Dalat Travel ( Dalat Tours ), spelled Đà Lạt in Vietnamese pronunciation  is the capital of Lam Dong Province in Vietnam. The town is located 1500 m (4,920 ft) above sea level on the Langbiang Plateau in the southern parts of the Central Highlands (in Vietnamese - Tây Nguyên). According to a myth from the French colonial era, the name derives from the acronym of the Latin phrase 'Dat Aliis Laetitiam Aliis Temperiem' ("Giving Pleasure to Some, Freshness to Others"), which the French colonial government used in their official emblem of Đà Lạt. In reality, the name derives from the language of the local ethnic group Lạt and its original meaning is "Stream of the Lạt," and the acronym above is in fact a backcronym. In Vietnam, Đa Lat is a popular tourist destination - highly appreciated for its temperate climate, beautiful sights such as waterfalls and lakes and its abundance of flowers and vegetables. It is the location of the Novotel Dalat (formerly Dalat Hotel) and Sofitel Dalat Palace (formerly Dalat Palace built in 1922).

Da Lat - At a Height

Da Lat not only boasting poetic landscapes and mild climate, but also has located many institutes with unique functions and scales nationwide. The Nuclear Reactor ofDa Lat Sub-Institute for Nuclear Research is the only one in Vietnam. The Reactor has spectacular architecture with spherical form simulating the model of Hydrogen atom. The Geographical Directorate, before 1975, was the Map Printing House of Saigon Government, with the most modern machinery and equipment by that time. At present, it is Da Lat Map Printing Enterprise belonging to the Ministry of National Defence.

The National Military School is an enormous architectural work arranged and fully equipped for training army's officers. At present, it is Da Lat Institute of Infantry .

Dalat Vietnam history

During the 1890s, explorers in the area (including the noted bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin , protégé of the renowned French chemist Louis Pasteur), which was then part of the French territory of Cochinchina, asked the French governor-general Paul Doumer to create a resort center in the highlands. The governor agreed. The original intended site for the hill station was Dankia but Étienne Tardif, a member of the road-building expedition of 1898-99 proposed the current site instead. In 1907, the first hotel was built. Urban planning was carried out by Ernest Hébrard[1].
The French endowed the city with villas and boulevards, and its Swiss charms remain today. Hébrard included the requisite health complex, golf course, parks, schools and homes but no industry. The legacy of boarding schools where children from the whole of Indochina were taught by French priests, nuns and expatriates lasted until the end of French rule. There were seminaries of Jesuits (such as Pius X Pontifical College) and other orders. The elite Vietnamese National Military Academy graduated its first class of future leaders in 1950. There was also an aviator school at Cam Ly airport.
During World War II, Đà Lạt was the capital of the Federation of Indochina, from 1939 1945.
In the mid-1950s, the Vietnamese Scout Association established their national training grounds at Đà Lạt.
The only major involvement Đà Lạt had during the 2nd Indochina war was during the 1968 Tet Offensive. Here fierce battles raged from Jan 31st to Feb 9th 1968 (about 10-11 days total). Most of the fighting took place between the South Vietnamese ARVN and the VC forces. Defeats and victories changed hands several times during the fighting in Đà Lạt. However, on Feb 9, 1968, the South Vietnamese ARVN were able to regain control of Đà Lạt. It is stated about 200 VC had lost their lives during this battle. While ARVN forces were known to have significantly fewer deaths, the injured list grew steadily throughout the engagement.

Architecture

Architecture in Đa Lat based on the period of French colonization. There is built in 1938 Dominant de Marie Church and Convent, which offers a panoramic view of the city. The Convent is a home to Roman Catholic nuns of the Mission of Charity.
A notable exception to the usual architecture in Đa Lat is Hang Nga's guesthouse, popularly known as the "Crazy House". This is a complex of unconventional, misshapen concrete structures serving as both a tourist attraction and a place to stay. It is also decorated with animal figures with glowing eyes, wire spiderwebs and other, equally unexpected things. The designer and namesake, Hang Nga, holds a PhD in architecture from Moscow State University.

Environmental features

Đà Lạt is home to the manmade, 5 km² Xuan Huong Lake. The average temperature is 17°C, and does not exceed 25°C in the hottest season. Early mornings, the city arises to mystic fog over the lake. Its temperate climate is ideal for agricultural production. Đa Lat is renowned for its orchids, roses, vegetables and fruits. There is a nascent wine-making and flower growing industry in the region

Dalat climate & weather

Da Lat is a part of Lam Đong province is situated in the Tay Nguyen Highlands climatic zone 4, a tropical climate with monsoon. On the whole territory, due to a complex topography, there is a difference in elevation and degree of vegetation covering. However, the weather of Lam Đong is temperate and mild all the year round, notable changes are rare in the annual cycle.
The temperature varies distinctly between areas and the greater the height, the lower the temperature. The range of the average annual temperature is 18 - 25oC.
The annual rainfall is not distributed equally in time and place. Its range is 1.750 - 3.150mm. The side of the area towards the southwest wind (Bảo Lộc) has a high annual rainfall amounting to 3,771mm

Architecture of Dalat Vietnam

Architecture in Đa Lat based on the period of French colonization. There is built in 1938 Dominant de Marie Church and Convent, which offers a panoramic view of the city. The Convent is a home to Roman Catholic nuns of the Mission of Charity.
A notable exception to the usual architecture in Đa Lat is Hang Nga's guesthouse, popularly known as the "Crazy House". This is a complex of unconventional, misshapen concrete structures serving as both a tourist attraction and a place to stay. It is also decorated with animal figures with glowing eyes, wire spiderwebs and other, equally unexpected things. The designer and namesake, Hang Nga, holds a PhD in architecture from Moscow State University.

Cost and money in Dalat Vietnam

Currency

Name Vietnamese dong
Symbol ₫ The banknotes come in denominations of 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 dong. In small towns, it can be difficult to get change for the larger notes, so keep a stack of smaller bills handy. Now that Ho Chi Minh ( Ho Chi Minh city travel ) has been canonised (against his wishes), you'll find his picture on every banknote.

Coins are being reintroduced for use in Vietnam, partially to help stave off the number of counterfeit banknotes. There are coins to the value of 1000, 2000 and 5000 dong.

Changing Your Money

There is now a reasonably extensive network of ATMs in major cities and this can be a convenient way to get your hands on money. It is also handy to have a combination of US dollars and travellers cheques for more remote or rural parts of the country. There are four ways to exchange currency: at a bank, through authorised exchange bureaus, at hotel reception desks, and on the black market. The best rates are offered by the banks, but the exchange bureaus are generally more conveniently located and have longer opening hours. The black market rate is worse than the legal exchange rate, so if you're offered better rates than a bank it's bound to be some sort of scam. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and JCB credit cards are accepted in the major cities and towns popular with tourists.

It's virtually impossible to exchange travellers cheques outside the major cities and tourist areas. Visitors heading off the beaten track will either need to stock up on dong, or conduct a private cash transaction on the black market. It's a good idea to bring a small calculator with you for currency conversions, unless you're the kind of person who can divide or multiply by large numbers in your head.

Money Tips

Travellers staying in budget accommodation and eating in small cafes should be able to get by on around US$20.00 to US$25.00 per day, plus long-distance transport costs. Those wanting to stay in mid-range hotels, eat out at moderate restaurants, charter occasional taxis and enjoy the nightlife should budget on around US$65.00 a day.