Top 10 Most Beautiful Mountains and Waterfalls in Da Lat You Should Visit

Xuan Huong Lake is the source of Cam Ly Waterfall, with a circumference of nearly 5km and a winding length of almost 8km. Nestled in the center of Da Lat city, Xuan Huong Lake captivates anyone who comes or leaves, making it impossible not to turn one's head and greet the picturesque, gently charming scenery. Xuan Huong Lake resembles a crescent moon meandering amidst vast pine forests, shining through tall, majestic cypress trees or casting shadows of the evening sun through the mountain gap behind the lake.

Compared to a muse nestled in the city center, Xuan Huong Lake always exerts a powerful attraction with many tourist spots along its length, such as a small and lovely Thuy Ta cafe bar or a bustling Thanh Thuy restaurant. If you still don't want to visit these fixed tourist spots, you can choose a small lakeside stall, enjoying a hot soy milk or savoring a baked sweet potato.

If you want to delve into the soul of Muse Xuan Huong, you can choose a duck boat. You will have the opportunity to pedal a duck, freely enjoying the crystal-clear water. Or, if you want to leave your mark on this land, don't hesitate to capture a cowboy-style photo with a horse near the vast lake. Alternatively, just hold hands tightly, take a leisurely stroll around the lake, and experience an unusually peaceful feeling.

When mentioning Than Tho Lake, everyone can't help but feel a bit melancholy, a bit sorrowful. The name Than Tho Lake is associated with a sad story of a young man named Hoang Tung and a girl named Mai Nuong in the 18th century. Before the young man left to fight against the Qing army, the two agreed to meet by the lake to make a promise. The young man promised the girl that in the spring when cherry blossoms bloom, he would bring news of victory and return to the lake to find her. The girl waited every day. One day, she heard that the young man had died in battle. Overwhelmed with grief, she threw herself into the lake. Unfortunately, life is fickle. In that spring, the young man Hoang Tung returned with news of victory. Upon hearing that Mai Nuong had tragically drowned, he mourned for a long time and also chose to end his life in the lake to reunite with Mai Nuong near the nine streams. That's why the lake is named Than Tho (Sighing Lake).

Putting aside that sad story, let's immerse ourselves in nature. Than Tho Lake hides amidst beautiful pine forests, where trees grow evenly, creating a space for the morning light or the twilight to sneak down to the lake's surface, making us feel like we're traversing a finely embroidered light tapestry. Let's admire two pine trees embracing each other tightly in the north of the lake, entwined like an inseparable couple, reaching up as if a pair of lovers clinging forever.

There are also other services such as horse riding, souvenir photography, engraving names or words on wooden keychains made of pine or pine cones. Or simply take a leisurely stroll around the lake to explore nature. The blue-green lake, tiny ripples, the interweaving of purple flowers along the walking paths, will make us feel at one with nature. If tired, we can stop and rest in the 'huts' along the road and listen to stories about the two graves on the hill, connected with the unjust love story of teacher Thao and soldier Tam. Until now, the girl's grave still lies alone, breathing in the fresh air amidst the beautiful scenery.

Tuyen Lam Lake, with an elevation of over 1,000 meters above sea level, was created by the craftsmen of the Irrigation Department for the purpose of providing irrigation water to farmers in the surrounding area. Tuyen Lam Lake carries a legendary mesmerizing blue color. Why do I call that color a legendary blue? Because even in the fiery dry season, when rivers and streams are drying up, the lake still wears a legendary blue color. Or when the rainy season comes, on rainy nights, the lake is like a tough warrior. Despite receiving countless water sources from mountains and streams, he still doesn't put on the muddy water outfit but maintains that legendary blue color.

Visiting Tuyen Lam Lake means embracing the freedom, strongly flavored with the call of the wild. You can rent a small wooden boat for 200,000 VND and freely explore your companion, gliding on the rippling surface, the gentle legendary blue color, inhaling the pure and fresh air of the vast water nature, enough to make you feel light and peacefully yielding.

Additionally, you can experience grilled meat, bamboo rice, rice wine, campfire, participate in the gong festival of ethnic minorities in the South Central Highlands, admire the wooden sculptures created by the hands of artisans from this highland region, or visit the lifestyle of living in stilt houses, a characteristic feature of the Central Highlands ethnic groups. For those who love freedom and adventure, participating in archery or jungle expeditions is an excellent suggestion.

Datanla Waterfall, 8km from the center of Da Lat City, with an area of ​​312 hectares, is a pristine beauty that anyone who visits once will want to come again to fully understand this waterfall. It is said that in the past, the waterfall was where fairy maidens came down to bathe because the water at the waterfall was very clear and they could hide under the leaves very carefully without being discovered. But later, the K'HO ethnic people discovered water under the leaves and named the waterfall 'Đạ tam n’nha,' which means 'under the leaves, there is water,' later transcribed as Datanla.

The waterfall flows from above, water passes through rugged rocks to pour into the 'Death Abyss' with two sides of vertical cliffs. The water pours down, clear and cool, as if one could see their reflection in that clear water. To explore the entire waterfall, you can choose to wander through 200 steps or participate in an exciting activity, which is 'slide down' to the waterfall.

Entertainment services with a sense of adventure are available at Datanla Waterfall tourist area, such as rock climbing, forest sliding, following the Datanla stream to Prenn Bridge. Besides, you will find dining places with the Central Highlands flavor, such as Datanla Restaurant located right at the entrance, designed in the style of stilt houses with thatched roofs. With a capacity of about 150 guests, serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and refreshments with a beautiful, poetic, friendly service style. Especially here, there is a very delicious wild boar meat dish, raised freely by the people in the village. If you want to enjoy the Unesco-recognized intangible cultural heritage: Central Highlands gongs, there will be a performance troupe according to your request. Come and fully feel immersed in the majestic and pristine nature of the Central Highlands.

Lang Biang Mountain, with a height of 2176 meters, is located 12km from the center of Da Lat City. The mountain is suitable for young people who love to explore, seek challenges, and the feeling of conquering success. Besides, Lang Biang also attracts ethnographers who love to study about the Central Highlands ethnic groups.

Do you know why this mountain is named Lang Biang, about the love story of Biang and Lang? Lang is the son of the tribe chief of the Lát tribe, and Biang is the daughter of the tribe chief of the Chil tribe. According to the custom that women go to get married, not men asking for a wife, because they are from different tribes, Biang could not marry Lang. At that time, if they were from different tribes, they would not be allowed to marry.

Because they loved each other so much, they decided to run away to the mountain to live. After a while, Biang got sick, and Lang couldn't cure her, so he went down to the village for help. However, people not only didn't help Lang but also chased and tried to kill him. Lang ran to the top of the mountain but was still hunted down. Biang, in order to save Lang, shielded him from poisoned arrows. Biang died, and Lang, mourning day and night, his tears turned into the Vang stream. After a while, Lang committed suicide to be with Biang.

Biang's father felt deep regret and sorrow for the deaths of Lang and Biang. He gathered the tribes, united them into a K'HO ethnic group, and they lived together peacefully, allowing love and marriage. In sorrow for the sad love story of Lang and Biang, people named the mountain Lang Biang.

Today, the mountain has been developed into a tourist area with many games from exploration to adventure for visitors, such as mountain climbing, conquering Lang Biang peak, or paragliding. There are various ways to reach the top of Lang Biang, helping you challenge the mountain and overcome yourself, such as going by Jeep to the mountain peak, or hiking along the asphalt road through pine forests and ethnic houses for about 2 km.

And what could be better than standing on the top of Lang Biang, using binoculars to admire the entire city of Da Lat, laughing at the horse statues posing for life in a scene of mist and clouds, or simply enjoying the flower garden on the peak and visiting the statues of Lang and Biang.

Bao Dai Waterfall hides itself deep, secluded from the outside world, standing tall amidst the wild Tà In mountains with a bit of dreamy and enchanting allure. The name of the waterfall is given by the local Churu people, with Jraiblian meaning a high rocky waterfall, as the water cascades from above, flowing over large standing rocks. Another name for the waterfall is Bao Dai Waterfall, named because in the past, it was where King Bao Dai rested after each hunting trip.

Amidst the majestic mountains and forests, the waterfall appears in a wild and dreamy manner, like a passionate girl from the Central Highlands, with the sound of rushing water that is not noisy but rather like the voice of a girl singing loudly, captivating everyone's heart, making every visitor want to come back. Bao Dai Waterfall stands out with its towering stone slabs, with the rushing water flowing down into a wide lake at the foot of the waterfall. Paddling a wooden boat on the azure lake, looking up to admire the grandeur of the waterfall, makes you forget the existence of everything and want to blend into this serene beauty. For those who love the pristine, wild, and majestic adventure travel, this is the perfect choice.

Heading from Saigon to Dalat along National Highway 20 at kilometer 260, turn left, go an extra 6km, and you will reach the Pongour waterfall tourist area. Legend has it that the K'HO people once had a beautiful caretaker named Kanai, who had the skill to tame wild animals to live together and help the villagers in their daily cultivation and exploration efforts. Among them were four giant rhinoceroses, always around Kanai, helping the villagers move mountains, stop rivers, sow crops, and ready to protect the village from any enemies, making the villagers' lives much more comfortable.

However, in the spring, on the exact full moon day of that January, Kanai took her last breath. She returned to the vast land of heaven, and the four rhinoceroses mourned beside her, refusing to eat until their last breath. Kanai's hair turned into a cool, clear stream flowing over the mossy layers of rocks arranged in order, representing the transformed rhinoceroses. Pongour Waterfall resembles a harmonious connection between humans and nature. When you visit Pongour Waterfall, you will feel like a small being in front of the grandeur of the waterfall. The waterfall cascades from a hundred meters above into the lake below, creating a constant mist, and you can immediately think of the majestic waterfalls seen only in Journey to the West, as if appearing right in front of you for the first time.

The only way to reach the waterfall is through winding mountain roads, which are incredibly romantic, cool, and refreshing, with a lively atmosphere of birdsong. You can stroll and admire the waterfall from a distance, until you go down to the foot of the waterfall. Entertainment services at Pongour waterfall tourist area are usually lively in spring, especially on the full moon day of January, as a memorial to Kanai. Every year, on the full moon day of the lunar January, tens of thousands of people flock to Pongour waterfall for the spring festival. They set up tents on the surrounding hills, sing by the campfire, grill meat, and this is an occasion for young people to live together, meet, make friends, get to know each other, bringing people closer together.

Moreover, every year at this waterfall, there are large festivals that attract thousands of visitors, such as gong festivals, buffalo stabbing, folk games, lam rice cooking competitions, and Thai dance performances. Because of these values that need to be preserved and maintained, on April 13, 2000, the Pongour Eco-tourism Area was recognized as a national-level scenic spot.

Located in Tuy Son hamlet, Xuan Tho commune, Dalat city. Nestled amidst vast pine forests, Hang Cop Waterfall is approximately 25km high and over 10m wide. In front of visitors, a cascade of white water pours from above into a deep hole, then meanders through large rocks, flowing into the dense primeval forest. At the foot of the mountain, the water mist rises like dew, and the moist stone air emits a chilling cold.

As dusk descends on the hills, the pale yellow sunlight penetrates through the tall pine forests and gradually fades away. The leaves of the Mimosa flowers close their petals, and it is the time when myriad sounds of the mountain forest begin to awaken. The sound of the pine forest rustling, the chirping of birds flying to the mountains disperses into the pristine space. Amidst the quiet and loneliness, the rhythmic sound of 'tiger roar' consistently emanates from the legendary waterfall, sometimes making us startled, thinking it's real.

It can be said that Prenn Waterfall is a beautiful natural gateway bestowed by nature upon the city of Dalat. Located on Prenn Hill, National Highway 20, the main road from Saigon to Dalat, it is 10km away from the city. Powerful water flows from above, creating countless tiny water bubbles that gently envelop visitors, conveying a particularly refreshing feeling when immersed in nature.

The road to Prenn Waterfall winds along the mountain slope, shaded by trees. As you descend, you will reach stilt houses, a suspension bridge over the stream, thatched huts on tree tops, rooms with embroidered lua paintings, and various ethnic games such as boat rides, traditional music performances of the Central Highlands... Don't forget to enjoy the delicious scent of snakehead fish porridge. To the east of Prenn Waterfall, there is also a shrine dedicated to the Au Lac worshiping the Hung Kings, located on a hill that can be “elephant worship, tiger kneeling”. This is a new tourism model - Eco-tourism combined with a return to the source. The temple was formed on May 10, 2004, including: Lower Temple, Middle Temple, and Upper Temple modeled after the original temples in Phu Tho.

Visitors can admire Elephant Mountain with the charming scenery of the suburban area. Every year, on the 10th of March lunar calendar, there is an event to celebrate the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary with many unique cultural performances: Bac Ninh folk songs, Thai ethnic dances, and the performance of Gongs of the Co Ho people... In 1998, the Ministry of Culture - Information recognized Prenn Waterfall as a Historical - Cultural Relic.

Located approximately 100km south of Dalat, and 200km north of Ho Chi Minh City along National Highway 20, Dambri Waterfall is about 18km east of Bao Loc. In the K'ho language, Dambri means anticipation. The waterfall is closely associated with a beautiful legend of the iron-hearted love of a girl for her beloved boy. It is the tallest waterfall in Lam Dong, with a height of over 40m, forming two majestic streams.

There are 3 ways for tourists to conquer this beauty: walking about 138 steps, taking an elevator, or experiencing the thrill of a 1,650m-long slide. On sunny days, you can explore the beauty of the pristine forests, participate in large-scale games, and enjoy campfires. But if you come here on a rainy day, there is nothing more delightful than sipping a hot cup of coffee, admiring the mist like a thin blanket covering the forest, and listening to romantic songs about Dalat.