"There is nothing quite like the crisp air of the highlands to make you appreciate a hot cup of coffee and a thick blanket."
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| (Da Lat Opera House) |
Date: 27 September 2026, Sunday
Route: Da Lat Free & Easy
Hotel: Du Lys Hotel, Da Lat
We started our morning with breakfast at the airy dining room of Hotel Du Lys. The complimentary buffet offered a rotating selection of local Vietnamese specialities as well as familiar Western breakfast staples. As usual, we settled for our simple combination of bread, eggs and salad - a breakfast that has become almost a ritual throughout this road trip.
Today was our free-and-easy day in Da Lat, and we planned to explore some of the city's attractions and, of course, look for halal food. Whenever we arrive in a new city, we normally begin by downloading offline maps, putting on comfortable walking shoes and, if available, taking a hop-on-hop-off bus to get a feel for the city's layout. This time, however, we relied mainly on online recommendations, YouTube travel vlogs and tourism brochures to decide where to go.
Before setting off, our first order of business was to withdraw some Vietnamese dong from an ATM. With cash in hand, we were ready to explore Da Lat on foot.
Our first stop was Lam Vien Square, located beside the picturesque Xuan Huong Lake. The lake and its surrounding landscape form one of the most recognisable sights in the heart of Da Lat. Interestingly, Xuan Huong Lake was originally a large marshland. During the French colonial period, development of the lake began. The lake was later named Xuan Huong, after the famous Vietnamese female poet of the same name.
Today, Lam Vien Square is a lively gathering place for locals and visitors. It is often used for festivals, cultural performances, celebrations and other community events, while also being a popular spot for sightseeing, photography and simply watching the world go by. The square is particularly recognisable for its two striking glass structures - one resembling an artichoke bud and the other a giant wild sunflower.
The Artichoke Bud has become an architectural landmark of Da Lat. Its curved green and yellow glass panels were designed to reflect the city's association with artichoke cultivation. The structure also houses a café, offering lovely views towards Xuan Huong Lake.
Nearby stands the impressive sunflower-shaped structure, which houses the Da Lat Opera House. The modern multi-storey venue overlooks the lake and is used for concerts, theatrical performances, pageants and other major cultural events.
The weather was surprisingly hot and humid, so after walking around for a while, we decided it was time to find somewhere cool to rest our tired feet. There are cafés almost everywhere around the lake, and they seem to be very much part of everyday life in Da Lat. Coffee culture here has its own distinctive character, shaped by the city's highland climate and long association with coffee growing. Traditional Vietnamese coffee, especially the familiar iced coffee with condensed milk, remains a favourite. At the same time, Da Lat has embraced a newer generation of cafés, from charming old-style coffee houses to stylish modern establishments. It was a pleasant place to simply sit, cool down and watch the city go about its day.
By lunchtime, we searched online for Sarah Halal Food, one of the halal restaurants recommended to Muslim travellers in Da Lat. On the way, we came across a vibrant garden of purple Blue Salvia Queen flowers along the central median of Nguyen Van Cu Street. We couldn't resist stopping for a few photographs. A wooden viewing platform gave us a lovely view of the colourful flower beds.
One thing we had already noticed about Da Lat was how flowers seemed to be everywhere - along the roads, in gardens, around public spaces and even in unexpected little corners of the city. It certainly lives up to its reputation as a city of flowers.
We eventually arrived at Sarah Halal Food, a spacious and cosy restaurant popular with Muslim visitors to Da Lat. The restaurant was clean and pleasantly decorated, with modern lighting, a floral feature wall and a slightly vintage ambience. For lunch, we kept things simple - white rice, vegetable soup and an omelette. The meal was satisfying, although we found it a little pricey compared with what we would normally pay for a simple lunch. Still, finding halal food while travelling is always something we appreciate, especially in places where halal choices are limited.
After lunch, we returned to the hotel to rest our tired legs. We also made arrangements for a private tour for the following day. A short afternoon nap was very welcome after all the walking.
Later, we had planned to visit the famous Da Lat Night Market. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans for us. Heavy rain came pouring down, and it was simply too wet to venture out. Since we were still feeling full from our late lunch, we decided to keep dinner simple. We had bread and coffee in our room instead and called it an early night.
Sometimes, a free-and-easy day doesn't quite go according to plan - and that's perfectly fine. We had explored a little, discovered some beautiful corners of Da Lat, enjoyed good halal food and, most importantly, had a comfortable day without rushing from one attraction to another.
Route: Da Lat Free & Easy
Hotel: Du Lys Hotel, Da Lat
We started our morning with breakfast at the airy dining room of Hotel Du Lys. The complimentary buffet offered a rotating selection of local Vietnamese specialities as well as familiar Western breakfast staples. As usual, we settled for our simple combination of bread, eggs and salad - a breakfast that has become almost a ritual throughout this road trip.
Today was our free-and-easy day in Da Lat, and we planned to explore some of the city's attractions and, of course, look for halal food. Whenever we arrive in a new city, we normally begin by downloading offline maps, putting on comfortable walking shoes and, if available, taking a hop-on-hop-off bus to get a feel for the city's layout. This time, however, we relied mainly on online recommendations, YouTube travel vlogs and tourism brochures to decide where to go.
Before setting off, our first order of business was to withdraw some Vietnamese dong from an ATM. With cash in hand, we were ready to explore Da Lat on foot.
Our first stop was Lam Vien Square, located beside the picturesque Xuan Huong Lake. The lake and its surrounding landscape form one of the most recognisable sights in the heart of Da Lat. Interestingly, Xuan Huong Lake was originally a large marshland. During the French colonial period, development of the lake began. The lake was later named Xuan Huong, after the famous Vietnamese female poet of the same name.
Today, Lam Vien Square is a lively gathering place for locals and visitors. It is often used for festivals, cultural performances, celebrations and other community events, while also being a popular spot for sightseeing, photography and simply watching the world go by. The square is particularly recognisable for its two striking glass structures - one resembling an artichoke bud and the other a giant wild sunflower.
The Artichoke Bud has become an architectural landmark of Da Lat. Its curved green and yellow glass panels were designed to reflect the city's association with artichoke cultivation. The structure also houses a café, offering lovely views towards Xuan Huong Lake.
Nearby stands the impressive sunflower-shaped structure, which houses the Da Lat Opera House. The modern multi-storey venue overlooks the lake and is used for concerts, theatrical performances, pageants and other major cultural events.
The weather was surprisingly hot and humid, so after walking around for a while, we decided it was time to find somewhere cool to rest our tired feet. There are cafés almost everywhere around the lake, and they seem to be very much part of everyday life in Da Lat. Coffee culture here has its own distinctive character, shaped by the city's highland climate and long association with coffee growing. Traditional Vietnamese coffee, especially the familiar iced coffee with condensed milk, remains a favourite. At the same time, Da Lat has embraced a newer generation of cafés, from charming old-style coffee houses to stylish modern establishments. It was a pleasant place to simply sit, cool down and watch the city go about its day.
By lunchtime, we searched online for Sarah Halal Food, one of the halal restaurants recommended to Muslim travellers in Da Lat. On the way, we came across a vibrant garden of purple Blue Salvia Queen flowers along the central median of Nguyen Van Cu Street. We couldn't resist stopping for a few photographs. A wooden viewing platform gave us a lovely view of the colourful flower beds.
One thing we had already noticed about Da Lat was how flowers seemed to be everywhere - along the roads, in gardens, around public spaces and even in unexpected little corners of the city. It certainly lives up to its reputation as a city of flowers.
We eventually arrived at Sarah Halal Food, a spacious and cosy restaurant popular with Muslim visitors to Da Lat. The restaurant was clean and pleasantly decorated, with modern lighting, a floral feature wall and a slightly vintage ambience. For lunch, we kept things simple - white rice, vegetable soup and an omelette. The meal was satisfying, although we found it a little pricey compared with what we would normally pay for a simple lunch. Still, finding halal food while travelling is always something we appreciate, especially in places where halal choices are limited.
After lunch, we returned to the hotel to rest our tired legs. We also made arrangements for a private tour for the following day. A short afternoon nap was very welcome after all the walking.
Later, we had planned to visit the famous Da Lat Night Market. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans for us. Heavy rain came pouring down, and it was simply too wet to venture out. Since we were still feeling full from our late lunch, we decided to keep dinner simple. We had bread and coffee in our room instead and called it an early night.
Sometimes, a free-and-easy day doesn't quite go according to plan - and that's perfectly fine. We had explored a little, discovered some beautiful corners of Da Lat, enjoyed good halal food and, most importantly, had a comfortable day without rushing from one attraction to another.
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