Four things only Da Lat can offer

'You have only seen half of Vietnam's scenery if you haven’t visited Da Lat.'

Da Lat, the gorgeous city in the Central Highlands, is not just an ideal place for tourists and honey-mooners with eternal springs and a world of flowers. The city is more than just that as it holds treasures you can't find anywhere else in Vietnam.

"You have only seen half of Vietnam's scenery if you haven’t visited Da Lat," that's what tourists say once they put their feet in the city.

And here's why:

No traffic lights

Hanoi or Saigon, the two busiest cities in the country, though can be very exciting to discover, may bother tourists with their infamous traffic.

Common sense dictates that traffic lights in cities are a must to ensure traffic order and safety.

However, Da Lat begs to differ. Unlike other cities in the country, the traffic flow here is not disrupted by traffic lights. Vehicles move around leisurely on the streets. The traffic is just as cool as the weather here.


                                                 Photo by thao_ngo instagram


                                                   Photo by tapchigiaothong.vn

Lavender field at the heart of the city

Of course you can find this charming flower elsewhere in the world, but in Vietnam, Da Lat is the only city which can offer you a field of the flower. With free entry to Vietnam's flower capital, Da Lat's huge lavender field renders a trip to Provence unnecessary.

The only lavender field in the city is 1,000 square meters and located in Van Thanh flower village.


The three main kinds of lavender grown here are Lavandula dentata, Lavandula "Goodwin Creek Grey" and Lavandula stoechas. Photo by dalattrongtoi.com

The field is open after 4.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday and all day at the weekend. Lavender is a perennial flower, so you can visit the field at any time of the year. Be warned though, it rains a lot in July and August so the field gets very muddy.

The lavender field is owned by Le Tien Thanh, a local who had failed many times before he could find a way to make the foreign flowers adapt to Da Lat's soil and weather.


                                                       Photo by VnExpress

Maple forest

No need to travel to Japan for maple forest as Da Lat has its own romantic one, just beside a man-made paradise Tuyen Lam Lake.


                                          The amazing scenery. Photo by foody.vn


                                                   Photo by tintaynguyen.com


Tuyen Lam Lake, where you can hire a boat and sail to the maple forest. Photo by VnExpress/Kim Thuy

Fairy pumpkins

Overshadowed by flowers and other beautiful sights, the giant pumpkin garden has been missed out by many tourists.


                       A pumpkin can weigh up to tens of kilos. Photo by baogialai.com.vn

                                                     Photo by cand.com.vn

By Kim Thuy / VnExpress