A Relaxing Weekend in Da Lat – Our Family Getaway from Nha Trang

Hello everyone, I’m Dangvivu, and I’m currently learning how to become a travel blogger. At the moment, I mainly write about Da Lat, a place I often visit to relax after stressful working days, and Nha Trang, the city where I live and work.

Last weekend, my family planned another relaxing trip to Da Lat.

Since I usually work late at night, I woke up quite late that morning. We didn’t leave Nha Trang until nearly 10:00 AM.

From Nha Trang to Da Lat

The drive through Khanh Le Pass was as beautiful as ever. The mountains, forests, and winding roads made the three-hour journey very enjoyable.

As soon as we arrived in Da Lat, our first stop was Bau Xi Giun Artichoke Pho, a famous local restaurant. My child really loves the pho here, so this has become our traditional first destination whenever we visit Da Lat.

The restaurant is spacious and airy, the staff are friendly and efficient, and the prices are quite reasonable.

Checking In at Da Lat Wind Hotel

After lunch, at around 1:30 PM, we headed to our hotel.

This time we stayed at Da Lat Wind Hotel, and it was our first visit there. The room cost about 500,000 VND per night, which was quite affordable compared to many other places we have stayed.

What impressed me most was the balcony with a beautiful view. The hotel was quiet, and the reception staff were cheerful and welcoming.

Two weeks earlier, we had stayed at another hotel opposite Sunrise Valley for around 450,000 VND per night. However, the room was smaller, there was no balcony, and housekeeping was not provided, so the experience was rather disappointing.

An Afternoon at Xom Leo

After resting and taking a shower, we headed to Tram Dung Chill BBQ Restaurant in Xom Leo at around 4:00 PM.

This is another place we visit every time we come to Da Lat. It is popular not only among tourists but also among local residents. For me, it feels somewhat similar to Thanh Suong Seafood Restaurant in Nha Trang in terms of popularity.

The restaurant is always busy, even during weekdays and low seasons. During holidays and summer vacations, it can become extremely crowded.

What I like most about this place:

The food is delicious and reasonably priced.
Since the restaurant is always busy, the ingredients are usually very fresh.
There are plenty of staff members, and the service is reliable.
The venue offers beautiful photo spots that are just as attractive as many tourist attractions.

Fireworks by Xuan Huong Lake

After dinner, we returned to the hotel to park the car and then walked toward Xuan Huong Lake.

Instead of going directly to the night market, we stayed by the lakeside to watch a fireworks show. There was a local celebration taking place, and the fireworks lasted for more than thirty minutes.

It was an unexpected and memorable experience.

Later, we walked along Bui Thi Xuan Street, where there are many local snacks and street food stalls. The atmosphere felt very similar to the Da Lat Night Market.

This trip made me realize that staying near the city center is very convenient. You can easily walk around, enjoy local food, and visit the night market without needing to drive.

In previous trips, we stayed farther away from downtown and rarely went out at night.

Breakfast at Banh Can Nho

The next morning, we woke up quite late and had breakfast after 9:00 AM.

We visited Banh Can Nho, one of our favorite breakfast spots in Da Lat.

The restaurant has parking space, a peaceful atmosphere, and plenty of open space. The mini rice pancakes are delicious, and recently the restaurant has become consistently busy.

A Quiet Afternoon at Me Linh Coffee Garden

After breakfast, we drove to Me Linh Coffee Garden.

Several years ago, this was one of the most famous coffee destinations in Da Lat. However, many new attractions have opened in recent years, so the number of visitors has decreased.

Nowadays, most visitors are people who have been to Da Lat many times or who already know about Me Linh.

First-time visitors usually prefer newly popular destinations because they are trending on social media.

Personally, I prefer quieter places. Popular attractions are often crowded, parking can be difficult, and the overall experience may become less comfortable.

However, quieter places also face challenges in maintaining staff and facilities due to lower visitor numbers.

I hope visitors can spread out among different attractions because it would create a better experience for everyone.

Heavy Rain in Da Lat

We stayed at Me Linh Coffee Garden until around 2:00 PM, when it suddenly started raining heavily.

The visibility became very limited, and vehicles moved slowly along the road back to the city.

Fortunately, the rain stopped by the time we returned to our hotel.

After resting until around 5:00 PM, we walked to Bui Thi Xuan Street for dinner.

Ba Toa Beef Hotpot and the Night Market

This time, we decided to try Ba Toa Beef Hotpot.

When we arrived, the restaurant was still relatively quiet, but within thirty minutes it became much busier.

Our family ordered a small hotpot for 250,000 VND and a plate of fish sauce fried chicken wings. It was the perfect meal before walking around the night market.

Across the street, there was a Highlands Coffee shop, so we bought three drinks to take away and enjoyed them while walking toward the market.

The Da Lat Night Market was lively and crowded, offering vegetables, fruits, local snacks, drinks, and souvenirs.

After walking around the market, I bought one kilogram of fresh artichoke flowers to bring home.

A Peaceful Morning at Xuan Huong Lake

On Monday morning, after checking out of the hotel, we bought coffee from Highlands and sat beside Xuan Huong Lake.

I realized that this place feels like a giant outdoor café.

There are flower gardens, cool weather, benches, parking areas, and beautiful scenery—all completely free.

It is one of the most relaxing places in Da Lat.

After finishing our coffee and taking more than 1,000 photos, it was already around 10:00 AM.

Before returning to Nha Trang, our family stopped one last time at Bau Xi Giun Artichoke Pho, where each of us enjoyed a bowl of pho.

Trip Expenses

The total cost for our three-day, two-night family trip was approximately 4 million VND, including:

Hotel accommodation: 1,000,000 VND
Food and drinks: approximately 2,000,000 VND
Fuel and other expenses: approximately 1,000,000 VND

It was an affordable trip that allowed our family to relax, recharge, and enjoy quality time together after busy working days.

See you again, Da Lat.