Day 14: Da Lat - Unexpected Challenges...

"Keep your life clean, simple, and free of unnecessary hassle. Peace of mind is the ultimate wealth..."

(Suvarnabhumi International Airport,  Bangkok)

Date: 26 September 2026, Saturday
Flight: Bangkok – Ho Chi Minh City – Da Lat
Hotel: Du Lys Hotel, Da Lat

This morning, we got ready early for our journey to Da Lat and checked out of the hotel.

(The early morning flood alerts caused anxiety attacks)

 

Before leaving, the first thing we did was move our Hi-Lux to a higher spot in the hotel parking lot and secure it as best we could. With the persistent heavy rain and rising water around Bangkok, we could only hope the floodwater would not reach the parking area while we were away.

(Flood water is rising at the parking area)

(Ramkhamhaeng Street - both lanes are flooded)

(The water is rising fast in Bangkok)

As advised, we took the Airport Rail Link (ARL) from Ramkhamhaeng to Suvarnabhumi Airport. On this particularly rainy Saturday morning, Bangkok's roads and expressways were experiencing heavy traffic, so taking the train was definitely the wiser choice. The covered and elevated railway allowed us to bypass the traffic congestion and flooding on the roads.

(Taking the ARL to Suvarnabhumi International Airport)

(Avoiding road closures caused by flooding)

(Ready to board the train to the airport)

(The ARL is full with travellers and luggage)

We arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport early, but the terminal was already packed with travellers. We proceeded to the Vietnam Airlines check-in and baggage-drop counter. Thankfully, the process was quick as we had already completed our online check-in the day before.

(Samudra Manthan sculpture at the departure lounge)

(Too early to check-in)

(Waiting to drop off our luggage)

At the Immigration check point, I passed through the autogate without any problem. Hubby, however, was not so lucky. His passport photograph apparently did not match his face closely enough for the system, so he had to join the long queue at the immigration counter for manual clearance.

The persistent heavy rainfall and severe localized flooding had created widespread travel disruptions, slowing ground transportation and raising concerns about possible flights rescheduling. Fortunately, our flight was only slightly delayed.

Before heading to the boarding gate, we stopped at Am Deli for breakfast. We had egg and tuna sandwiches with coffee latte - enough to keep us going until the in-flight meal.

(A simple sandwich and coffee breakfast)

(At the departure gate - the flight is on time)

(Bangkok flood alert)

(Heavy rainfall at the airport)

Our Vietnam Airlines VN600 eventually took off. About an hour into the flight, while cruising above Phnom Penh, Cambodia, we were served a hot Muslim meal consisting of samosas. Vietnam Airlines provides Muslim meals free of charge on international flights when meals are served, which is certainly convenient for us.

(On board of Vietnam Airlines VN600)

(Muslim meals on board)

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, we collected our checked luggage and cleared customs. Since we were connecting to a domestic flight to Da Lat, we had to check in our luggage again for the onward journey.

(Searching for the Domestic Terminal 3)

(Planes waiting for departure)

We then went through security once more before taking a shuttle to the new domestic terminal. Terminal 3 at Tan Son Nhat International Airport is a modern domestic terminal, with contemporary aviation facilities blended with elements inspired by traditional Vietnamese architecture. It was impressive and spacious, although we noticed that there were no public prayer rooms available at the airport.

(A 4-hour transit in Saigon airport)

(A neat line of stewards and stewardess)

(A new, modern airport of Ho Chi Minh)

 
After the four-hour transit, our domestic flight VN1386 to Da Lat departed on time. The flight itself was remarkably short - just a little over thirty minutes - and before long we landed at Lien Khuong Airport, serving Da Lat. Although flying is certainly the fastest and most convenient way to travel between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat, it is not necessarily the most popular option. Many local and international travellers still prefer the long-distance sleeper buses or the more comfortable limousine vans.

Our hotel transfer car was already waiting for us after baggage collection, which made our arrival wonderfully hassle-free.

(Waiting for our hotel transfer car)

Da Lat is the largest city of the Central Highlands region in Vietnam. The city is located 1,500 meters above sea level on the Langbiang Plateau. Da Lat is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam because of its cool climate.

For the next five nights, we will be staying at Du Lys Hotel, a Paris-inspired boutique hotel located in the heart of the city. The hotel features distinctive French colonial architecture, with arched windows and classic décor. Its central location also makes it a convenient base for exploring Da Lat on foot.

(A wet arrival at Du Lys Hotel, Da Lat)

(Paris-inspired modern hotel)

(A comfortable spacious room for five nights)

 
However, our first evening in Da Lat brought an unexpected little problem. We had not changed any money into Vietnamese Dong before leaving Bangkok, and when we arrived at the hotel, we discovered that we could not pay the required deposit. Unfortunately, the hotel does not accept US dollars or other foreign currencies. Thankfully, they kindly allowed us to settle the deposit later.

We then learned that changing foreign currency in Da Lat is not as straightforward as we had expected. There are no convenient money changers like those found in many other tourist destinations, and foreign currency can generally be exchanged through banks or authorised gold shops.

(At the ATMs in the heavy rain)

So, late tonight, in the heavy rain, we went out in search of an ATM. We found several, but unfortunately none of them would allow us to withdraw Vietnamese Dong. It seems our bank cards need to be reactivated for overseas transactions again.

What an unnecessary hassle after such a long day of travelling! Still, we were finally in Da Lat, safely checked into our hotel, and ready to begin another episode of our journey tomorrow.