Saturday, February 14, 2026

My 19 days free & easy visit to South Vietnam (Phu Quoc Island, Rach Gia, Ho Chi Minh, Cu Chi, Phan Thiet / Mui Ne, Bao Loc, Dalat, Phan Rang Thap Cham & Nha Trang) Day 13 Bao Loc & Dalat

 

Bao Dai Palace, Da Lat, Vietnam
Crazy House, Da Lat, Vietnam
Xuan Huong Lakeside by Night
Da Lat, Vietnam
Cherry Blossom by Night
Xuan Houng Lake
Da Lat, Vietnam
Lam Vien Square by Night
Da Lat, Vietnam

Day 13 Friday Jan 30 2026 (Bao Loc & Da Lat, Vietnam) - my 3 days 2 nights in Da Lat, departed Bao Loc by sleeper bus (11.30) to the mountain city of Da Lat; after our hotel check-in & a own cooked noodle meal in hotel, both of us took a slow walk from our hotel to Bao Dai Palace & Crazy House; in the late afternoon, I made a solo visit  to the Xuan Huong Lake & explore the surrounding environment, cool & pleasant (23c) at this time of the year & admiring Cherry blossom by the lakeside; no doubt, I slept well tonight after a glimpse of Dalat's beauty (in the right place & the right season), a trip long overdue ! 

Travel itinerary: Bao Loc > Da Lat (110km)


1) My sleeper bus ride from Bao Loc > Dalat - rock & roll all the way to the mountain city of Da Lat (110km), via hilly & winding roads, my middle row sleeper bed depriving me of taking country side scenery but I managed to find a side window bed when a passenger dropped off a village town along the way ..... My last sleeper bus journey experience was from Urumqi > Khorgos, a land port on China / Kazakhstan border in May 2015 ! A terrific adventure ! 


2) Sleeper bus passing through village towns, countryside, rivers & lakes etc


3) Arriving in long distance bus terminal / deport for a free transfer to a MPV van ride to our hotel in Dalat passing the Xuan Huong Lake.


4) Hotel Accommodation: my 3 days 2 nights stay in Ha Na Hotel, Da Lat, Vietnam; room tariff Rm97 = US$24, twin sharing, walking distance to Da Lat Night Market & Xuan Huong Lake. 


5) My travel buddy's beef noodle lunch (50K VND = Rm7.80) in a local noodle stall nearby our hotel. 


6) Walking tour (1.7km) from our hotel to Bao Dai Palace, Da Lat 


7) Bao Dai Summer Palace, Da Lat, Vietnam - a royal residence, a mansion located on Ai An hill on Trieu Viet Vuong street, built from 1933 > 1938, designed in French architecture, 1000m wide & divided into 2 floors with 26 different large & small rooms, behind the palace, there is a flower garden with beautiful European style walking paths, Emperor Bao Dai was born in 1913 & went to France at the age of 9, an excellent exhibit of royal artifacts, entrance fee 60K VND = Rm9.50). 



8) Walking tour from Bao Lao Palace to Crazy House (700m) 


9) Crazy House, Da Lat, Vietnam - an architectural wonder located in the heart of Da Lat, a must visit, entrance fee 30K (Rm4.70) VND for Senior above 70+, you will go "crazy" as soon you enter a labyrinth of surreal, organic structures inspired by nature & dreams passing twisting stairways, themed rooms, sky bridges & whimsical gardens that make the place a living art, recognised as one of the top 10 most bizarre buildings & it is truly unique; this Crazy House visit reminisced my visit to Antoni Gaudi's famous architectural budling, La Sagrada Familia (truly unique & a class of its own !)  in Barcelona, Spain in May 2014 ! 


10) Giao So Thanh Tam, Da Lat, Vietnam - a Catholic church, Tran Phu Phung 4, Da Lat. 


11) Walkabout from Giao So Thanh Tam to hotel for a rest till evening. 


12) My solo evening walk from hotel to Xuan Huong lake & Lam Vien Square, Da Lat. 


13) St Nicholas of Da Lat, Vietnam - a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Da Lat, originally built as a parish church in 1920. 


14) Xuan Huong lake & the surrounding by Night - the night is young, the lake side is scenic for photography especially under the cherry blossom Sakura trees !  


15) Lam Vien Square by Night, Da Lat


16) Xuan Huong lakeside & downtown Da Lat by Night - exploring & admiring the mountain city of Da Lat by Night on my 1st day in Da Lat.  

No comments:

Post a Comment