Đà Lạt, or Dalat is the capital of Lam Dong province in Vietnam.Da Lat is located 1,500m (4,900 ft) above sea level on the Langbiang Plateau in the southern parts of the Central Highlands. On the North it faces Lac Duong province, it faces Don Duong on the South – East and East, and on the South- West and West it is near Lam Ha and Duc Trong provinces.
Many years ago, Lach people mostly lived in Da Lat. It is covered by the high mountains:
- It is limited by Choromui, Yo Da Myut mountain on its North,
- In the East it is the leg of the Bi Doup Mountain.
- In the South – East it is covered by the Cho Proline.
- It is covered by Voi and Yang Soyeng mountain on the South- West and South.
In Vietnam, Da Lat is a popular tourist destination.
Da Lat’s specific sights are pine wood (forming the name: “City of thousands of pine trees”) with twisting roads and tree marigold (Vietnamese: dã quỳ) blossom in the winter. The city’s temperate weather stands in contrast to Vietnam’s otherwise tropical climate. Mist covering the valleys almost year-round leads to its name “City of eternal spring”.
Da Lat is also known as an area for scientific research in the fields of biotechnology and nuclear physics.
With its year-round cool weather, Da Lat supplies temperate agriculture products for all over Vietnam, for example: cabbage and cauliflower. Its flower industry produces two typical flowers: hydrangea (Vietnamese: cẩm tú cầu) and golden everlasting (Vietnamese: hoa bất tử). The confectionery industry offers a wide range of mứt, a kind of fruit preserve made from strawberry, mulberry, sweet potato, and rose.
History
This area has been home to various Montagnard (hill tribe) groups for centuries. In the local Lat language, ‘Da Lat’ means ‘River of the Lat Tribe’.
The first European to ‘discover’ Dalat was Dr Alexandre Yersin in 1893. The city was established in 1912 and quickly became fashionable with Europeans. At one point during the French colonial period, some 20% of Dalat’s population was foreign, as evidenced by the 2500-odd chateau-style villas scattered around the city.
During the American War, Dalat was spared by the tacit agreement of all parties concerned. Indeed, it seems that while South Vietnamese soldiers were being trained at the city’s military academy and affluent officials of the Saigon regime were relaxing in their villas, Viet Cong cadres were doing the same thing not far away in their villas. Dalat fell to North Vietnamese forces without a fight on 3 April 1975. There is no problem with leftover mines and ordnance in the area.
Geography
It is above sea level about 1.500 m. “Museum house” is the highest location and Nguyen Tri Phuong plateau is the lowest location in the city.
In the plateau, Da lat is divided into two areas:
- In the center it has the pan – shaped valley including hills with height about 25 – 100 m.
- The center is covered by mountains with the high about 1. 700 m. In the North- east there are: Ong and Bo mountains. The huge Ba mountain ( 2.169 m) is located on the South of the Lang Biang plateau, it runs from the Da Sar spring to Da Me spring. In the East Gio Hu mountain is suited. The mountains face Ta Nung in the South – West.
Population:
According to the data in 2010, Da lat’s population is 301, 243.
Before the Second World war, Dalat’s population was not as crowded as now. Most of them are native people. The prisons located in Da lat firstly as they were sent to Da Lat to reclaim waste land instead of going to the Con Dao. From 1933 to 1938, many constructions were completed. From this year the Da lat’s population started increasing fast from 1, 500 to 9, 000, in 1936 the number is 11,500. In the end of 1942 Da lat had 20 thousand people.
The population increased quickly: in 1940 it was 13, 000, in 1942 it was 20, 000 and up to 25, 000 in 1944. In 1994, the population of DaLat increased to 129, 400.
Da lat is considered as a “little Paris”, it is charming thanks to its fog in the morning and the pine wood. Da Lat nowadays, becomes one of the best destinations in Vietnam.
Climate
Because effect of the height and covered the pine wood on Da Lat, it has year-round temperate weather. The average temperate is about from 18 to 21 degree, the highest temperate is never above 30°C and the lowest temper is never under 5°C.
It is separated into 2 seasons. The rainy season is from May to October, the dry season lasts from November to April. In the summer, it often has rain in the afternoon. Annually, the average precipitation is 1,750mm. Specially, Da Lat has not storm yet.
Thanks to these characteristics of climate, Dalat is regarded as a honeymoon land in Vietnam
