Slow Living & Wellness in Da Lat: My 4-Day Escape to Vietnam’s "City of Eternal Spring"

If you are looking for a break from the humidity and fast pace of city life, **Da Lat** in Vietnam’s Central Highlands feels like stepping into another world. Known as the "City of Eternal Spring," it greeted me with cool, crisp mountain air, pine-covered hills, and a relaxed pace that instantly invites you to slow down.

I designed this 4-day trip around a simple theme: **slow living, nature, and value-for-money self-care**. Whether you are planning your own relaxing getaway or I am revisiting this post years from now to relive the memories, here is everything I experienced, where I stayed, and my honest tips for visiting Dalat. 

Xuan Huong Lake - View from TTC Hotel

## 🏨 Where I Stayed: Two Different Vibes

During my 4 days, I split my stay between two hotels to experience different sides of the city:

* **TTC Hotel Ngọc Lan:** Located right in the heart of the city center overlooking Xuan Huong Lake and just steps away from the Night Market. It is super convenient for walking to food stalls and grabbing rides, though the rooms and facilities feel fairly standard. Great if location is your top priority.

* **Goldient Boutique Hotel:** Hands down my favorite stay of the trip. Slightly tucked away from the busiest streets, this boutique hotel had warm, thoughtful design, cozy rooms, and wonderful hospitality. If you want a true slow-living retreat to unwind at the end of the day, I cannot recommend Goldient enough.

View from Goldient Boutique 

## 🌿 Highlights & Things to Do

### 1. Getting Lost in the Crazy House (*Hằng Nga Guesthouse*)

You cannot visit Da Lat without seeing its most famous architectural marvel. Buying a ticket at the gate (around 80,000 VND) and walking into the Crazy House feels like stepping inside a giant, melting concrete tree. 

* **The Experience:** I spent hours weaving up narrow, winding staircases suspended in mid-air, admiring the organic tree-trunk structures, and peeking into the wildly eccentric animal-themed hotel rooms hidden throughout the maze. 

* **Tip:** Take your time climbing to the higher walkways for panoramic views over Da Lat’s colorful rooftops—and watch your step on the narrow ledges!

### 2. Soaking in Nature & Cafe Hopping

Da Lat is famous for its pine forests, misty valleys, and aesthetic hillside cafés. Instead of rushing through a packed tourist checklist, I spent time Cafe hopping & sipping rich Vietnamese coffee. 

Tui Mo To Cafe

## 💆‍♀️ Wellness & Self-Care in Da Lat

One of the best parts of traveling in Vietnam is how accessible and affordable quality wellness treatments are compared to back home. I dedicated part of my trip to refreshing myself:

* **Dental Scaling at Daisy Dental:** 

Clean, modern, and professional. Getting a routine dental scaling and polish here was painless, thorough, and a fraction of what it costs in Singapore - VND 285k

* **Facial Treatment at Thẩm Mỹ DIVA:** 

After traveling and enjoying the cool mountain air, I treated myself to a relaxing facial session. The staff were attentive, the environment was calming, and my skin felt completely rejuvenated afterward.

## 🚕 Practical Tips for Visiting Da Lat

* **Getting Around:** 

Download the **Grab** app before you arrive. Grab cars are affordable, reliable, and save you from having to negotiate fares—especially useful when traveling between hillside cafés and the town center. Each short trip like 5-15 minutes cost less than VND 80k

* **What to Pack:** 

Even when the sun is out, Da Lat stays cool (around 15°C–22°C), and evenings can get chilly. Bring a light jacket, or hoodie, along with comfortable walking shoes with good grip (especially if you plan on climbing the steep steps at Crazy House!).

* **Pace Yourself:** Da Lat isn't a city meant to be rushed. Leave room in your schedule for unplanned afternoon naps, long café sessions, and evening strolls through the night market for warm soy milk (must try) and grilled rice paper (*Bánh Tráng Nướng*).

### Final Thoughts

Da Lat gave me the exact reset I needed—cool weather, surreal architecture, warm hospitality, and affordable pampering. It is the kind of place that stays with you long after you pack your bags, and I already know I will be back.h

*Have you been to Da Lat, or are you planning a trip soon? Drop your favorite cafés or hidden spots in the comments below!*

Clay Tunnel

### 🚂 Vintage Train Ride at Da Lat Railway Station

If you want to experience a nostalgic ride into the countryside, head over to the historic **Da Lat Railway Station** (*Ga Đà Lạt*)—famous for its French-colonial Art Deco architecture and vintage wooden carriages.

* **Afternoon Departure Timing:** The afternoon tourist train (**Train DL9**) departs Da Lat at **4:10 PM** (around 4:00 PM) for a scenic 30-minute ride to **Trại Mát** (arriving at 4:40 PM), with the return train (**DL10**) departing Trại Mát at **5:10 PM** and arriving back in Da Lat at **5:40 PM**. *

(Note: Afternoon departures sometimes require a minimum number of passengers to run, so arrive 20–30 minutes early to check at the counter).*

* **Ticket Prices (Round-Trip per person):**

  * **Hard Seat:** 116,000 VND

  * **Soft Seat:** 134,000 VND

  * **VIP Seat (VIP 2 / VIP 1):** 144,000 – 158,000 VND

  * *(If you only want to enter the station to take photos with the vintage steam locomotive without riding the train, the sightseeing entrance fee is around **5,000 – 50,000 VND** depending on current ticket counter rates).*