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Da Lat construction and transport report
Da Lat (Central Highlands of Vietnam), featuring a new international hotel, the greenhouse problem, the old Governor’s Palace, build too big and ask for permission later, an old military airport that would make a great park, international flights, and the proposed railway restoration.
James Clark
May 12, 2025
Da Lat is the capital of Lam Dong Province in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam. The city is 1,500 m above sea level, and the nights get cold by coastal Vietnam standards. The cooler climate made it a prime location for French colonists to establish a retreat from the heat of Saigon.
The city still trades on being a city of French villas, and some travel guides persist on calling it Little Paris. Much of the colonial-era architecture has been lost due to a lack of heritage planning.
This telecoms tower is known as the Dalat Eiffel Tower.
The Da Lat urban area resembles a typical provincial Vietnamese city. As the largest city in the Central Highlands, Da Lat has the traffic to go with it.
Traffic in Da Lat
Despite the traffic and lost heritage, Da Lat still retains its appeal as a highland retreat. The lakeside area is a lovely place to walk, and the dazzling blue skies are a novelty if you are arriving from smoggy Saigon.
I visited Da Lat in November 2024 and March 2025, so this report is an amalgam of those two trips.
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