Forget everything you know about Vietnam—à Låt is different. The mountainous city’s flourishing artistic community, easygoing atmosphere, and frankly bizarre “à Låt Eiffel” have led to the affectionate nickname “Le Petit Paris.” French doctor/adventurer Alexandre Yersin became smitten with the alpine climate and pine forests during an 1892 expedition. Following his suggestion that they build a city, the French displaced ethnic Vietnamese and K’ho people to establish the resort city of à Låt (elevation 1500m) in 1910. Today, the hills are alive with the sounds of tourism. Known as “The City of Flowers” for its abundant flower markets, à Låt has perfected the art of the vacation destination, for both foreigners and Vietnamese. Every other March, the city’s market and streets are flooded with colorful collections of petals to celebrate the biannual à Låt Flower Festival. Elaborate potted arrangements, floral sculptures, and floats are crafted in preparation for the festival, and the sounds of music and poetry readings fill the streets. Romantic lakes and a booming flower industry make this the kitschy honeymoon capital of Vietnam; it’s also a base for escapist expats looking for a European haven. Travelers looking for the real Vietnam can use the city as a base from which to explore the fascinating agricultural and anthropological sites in the surrounding hills. à Låt has also become the epicenter of adventure- and eco-tourism in southern Vietnam, luring the brave into ravines and onto mountaintops. No matter what you fancy—a taste of Paris, a moutainside hike, or a giant concrete chicken —à Låt and its surroundings have something for you.
à Låt’s local bus industry has been hit hard by the tourist influx and the accompanying private tour bus operations. With only a few roads out of town, most locals and tourists just take the tour buses. Tickets can be booked and buses boarded at any hotel.
The capital of Lñm D·ng Province, à Låt is 300km north of HCMC on Hwy. 20. Built on several adjoining mountaintops, the streets twist, turn, rise, and fall, making initial ventures disorienting. The slope rising north out of the west end of Xuñn H™£ng Lake supports the city’s center and the central market. To the left of the market, steps lead up to Hoà Bính Sq., dominated by the 3/4 Cinema. Tr™£ng C®ng ¢nh heads north from the cinema and turns into Phan ình Phùng, which also runs roughly north-south. Most of à Låt’s backpackers stay in this area. Below the square, Nguy[n Chí Thành and Lˆ åi Hành run southward to the lake. The slope facing it from the southeast, marked by the “à Låt Eiffel” and the cathedral, is the location of the post office and high-end accommodations. In this neighborhood, Tr<n Phú runs east-west, from which 3 Thàng 4 runs southeast out of the city.
Like Vietnam’s other tourist meccas, à Låt has plentiful rooms varying widely in price. Almost all accommodations provide mosquito nets and hot water. Some prices vary by season: February, June, and July are high season in à Låt. The following list is not exhaustive; if you aren’t satisfied, there are tons of hotels and hostels lining every street. Tr™£ng C®ng ¢nh and Phan ình Phùng, north of Hoà Bình Sq., form à Låt’s backpacker quarter. The area south of the city center—under the shadow of the “Eiffel”—has more upscale offerings.
As befits a holiday destination, à Låt’s restaurants tend to be either pricey, Western-style restaurants or crowded rice-and-ph eateries. Though there is little in between, there are many on either extreme; take a cue from pedestrian traffic as to which are worth a visit. The fruits, vegetables, and fried meats served up on the streets are often more tasty than what you can get in the restaurants. à Låt’s most renowned culinary contributions, however, are strawberries and strawberry jam. They are sold throughout the city, but if you have wheels, head to the specialty shops along Phù ¤ng Thiˆn V™£ng, which heads north from the golf club, to pick up a jar of unrivaled strawberry preserves.
The cheapest eats, as always, are at the food stalls around the market. After dark, the market is lit with vendors selling home-cooked meals and local specialties. A food stall along Tr™£ng C®ng ¢nh, near the bookstore, sells superb pastries for 1000. The main market, Chˆ à Låt, in the town center, is down the steps from Hoà Bính Sq. Vendors offer hordes of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, all grown in the surrounding hills. (Open daily 4am-1am.) Ngßc Duy supermarket, 6 Trng Bat H#, next to Phú Hòa Hotel, is a good stop before heading out for daytrips and hikes. (☎822 293. Open daily 7am-10pm.)
Due to the grip that French culture still has on the city, à Låt has an abundance of true cafes, as relaxing as any found in Paris. And with a booming coffee industry in the Central Highlands, an evening in a cafe is a must while in the City of Flowers. The stretch of Nguy[n Chí Thành, south of Khu Hoà Bính and before the road turns sharply westward, is lined with cafes. Come nightfall, the cafes turn into spirited bars, with live music and karaoke emanating into the street.
à Låt’s attractions have gained notoriety around the nation and abroad, fueling the city’s reputation as the premier resort in Vietnam. à Låt’s more interesting sights are scattered around the surrounding hills, and are most conveniently accessed by motorbike, though some more rugged souls choose a mountain bike.
Near the city center are traditional, unexciting sights popular with Vietnamese tourists. Farther into the hills are waterfalls and secluded pagodas. Some backpackers venture even farther with an adventure tourism outfit. Incongruously located among it all is a unique artist community. No matter what you choose to do, à Låt has enough to keep you occupied for at least a few days.
All of the rural and agricultural sights are free of charge, and tourable at the pleasure of the owners and farmers. Pagodas are similarly open to all. Select museums and tourist sites charge entrance fees. Steer clear of the heavily guarded nuclear research center.
Xuñn H™£ng Lake. This man-made lake is the first thing you see in à Låt. The city is built on the slopes rising from its shores, which curve eastward from the city center. Around it are swan-shaped paddle boats, opportunities to ride a horse with the famous and wonderfully kitschy “à Låt Cowboys,” and a couple of bar-restaurants on the lake shore. Though the waters are calm, the traffic around the lake isn’t. Still, the 7km sealed path around it makes for a pleasant stroll.
Flower Gardens. “The City of Flowers” takes its nickname seriously, and these gardens are the proof. The gardens should be accompanied by visits to the flower groves in the surrounding hills to get a true sense of the region’s diversity. The orchid house at the back of the grounds is the highlight; make sure to look up, as the most exquisite specimens are hanging from the roof. These gardens are definitely worth a quick stroll. (Located at the intersection of Bà Huy_n Thành Quan and Phù ¤ng Thiˆn V™£ng, at the eastern end of the lake. Open daily 7am-6pm. 4000.)
Xq À Låt Embroidery Workshop (Di€m Tham Quan). Part craftshop and part art gallery, the XQ Workshop is, in a word, awesome. At first glance, the framed artwork spilling from the walls rivals anything else in Vietnam—and its impact only increases when you realize that it’s all embroidery. The staff of the shop will be happy to provide a free tour, showing you ready-to-buy pieces (US$50-200) on the first and third floors. The second floor houses the actual workshop. XQ employs 250 women but only 20 work at a time. The chosen few must go through a selection process and then a six-year training course before they put needle to silk. The second floor also has a small exhibit showing how the intricate patterns are made. An excellent site for both the art-lover and the shopper. (56-58 Hoà Bính. ☎830 042; www.xqhandembroidery.com. Open daily 7am-5pm.)
À Låt Cathedral (Nhà Th Chính Tòa À Låt). On Tr<n Phú near the Eiffel, à Låt Cathedral holds its own against its European cousins. The French Romanesque style and salmon color give the cathedral a unique appearance. A giant cross is carved into the front tower, and inside, an intricate series of stained-glass windows will entrance even non-believers. A refreshing departure from the usual squat concrete churches of contemporary Vietnam. (M-Sa mass at 5:15am and 5:15pm; Su mass 5:15, 7, 8:30am, 4, 6pm.)
B=o Ai’S Summer Palace. Built in 1933, the palace was the Emperor B=o ai’s midsummer retreat. It’s been well-maintained and looks much like it did in the 1930s, resplendent in art deco magnificence. However, it’s sparsely furnished, and a grand golden bust of the emperor and a glass map of Vietnam are the only artifacts of note. (Up Lˆ H%ng Phong. Open daily 7-11am and 1:30-4pm. 7000.)
Silk Worms And Factory. It takes a village to make a silk pajama shirt. Actually, three villages. First, near the coffee plantations are fields of large green mobary leaves, the primary feed of silk worms. The worms are kept in huts alongside the fields and can be observed by visitors. After a one-month period of feeding, the worms are sent to Nam Ban (“bamboo village”) to lie on bamboo racks assembled by the villagers. The worms’ cocoons are then sent to the local silk factory, the C™£ng Hoan Traditional Silk Centre (☎852 338), 6km northeast of à Låt on Hwy. 9. The factory is a truly bewildering and amazing place, where visitors can watch silk thread being extracted from the cocoons, dried, spooled, and then woven into florally patterned cloth. One silk worm’s cocoon turns into 500m of silk thread. Not surprisingly, the Vietnamese consider the remaining silk worm larvae a culinary specialty.
Pagodas. Linh Ph™%c Pagoda is a bustling, colorful building in the nearby village of Trai Mát. Newly renovated, the ancient pagoda is the site of nationwide pilgrimages, and the intricate beauty of the building only begins to explain why. Inside the main building sits a giant gold Buddha under a massive molded bodhi tree. Visitors can climb the tower of the main building for a stunning view or climb the tower of the smaller building to see the 8400kg bell. Between the two buildings lies a sculpture garden exhibiting a phantasmagorical Ddragon made of more than 20,000 bottles of beer. The pagoda can be reached by train from à Låt. (Train station: 1 Nguy[n Trãi, east of the lake. 30min.; 7:30, 9am, 2, 3:30pm; 70,000. Or drive the 8km east to 120 T™ Ph™%c Pagoda. Open daily 6am-7pm.) The hills around à Låt are sown with beautiful and peaceful pagodas, but after a while, they all begin to blend together. There are a few truly remarkable ones, including Tr™c Lam Pagoda, one of à Låt’s newer pagodas. Locals boast of this recently built pagoda as the most beautiful in south Vietnam, but by “beautiful” they mean new, clean, and large. Tr™c Lam lacks character, but it remains noteworthy as a renowned Zen meditation center. How the monks can meditate with the noisy influx of tourists remains a mystery. (5km south of à Låt, down 3 Thàng 4.) Down the hill sits Tuy[n Lam Lake and small hamlets selling crafts, drinks, and boat rides. (2km from Hwy. 20, 5km south of town. Follow the signs. Also accessible by cable car from the bus station nearly 2km away; 30,000 one-way, 50,000 round-trip.) Thiˆn V™£ng Pagoda (Chinese Pagoda), built by à Låt’s Chinese community in 1958, sits on a lonely pine-covered hilltop. The main pagoda holds three large, gold-painted wooden statues brought from China and thought to date from the 16th century, representing power, infinite light, and mercy. Behind the pagoda is a large statue of Buddha. (5km southeast of town on Khe Sanh.) Linh S£n Pagoda is à Låt’s oldest and most centrally located pagoda. Built nearly a century ago, the pagoda served as a hiding place for Vi_t Cng guerrillas during the American War. Inside the central sanctum is a uniquely human Tích Ca (Gautama Buddha). The gardens and grounds feature sculptures and depictions from Buddha’s life. Vien Nhu, an elder monk at the pagoda, speaks good English and is happy to explain Mahayana Buddhism’s basic tenets. (On Nguy[n Vn Tr!i, 1km north of the city center.) Linh An T™, à Låt ’s newest pagoda, sits next to Elephant Falls, northeast of the city. Built in 2002, the pagoda bears marks of both Hindu symbolism (the swastika) and Chinese symbolism (dragons), emphasizing Vietnam’s mixed influences.
Waterfalls. The mountainous terrain of à Låt provides quality waterfall exploration, even though the majority of them have been fenced off and turned into pseudo-amusement parks. The closest to town is the Datanla Falls. At the bottom of a steep climb through lush forest, the falls spray mist over anyone in the proximity. Although not very high, they are the strongest in the region. After the steady climb back out, stop at the restaurant (drinks 10,000, rice dishes 25,000) to re-energize over a drink and a spectacular view. (5km south of town off Hwy. 20; look for the sign. Open daily 7am-5pm. 5000.) Prenn Falls is beloved by Vietnamese tourists. Above the falls are a gaggle of mock thatched-roof huts selling a variety of drinks, but the real action is below the falls. You can descend by stairs or mini-cable car and, once below the falls, paddle around the lagoon or visit the crocodile pond. The falls themselves are quite a sight as they tumble over a large outcrop—it’s even possible to walk underneath them. The really worthwhile attraction here, though, is a walk to the top of the hill for a view of the surrounding countryside. (10km south of town off Hwy. 20. Open daily 7am-5pm. 8000.) The area south of à Låt also has many spectacular waterfalls, formed as the highlands flatten into the Mekong Delta. These are easily accessible from Hwy. 20, yet are refreshingly free of visitors. In the dry season, their full force is not apparent. Gougah Falls, 40km south, can be seen from the highway; Pongour Falls, 55km south, are massive and amenable to peripheral trekking; and Dambri Falls, the best and highest, are about 20km north of B=o Lÿc. North of town, off of Hwy. 9, are the Elephant Falls. Though the former elephant inhabitants migrated north after military disturbances in 1971, the waterfall is still enjoyable, especially with the metal footbridges and slippery rock steps that lead visitors delightfully close to the waterfall’s base.
Strawberry Fields. Northeast of the city, between Phù %ng Tiˆn V™£ng and Phan Chu Trinh, are vast expanses of terraced fields. The rich soil of these fields produce a multitude of vegetables—carrots, onions, cauliflower, potatoes, and others—famous across the country, as well as à Låt’s gastronomic specialty, strawberries. Strawberries here are harvested four to five times a year, so with some luck you might see them in full bloom. Vast fields of flowers, protected from the wind by outdoor greenhouses, checker the vegetable fields. The big Danish flower-farm is closed to the public, but smaller, privately managed Vietnamese farms are usually hospitable and will offer a tour if they’re not busy.
Coffee Plantations. Past the fruit fields along Hwy. 9 are the coffee plantations of Tan Ung. The coffee plants reach heights of five to six feet tall, and feature small haphazard flops of white flowers. During maturation, clusters of small berry-like globes appear, hanging off the limbs of the bush, and ripen from green to deep crimson. At this point, the bean is hand-plucked and sent to factories nearby.
Artist Community. The à Låt Artist Community is as famous as it is expansive, awash in relaxed, enlightened attitude and crisp invigorating mountain air. The scene here is dominated by three very different—and very eccentric—titans. Fortunately, all are welcoming to tourists, but all too have been swamped by visitors, gradually making the experience of meeting them less personal. Stop and Go Cafe , hidden down a windy street, is a must-see on the artist circuit. Squirreled away among flowers, greenhouses, and pine trees, and located in the living room of local poet, painter, and ex-mayor Duy Viˆt, this is one of the rare urban hideaways in the country. Speaking English or French, and sporting his signature beret, Duy Viˆt will show you his work while serving up excellent home-made cakes; you are also free to explore his greenhouse. Duy Viˆt has hosted a multitude of visitors, including John F. Kennedy, Jr., and he remains sincere and welcoming. Once you get settled in, it’s hard to leave. (Follow the unmarked L• T™ Trong from the intersection of Bùi Th¢ Xuñn and Phan Bÿi Chñu to the end. The cafe is on the right at 2 L• T™ Trong.) Lam Ti Ni Pagoda is an old, incomplete building where the famous “crazy monk” Viˆn Thc is holed up. Exceedingly friendly and enjoyable, the prolific painter, poet, and musician has turned this pagoda into his studio, gallery, and home, situated among shanties and dirt roads. Show yourself through the gate and unkept garden to the sealed doors. A knock will bring Viˆn Thc to the door. He will happily show (and sell for US$10-50) his work, and he’ll talk about himself in fluent English, French, or Thai. Unfortunately, waves of visitors have turned this more into an attraction than an authentic experience, but it still remains unlike anything else in the country. (2 Thi_n My.) Hang Nga Guesthouse, called the “The Crazy House” by locals and tourists alike, is comprised of a squat building and two towers molded to form a giant treehouse. Each of the 10 rooms is designed with an animal motif—the Ant Room rivals all. Imagine Gaudí gone wild. The artist who gave birth to this craziness is Dang Viˆt Nga, an architect trained in Moscow who also happens to be the daughter of Vietnam’s second president (Tr™£ng Chinh, successor to H· Chí Minh). A small art gallery near the exit sells bamboo paintings for US$40-60. (3 HuÇnh Trúc Kháng. Open daily 7am-5pm. 7000.)
Chicken Village. This K’ho village outside of à Låt is widely known by its nickname, which comes (predictably) from the two-story concrete chicken in the center of the village. The legend—or at least a variation of it—begins with a young couple in love who wanted to marry. The boy’s family did not approve of his fiancée, so, in an effort to derail the marriage, they demanded that the girl present a chicken with nine spurs on the back of its legs. The girl searched throughout the village unsuccessfully and, just as she was going to lose all hope, she heard a rumor that such a chicken lived on the nearby mountain. She left for the mountain and never returned. Stricken with grief, the villagers built the monument in her memory. Why it’s a chicken, and not a woman, baffles us to this day. The K’ho village is a rarity among the ethnic minority villages of the Central Highlands—they do not live in crushing poverty, keep a clean village, and are quite comfortable with visitors. The center of the village is dominated by cloth shops, but for a more low-key view of the village lifestyle, walk through the quieter south side. (Located 18km south of à Låt off Hwy. 20, in the shadow of Elephant Mountain.)
Mushroom Farms. Nam Ban is also home to several mushroom farms. Mushroom harvesting, surprisingly enough, makes for a fascinating sight—unwieldy white fungus sprouts from plastic bags packed with sawdust, dirt, and tapioca. The result is moist, dark warehouses filled with rows upon rows of mushroom columns hanging from the ceiling. It’s a fun stop when coupled with the Silk Factory.
à Låt’s rugged environs make it the adventure tourism and ecotourism capital of Vietnam. Fueled by backpacker dollars—and an increasing number of young Vietnamese—the industry is quickly dominating the city. There are a number of companies to choose from, but they offer the same basic services and tours for nearly the same price. Common activities include rock climbing, trekking, overnight camping, and mountain biking. The best area to hike or mountain bike is Lang Bien Mountain (2169m). Going with a guide keeps things interesting, as there is much flora and local lore to discover; just make sure you aren’t talked into being driven to the summit. Below are some of the specialty outdoors tourist offices, but all bureaus can handle excursions, so shop around:
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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