“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things...” - Henry Miller
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| (The sculptures at the Infinity Lake) |
Route: Da Lat Private Tour
Hotel: Du Lys Hotel, Da Lat
We had an early breakfast this morning. The dining room was already bustling with local tourists, many of whom were having their last meal before checking out of the hotel.
With the bright and pleasant weather, we were looking forward to our half-day private tour of some of Da Lat’s most interesting attractions. Our plan was to wander through the clay creations at the Sculpture Tunnel, ride the Alpine Coaster at Datanla, explore the wonderfully eccentric Crazy House, and stop by the historic Da Lat Railway Station for some photographs. We would then end our tour with lunch at Hajah Hawa Halal Restaurant.
The hotel was particularly busy this morning. At the entrance, we watched hotel guests seriously haggling with vendors over the prices of their goods. It seems quite common for vendors to station themselves outside tourist hotels in the morning, knowing that departing guests may be tempted by some last-minute shopping. Hotel Du Lys was no exception. Clothes, souvenirs and fresh fruits were all being offered to the hotel guests.
Our driver arrived promptly, and by 8.00 am we were on our way to our first stop - the Sculpture Tunnel, also known locally as the Clay Tunnel. Located about 12 kilometres from the city centre, the Sculpture Tunnel is one of Da Lat’s most distinctive open-air art attractions. Tucked away among lush pine forests beside the serene Tuyen Lam Lake, the 1.2-kilometre-long tunnel features enormous sculptures and architectural forms crafted from red basalt clay mixed with special binding materials.
Walking through the tunnel felt like moving through an unusual artistic timeline of Da Lat. The sculptures portray the city’s origins, history, culture and modern-day identity, all recreated in clay.
One of the most popular photo spots is the Infinity Lake, where two enormous clay faces emerge from the water, facing each other. The unusual setting made it easy to understand why visitors were drawn to this particular spot for photographs.
From there, we continued to Datanla Waterfall for the much-anticipated Alpine Coaster ride. The Datanla Alpine Coaster is a self-controlled twin-seater roller coaster winding through the pine forest towards the waterfall. With a track stretching about 2.4 kilometres, it is promoted as one of the longest alpine coaster tracks in Asia.
The ride allows passengers to control their own speed as the coaster twists and curves through the forest. For those who prefer something quieter, there are also shaded walking trails leading towards the waterfall.
After the excitement of the coaster, we headed to our next attraction - the wonderfully bizarre Crazy House of Da Lat, officially known as Hang Nga Villa. This surreal and labyrinthine structure is unlike anything we had seen before. Designed by Vietnamese architect Đặng Việt Nga, the building resembles a gigantic, decaying tree, with twisting roots, irregular walls, cave-like spaces and unusual passageways.
The architecture has often been compared to a combination of Antoni Gaudí’s surrealism and Alice in Wonderland. Exploring it certainly felt like stepping into another world. The steep stairways, narrow passages and low railings require a little extra care, especially for anyone uncomfortable with heights. Still, the whole place was fascinating - strange, imaginative and wonderfully unconventional.
Our final attraction was the Da Lat Railway Station, one of the city’s most recognisable historic landmarks. Built during the French colonial period and opened in 1938, the station formed part of the former Thap Cham–Da Lat railway, an ambitious mountain railway that used specialised rack-and-pinion technology to negotiate the steep terrain.
The station’s architecture is particularly striking, combining French Art Deco influences with pointed roof forms inspired by the traditional communal houses of Vietnam’s Central Highlands. The original railway eventually ceased operations, but a short tourist service now runs along a scenic section of the old line towards Trai Mat.
After a morning filled with unusual architecture, history and a little adventure, we were ready for lunch.
Our final stop before returning to the hotel was Hajah Hawa Halal Food, a popular choice among Muslim travellers visiting Da Lat. The restaurant is operated by the same family behind Hawa Halal Food in Ho Chi Minh City and serves Malaysian, Indonesian and other Muslim-friendly dishes.
We ordered nasi goreng ikan masin, claypot chicken rice and vegetable popiah for lunch. Everything was satisfying after our morning of sightseeing.
Knowing that rain might come later in the evening, we also ordered some fried noodles to take back to the hotel for dinner. It was a small but practical decision - dinner already taken care of if the weather turned wet.
By noon, we were back at Hotel Du Lys after an enjoyable morning exploring some of Da Lat’s most unusual attractions, followed by a filling halal lunch.
It was time for a short afternoon nap before deciding whether the weather would allow us to venture out again to explore the Da Lat Night Market later tonight.
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