Xuan Huong Lake

   Xuan Huong Lake lies charmingly at the very heart of Dalat City, surrounded by Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Tran Quoc Toan, Le Dai Hanh and Yersin St. Used to be the site in which many indigenous people of Langbian highland inhabited, this man-made lake is nowadays the most beautiful lake of Da Lat, giving the city an invaluable gift of having a lake right in the center.

   The history of Xuan Huong Lake distinguishes it as one of the most special lakes in Vietnam. In the past, there was no lake where we see Xuan Huong Lake today. In 1919 and 1923, two dams were formed on a branch of Cam Ly River to create two small lakes. Unfortunately, during a severe storm in 1932, both dams were destroyed. Between 1934 and 1935, a larger dam was built of boulders below the sites of the two previous dams to create one large lake. At that time, the French named it Grand Lac (large lake), but in 1953 it was renamed Xuan Huong Lake to express the people’s appreciation to the famous Vietnamese female poet in the 19th century who has the same name. The lake has gone through several constructions. There would be time when it's not full of water (very unlucky if you drop in the city by then, though).

Valley of Love

   Just as true love has to surpass several obstacles, the Valley of Love in Da Lat had to surpass many challenges in the past in order to gain its rightful name today. In the beginning, the valley was called Vallée D’amour (Valley of Love) by the French before being renamed The Valley of Piece. In 1935, its beauty and captivation persuaded people to once again name it after the most wonderful thing in the world: Love. Thanks to being the honeymoon destination of newly-married couples, this valley is even regarded as Niagara Fall of Vietnam. 

   The Valley of Love today is located 4 miles away from the center of Da Lat, the little Paris, on Phu Dong Thien Vuong St.

 King Bao Dai

   The palace was built from 1933 to 1937 under the dynasty of King Bao Dai, the last king of Vietnam feudal court. The palace was designed in the art deco style and lies in the middle of a pine forest near the Pasteur Institute. In the past, this villa was constructed as a retreating place King Bao Dai and his royal family to escape the summer heat but after 1950, when the French colonial came back to Vietnam, the palace occupied a role as the office and house of the king. Today, tourists can find it on Trieu Viet Vuong St.

   No one can deny that Da Lat has a reputation as one of the most attractive cities in Vietnam, which can be accounted (Dominion of Marie) for by the fact that its architecture was the combination of French and Vietnamese style.

Dominion of Marie

   (Dominion of Marie) Church is one example of that interaction between the two cultures. Today, it is not only a place for the local people to worship but also a destination for visitors from just anywhere.

   The Domaine de Marie Church, also called Mai Anh Church or Cherry Church, is home to the Roman Catholic nuns of the Mission of Charity. Actually, that's why many people think that there's a feminine charm attached to the architecture of the church. Located on a nice hill at 1 Ngo Quyen St., Ward 6, nearly 0.6 mile southwest away from the city center, it is a 29.6-acre architectural complex consisting of the main church and two convents. It offers a scenic panoramic view of the city. It was built from 1930 to 1943 following the 17th century French style. Before 1975, this is the main abbey with more than 50 female nuns, most of which are Vietnamese who carry out social activities like opening orphanages and kindergarten.  However, because its architecture is the harmonious combination of Western art and Vietnamese folk art, the church definitely stands out from other ones created at the same era.