Roughly 120 miles northwest of Saigon (also called Ho Chi Minh City, but not by anyone who knows better), the city of Dalat is a famous destination for South Vietnamese honeymooners. For travelers making the arduous south-to-north trek by bus or car, Dalat is a fantastic point to stop and collect one?s strength before setting out on the many hundreds of miles northward to Hanoi. Located in a verdant, hilly region, Dalat is blessed by lush vegetation and a temperate climate?after suffering through the heat of Saigon, the local 65?80F (18-25C) weather will be well appreciated. Don?t laugh at Vietnamese tourists in the area, who often wear clothes that Midwesterners reserve for late autumn. Sunny, green, and breezy, Dalat’s weather will keep you warm enough to wear shorts but cool enough to keep you dry a rare treat in Vietnam.
Since the days when Vietnam was a French colony, farmers have taken advantage of Dalat’s temperate climate to grow a wide range of non-tropical vegetables. The landscape is remarkable, buildings and farmland spreading up over hills and dipping down into small valleys. Adding to the beauty of Dalat’s lush vegatation and cultivated farmland, the soil in the area is a startling red. The French found Dalat’s cooler climate comforting, and their influence on the local cuisine can be felt more strongly than anywhere else in Vietnam. Among the city?s specialties are delicious strawberry preserves and butter, as well as banh mi, a Vietnamese improvement (yes, that’s right, improvement) on the French baguette.
