There is something peaceful about Da Lat that calls for like-minded souls to go to the mountain town together. Every time I go, I take the bus from Saigon to Da Lat late at night, arriving in Da Lat early in the morning. I wander the streets that are still sleeping, waiting for the banh can shop at 14 Tang Bat Ho or the banh mi xiu mai shop at 47 Hoang Dieu to wake up, then I will have some food to warm up. Then, out of habit, I will get on the bus, go far away to the outskirts of Da Lat and explore everything around.
How many times have I been to Da Lat? I can't count anymore. But I remember the first time I set foot here in 2008, when I first fell in love. Nine years have passed, and I've been to Da Lat at least three times a year. I've gone through strange seasons of love in Da Lat. The people I go with and work with may be different, the places I visit are also different, so perhaps no season has the same taste as any other. Go to Da Lat to love like the first time you've been in love, because the cold air here makes your heart flutter, searching for warm lips. Coming to Da Lat doesn't just stop at the mountain town, but also takes your lover to find a place to hide from the noisy crowds.
Go to Da Lat to love like the first time. The people you go with and the places you visit may be different, so perhaps no season has the same taste as any other.
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So, don't come to Da Lat just to hang around the city. Because if you just go a little further, ride a motorbike to enjoy the cold wind of the plateau, you will see many unimaginable beauties that this place can bring.
I still like to walk around Xuan Huong Lake, go to Da Lat market. But of course, I don’t want to do the same thing every 100 times I come here. Perhaps it is because I am willing to “go a little further” that I can fill my feelings for Da Lat with each time, which is never the same.
Ta Nung Commune
Located about 15km west of Da Lat city center, Ta Nung is a small commune but it brought me the most poetic things on my trip. It was a great feeling to run on DT725 road, passing through rows of wild sunflowers blooming at the end of the year. And entering the land of flower fields with many types of flowers such as buckwheat, purple heather and endless coffee farms.
Hydrangea flower field in Xuan Tho commune
Hydrangeas are very famous in Da Lat, can be found everywhere, every season in the city. But to have an area of more than 20 hectares of such a flower is really rare like in Xuan Tho. Many people taking wedding photos have also started to come here to have sparkling photos. But for me, the feeling of letting my soul drift with the tiny petals gathered into bunches like that is magical. It's like living in the story of Alice in Wonderland, walking among giant flowers while my body is shrunk.
Because it is a private flower field, with entrance fees or on-site flower sales, the field is well maintained and free of trash. From Da Lat city, go to Highway 20, about 11 km to Trai Mat station, from here go another 500m, look to the left and there will be a sign to the flower garden.
“For me, the feeling of letting my soul drift with the tiny petals gathered into bunches like that is magical, like living in the story of Alice in Wonderland.”
Hunting for "snow" in Dalat!
Dalat “snow” is actually a layer of morning dew covering the withered grass, and under the effect of sunlight, it sparkles white when viewed against the light. That day we were quite lucky because there was no wind, no rain, and the sun rose at 7am, making the whole field glow white. The friend who showed us the way smiled and said: “I am a local, and it has been 10 trips here but only once have I seen such beautiful white dew!”
The first thing to do when going “snow hunting” is to wake up early, sacrificing sleep to catch the dew before it completely disappears at around 8am. When the sun is high, the snowfields completely disappear, keeping their beauty hidden from latecomers.
More information:
From the city center, go towards Golden Valley along Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street. When you see the Tay Nguyen Institute of Science, turn left at the intersection in front. Go inward for another 4km, before reaching Golden Valley about 3km, there is a section on the right, there is a trail going up. This section is quite dangerous, remember to go carefully. Go inward for 1km and you will see this field.
Sunflower fields in Lac Duong district
The flower field is located in the Dalat Milk factory. When entering, you just need to show your ID and park your car outside. They don’t charge an entrance fee, but I bought a carton of milk as a thank you for the factory’s hospitality.
The inside of the campus was not as crowded and “chaotic” as many articles have reported. There were trash cans everywhere and people moved in an orderly manner, because no matter how crowded it was, the land was still very spacious, there was no jostling. The way the people moved reminded me of when I went to Owakudani in Hakone, Japan. There were a lot of people but it was very orderly.
More information:
From Da Lat city, follow Highway 20 back towards Duc Trong, pass Finom intersection. When you reach Bong Lai intersection, turn left, go another 5km and you will see the factory and go in to see the sunflowers.
There are warm homes…
Dalat always gives me a wonderful warm feeling, when you do not need to go inside the resorts, luxury hotels to stay. I always look for places that bring the most "home" atmosphere for myself and my companions.
The Shelter Homestay
Breakfast at Poshtel Homestay Dalat
Every time I come here, I stay in a new place and eat “home-cooked meals” as if it were the first time. I once stayed at Été - a small hostel in the city center - warm and friendly. I also visited Poshtel - a house in the clouds with white color and green garden. Or visit The Shelter Homestay to experience the feeling of hiding in a camping tent for yourself.
Eté Homestay
The Shelter Homestay
Every time I come here, each place I stay gives me a different feeling of “home”, but all of them have a cozy center. Coming here with my lover, I will still choose these houses, to sit down and eat together at mealtime, chatting with the owner about strange things in life. And living through different seasons of love in the flowery mountain town.
… And hot cups of coffee with the one I love
Want to be romantic with your lover again? When you are tired of traveling to the districts, communes, and towns out there, just come back to the city. I often do that.
In the morning I went far away, in the afternoon I leisurely went to the coffee shops in the city, ordered a hot cup of cappuccino to enjoy. I brought a book with me, opened it and did not say a word to the person next to me; we both pondered in our own world.
For me, when we love each other, we don’t need too many sweet words. Just a few moments of silence are enough to understand each other. And Da Lat with the coffee shops I visited like An Coffee, Bi.cycle.up, La Viet Cafe gave me two things: warmth and a good cup of coffee. Now, just having someone who loves me and understands me is enough!
Article and photos: Ly Thanh Co
