American tourist Kim Fieldhouse echoes the sentiments of many visitors who have chosen to tour through Da Lat on a new, old train.

“I’ve traveled to different places but I’ve never traveled by train on a plateau like this before.”

This new experience is now possible after four old carriages were restored, hatched to an old locomotive and put into operation a few weeks ago to replace the modern train on a seven-km stretch from Da Lat to Trai Mat.

The four carriages were fixed by experts from Ho Chi Minh City to look exactly the same as those used on the Da Lat-Phan Rang line in the 1930s.

The engineers even fixed the words “Da Lat Plateau Railroad” on the old carriages.

The restoration of the old train has drawn great interest from local and foreign tour operators because it could give tourists a chance to explore interesting things about the poetic town on the Lang Biang Plateau.

Second in the world

Built in the 1920s, the 84 km Da Lat-Phan Rang railway was the only one in Vietnam and second in the world that had a cogwheel line.

The cogwheel part was 34 km long, running through four tunnels with a total length of almost 1,000 meters, taking trains from the Krongpha Pass up the Ngoan Muc (Bellevue) Pass to Da Lat.

The Krongpha – Ngoan Muc section was completed in 1928, the Ngoan Muc – Dran section in 1929, the Dran – Tram Hanh section in 1930 and the completed line reaching Da Lat and was put in use in 1932.

It was abandoned during the prolonged wars against the French and the Americans. Even after southern Vietnam was liberated in 1975, no attempt was made to revive the line. It was consigned to memories of the past.

However, in the 1990s, concerned agencies decided to restore seven kilometers of the railway from Da Lat to Trai Mat for tourism purposes.

Now the train offers a vantage point for visitors to enjoy the wonderful scenery on either side of the railroad, like the Than Tho Lake (Lake of Sighs) or farms that grow carrots, potatoes, cabbages and many other vegetables.

They can also see enclosed buildings where flowers and vegetables are grown using modern cultivation methods as well as terraced farms where avocadoes, artichokes, peaches and strawberries are grown.

In the distance, the pine tree forests that the city is famous for, and the roads winding round hills highlight the charms the renowned hill side resort.

Architectural masterpiece

Construction of the famous Da Lat Railway Station started in 1935 and was completed three years later. It was designed by French architect Reveron and developed by his compatriot Moncet who directly supervised construction of the structure.

It was a technological and aesthetic wonder when completed. Its architectural design was very unique in the country then and now, and it became known as the most beautiful railway station in Indochina and France.

One of the most impressive features of the station is its tiled roof. There are three sets of tiled roofs running parallel to each other and joining with the main set of roofs of the building.

The departure lounge is lit by the natural light coming in through windows at the feet of the roofs. The station was recognized as a national historical and cultural relic in 2001, and authorities have preserved it with care as a major tourist attraction.

It is unfortunate that if you visit Da Lat – Lam Dong you do not visit the secret and dreaming of Lieng Rowoa Waterfall (Voi Waterfall). The waterfall appears as many elephants are swimming together.

According to local legend, the name of the waterfall is derived from a folk story about a beautiful girl, the daughter of the head of a tribe in Joi Bieng mountain region, who had an excellent voice, when she sang the foliate seem to stop rustling, the bird stop singing to listen to her. She had promised of becoming spouse with a handsome, brave and strong young man, the son of the head of a tribe in the neighbour region. But one day, the young man must say good bye to his lover to be fighting at the front. She waited for long time but the young man did not come back. She went to the place where they made the promise before and began singing with ardent and mournful voice. The B’ling birds had been moved by her voice. They flied far away to seek out information and then flied back to inform her that the young man had died in the battle. However, the girl did not accept this bitter truth and she sang to call her lover until she get exhausted and falling down. The flock of elephants that had lied prostrate to listen to her turned into stone. The waterfall named Lieng Rowoa Joi Bieng, means the waterfall of elephants that lied prostrate turned into stone before the ardent and faithful love.

The waterfall which associated with this faithful, woeful and majestic love has been recognized as a national landscape. The transparent water flowing through granite mountain sides looks really spectacular, especially when the waterfall is illuminated by the brilliant sunlight, seven-coloured rainbow will appear.

Next to the waterfall is Gio (wind) Cave. The road to enter the cave is narrow between two cliffs, but inside the cave there are many wide spaces and full of wind. Voi Waterfall looks like a lively picture which has been carved by nature with the particularly interesting caves hide after craggy cliffs and many rocks now appear, now disappear look like as many elephants are jostling to bath. At the foot of the waterfall stream there are many large, flat and smooth stones like the nature set up to offer tourists sit to chat.

Voi Waterfall is waiting to be discovered by the natural lovers. The waterfall is still keeping the original’s features. Some guest houses, tourist clubs, some poetic bridges are looming in the deep eyesight. Every year, the Voi Waterfall welcomes thousands of visitors. If you are the people who like wild, quiet, go to this place to contemplate the hills and mountains, pine forests and rocky waterfalls.

It is considered a natural museum that houses a fine collection of native and exotic flowers. The park consists of at least 300 different kinds of flowers, hundreds of which are in blossom all year round.

The flower park is open daily from 7.30 am to 4 pm.

Xuan Huong lake is the most beautiful lake in Da Lat. It is approximately 5 km2. In 1919 a dam was formed on a branch of Camly river creating a small lake. In 1923, another dam was built further down stream to create yet another lake. During a severe storm in 1932, both dams were destroyed. Between 1934-35, a larger dam was built of boulders (site of Ong Dao bridge today) below the sites of the two previous dam creating one large lake named Ho Lon or Large lake. Ho Lon was later renamed after Ho Xuan Huong, a famous vietnamese poet in the 17th-century.

A small stream fed from Xuan Huong lake pours into CamLy fall leading to Suoi Vang (Gold Stream). Many people believe the name Camly has its origin in Han Viet. Cam means sweet and Ly means where the land absorbs the water. The river and fall was given the name Camly to signify a stream of cool fresh water leaving an impression (absorb) in the heart of the visitors. More probable however is the fact that Camly is the vietnamese pronunciation for KMly, name of the chief of Koho tribe who made their home in the Xuan Huong valley during the 19th century

A view from Thien Vien Truc Lam

It has a calm surface

Romantic cottages

Many kinds of flowers

are booming by the lake.

Area: 390.5 sq. km
Population: 197 thousand habitants (2007)
Administrative divisions:
-Wards:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
-Communes:Xuan Tho, Xuan Truong, Ta Nung, Tram Hanh
Ethnic groups: Kinh, M’nong, Ma, Co Ho, Kho Mu, Hoa, Tay, Nung, Chu Ru

Location:

Da Lat is the capital of Lam Dong Province in Central Highland region, 300 km from Ho Chi Minh City and 200 km from Nha Trang. At an elevation of 1,500 m, Da Lat bears the look of an Old French city. It was founded in 1897 when Doctor Alexandre Yersin recommended that the area be developed as a resort town

Weather and climate:

Situated at 1,500 m above sea level, Da Lat has a cool climate. The annual average temperature is 18oC. The climate Da Lat boasts is that of a temperate zone. Few places in the tropical Vietnam have been endowed with that gift. Wonderful weather and beautiful landscapes make Da lat an ideal resort town for a holiday in Vietnam.

Getting to Da Lat:

- Airways: Vietnam Airlines has daily services that connect Da Lat to HCMC and Hanoi. Lien Khuong Air port is located 30 km south of the city.

- Roads: The total road length of the whole province is 1,744 km, of which about 459 km are asphalted roads, the rest are macadam roads and pathways. The road system is distributed rather properly, connecting the provincial center with the district and commune centers and other population areas. Travel to Da Lat by bus, car taxi and other means of transport can be done easily.

- Railway: The railway of 84 km long running through the provincial area built since the French colonization has been reconstructed only 7 km from Dalat to Trai Mat to serve tourists.

Tourism:

Da Lat city is decorated with a vast variety of flowers. Beautiful flowers such as rhododendron, cherry, mimosa, hydrangea, rose, daisy, and dahlia are all grown here. Thanks to the warm weather the whole city of Da Lat is a great garden of flower in blossom the year round. Thus, Da Lat offers an harmonious combination of natural scenery and historical sites.

Da Lat has many beautiful natural sights such as Da Lat Flower Park, Xuan Huong Lake, Than Tho Lake (Lake of Sighs), Love Valley ans some other ones nearby as Dambri Waterfall, Prenn Waterfall, Elephant Waterfall, Pongour Waterfall and Lang Bian Muontain.  Love valley and Than Tho Lake have been surrounded with many love stories and legends with sorrowful endings when the heroines always drowned themselves in the lake to keep forever their true love they had once enjoyed.

Besides, the city also famous for its historical sites and vestiges including Da Lat Cathedral, Truc Lam Pagoda, Linh Son Pagoda. Da Lat has three magnificent and big palaces which are always referred to as Palace 1, Palace 2 and Palace 3. The architectural designs for the three places are made to French design. They were built on top of the hills which are located in beautiful natural surroundings. The places are accessible through long flights of brick steps for walk and gently descending paths for cars. The path is completely covered with broad canopy of pine trees. Palace 1 and Palace 2 were owned by French high ranking officials during the French domination of Vietnam more than 40 years ago. The third and last palace was owned by the last king of the Nguyen Dynasty, Bao Dai, also called Bao Dai Palace.

Come to Da Lat, visitors not only can enjoy the natural beauties but also join some traditional festival of the ethnic minorities here as well as take part in a Golf course at Da Lat Palace Golf Club.

Mai anh dao is a special tree in Da Lat, which blossoms pink flowers in late winter, early spring. The total funding for this project is 6 billion dong (nearly 5,000), including 1.5 billion from the state budget and the rest from over 30 investors involved in tourism projects around Tuyen Lam Lake, Da Lat.

The Tuyen Lam tourist site’s management board has a 2ha nursery to serve this project. Mai anh dao will be grown on 113ha, averaging 5000 trees per hectare. It is expected that the trees will blossom after four years.

The first 11,000 trees were planted on July 27. The project organiser hopes that this project will create a unique tourism product for Da Lat, where visitors can come to see mai anh dao flowers at a certain time of year, like cherry blossoms in Japan.

The train comprises four compartments which was resored from the one built by the French in 1930s in Da Lat. This train offers sightseeing tours around Da Lat’s vegetable and flower gardens along seven-kilometers of rail between the Da Lat and Trai Mat stations.

Each compartment is adorned with old-fashioned décor and the train plays old French and Vietnamese songs about Da Lat . A tour guide accompanies tourists on the trip, said Ngo Minh Chau, Da Lat Station Director.

Da Lat-Trai Mat railway was part of the Da Lat-Thap Cham Railway built by the French in 1932. The 84-kilometer railway was closed down late 1960s. In 1991 the local authorities restored the Da Lat – Trai Mat section for tourism and began building the 1930s train three months ago.

The event, previously scheduled for December 19-23, 2009, will be held from January 1-4, 2010.

It will be the country’s first major event of 2010, kicking off a lineup of cultural activities to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Preparations for the event have been virtually completed, with a general programme, opening and closing scripts and a budget already approved.