So.. this is Da Lat. Im not sure any of you ever heard about this city?
Da Lat is the capital of Lam Dong Province, Vietnam with all year round cool weather. But I didnt feel the cold very much except during the night time, maybe due to some serious hill excavation and shopping complex/hotels construction. They described this city as "City of Eternal Spring" due to its valleys covered by the mist, followed with endless sights of marigold trees - all year round.
Nah, it's all bullshit. It's hot during afternoon, little sight of marigold tree, and even if they have, it almost botak okay?
Because of those beautiful words describing how amazing the city is.. has tricked me to leave Ho Chi Minh (HCMC)city with nice hotel bed and Hard Rock Cafe around, to cross dont know how many hundreds miles (7 hour, journey by bus coach) to this hot by day cold by night city. Pffttt.
Oh well, since I've been there, so I better blog about it and you can find it as references to NOT GOING through the same shit like what I did.
So, once u touch down at HCMC airport, beware of the BAD taxi driver. They will ask you to pay them 1million dong (USD54) to bring you from the airport to your destination around the city. Fuck it. Just find taxi with meter and it costs you not more than 150000 dong / USD8
If you wanna travel out from HCMC via coach, I strongly suggest that go to their central bus station at 400A, Le Hong Phong, Quan 10 TP. The place just like a Puduraya bus station. And from my observations, taxis and coach provided by Mai Linh group are very reliable for first timer like me. They use meter, the vehicle all new and air conditioned.
and just for USD 6, you are on your way to a hell journey of your life!
before that, the food,
it wasnt bad at all! and very very cheap.
and this seafood spaghettti costs me only USD 2 and 70 cents for my fruit juice. =)
Muka kena scam - looked so happy, thought of going to somewhere nicer than the city. Pffttt.
The coach provides you with these, and they have a cosy green blanket too. But..what is cosy blanket for when the road to Da Lat is so bumpy and suit for 4x4WD rally track =(
We arrived around 8pm and it was so nice that Mai Linh provide a mini van transfer from their office in Da Lat to our hotel of stay, FOC. And I noticed that the driver is cute too :P
We stayed at this boutique hotel, called Le Petit Paris for USD37 per night. It was a tad expensive for a small property like this with a lousy breakfast. But overall, ok la, they provides a clean and comfortable room and bed minus the bath tub.
Wake up in the morning and looking forward for some excursion.
Nah...if you want to know ~ the taste just like a maggie mee boiled in a plain water.
So when u are in Da Lat, especially during the flower Festival, the 1st thing u shld visit is.. The Flower Festival park! PPttfff...
They described it until like the place sounded like Holland or something like that. And all I imagined was Tulips ..Tulips everywhere!!! But..
Aiyaaa.. if like this, go to KL Birdpark area can already. I was so keen to take awesomeful picture of macro whatever function in my dSLR.. u know.. some close ups and stuff...
like this.. well, u no need to go to Da Lat.. my mama house back yard do have this daisy la!!!!! Want cooler go Cameron Highlands okay!!! or pluck some from my mama house back yard and start macro shooting inside your house fridge can!!!!!! wtf!@#$%&*/?#@!
sigh.
Then we proceed to the next IT thing in Da lat called Crazy House. So we went there to check it out how crazy it would be;
More picture on this tour section in the next post. And it is crazy to come all the way to Vietnam to see this so-called crazy house. Crazy.
sigh.
Next one is Da Lat waterfall. Ok there is nothing interesting about the waterfall. Waterfalls are all the same - dirty with plastic bags floating everywhere and slippery. Except the way to get to the waterfall is fucking AWESOME!!!!
by toboggans on rail!. and this one even better, around the mountain, all the natural dangerous slope and curve. and it just u and the seat belt. :P
The tramway is 1,000 metres long, curving up the sides of the mountain. It features sensor brakes on the two-seat cabins, which passengers may also control with handbrakes.
This is how it looks like **Picture taken from www.travelvietnam.org
its called Bao Dai Palace. The architecture is very ugly right.. for a palace...
There is nothing much u can do in here except make yourself looked like a fool in some of their costume for rent. More picture on this tour section in the next post. Too boring.
I dont know what is the original local foods in Da Lat.. u know.. like Nasi lemak for Malaysian and Ploff for Uzbekistan people. But I had these for dinner... it was an A,B,C - Appetizing, Balsamic and Cheap..
I almost take these..since I am a quail egg lover.. but what the heck.. inside got baby bird already!!! eeekkkkkkk!!! I know if Vegans knew this they will throw a picket!!
How much did you need to pay to eat an escargot in some french restaurant? Nah.. here is only few cents each.
The lady was helping me on how to eat the leaves.. lol.
These are very yummy. Grilled lala with special sour and spicy sauce, crushed peanuts and fresh spring onion all over it... ahhh...
We ate those shelled families for 4 plates... burped loud and paid only USD6. I know.. they should describe Da Lat is a City of Food Heaven for cheapskate.. not City of Eternal Spring...
to be continued...
babe this is WOW!!!! i love it!yummy... bestnyeeeee....
ReplyDeletesedapnya.....
arghhh i wish i can go holidaying tooo :(
The seafood looks delicious!! Thanks to your blog, it's obvious that HCMC is overrated. But I would go to Vietnam to see only the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. :D
ReplyDeletewah grilled lala is superb haha
ReplyDeleteuhave a nice day there!
@GEREK ITU ALIA : Talk about food.. yep, I have no minus point about it.. but the rest.. were very tiring.. I wouldnt call it as a holiday for this trip.
ReplyDelete@Lissa : Wait.. I haven't come to HCMC yet.. this post is about Da Lat.. I Love HCMC. will blog about it soon!
@FIT : Try to find it in here.. do we have grilled lala? Cuz Im starting to miss it already...
of course we have lala here..u can go to seafood restaurant that serve it..or u can find it in pasar basah and cook at home..hehe :)
ReplyDeleteOoooh... Whoops. LOL. Looking forward to the next one then. :)
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