Da lat

The People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province recently launched a contest to solicit solutions for the Da Lat City’s long-standing traffic issues.

Visitors to Da Lat during the Lunar New Year holiday season are likely to find themselves facing one of the city’s longest infrastructure issues: traffic.

While a slew of planned projects, including the constructions of belt roads, have yet to materialize, local authorities are mulling pleas for a traffic light system to manage the ever-growing congestion issues facing the locality.  

A ‘human traffic light’

Motorbike collisions are common at the intersection of Phan Chau Trinh, Tran Quy Cap, and Quang Trung Streets in Da Lat. Typically, drivers who find themselves in an accident will pull themselves up, hurl a few insults at anyone else involved, and be on their way without actually settling the dispute.

Locals say that such common occurrences could be totally avoided if the city would seriously consider a traffic light system in lieu of the current system of ‘human stop lights’ – traffic police officers mobilized throughout the city to attempt to regulate congestion.

“It takes a team of twelve to mediate traffic at Kim Cuc and Hai Thuong junctions during holidays. We’re out there all day. From 6:00 am and 9:00 pm,” said Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Hung, head of traffic police in Da Lat City.

“It’s very taxing for the team and there’s little we can do to actually help since all we have are whistles and batons. During peak seasons, we have to bring in ward-level police and provincial traffic forces to help us.”

According to Hung, the root of Da Lat’s traffic problems can be traced to a lack of coordination between vehicles, manpower, and technological systems.

Nguyen Dang Phuong Nguyen, a Da Lat native, said she once spent 90 minutes in a terrible traffic jam to traverse the 2-kilometer length from Prenn Pass to Xuan Huong Lake waterfront near Da Lat Market.

“I decided to avoid going outside for days after that. Our family now stays home during the peak tourism days. We only go out in off-peak periods to stock up on food,” Nguyen shared.

“I think city authorities need a solution to this issue so that they can develop tourism without disrupting the daily lives of locals,” she added.

Are traffic lights necessary?

“The sound application [of urban planning] is a way to preserve the merits of all cities, including Da Lat. A lack of problem-solving for our issues will eventually bring us down,” said Nguyen Huu Tranh, a writer and Da Lat expert, during a recent exchange on preserving the historical values of Da Lat in a contemporary context.

In reference to the city’s traffic problem, Tranh shared that “During the 1950s, we would be told off by police if we violated [road traffic] laws. There was no traffic light, but the town’s population was so low that police were only needed at a few junctions. Traffic has since evolved, as if it’s two different worlds.”

Truong Huu Hiep, director of Lam Dong Province’s Department of Transport, said that relevant authorities did suggest that installation of traffic lights at three important junctions of Da Lat City in the past, but the plan failed to gain traction.

Now, however, as senior officials in the city see that other locales have built traffic lights with success, those who did not support the plan in the past seem to have changed their minds.

The installation of traffic lights is crucial, but we still need to figure out where we’ll put them,” Hiep said.

The city’s authorities are currently devising a detailed plan for traffic light installation, which will be presented to city residents for feedback. The plan will be part of the smart city system that the city is currently envisioning.

According to Le Minh Chien, president of Da Lat University, the absence of traffic lights is hardly an issue for locals who know their way around the city. Instead, Chien said, tourists who visit the city without understanding of local traffic are the cause of the chaos.

A traffic police mediate traffic flows in Da Lat City. Photo: M.Vinh / Tuoi Tre

An artist’s vantage point

Da Lat has long been referred to as ‘the city without traffic lights,’ a small quirk that adds to the eccentricity of the place, said Nguyen Trung Hien, founder and director of the Da Lat-based art residency program Pho Ben Doi, also an activist with involvement in art initiatives and architecture preservation projects in the central highland township.

As Hien indicated, development pressure can erase that quirk from the city, but it can also open the window for future unique characteristics.

“I’m talking about discrete traffic light post designs that depart from Vietnam’s uniform blueprint. It fits Da Lat’s orientation of becoming a cultural tourism destination,” Hien suggested, referring to references of traffic light posts in the likes of Paris and Venice.

Attention to the small design details of traffic lights and ornamental lamps will render Da Lat a much more charming place.

It will appease the yearning for traffic light peculiarity of city residents and tourists, while also ensuring traffic safety.

This initiative, however, will require deep research from relevant agencies so that the city can maintains its reputation as one of Vietnam’s six Cultural Cities as named by the British Council, and eventually achieve the Asia-level ‘City of art’ title.

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The hills in the Central Highlands of Vietnam are beckoning, most notably Da Lat, ‘The City of Eternal Spring,’ one of the great gems in this world.

The city is still a small blip on the global travel radar, and although many wish it would stay that way, it grows in popularity each year.

Da Lat (the Vietnamese language uses two words, while in foreign languages it’s usually combined into one word – ‘Dalat’) definitely lives up to its ‘Eternal Spring’ moniker, except for the odd overnight drop in temperature to below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) in the dead of ‘winter,’ and occasional hot spells in summer when it hits 30 degrees (87 Fahrenheit).

I’ve never seen an air conditioner in Da Lat, though there must be some in fancier hotels and offices, with space heaters being a bit more common. That’s how consistently mild the weather is.

The 100-kilometer (62-mile) distance from the coast is a big advantage, inasmuch as storms during the monsoon season from July to November fizzle before arriving inland at a higher elevation in Da Lat. Those wet months bring frequent rains, often many short showers in a day, but nothing dramatic like the deluges that flood and paralyze other locales in Southeast Asia for days on end.

How breathtaking the approach to Da Lat is by airplane from the coast if you’re lucky enough to hit a day with an easterly wind!

The plateau upon which the city is built rises dramatically from less than 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) to 1,500 meters (5,000 feet), so the city appears surreal, with the only thing missing being a castle as in the fairy tales.

The city is also referred to as the ‘City of Thousands of Pines”’ (head out of the city proper and you’ll be surrounded), the ‘City of Love’ (no shortage of smitten couples cuddling up on a romantic getaway), and the ‘City of Flowers’ (the prevailing overall theme).

We need to add ‘City of Selfies’ to that list – I’ve never seen anything like it.

Just last week I saw a couple posing with flowers in the middle of Hoa Binh Square in full wedding regalia, with trucks, cars, and motorbikes whizzing around them. Anything for a good shot!

Even if the city was ugly, the people nasty, food bland, and the architecture unimaginative and boxy, Da Lat would be worth a visit just to frolic in the fresh, cool air. In truth, it’s the opposite on all those points – people are mellow and welcoming, the food is off the charts delicious, and the warm look and feel to the architecture and topography are unique in this part of the world.

Medieval look and feel

The hilly layout is akin to old cities found all over Europe – after all Da Lat was founded and built by French colonialists just over 100 years ago who clearly knew what they were looking for: a cool weather high-altitude retreat from the searing heat of Ho Chi Minh City, known during those times as Saigon.

European-style architecture in Da Lat

Da Lat is also referred to as ‘Le Petit Paris’ (‘The Small Paris’ in French), a bit of a misnomer – given all the hills it more closely resembles some cities in the south of France than it does Paris, which is quite level for the most part.  There is a tower similar in design to the Parisian landmark ‘La Tour Eiffel’ (Eiffel Tower) but much lower in height, as well as a neighborhood labeled the ‘French Quarter’ with French-style villas, but neither are must-sees.

Colonial-style buildings cling to the hills, giving the city its identity and charm. Small lanes and cobblestone alleys are lined with stone walls exuding an aura of mystery, romance, and intrigue, like a scene out of an old movie or novel. Level streets can be hard to find, so when you come across one, take a moment to catch your breath and enjoy the ambience.

Intriguing alleys in Da Lat

If you took down the signs in Vietnamese and replaced them with others in a European language, you’d never even know you were in Asia, that’s how distinct the European vibe is. There are some cities in the region that retain a colonial feel, but none hold a candle to Da Lat when it comes to charm.

That look and feel make Da Lat a huge hit with Vietnamese tourists, which made up over 80 percent of the over six million visitors in 2019.

Those tourist numbers are going to keep growing, probably in direct proportion to how hot and stuffy the major cities in Vietnam and Southeast Asia become each year, so there is much talk of wear and tear on the city’s infrastructure, especially the increasingly clogged roads.

Authorities forecast there is enough land in the vicinity to allow the city to double in size going forward, as well as sufficient natural resources to support a larger population. Initiatives to modernize the city center are well into the planning stage so that traffic flow will be improved and congestion reduced in key areas.

With a population closing in on 400,000, and given its 300-kilometer (200-mile) distance from Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat is both small enough and far enough from the hubbub of the megacity to retain its provincial charm. The city is the capital of Lam Dong Province, and therefore the regional commercial, cultural, and political hub.

There is a small expatriate population of several hundred, most of whom live outside the city center and lead low-profile lives. Most visitors tend to gravitate to the coastal areas leaving Da Lat low-keyed and peaceful.

Gaining global popularity

Property values in recent years have skyrocketed, making Da Lat among the most expensive real estate markets worldwide. Well-heeled residents of Ho Chi Minh City, the capital Hanoi, and other major cities in Vietnam and Southeast Asia are the most aggressive buyers, eager to trade the woes of urban living for fresh air and space.

The city has moved onto the international scene during the last two years with flights from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and Lanzhou (People’s Republic of China) added, with Singapore and destinations in Laos and Cambodia on the horizon. We’ll have to wait and see which routes are viable when some semblance of normality returns and borders reopen to tourists.

Visitors also arrive by bus, car, and even motorbike in droves, pop into the market, buy a hoodie and maybe a French-style beret, and they’re all set!  They might as well be in France – so, for many Vietnamese, it’s a great opportunity that they may not otherwise get to experience European culture.

Businesses are mostly family-owned and operated in Da Lat, featuring local food and products – refreshing compared with the increasing number of destinations worldwide that cater to the international tourist trade, bringing their mass-produced goods and services along with the crowds.

A large chunk of the populace was born and raised here so they own their homes, passed down through the generations. Several of my friends nearing retirement age still live in the houses they were born in, so deep are the roots in the community.

The usual urban-style rat race is noticeably absent, leaving plenty of quality time dedicated to a slow living pace. Many residents have small businesses and part-time gigs because the pressure to earn big is off so all they need to do is earn enough to put food on the table and save for a rainy day.

(To be continued)

Da Lat City in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong has experienced an influx of visitors but many of them have neglected Covid-19 preventive measures.

Since February 14, Da Lat City has become crowded with flows of tourists from different cities and provinces, particularly neighbouring localities.

On Sunday evening, nearly 15,000 visitors registered to stay overnight at Da Lat hotels and the figure continued rising on Monday.

Tourists in Da Lat

Lots of people from Da Lat City’s neighbouring localities also visited the city for the day. This morning, February 16, Da Lat’s central streets and roads to local tourist sites were full of visitors. Love Valley, Lang Biang tourist site and Datanla Waterfall attract around 2,000 – 3,000 travellers each daily. The same situation has also been seen at Lam Vien Square, Yersin Park and some other sites in the city. Da Lat night market has also lured a high number of tourists, especially young people. Patrol groups across the city have reminded people to strictly conform to Covid-19 preventive measures. Earlier, dozens of people in Da Lat were fined VND2 million (USD86.95) per person for not wearing face masks in public places.

A themed park on the war against Covid-19 pandemic has been opened in Da Lat city, Lam Dong province.

The park is designed to honor the “White Angels” – healthcare workers – in the fight against epidemics in Vietnam and the world.

Here are some of the impressive sculptural works in the “Covid-19 park”:

Corona virus is contained in “prisons”. The world is expecting that Covid-19 vaccine will help fight the epidemic. Frequently washing hands with soap and antiseptic lotion is one of the solutions to prevent disease. Antiseptic lotion helps prevent the spread of disease.

The fight between the “white-shirt soldiers” and coronavirus is still fierce. One of the impressive image of the “war” against epidemic. “Tieing” corona virus. The park strongly impresses visitors by its vivid sculptural works.

Covid-19 will have to “raise the white flag” and surrender.

Luong Bang

Adventure tours have become more popular among locals in Da Lat City. Photo dulich.tuoitre.vn

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, visitors to Da Lat are skipping crowded, popular tourism spots.

This is the perfect time for local travel agencies to launch tours that involve overnight camping in pine forests, kayaking, and zip-line swinging, among other adventure activities.

Most of the sightseeing and camping tours often start at 3pm daily and end the next morning, with prices ranging from VND400,000 (US$18) to VND450,000 ($20) per person.

Tourists are offered a discount of 10 to 40 per cent if they pursue more active activities. The discount aims to encourage groups of fewer than 15 people for adventure tours, which formerly were mostly embraced by foreigners.

According to Lam Dong Province People’s Committee, the number of visitors to Da Lat as of mid-May was 160,000, down more than 70 per cent year-on-year.

Of the total, the number of foreign visitors was 1,800, down 95.7 per cent year-on-year, while domestic visitors totalled 158,200, down more than 68 per cent compared to 2019.

Da Lat, however, has witnessed a growing number of visitors in recent weekends. It is expected that by September, the number of tourists to Da Lat will reach 70 per cent of the same period in 2019.

The Lam Dong Tourism Association plans to organise more night activities for visitors in an effort to lower the density of visitors during the day. The new plan will ensure safety during COVID-19 and increase tourism revenue for the province.  VNS

Da Lat in Lam Dong Province offers several ideal spots for peace seeking individuals thanks to its misty weather and splendid hillside retreats.

Da Lat shrouded in haze before nightfall as seen from the coffee shop.

Perched on a wooden terrace, guests get to observe the subtle changes of Da Lat scenery as revealed before their eyes.

To reach this hillside cabin-in-the-woods cafe, one has to traverse a set of stairs set amid dense foliage and shrubs. Arriving early might increase your chance of scoring a good seat with a rewarding view.

The cafe offers an indoor, outdoor and terrace area.

Cheo Veooo is suited to nature lovers and those seeking a quiet corner in Da Lat, an emerging retreat for well-known Vietnamese rappers like Den Vau and DSK.

Cheo Veooo’s rustic interior is designed to seamlessly blend with its natural, unassuming surroundings.

Seats are usually occupied from 4:00 p.m. till the evening. Drinks here are priced from VND20,000 to VND40,000 ($0.9-1.7).

A dog sunbathes on the cafe floor.

Da Lat, seen from Cheo Veooo, lights up as the sky turns red at sunset.