Da Lat - Vintage town

Da Lat is a big city gifted by nature, beautiful view and amazing weather. But, it's not all of it yet! Da Lat is actually also a small little town with friendly neighbourhood, hundreds years old churches, boutique cafe shop. It has many special features that leaves you speechless.  The vintage town that you need to stop by.

Basic info:

In the first half of the 20th century, the people of France have planned and built up a beautiful city with villas, offices, hotels, schools and an education plus tourist centre. Da Lat is a city of diverse religion with hundreds of temples, churches, monasteries.

Productive agricultural region especially with products of vegetables and flowers. Thanks to the mild climate, beautiful natural scenery and rich architectural heritage, Da Lat is also known with other names such as "the city of fog", City of the cherry blossoms" or "the little Paris". The city also has the central role of politics, economy and culture of the Lam Dong province.

Chicken Church

The Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari, also known as the Chicken Church because on top of the bell tower has a big statue of a chicken, symbolise for France This is the Cathedral of the Bishop of the Diocese of Da Lat, also is the biggest church in Da Lat, one of the typical buildings and most ancient of the city. Also the church is the only Roman Catholic architecture in Vietnam.

In the inside, the church is beautiful sculptured and well made in details, all of the glasses on the building has significant God image which is so pretty. The front and back are decorated with some Da Lat's unique flower, plants and the amazing view from above.

• Located at 15 Tran Phu, ward 3, Da Lat, Lam Dong Province.

Domaine de Marie Church

Also known as the Vinh Son Church, the architecture has a lot of innovation compared to the classical church in the West. It has the shape of the cross but much more liberal: 11 m width and 33 m length. There are two steps to the main door and enter the main hall. The roof system, shaped like the communal house of the Tay Nguyen ethnic group. The roof is quite steep, with red tile roofs made in Vietnam.

In the inside, in addition to the chapel and two monasteries, other facilities have been used for public purposes. At present, she has raised a lot of orphans and vocational training for children such as weaving, embroidery and painting. .

• Located at Ngo Quyen Street, about 1 km from the center of Da Lat.

The hand of Buddha

The Buddha's hand was created by the owner of the Hoa Trang resort, braided with wire ropes firmly, protruding in the middle of the forest and mountain, recommended for beautiful view pickup all of the sunlight, wind blowing and rain.

Beside the hand of Buddha, Hoa Son resort also has many beautiful scenery for you to discover such as triangle flower field, Sa Pa flower garden, cherry blossom, thousand years old tree, gate to heaven, treehouse.

• Located at Ta Nung Lam Dong Pass (Highway 725), connecting to the town of Nam Ban, in Hoa Trang resort.

Da Lat train station

Da Lat Station has many historic landmarks and is an ancient and beautiful station in Southeast Asia that still remains. Da Lat Station has many historic landmarks and is an ancient and beautiful station in Southeast Asia that remains. This is a vintage railway station of our country. The station is designed since early twentieth century. In addition, the station still remain steam train but . Their is also a small cafe inside the train for you to rest. 

You can actually buy a ticket for a mini tour around Da Lat Station at the one and only train that is still working, you can buy the ticket that leads you to Trai Mat ticket price applies to foreign visitors are often more expensive than for the citizen. Fare for foreigners is 170,000 VND / person for round trip. For those who buy one way ticket is 150,000 VND.

• Located at Quang Trung street, ward 10 of Da Lat city.

Trai Mat

Trai Mat is absolute heaven for those who love nature, its on the mountain and plant a lot of trees, flowers and especially teas and vegetables, all fresh and cool! It is a colourful village covers in fogs and cloud. Giving you chills and fresh fresh air. Terraces can also be seen a lot here.

• Located from the center of Da Lat city about 8.0km toward South, follow the Tran Hung Dao street, Hung Vuong street, it takes about 20 minutes to drive to get to Trai Mat tourist resort. Or you can go on the Da Lat train station and experience the ride.

Da Lat Pedagogy College

Also known as Grand Lycée Yersin College was recognised by the World Association of Architects (UIA) as one of the 1,000 unique works of the world in the 20th century. It was created in 1927 by the French. The school is still working and teaching students. 

Visitors are allowed to visit the place when the school is absent and closed when their is school schedule.

• Located at 29 Yersin, ward 10 of Da Lat city.

Check out my last Da Lat blog: http://vietnam1001.blogspot.com/2018/05/da-lat-flower-city-of-vietnam.html

Kelly Khe Nguyen [19/8/2018]

Vung Tau - Boutique beach city

The beach city ugly yet beautiful, small yet big, lonely yet bustling. The one and only boutique Vung Tau. One of the most famous destination of the East of Vietnam. Vung Tau has always been an attractive to-go list for visitor, foreign and citizen. Why? Let's find out and you might also want to add it to your to-go list!

Basic info:

Vung Tau is a city in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, in the Southeast of Vietnam. It is an economic,  culture, tourist center of the Southeast. Owned many beautiful beaches. Vung Tau is a famous tourist destination in the South. In addition, the city is also a logistics area of the Vietnam oil and gas industry. As of May 2, 2012, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province moved to Ba Ria town. Vung Tau City is recognized as the first class city belonging to the first province of the South.

Vung Tau is a coastal city with 42 km of coastline, Mount Tuong Ky is 245 m high and Tao Phung Mountain is 170 m high. Been considered as the oldest lighthouse in Vietnam for over 100 years old, 18m tall. Ho May is a large fresh water lake and primeval forest. The city is surrounded by the sea, forests, high mountains, in addition there are rivers and many large lakes help the climate here peacefully year round, in the city there are many trees and flowers are grown everywhere.

Long Hai:

Long Hai is a small town belongs to Vung Tau. It is one of the places that many tourists are interested when visit Vung Tau. Long Hai has a pleasant weather through out all year that you can visit at any time. But the best time for the visit are November and December because at this time the weather is cool, convenient for swimming, relaxing and especially watch the blooming cherry blossom forest.

Long Hai beach

There are many unspoilt, clean, golden sand stretched across the beach, clear calm blue water. In addition to bathing, visitors can enjoy the fresh seafood, delicious early in the morning.

Long Hai fishing village

Fishing village in Long Hai is simple but always busy with the fishing activities. If you want to visit these fishing villages, you should ask locals for directions because the entrance is not easy to find.

Going to the beach in the early morning, visitors will encounter the basketboats full of fish and bustling shopping with many fresh seafood. Wich is much fresher and cheaper than the market price.

Truc Lam Monastery - Monkey Temple

Monkey Monastery is about 2.5km. The temple attract visitors are humorous monkeys, nurtured in the the mountain natural environment at the back of the temple.

Ho Coc Beach

The beach is over 500m long with one side of the sea and one side of the forest with blue ocean, creating a peaceful feeling of absolute relaxation. Ho Coc Beach has Ho Coc Tourist Area open for visitors to bath, have fun time and suitable for all ages.

Relics

Beside beaches, Vung Tau also has lots of historical relics which are interesting to visit.

Statue of God

Statue of God, spreading his arms standing on the top of Small Mountain of Vung Tau City, built in 1974. This statue is 32 m high and his arms are18.3 m long  Inside, there are 133 stairs up lead visitors to the two hands of the statue which are the big balcony and amazing view. The statue can be seen as a parallel version of the goddess hand in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Located at the top of Small Mount, Vung Tau City.

White Palace

In 1898, Governor General Paul Doumer built the Villa Blanche on the fortress of Phuoc Thang. Bach Dinh is a 3 storey Roman architecture, 19 m high, back leaning on Big Mountain. There are also 19 cannons maintain.

Located at 10 Tran Phu Street, Vung Tau City.

Vung Tau Lighthouse 

From here, you can see the whole Vung Tau hidden in the mist, the crescent shaped beach, Minh Dam mountain green. Or look down just below, the forest flowers bright highlights the solid of the entire city.

Located at the top of Small Mount, Vung Tau City.

By Kelly Khe Nguyen [27/7/2018]

Hon Bay Canh - Tropical island

This is a very special place that you should come if you're interested in exploring the beauty of true nature and want to enjoy fresh, quiet, relax moment, then this amazing tropical island is the ideal vacation for you -Hon Bay Canh-

Basic info:

Hon Bay Canh is the second largest island of the 16 islands of Con Dao - archipelago, located in the East of Con Dao, Hon Bay Canh is covered by primary forest, mangrove forest in tropical island ecosystem with 882 species of plants and nearly 150 species of animals.
The number of sea turtles to lay most in Vietnam. Each year there are hundreds of mother tortoises on the spawning grounds. The whole island is covered by primitive tropical forest, with rich composition and forest vegetation.

The island has become a paradise for those who love the fresh and quiet. Hon Bay Canh is famous for its beautiful scenery, charming nature and historical monuments. To Hon Bay Canh, visitors not only to enjoy the scenery, enjoy the delicious food but also experience the exciting activities such as sea fishing, squid fishing, scuba diving. In particular, diving activities to watch coral in recent years has been the focus of tourism centers, interest and organized into tours to serve tourists.

Nature:

The island has a rich and diverse ecosystem, lush greenery, clean and clear sea. There are also many wildlife species because of the forest and the sea are well protected. You can hired a kayak, boat and sail yourself or you can buy a mini tour there.

Steep cliffs next to unspoilt beaches and clear blue water. Natural paradise with jungles, jade water, white sands and home to sea cows, dolphins, sea turtles and spectacular coral reefs. If you visit the island on the right time of the year which is around July, you can see and experience baby turtle come to life.

Cloral reefs:

The special feature of the island is the alive, colourful coral reef.  Stunning, you can go dive and enjoy the beauty yourself, by check the tour online.

By Kelly Khe Nguyen [23/5/2018]

Da Lat - Flower city of Vietnam

Da Lat most attraction places

Vietnam has lots of destinations for tourist, foreigns to visit. Da Lat is one of the most famous destination that everyone should visit at least one. Here're some Da Lat most attraction places and some of the interesting things about Da Lat

Weather

Da Lat has an unique weather, cold. It's always cold through out the whole year even in summer! In a single day, Da Lat has 4 term and change of the weather. In the morning, it's spring alike, cool chill and sunny. Noon is summer, it's the hottest time of the day. Afternoon is fall alike and the evening is the winter, the coldest.

Nature

Nature of Da Lat is so great because of the special weather. This place has some unique origin of flowers, trees and plants, some of them grow wildly anywhere. That's why some of the destination are random but it is one of Da Lat most attraction place.

Wild sunflower (Sithonia diversifolia)

The very beautiful unique flower that you can't find anywhere else. It's special cause of the pop 
yellow and grow in big bushes. This flower has a time in a year that it will bloom altogether, so if you pick the right timing, you can see this beautiful flower anywhere in Da Lat.

Hydrangea 

They mostly grow in Da Lat only because they can only live in cold weather. They are planted and take care by the farmer. This kind of flower has lots of colours, they are all pastel: pink, blue, yellow, white and cream. The flowers grow into a big bouquet and usually fill up the whole hill or a field.

Here are some address to Hydrangea hill or field:

• Located in Xuan Tho commune, in the east of Da Lat city. From the city centre, follow the National Road 20 to Trai Mat, passing Trai Mat Station at 500m, you will see a guide to the Cam Ly flower field on the left. This flower garden is a relatively new sight in the city of thousand flowers. The entrance ticket is 15.000 VND

• From the city centre, go straight national highway 20 (Tran Hung Dao Street) - Tran Quy Cap - Phan Chu Trinh, to Than Tho lake then you will see road 723. Right there, you will admire the wide field of brightness. It is right next to the pine tree forest.

Pine tree forest

Da Lat pine tree forest is very charming and dreamy. The forest can have up to 4 storeys, but it doesn't create any shade, dark. Up to now, it is impossible to answer the origin of the three-leafed species grown in Da Lat, we only know that this is the home of this economic value tree. Pine forest is the green lung of the city, bringing fresh air and scenic scenery.

To visit the forest, here are some address:

• Next to Tuyen Lam lake
• Anywhere beside the roads

Tuyen Lam lake

Located underneath the Phoenix Mountains and in southeast of Truc Lam monastery which is beside the centre of the city. Tuyen Lam lake is the biggest lake in Da Lat and it's considered as a complex of many beautiful scenery and tourist areas, rich services.
The lake was first found by Farraut and was named in 1987.

Tuyen Lam lake is so beautiful so it's has a lot of coffee shop, restaurant and resort surround, that's why it is one of Da Lat most attraction place for tourist.

To me, it is best to sit down relax, drink a cup of anything you want beside Tuyen Lam lake in a rainy day. I know it might sounds weird but to watch the raindrop spread in the surface of the lake will give you the best feelings ever, relaxing and dreamy.

Here are ways to get to the lake:

• Hoa Binh area - Le Dai Hanh road – Tran Quod Toan road – Tung Mau lake - April 3rd road - Pass Pren - Truc Lam monastery - Tuyen Lam lake

• Hoa Binh area – February 3rd road – Pasteur – Trieu Viet Vuong – Tran Thanh Tong road – Truc Lam monastery - Tuyen Lam lake

Night market

This is a special market that's only open at night when everywhere seems to go to sleep, this place is crowded and alive. It has lots of Da Lat unique cuisine that you need to try, ex: banh trang nuong (baked rice paper), hot soy milk, BBQ, ice-cream,... The market also has lots of sellers that make hand-made clothes, toys by wool. I suggest that you should join and experience this place to know the culture and also people here.

To visit the night market, you should follow:
Entrance at 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, right in the center of Da Lat city. The market open from  6 pm daily, Da Lat Market can open until 9-10 pm (depending on the season, such as summer, travel season and Tet usually sell late. )


By Kelly Khe Nguyen - 2018