Hanoi during the war, Dalat was not bombed and remains much as it was half a century ago. The town, dotted with lakes and waterfalls, is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains. Small streets hug the hilly terrain presenting amazing views and vignettes of picturesque urban beauty, while the environs offer many outdoor adventures. Colors and shadow lines are amazing, even in mid afternoon sun. Photo Geek Squad headed to town for full blown snapshot extravaganza.
Banana leaves, avocados and lemon grass. We can't seem to get enough of these markets.
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