Enjoy 24 hours in Da Lat, Vietnam

Da Lat  is synonymous with coffee. Lam Dong Province and the hills surrounding Da Lat  are plastered with coffee plantations. Da Lat  city itself is filled with dozens of cute cafes of every shape and kind—from ultra-modern warehouse-style espresso bars, to retro Communist-inspired cafes. Whether you do a plantation trip, a quick tour of a roasting house or you just cafe hop and sample a few different local brews, coffee culture is something you must experience in Da Lat. (Photo: Tiệm cà phê Túi Mơ To)

St. Nicholas Cathedral, also known as Da Lat Cathedral or by its Vietnamese nickname Nhà thờ Con Gà, is the biggest and most prestigious in Da Lat. Like Domaine de Marie, it’s a functioning house of worship will a daily mass.

The light streaming in from the cathedral’s seventy stained-glass windows, mostly crafted in Grenoble, teases a warm, sunny glow from the mellow pink of the interior walls. A tiny metal cockerel perched almost invisibly at the top of the steeple has earned the cathedral its rather unglamorous moniker, “Chicken Church”. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Founded in 1966, the gardens feature more than 300 different kinds of flowers, many of which blossom all year round.

Visitors can explore a variety of different gardens, including a giant cactus garden, fields of orchids, and rose, mimosa, and hydrangea displays. There are also finely-trimmed topiary displays found throughout the park. The park entrance greets visitors with an arc-shaped flower arrangement featuring hundreds of impressive flowerpots. (Photo: Shutterstock)

The Da lat Night Market, which happens every evening from about 5pm in the centre of town, is a great place to find the best Da Lat foods. Don’t leave without trying bread with meatballs (Bánh mì xíu mại), rice paper grilled over charcoal with toppings like egg, dried beef, mayonnaise and shallots - "Vietnamese pizza" (Banh trang nuong), and famous avocado ice cream (Kem bơ). (Photo: Internet)

This lake is the focal point of Da Lat. For a great experience, walk around the lake and see what’s happening. Usually you can find some authentic street food stalls set up, and it’s a great chance to meet locals and talk with them about their lives. Groups of friends and family gather around the lake to relax and spend time together. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Source theculturetrip, wander-lush, lifeofdoing, vietnam-guide