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in Vietnam

A Flight Over Đà Lạt in 1968–1971 Before the Tourism Boom

If you’ve taken a trip to Lâm Đồng within the last few years, these scenes seem like a distant dream of a sparsely populated and verdant Đà Lạt that’s engulfed by nature.

Paul Christiansen

in Vietnam

Revisiting the Coats of Arms of Vietnam's Major Cities Under French Rule

Did you know that several Vietnamese cities have coats of arms?

in Music & Arts

In Quện's Live Sets, Đà Lạt's Everyday Corners Turn Spontaneous Stages

All attention was aimed towards the same direction, the one where an accident had just taken place. Near 24C, Hoàng Diệu Street in the city of Đà Lạt, two vehicles collided. The shock and chaos attrac...

in Vietnam Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Đà Lạt's Nomadic 'Cafe' Has No Menu, No Store, and One Table

During a recent trip to Đà Lạt, a friend invited me for coffee at 5:30am. The frosty climate of the Central Highlands mornings concerned me, but upon hearing the pitch about a whimsical cafe that oper...

in Vietnam

From Saigon to Đà Lạt: A Tourist's Journey Through Vietnam in 1963

Old archives of images from 1960s Saigon are easy to come by, but how often does one get to have a peek into the past version of Đà Lạt.

in Parks & Rec

I Went Cloud-Hunting and Found Peace Atop Đà Lạt's Tea Hill

Northern California is blessed with serene nature. Growing up there, pathless trails and cloudy mountain peaks were my safe havens, and when returning home on break from college, it was a tradition to...

in Architecture

Amid Bảo Lộc Hills, a Wooden Cafe Floats Amongst the Clouds

In the middle of nowhere Bảo Lộc, perched on the side of an alternative national road is the wooden carapace of Nguyen Coffee, a veritable “Noah’s ark” welcoming travelers in for a short break to enjo...

in Travel

Officials Announce (Yet Another) Plan to Restore Historic Đà Lạt-Tháp Chàm Railway

The 84-km railway line connecting Đà Lạt and Tháp Chàm (Phan Rang) was built between 1908 and 1932 and abandoned in 1976.

in Environment

In Đà Lạt, Greenhouses Revolutionize Farming, but at What Environmental Cost?

Plastic greenhouses in the city of Đà Lạt may protect farmers from the impacts of erratic weather, but the environmental toll of agri-plastics is building in the agriculture-dependent region.

in Vietnam

[Video] Vintage VHS Travelogue Takes You to Đà Lạt in 1992

Get ready for a road trip with nostalgia riding shotgun.

Paul Christiansen

in Travel

On the Hunt for Colorful Murals in Đà Lạt's Hilly Hẻms

Was color a casualty of COVID-19? Along with the freedom to gather, to attend live concerts and travel, did the pandemic rob us of opportunities to fully appreciate color?

in Vietnam

Đà Lạt Tourism Site Blasted Online for Hot Pot-Style Color Scheme

It joins the ever-growing list of tourist attractions widely panned by the internet.

in Development

Da Lat Forges Ahead on 10-Story Hotel Atop Governor's Palace Hill

The ten-story luxury complex proposed to replace the historic Dinh Tỉnh Trưởng (Provincial Governor's Palace) will include hotels, conference halls, commercial areas, restaurants and botanical gardens...

in Vietnam

Da Lat Installs First-Ever Traffic Lights to Stem Road Congestion

A new era has begun for the increasingly busy mountain city.

in Vietnam

[Photos] Rare Photos From Above Show a Sparsely Developed Da Lat in 1966

When we think of Da Lat today, we imagine a fully formed city of flowers, fruits and mountain photoshoots.

in Vietnam

[Photos] Da Lat's Charming Green Landscapes as Seen in 1969

The mountain escape was a thriving farming area long before the recent boom in organic produce. 

in Vietnam

Da Lat Is Getting First-Ever Traffic Lights to Help With Congestion

Wild times in Da Lat.

Khoi Pham

in Music & Arts

A Designer From Da Lat Brings His Hometown's Beauty to a Calendar Project

Da Lat is not merely a place, it’s a state of mind.

in Architecture

Architecture College to Renovate Da Lat's Abandoned Franciscan Mission

Recently, the University of Architecture HCMC (UAHCMC) announced plans to renovate Da Lat’s abandoned Franciscan mission. Due to the popularity of the complex among locals and tourists, the building’s...

in Travel

In Suburban Đà Lạt, With Spring Comes Mai Anh Đào's Breathtaking Pink Tapestry

Mai anh đào, or wild Himalayan cherry flower trees, blooms the brightest and most intensely in Lâm Đồng Province for a few short weeks from the end of January until mid February.

Khoi Pham

in Vietnam Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Da Lat's Ngàn Cafe Is as Comforting as an Embrace

Walking down Da Lat’s Robin Hill amid emerald pine trees and languid fluffs of cloud, one’s eyes will inevitably encounter a visual disturbance in the form of bright orange plastic maple trees. They a...

Michael Tatarski

in Travel

An Eye-Opening Mushroom Farm in Da Lat for Budding Mycologists

It could be argued that mushrooms are among nature's strangest creations.

in Vietnam Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Cù Rú, an Old Saigon Bar That Took Root in Da Lat

Editor's note: Cù Rú Bar, the artists' solace, was born in Saigon by a tightknit group of friends and lovers, fueling creative souls with delectable homemade rượu cocktails, the group relocated to Da ...

Michael Tatarski

in Travel

At Da Lat's Biological Museum, a Demented Homage to Vietnam's Vanishing Wildlife

Sometimes when traveling, you come across something so utterly odd that you simply don't know what to make of it.

Paul Christiansen

in Travel

At Da Lat's Secluded Da Phuoc Temple, Insights Into Cao Dai Teachings

Perched on top of a hilly area, Da Lat's Cao Dai temple is a towering structure of vibrant aesthetics and intriguing mysticism.

Paul Christiansen

in Food Culture

When in Da Lat, All Roads Lead to Bánh Mì Xíu Mại

Which rendition of bánh mì xíu mại you prefer may say more about you than it does Da Lat’s beloved meatballs.

in Development

Plans to Build Hotel Complex on Da Lat's Đồi Dinh Opposed by Experts

Da Lat authorities are moving forward with a master plan to redesign the city’s central area, but the project has been controversial from the start.

in Sports

Dalat Ultra Trail Race Called off After Flash Flood Kills Runner

Last weekend's Ultra Trail Dalat Marathon ended in tragedy.

in Vietnam

Da Lat Officials Stop Construction of Illegal Glass Bridge in Valley of Love

Somehow work on the bridge had progressed significantly before anyone noticed.

in Vietnam

Da Lat Hit by Toxic Air From Cam Ly Landfill Fire

Blazes were burning at the Cam Ly landfill for over a week.

in Travel

[Photos] Tractors and Cabbages: A Different Da Lat Away From Urban Chaos

Not looking for a fancy destination, I sought out Da Lat for a different perspective that’s comfier, simpler and quieter.

in Travel

Iconic Da Lat College Closes Doors to Tourists Indefinitely

A well-traveled tourist attraction in Da Lat recently closed its doors to visitors due to insufficient resources.

in Food Culture

The Distinctly Da Lat Comfort of Bonding Over Coffee Beans

After a two-year stint as an English teacher in Saigon, Nick Melhuish decided that it was time to call it quits. He moved to Da Lat with his partner Brianna and his dog Sausage to open a bed & breakfa...

in Food Culture

Da Lat, the Unlikely Home of El Salvador's Rare Pacamara Coffee Beans

In a previous life, Nguyen Van Son was an auto parts salesperson. As a gift of appreciation for his wife, he acquired a seemingly trivial plot of land in Da Lat and made it a place where the family co...

in Food Culture

The Lush Da Lat Cottage That Houses Unexpected Italian Delights

As Da Lat’s wet season comes to a close, cool weather and sunshine greet local and foreign visitors on a daily basis. People from colder cities such as Hanoi appreciate Da Lat’s comfortable average of...

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The Best Bánh Căn Da Lat...in Saigon

Is there any cooking utensil that’s as magical as the bánh căn mold?

Brian Letwin

in Development

From French Villas to Slums, Da Lat's Lost Charm

Da Lat, once a sleepy French vacation town, full of ornate villas and majestic pine forests, is in danger of losing what charm still remains. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the city’s pine tr...

Brian Letwin

in Development

The Sad Story of Da Lat’s Disappearing Pine Trees

Known as “the city of a thousand pine trees,” unregulated deforestation and development have taken their toll on Da Lat’s forests and pine tree population. There was once a time when many of Da Lat’s...