Pursuit for adventure: Day 7+8 - From Saigon to Da Lat

We joined a tour in Saigon to go up to Da Lat, a countryside where families from wealthier backgrounds would spend their summer vacation in. The bus ride went over 12 hours, mostly due to the poorly laid roads and the track up the mountains. It was a very bumpy ride so I can't imagine anyone with car sickness to survive the whole trip. On the way we visited Dasara Falls, where visitors either walk down or take the lift for under 20 000 dong.

[Geckos are quite a common sight in Vietnam (left). The litter of sleeping puppies under a restaurant table was too hard to resist taking a snap(right)]

[2 pictures (above and below) from a restaurant we stopped on the way, the backyard was huge!]

Finally upon arrival in Da Lat, we stayed at the Rum Vang Hotel. According to reviews it's one of the best 3 star hotels here. The rooms are squeaky clean, and the bathroom was almost just as big as the bedroom. 3 water bottles were provided, with typical bathroom facilities. Because we were on level 7 (top level), the Wifi signal was very weak though enough to check emails.

Da Lat is a small town so it doesn't take that long to explore the central market. I immediately understood why people would come up here during the dry season, the weather was just marvelous. The average temperature ranged from low to mid 20s, so it's very cool and relaxing compared to Saigon. Here the locals dress in thick jackets, which is fair enough for those riding on motorcycles, but even upon arrival the tour guide told us to bring warmer clothing. However because I'm from Melbourne, the weather was perfect with the warm sunshine and gentle wind throughout the day, whilst the evenings were just slightly cooler. So if you're not overly sensitive about the weather, having a t-shirt underneath a jacket should be fine.

The street markets were just bustling with people, with the smell of fresh (literally fresh and live) seafood hanging in the air, fresh vegetables and fruits lined up on shelves and in baskets ready for purchase, and Da Lat's bright and colorful flowers arranged in neat tiny pots. The roads were bumpy and rocky, and everyone had to walk with the motorcycles close at their shoulders so you have to keep your eyes sharp. The locals also allowed their poultry to roam freely outside their shops, whereas there are many tiny singing birds sold as pets in wooden cages.
In the meat section, most of the butchers were women and they spent the morning chopping and arranging fresh meat for sell. Fish was the most popular and cheapest, with seafood, chicken, pork and finally beef as the most expensive. People rarely eat beef here, even if they do the quality isn't as great as the ones in Australia.

As I mentioned before, Dalat used to be a place where the rich would go on holiday to due to the cooler weather and its beautiful scenery allocated in the hills. The area is heavily influenced by French culture, obviously due to the French rule before the unification. This can be seen by the style of the houses and the numerous cafes around. A lot of the locals love drinking coffee, in particular ice coffee and drip coffee.

[Drip coffee]

Public toilets can be quite filthy, although it does vary (likely to be cleaner in restaurants and hotels). The newer ones would be seaters, whilst you could also spot the 'good ol'' drop toilet from time to time.

Moving on to more tourist attractions, we visited the summer palace that used to belong to the last king of Vietnam, Bao Dai (Bao Dai's Palace).

[office and meeting room]

Datania waterfall was another scenery destination, where similar to Dasara falls, you can choose to walk down or take a 'rollar coaster ride' down for 30 000 dong.