Buzz
In the agricultural village, you'll encounter a Dalat that is peculiar, intimate, and sparkles with joy.
Experience a Dalat that is both familiar and unusual, providing tranquility in the agricultural haven of Ho Xuan Huong.
Dalat is a magical tourist destination that unveils new and fascinating aspects every year. If you've grown weary of the hustle and bustle of Hoa Binh's city center and the typical five-star resorts, try living in Ho Xuan Huong's agricultural village. Here, waking up early to explore the gardens, enjoying coffee in the evening while admiring the sparkling 'castles,' and witnessing fairy-tale-like scenes, such as giant red pumpkins and glistening black tomato fields, are all part of the charm.
A serene and dazzling Dalat night
The agricultural village lacks homestays or villas clustered like in the city center. The number of accommodation options here can be counted on one hand. However, each villa exudes warmth and is undeniably worth every penny.
The villas aren't right on the main road; you have to go through a narrow lane a few hundred meters, but don't worry, even though it's called a lane, 7-seater cars can still reach the door. The family villa I chose this time in Dalat has about 9 rooms, each offering a beautiful view overlooking the hills with characteristic transparent flower greenhouses of Dalat. There's even a cozy attic room.
Room prices at such villas range around 1 million VND per room; if booked through booking systems, you can find deals with discounts of up to 300,000 VND per night. Considering many hotels in the city center, this price isn't exceptionally cheap, but having visited Dalat many times, I truly seek something new beyond the bustling night market and exploring food and coffee shops.
Staying at a villa in the agricultural village area, I had incredibly fresh experiences. The villa I stayed in has a very warm design, every corner giving you the feeling of owning the entire house. Returning to the door on a chilly rainy evening, the host grilled corn, sweet potatoes, and rice paper, inviting me to enjoy a spontaneous feast. Right at the villa, there's a garden. So, feel free to explore the garden and take photos all day long.
One specific experience I must share with you is that if you've rented a room in the agricultural village area, spend at least one evening staying in, sitting on the balcony sipping a hot artichoke tea or coffee while inhaling the fresh, dewy mountain air.
Serve yourself, turn on some music, make your own coffee while sitting in the garden or on the balcony, admiring the images of hundreds of brightly lit, dazzling, and enchanting flower houses in the night, resembling 'castles' of light.
If you come to Dalat to find relaxation and tranquility, trust me, staying in the agricultural village, you'll experience a strange sense of satisfaction. It's the feeling of being the 'master' of a house, a garden, a romantic, gentle city named Dalat.
How does the exploration journey kick off?
The mountainous streets are refreshing, and the schedule begins early in the gardens. If you truly seek serene and leisurely experiences, start your day no later than 7 am. Since the garden spots are not close to each other, you'll waste time commuting. Additionally, even though the gardens are open to visitors, they still follow care schedules like watering and lawn maintenance. Being late might result in being left outside as the garden owners are busy closing up or getting wet if you're there during the smart irrigation hour.
Everyone knows about the giant pumpkin turned into Cinderella's carriage. You probably thought that was just a fairy tale. But, it's not an exaggerated story; the giant pumpkin used as Cinderella's carriage is real.
Giant pumpkins are not the only attraction; in the agricultural village area, you can find unique black-purple tomatoes resembling a string of pearls, a distinctive breed from Japan.
Not to mention the nursery of uniformly green vegetables is visually appealing. The tiny plants emerging from the vegetable trays are noteworthy for macro photography enthusiasts or those testing the portrait mode of their iPhone 7 Plus.
Just admire and feel the love, don't pick anything as these are new plant varieties, and the garden owners don't offer this service. If you have kids, they can participate in watering and pest-catching activities. Overall, visiting the gardens is a peaceful experience; it's not a place filled with the excitement of various entertainment activities. However, if fate allows, you might receive boxes of products that are both delicious and clean like this.
Notes for Your Visit to the Agricultural Village
The full name of this agricultural village is Ho Xuan Huong Agricultural Village, situated on Ho Xuan Huong Street in Ward 9 and Ward 12, Dalat City. A historic site in Dalat, known from ancient times, is the Lake of Sighs. It's approximately a 15-minute drive from Dalat's center, around 7km away. The route is straightforward; just use Google Maps for navigation without worrying about getting lost.
Since fruit trees have their seasons, before visiting the gardens, it's advisable to search online and check with the garden owners about the current status of the plants. During this trip, the fruit orchards in the agricultural tourism village were all laden with fruits, but it's not always the case. Unfortunately, I couldn't visit the Peppino squash garden as it was out of the harvesting season. The plan to pick strawberries also failed due to the weekend influx of tourists and the overly enthusiastic 'harvesting' activities.
The pumpkin garden isn't extensive, so tour groups should ideally be under 10 people. If there are too many visitors, the garden owner may worry about potential damage to the plants and refuse entry. The entrance opens before 10 am; make sure to arrive early. Also, note that the garden is free to visit, so maintain a courteous and respectful attitude during the tour to reciprocate the owner's hospitality.
By Anh Thu/Afamily
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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour
MytourSeptember 22, 2017
