Dalat, meaning the ‘river of the Lat people’, is a romantic getaway for Vietnamese. Upon arrival you will undoubtedly see tandem bicycles, young university students and cozy couples all blending into the scenery to help give this town a lovely air of old-school romance. However there’s plenty of action (of an entirely savoury variety) just outside of the city too! Countless wonderful excursions to fill your days including visits to traditional local minority villages, cycling through nearby pine forests and abseiling down pristine waterfalls. Dalat makes for a great two or three day visit and will help give you a refreshing understanding of the Vietnamese people and landscape.

Dalat was, until only 150 years ago, a land of hill tribes and wild pristine forests filled with tigers, elephants and rhinoceros. This all changed in the early part of the 20th Century when the French established a hill station here as a retreat for those who worked in the sweltering heat of Saigon. The town also served to help oversee and control the tea and coffee plantations nearby. The last Nguyen Emperor, Bao Dai, in the 1920’s and 30’s, built palaces here so he could relax and hunt – a golf course was even built – and soon Dalat developed into the welcoming town it is today.

Dalat Central Market, Dalat, Vietnam: I took this shot from the upstairs, prepared food level. I spent hours at this market — the produce is shown here, and there was entire other room that had meat products, rice, and eggs. Fantastic.
Photo by jen maiser

Why not go to Dalat

Dalat isn’t famous for a vibrant nightlife or white sand beaches and warm weather. However it is a great visit for a different perspective on life in Vietnam. If you are only in the country for only 10-14 days and you want to cover Vietnam’s most popular destinations and highlights then you may find yourself hard pressed to find enough time to squeeze it in as a 2 or 3 day side trip.

Why go to Dalat

Dalat is all about taking a break from the crazy, helter-skelter pace which has been chasing you through most of the major centers in Vietnam. If you feel like all you’ve seen in Vietnam is 100,000 motorbikes, busy streets and relentless construction in a drive to modernize, you may need a time-out from all of that. Dalat could be just for you.
Dalat is such a change that many tourists who have flown in from Saigon or Hanoi have had to be reminded that they are not, in fact, in an entirely different country! The landscape is different, as are the people, the cuisine, the pace of life … even the air is fresh! Beyond all of this Dalat is a great base for checking out many of the nearby attractions including waterfalls, national parks, minority villages and for the historians out there the legacy of the French influence in Indochina can be seen through the old and kitsch French architecture.

Best time to go to Dalat

Without a doubt the best time of year to visit Dalat is during the annual flower festival which usually falls in December or early January. The 2010 festival runs from January 1st – 4th. Dalat is a wonderful place to visit most of the year, however during the local rainy season (April to November) you may find Dalat more dreary than otherwise. Having said that even in the wet season Dalat is still enjoyable in the mornings. Typically at the end of summer (around March), Dalat is dry, not as green as usual, which can spoil the impression of the town for some visitors.

Where to stay in Dalat

Hotels abound in Dalat, but if you are looking for a cheap and cheerful local option with a great central location then head to Viet Phong (30 Khu Hoa Binh) which is just near the top of the stairs, above the central market in town. However for something more luxurious and beautiful spoil yourself with a reservation at the Ana Mandara Sixsenses Hideaway (Duong Le Lai.) The secluded location and private restored villas from the 1920s and 1930s make this an amazing place to settle in for a few nights if you can afford the price tag.

Where to eat / dine in Dalat

A great local eatery can be found at Ngoc Duy (14b Hunh Thuc Khang Street – not far from Crazy house.) Their vegetable soup, venison and banana flambé are to die for! Another great option is the Café de la poste (Tran Phu) which is opposite the Novotel hotel in town, they do a great breakfast.

Nightlife in Dalat

Saigon nites (Hai Ba Trung street) is probably your best option in town. However for a cozy and quiet setting try Larry’s bar underneath the Sofitel hotel. This quiet little bar runs a great happy hour and is a fun place to have a few drinks and imagine what life in Dalat would’ve been like back in the middle part of the 20th Century.

My to do list in and around Dalat

• The Dalat market is my favorite market in all of Vietnam. The produce available is incredibly diverse and the candy section as you first walk in can keep you busy for hours with taste testing (eagerly encouraged by the sellers!) Make sure you try one of the local specialties, artichoke tea.
• The Dalat cable car (opened in 2003) is a must as it carries you soundlessly over forests, vegetable gardens and right down to a beautiful pagoda that lies above the Quang Trung reservoir. The views from the cable car station back over town are great.
• Bao Dai’s summer palace (which is now a museum) would’ve been a fun place to call home. Completed in the 1930s it adhered to the popular trends of the time and is now very kitsch in it’s art-deco design.
• A morning walk around the 7km Xuan Huong lake in the middle of town is a wonderful way to take in the sites of Dalat.
• A visit to Prenn waterfall is worthwhile, especially for the kids, who will definitely enjoy the luge/bobsled down to the base of the falls.

Stay away from

Avoid walking through the back of the local market unless you are interested in seeing live animals which are soon to become meals. Also be wary of hiring a bicycle and cycling around the city unless you have a good map and are prepared to tackle the hills. Be aware that the streets in Dalat make it a very easy place to get lost, so take a business card from you hotel whenever you head out. At night, keep an eye out for the local Eiffel tower (a telecommunications tower), the central lake or the market to keep you bearings.

Getting there

There are daily flights to both Hanoi and Saigon. Bus connections are also available to Saigon, (6-9 hours), Nha Trang (4-5 hours), Mui Ne (6-7 hours) and Hoi An (10-12 hours.) There is a local train but this only runs a short distance to the Linh Phuoc pagoda and returns along the same track. If you are interested in the train trip keep in mind that the train only runs when there are enough passengers so inquire at your hotel, or at any of the tour agencies in town, for possible departures.

The Buffalo Festival of Do Son
Photo by Joshua Owen

Seconds stretched into minutes. It was time for action. Busting with anticipation I took it upon myself to speed up proceedings. Hoping to spur the animals into action, I called on my very best Vietnamese and boomed a mighty, “cố lên!” (‘rise up’ or ‘give it your best shot.’) In an instant all heads turned. My face burned with the eyes of countless, hot and frustrated Vietnamese. The tension was palpable.

Look at the crowd!
Photo by Joshua Owen

I frantically racked my brains to work out what social faux pas I had committed, or was it the mispronunciation of my basic Vietnamese? Then as if so often the case with these friendly and playful people a sea of smiles signaled a call to arms and in unison the 100 or so people around me echoed my sentiments with a far mightier shout of “cố lên!”. The suspense suddenly broken the bulls charged toward each other and locked horns in their now, all too familiar, embrace.

I had known of this festival but had never had the opportunity so when a Vietnamese friend asked if I was interested I lept at the opportunity. I’m not sure what I expected, certainly not a bloodbath, perhaps something similar to a Spanish bullfight but with a Vietnamese flavor to it. In the end nothing I could have imagined would have prepared me for the day ahead.

We left Hanoi around 3am on the Sunday morning hoping to arrive well before the first bout and secure some decent seats. How wrong we were! Arriving well before 8am the stadium was already overflowing with spectators and many more were jostling and pushing impatiently outside hoping to sneak in. Gates were closed, but the more adventurous and nimble outsiders scaled walls, trees, buildings and even TV trucks to get inside. We waited outside one of the gates sweating in the sun and mud and able to hear the cheers but not see a thing until just after the second bout of the day when we were able to squeeze our way in.

The Stadium
Photo by Joshua Owen

The atmosphere was electric. Thousands of people ringed the soccer stadium not dissuaded by the searing sun and warm temperatures. We couldn’t find any spare room in the stands but were able to stand a few rows back right on the fence at one end of the pitch to catch glimpses of the action. It was a fantastic experience.

The buffalo fighting festival is held in Do Son, a small beach town about 20kms south east of Haiphong city. Do Son is a very popular seaside retreat for Hanoians as it is only a 2½ hour drive from the city. It has one of the only casinos in the country and is famous for its fresh and local seafood, relaxed atmosphere, gambling, numerous ‘karaoke’ and ‘massage’ establishments and of course the annual buffalo fighting festival.

Haiphong is also a popular destination and is the third largest city in Vietnam, after Saigon and the capital, Hanoi. Haiphong has always been an important port city in Northern Vietnam linking trade and commerce to the capital. It is also a gateway to Cat Ba Island and the southern section of Ha Long Bay National Park.

The annual buffalo festival (called “lễ hội chọi trâu” in Vietnamese) is held on the 10th day of the 8th lunar month, which usually falls in September or October of each year. One of the more famous traditional festivals in Vietnam, the buffalo festival of Do Son is held to honor the local Water God and also to represent the fighting spirit of the local people. The bulls that are selected to fight are usually aged between 3-5 years and have had to prove their mettle in smaller regional competitions in order to qualify for the main event.

The 32 qualifiers then face off over 5 knock-out or elimination bouts to determine the overall champion. The festival starts very early in the morning at about 7.30am with each bull being led out by a procession of 12 handlers or trainers who wear bright red and yellow silk costumes and wave colored flags. Each of the bulls have a number painted on their side to allow pundits to put on wagers and the numbers also help the crowd distinguish between the two. Even though gambling is technically illegal in Vietnam, plenty of side bets can be found in and around the stadium which garner the interests of many of the locals. The competition is televised nationally with millions tuning in to watch the festival.

Locked in Battle
Photo by Joshua Owen

On the day, some of the bouts will last only a few minutes, with one bull quickly gaining the upper hand and forcing the other bull to turn and flee. If one of the bulls no longer chooses to fight and runs from it’s opponent then it is out of the tournament and sent straight to a tent just outside the stadium to be slaughtered. In fact eventually all 32 buffaloes are turned into table treats! Some of the fights though are long and drawn out and can take up to an hour to determine a winner with bulls often standing just a few feet apart and sizing up their opponent, heightening the suspense and making the win all the more gratifying!

The bulls fight by charging head first into each other and locking horns. They then try and gain the upper hand by forcefully and sometimes violently pushing their opponent backwards. If this is not enough to send their competitor running then the buffaloes often begin torquing their necks, using their interlocked horns as leverage, in an attempt to twist the other buffalo off balance. When a bull backs down and pulls out of the contest it then quickly retreats from the more dominant male. This is the end of the battle but sometimes just the start of the action for the spectators.

Rodeo clowns trying to stop the fight
Photo by Joshua Owen

Sometimes the dominant bull will chase the loser around the stadium in hope of further asserting its supremacy. At this, one (or many) of the very colorful “rodeo clowns” run into the ring to intervene and stop the fight, grinning and taunting as they do, they wave flags, and run in between the surprisingly fast animals. At times, the rodeo clowns will, in sheer desperation, resort to holding on to tails and horns and using absolutely any and all means necessary to separate the two bulls. The winner is led away and prepared for the next bout while the loser is whisked away to be prepared for sale.

Buffalo meat for sale
Photo by Joshua Owen

The overall winner is crowned with a handsome reward of around 40 million VND (over $2000 USD.) Purchasing just a few hundred grams of your favorite bull is an easy task. Tables are lined up outside the stadium with numbers indicating exactly which bull you can buy. Many spectators grab some meat on the way out to take home and share with the family. Others trundle off to nearby seafood restaurants where a plate of buffalo is the specialty of the day and they charge an arm and a leg for it too!

Mui Ne, the beautiful white sand beaches of Vietnam
Photo by aidanxuyen

When you talk to someone who’s visited Mui Ne you often hear; “it was just so relaxing, with all those great little beach bungalows, stacks of different restaurants, beautiful dunes and white sand beaches.” However you could just as easily hear, “Mui Ne was unreal! We tried our hand at dune sledding, kite-surfing, windsurfing and even snuck in a round of golf. And we partied by bonfires every night on the beach. What a wicked weekend away!” Whichever Mui Ne you experience, you are bound to have a great time.

I liked the contrast between the young boys practising kite surf and the old fisherman in his traditional half-nut boat. They’re all pulling or hanging on ropes…
Photo by mtchm

Why not go to Mui Ne

Mui Ne is a little out of the way. With no easy airport access, if you don’t like long bus trips, you’d be better off flying into Nha Trang or heading down to Phu Quoc Island for a beach getaway. Also if you are looking for scuba diving or snorkelling then head elsewhere.

Mui Ne, like many other coastal tourist destinations in Vietnam, has undergone a building and development boom over the last few years. What was once a romantic and quiet local beach town is now almost entirely fronted by big hotels and bungalows and shows very little resemblance to the quiet fishing town that it used to be.

Why go to Mui Ne

Photo by art-ko

Mui Ne is gorgeous and really relaxing. If you make the effort to get there then you will be rewarded with postcard like palm fringed, white sand beaches and a lovely place to watch the world go by. Add to that, the easily accessible attractions around Mui Ne, you will see why the area has slowly turned into the port-of-call for most ex-pats out of Saigon and for backpackers from all over South East Asia seeking a beach break.

Best time to go to Mui Ne

As always on the south coast of Vietnam it is best to visit during the dry season which runs from October/November through to April/May. However, Mui Ne has a unique climate that means it sees very little rain in comparison to nearby Nha Trang, Hoi An and even Phan Thiet (just 30kms south) thus making it a great choice year round.

Where to stay in Mui Ne

Unlike many destinations in Vietnam it pays to make a reservation in this little town. There is an abundance of accommodation choices but due to Mui Ne’s popularity and proximity to Saigon it is a popular destination particularly over weekends and national holidays. With over 100 hotels to choose from there are as you would expect a wide variety of options from beautiful romantic resorts right down to little beach side bungalows. The Cham Villas (32 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, (062) 741-234) are my pick as one of the best priced luxury options in town. However, if you are looking for something a little lighter on the wallet then consider checking out Hiep Hoa Resort – Beachside Bungalows (80 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, (062) 847-262.)

Where to eat / dine in Mui Ne

Mui Ne, as you would expect, is all about seafood. There are some great restaurants that will cook up the catch of the day right as you watch, including; Guava (53 Nguyen Dinh Chieu) or if you are looking for a more romantic option then consider the restaurant inside the Sailing Club – Sandals (24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu.) An extensive menu and a beautiful setting make Sandals a great choice. A popular local option with plenty of fresh seafood to choose from is Lam Tong (92 Nguyen Dinh Chieu.)

Mui Ne fisherman
Photo by jonasphoto

Mui Ne and Binh Thuan province is also home to the famous dragon fruit. Aptly named, because of its appearance, it is a roadside favorite, and makes a great breakfast snack.

Nightlife in Mui Ne

Jibes, Pogo and Java are great options for passing the nigh away in town. Jibes is a popular kite-surfing hangout and often has bonfires down on the beach. However trends change, so have a walk along the beach and see where the night will take you!

My to do list in and around Mui Ne

• The red sand dunes – these sand dunes are at the northern end of town. The dunes are incredibly photogenic but because of their proximity to Phan Thiet and Mui Ne, they are incredibly popular as well. They are best visited very early in the morning or late at night to avoid the crowds and intense heat.

Following my friends steps
Photo by Lulugaia

• The white sand dunes – more picturesque but a bit more effort to reach than the Red Sand dunes, their grandeur are however, well worth the journey. Fantastic photo opportunities abound.

Dunes at the ocean:
Photo by alexlichtenberger

• Fairy Springs – Located about halfway along the main road at the back of Mui Ne beach. Head up river to the source of the spring and see how a small little river has carved out a huge niche in the local countryside.

• The early morning fish market – at the northern end of Mui Ne town, this is a must. Aim to get there sometime between 5.30-7am to catch the best of the action. You’ll see hundreds of locals furiously unloading, cleaning and trading all types of fish from boats anchored just off shore. A great 30 minute visit and easy to tie in with a trip to the nearby Red Sand dunes.

• The Po Shanu Cham tower – is located just east of the road linking Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. A vestige of the incredible culture of the Cham people who used to inhabit this area. It is beautifully located on a rise overlooking Phan Thiet city and the Phan Thiet river.

Stay away from

If you are going to hire a motorbike be sure to be cautious of all the tourist buses that fly in and out of the town. If you have never been on a bike before this is a great place to learn, but beware. Not long ago a new road was built behind the beach which has alleviated a lot of the traffic problems yet still many cars, buses and bikes continue to drive down the beach road at breakneck speeds!

Getting there

Mui Ne is about 30kms north of Phan Thiet. Just off highway 1a near the Phan Thiet turnoff is a side road to Muong Man which has north-south train connections. Ask about timetables in advance or prepare for a possible lengthy wait!

Most tourists reach Mui Ne on a bus, either a 4 hour journey north of Saigon or a 5 hour trip south of Nha Trang.

Nha Trang Beach
Photo by nguyentrung

Nha Trang, meaning “white sand” in Vietnamese, is the perfect stopping point between Saigon and Hoi An if you are travelling overland but well worth the visit regardless of your route through Vietnam. Home of Dr. Alexandre Yersin, famous for his research on the bubonic plague, and in an unrelated agricultural sidenote, for introducing rubber trees into Indochina, Nha Trang has an interesting history. Known as ‘Kathura’ by the Cham people, Nha Trang was for many centuries part of the southern lands of the Champa kingdom, a mighty Hindu empire that stretched from an area near Hue all the way south to Phan Thiet. (The Champa Kingdom began to shrink around the 15th century under the weight of the ever expanding Vietnamese civilization. )

Nha Trang Cathedral: Built between 1928 and 1933 in the French Gothic style, complete with stained glass windows, Nha Trang Cathedral stands on a small hill overlooking the train station. It’s a surprisingly elegant building, given that it was constructed of simple cement blocks. A particularly colourful Vietnamese touch is the red neon outlining the crucifix, the pink back-lighting on the tabernacle and the blue neon arch and white neon halo over the statue of St Mary.
Photo by foraggio

Why not go

Over the years as Nha Trang’s reputation has grown as a beach and party town, package tourists have come a running! Many visitors fly into Nha Trang for a brief holiday where their only aim is to drink the nights away. As such it isn’t the quietest of towns. Sadly many of these tourists, and their money, have attracted some less salubrious characters so watch your step in Nha Trang. If you’re not up for the development that tourism has brought to the town, particularly along the shoreline, there are other more authentic and pristine beach alternatives along Vietnam’s incredible coastline, including Phu Quoc Island.

Fishing Boats
Photo by richard vignola

Why go

Nha Trang Beach
Photo by nguyentrung

Just south of Nha trang at Cam Ranh bay is Asia’s largest deepwater shelter natural harbour.

Fishing Village at Xom Bong Bridge
Photo by TTVo

Best time to go

Nha Trang is best some time between May and November, that is, outside of the rainy season as it’s hot and sunny. Regardless of when you visit, the beach is best enjoyed in the mornings before midday (the locals will be there from 5am to avoid the sun.) Around lunch the winds usually pick up and the water becomes less calm. During the rainy season the beach often looks, and is, dirty.

Where to stay

Hotel options vary enormously from private islands getaways to local backpacker $10 a night guesthouses. Only a few years ago Vinpearl island/hotel was completed with an enormous cable car linking the island to the mainland, it’s hard to miss!

Back on the mainland there’s hundreds of hotels to choose from to cater to all types of travelers. Many can be found on the main road (Tran Phu) fronting the beach. However if you step back a block and head down (Hung Vuong) there are many more (slightly cheaper) options.

If you are looking for a romantic getaway the Evason Ana Mandara hotel (Tran Phu street) is a must. Located right on the beach it’s an oasis of peace and tranquility, and a respite from the tourist masses.

Where to eat / dine

My favorite restaurant in Nha Trang is a smoky volcano bbq restaurant called Lac Canh (Nguyen Binh Khiem street). The fresh seafood is great but make sure you try the spring rolls – they are enormous!
The ambience and food at the sailing club (72-74 Tran Phu street) make it an excellent upmarket choice. Set right on the beach it’s a great place to go for sunset cocktails and dinner, but from about 8pm onwards it transforms into a beach party and nightclub.

If you wander down Biet Thu street (running away from the beach) there are some fantastic seafood restaurants and local bars. Some of the restaurants have fresh seafood on ice out the front which they will barbecue up for you with the sauce of your choice. Try Truc Linh 2 (corner of Biet Thu and Hung Vuong)

Nightlife

Again, there’s something to suit everyone in this party town. From beautiful sunset cocktails to dance clubs, local bars and even “bia hoi” options. There’s bound to be something in Nha Trang that’ll tickle your fancy.

The Sailing Club is a good option as is Guava bar which is just around the corner (17 Biet Thu.) However if you are after a different experience head on over to Crazy Kim’s bar (19 Biet Thu street), this place is unique. The premise of the bar is to help stop local children falling prey to the sex tourism industry. It’s a happening bar, plus it’s great that Crazy Kim (the manager/owner) is turning her profits into a way out for these children.

My to do list

- A boat trip out to the islands. A trip to Nha Trang would be incomplete without a day on the boat. Feast on a sumptuous seafood lunch, wander through a fishing village on one of the islands, ride in a conical (bamboo) basket and snorkel in crystal clear water … what more could you want in a day?!

Communal Mud Bath
Photo by kutu

Mineral Mud Treats Disease
Photo by laurasmith99

- The mud baths (Thap Ba hot spring center). This is a fantastic and really enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Not as dirty as they sound, just north of town natural hot springs are mixed with some “therapeutic” mud to give you your very unique bathing experience. Great fun and an interesting way to spend an afternoon. Taxis will run you out there in about 15 mins but I’d highly recommend taking a cyclo ride out to the baths as it’s a fun way to see life on the streets.

Po Nagar Cham Towers
Photo by foraggio

- The Po Nagar (Cham tower) is a lovely well restored vestige of the Champa culture. Easily accessible from town Po Nagar rises above the Cai river offering gorgeous views over brightly colored fishing boats and Nha Trang in the background.

- Long Thanh’s black and white photo gallery (126 Hoang Van Thu street) Call first to make sure Long or his wife will be at his studio ([058] 824875) His photos are amazing, a little expensive but a great reminder of your trip to Vietnam. His gallery is definitely worth a visit if you are a photographer.

- Scuba diving. See rainbow divers (Biet Thu street)

Stay away from

The beach late at night. Sadly it is not the most savory of places, although it has been ‘cleaned up’ recently. There are often ‘ladies of the night’ about and they have been known to approach inebriated travelers and affectionately relieve them of wallets, cameras, passports etc. If you are heading out for a night on the town leave your valuables in your hotel safe and don’t walk along the beach alone at night, particularly after you’ve had a few drinks.

Getting there

There are bus connections to all major destinations out of Nha Trang including south to Mui Ne, inland to Dalat and north to Quy Nhon and Hoi An. The train is another option which runs north – south and Nha Trang’s new (but small) domestic airport located about 30 kms south of town has flights to most major destinations in Vietnam.