Iconic Check-in Spots in Da Lat You Can’t Miss on Vietnam Package Tours

Iconic Check-in Spots in the City Center

Lam Vien Square – Da Lat’s Geometric Icon

• Address: Tran Quoc Toan Street, Ward 1, Da Lat City, Lam Dong

If you haven’t taken a snap at Lam Vien Square, have you been to Da Lat? This futuristic square is framed by two huge glass domes taking the shape of the artichoke and the wild sunflower, two symbols of the highlands. Situated alongside the placid Xuan Huong Lake, the square attracts hordes of travellers day and night, particularly during golden hour when the glass glistens in the sun. Whether you’re practicing some poses with the structures or taking wide shots of the grounds, this is a must-see on the list of Things to Do in Da Lat.

Lam Vien Square (Source: originvietnam)

Xuan Huong Lake – Tranquility Meets Aesthetic Perfection

• Address: Central Da Lat City, stretching from Tran Quoc Toan to Ba Huyen Thanh Quan Street

While Xuan Huong Lake is surrounded by pine forests, colourful flower gardens, and colonial buildings, it creates the ideal backdrop for romance and nostalgic photography. This artificial lake is a crescent moon in shape, and there is a 5 km promenade on weekends full of photogenic corners. I’m talking swan boats, stone bridges, tree-lined pathways, if not cozy benches with views that recede into mist. For those running out of ideas of what to do in Dalat Vietnam, you can’t beat the lakeside sunrise shoot.

Xuan Huong Lake (Source: vinpearl)

Da Lat Market & “Hong Kong Corner" – Vintage Vibes in the City Core

• Address: 1 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ward 1, Da Lat

Welcome to one of the most surprisingly picturesque things to do in Da Lat Vietnam! In a bustling Vietnamese market, the Da Lat Market, famous for its frenetic energy and street food, holds a vintage jewel: the “Hong Kong Corner.” Go to the stairs that connect the market’s ground floor to its second level, and you’ll see moody lighting, stark lines, and a look through bright white railings to some very 90s-looking balconies. Wear a trendy look, and suddenly you’ve got a street-style shoot that feels at once urban and nostalgic.

Hong Kong Corner (Source: dulichdalat)

Domaine de Marie (The Pink Church) – Pastel Perfection with French Flair

• Address: 1 Ngo Quyen Street, Ward 6, Da Lat

Drenched in pastel pink and perched on a hillside, Domaine de Marie Church – known endearingly as The Pink Church – is one of Da Lat’s more beautiful photo ops. There’s no shortage of serene, romantic portrait opportunities with the 1940s French-colonial architecture, stained glass windows, and quiet flower garden. With pine trees all around and floral pathways in between, this is a peaceful spot for solo travelers or couples’ shoots. Surely one of the great things to do in Dalat Vietnam, for anyone looking for classy things.

Domaine de Marie (Sours: focusasiatravel)

Crazy House & 100 Roofs Bar – Where Surrealism Steals the Spotlight

• Crazy House (Nga Guesthouse): 3 Huynh Thuc Khang Street, Ward 4, Da Lat
•  100 Roofs Bar: 57 Phan Boi Chau Street, Ward 1, Da Lat

Enter another world at Crazy House, also called the Nga Guesthouse. This architectural fantasy feels like stepping into a Salvador Dali painting, with sweeping staircases, cave-like corridors, animal-shaped balconies, and tree-trunk tunnels at every turn, a photo op. It’s a kooky, immersive, entirely original piece of art. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any weirder, you’ve arrived at 100 Roofs Bar, a multi-level maze of hidden passageways, garden nooks, and secret photo corners that are lit up after dark.

Crazy House (Source: x)

Epic Landscape Views for Your Feed

Cau Dat Tea Hill – Sunrise Cloud-Hunting Paradise

• Address: Cau Dat Hamlet, Xuan Truong Commune, Da Lat (about 25 km southeast of the city center)

Wake early and race the clouds at Cau Dat Tea Hill, one of Da Lat’s most photogenic locations. When the morning mist rises over an endless row of green tea bushes, golden sunrays pour down, conjuring a surreal sea-of-clouds scene. Bring your drone – or at least a wide-angle lens- and hope that someone doesn’t photobomb your once-in-a-lifetime shot. It’s also one of the best things to do in Da Lat Vietnam, for all you landscape fanatics and social media creatives out there.

Pro tip: Visit between 5:30–6:30 AM for the best sunrise lighting.

Cau Dat Tea Hill (Source: vietchallenge)

Tuyen Lam Lake & Truc Lam Zen Monastery – Calm, Clear & Cinematic

• Address: Ward 4, Da Lat (7 km south of the city center)

For those of you seeking peace in your photograph, few contrasts heighten that more than the tranquility of Tuyen Lam Lake. Edged by centuries-old pine forests, it has glassy reflections, hidden wooden docks, and flower gardens in full bloom. They even rent SUP boards so you can have a mid-lake photo shoot. A cable car transports visitors above the lake to Truc Lam Zen Monastery, whose manicured gardens and Buddhist architecture offer elegant backdrops for spiritual, nature-inspired portraits. 

It’s an essential entry on any things to do in Dalat Vietnam list, combining serene quiet with beautiful views.

Tuyen Lam Lake (Source: rubicontours)

Da Phu Hill & Thien Duc Phuc Hill – Misty Trails and Sunset Bliss

• Da Phu Hill: Ankroet Road, Ward 7
•  Thien Duc Phuc Hill: Thanh Mau Street, near Golden Valley area

Dust off your hiking boots and pack your tent, because Da Phu Hill and Thien Duc Phuc Hill are your tickets to the clouds. These highland ridges are notorious for their ocean-of-mist sunrises, fiery sunsets, and panoramic view out over Da Lat’s countryside. Camp out for a sky full of stars, and wake up to fog creeping through pine-covered valleys. It’s no wonder this is one of the local fave Things to Do in Da Lat for those chasing that photo magic of “above the clouds”.

Thien Duc Phuc Hill (Source: hanoijourney)

Lang Biang Peak – King of the Highlands

• Address: Lac Duong District, 12 km north of Da Lat city center

Welcome to the roof of the Central Highlands! Rising to a height of more than 2,200 meters, Lang Biang Peak offers a panoramic, 360-degree view of the Da Lat plateau. Trek or jeep to the top where the wind howls through the pine forests and your camera comes away clutching clasped images of rolling hills, sparkling lakes, and distant villages as the sun drops below the horizon. Whether you are an adrenaline junkie or just seeking a great view, one of the must-do things to do in Da Lat Vietnam, is the Awesome Da Lat Canyoning tour.

Lang Biang Peak (Source: jackfruitadventure)

The Lonely Pine Tree – Melancholic Beauty in Isolation

• Address: Located near Tuyen Lam Lake, accessed via a rugged dirt trail or canoe

Called “Cay Thong Co Don”, the Lonely Pine Tree is a lyrical metaphor for loneliness and an iconic photo op in Da Lat. One Place: Lonely Tree, New Zealand Beside a mirror of a lake sits this lone tree, which has become a cultural icon, especially among couples and solo travelers looking for that silent yet powerful shot. The trip. There is an adventure in getting here, and the payoff? A static, ethereal image like no other.

The Lonely Pine Tree (Source: artishotel)

Picture-Perfect Natural Wonders

Elephant Waterfall & Pongour Waterfall – Dramatic Cascades Worth the Journey

• Elephant Waterfall: Gia Lam, Nam Ban Town, Lam Ha District, about 30 km from Da Lat
•  Pongour Waterfall: Phu Hoi, Duc Trong District, about 45 km south of Da Lat

No list of things to do in Da Lat Vietnam, is ever finished without mentioning its stunning waterfalls. Plunging through layers of volcanic rock, mighty Elephant Waterfall is one of the most powerful and photographed cataracts in southern Vietnam. Throw in a stone bridge, the pine trees around you, and the early morning mist, and your photo just about edits itself.

A bit farther on is Pongour Waterfall, broad and terraced, like a staircase in rock chiseled for the gods. Because it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere, it’s rarely busy- great for flybys and drone footage.

Elephant Waterfall (Source: tripadvisor)

Da Lat Milk Farm – Rustic European Vibes, Vietnamese Heart

• Address: Tu Tra Commune, Don Duong District, Lam Dong Province (about 35 km from Da Lat center)

Think rolling green fields and rows of flower gardens, with quiet dairy cows grazing alongside charming wooden houses – that’s the Da Lat Milk Farm, where European countryside meets the peace and tranquility of the Vietnamese countryside. Instagram photographers descend on these parts to snap images of fields of the yellow flowers of mustard plants, those cute sheep, and typical farm scenes beneath the wide-open highland sky. It’s among the most charming hidden things to do in Dalat Vietnam, for those building for a romantic or pastoral feel.

Da Lat Milk Farm (Source: mia)

Flower Gardens & Strawberry Farms – Da Lat’s Sweetest Signature

• Da Lat Flower Gardens: 2 Phu Dong Thien Vuong Street, Ward 8
• Strawberry farms: Along Ho Xuan Huong Street or in Ward 9 (Cam Tu area)

Da Lat City of Flowers, and the main flower garden by Xuan Huong Lake, is filled with tulips, lilies, hydrangeas, and orchids year-round. There are archways, gazebos, and tree-lined paths to capture the perfect romantic shoot.

Feeling more like eating something, like, I don’t know, anything? Take a drive to one of the city’s strawberry farms and hand-pick juicy red berries fresh from the vine. It’s lighthearted, brightly hued, and family-friendly stuff. But this is probably one of the tastiest and fun answers to what to do in Dalat Vietnam.

Strawberry Farms (Source: livingnomads)

Bidoup Nui Ba National Park – Untouched Highlands for Adventurers

• Address: Da Nhim Commune, Lac Duong District, about 35 km north of Da Lat

More adventurous types have Bidoup Nui Ba National Park in spades. Endangered bird species and ancient pines are to be found in this protected forest, which covers over 70,000 hectares and is home to some of the most spectacular hiking routes in Myanmar and Southeast Asia. As you hike up a mountain peak or launch a drone to swoop over the treetops, this park transforms the feed of anyone who loves the outdoors into an explorer’s fantasy.

Bidoup Nui Ba National Park (Source: vinpearl)

When to Visit for the Best Shots

January – February: Cherry Blossoms & Clear Skies

• Pink cherry blossoms flourish on Tuyen Lam Lake, Tran Hung Dao Street, and close to the Nga Guesthouse.
• The clear blue skies and a gentle light are perfect for couple portraits and romantic pictures.
• Ideal for strolling through nature, visiting the flower garden, and taking a ride on the scenic cable car.

Best time to go for quiet things to do in Da Lat Vietnam, such as taking lake photos and wandering out into fields of flowers.

March – May: Dry Season – Vivid, Rain-Free Images

• Stable sunshine and no precipitation usually deliver sharp, clean photographs.
• Great as an outdoor shot for a pine forest, a coffee shop, great fall in Dalat.
• Perfect for drone shots, hikes, and happy hour time lapses after sunny afternoon surf sessions.

November – December: Misty Hills, Cloud Oceans & Wildflowers

• The ideal time to cloud hunt is early in the morning at Cau Dat Tea Hill, Da Phu Hill, and Thien Duc Phuc Hill.
• More layers of mist floating past valleys – ideal for drone or silhouette photography.
• Wild sunflowers dance over the hillsides, a passing splash of yellow in each frame.

The best time to see the dramatic landscapes of one of the most surreal what to do in Dalat Vietnam.

Pro Tips for Insta-Worthy Shots

• What to wear: Earth tones, like beige, white, and brown, warm vintage layers, long dresses, scarves, and boots.
• Best lenses: 50 mm for portraits, wide-angle (16–35mm) for landscapes.
• Golden hours:
  
  • Sunrise: 5:30 AM – 6:30 AM
  • Sunset: 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
    
• Photo editing apps: LightRoom, VSCO (best for foggy tones and natural lighting).
• Always consult with weather apps (such as Windy or AccuWeather) before these predawn shoots.

Conclusion

From foggy lakes to retro cafés, you’ve just scored the best Things to Do in Da Lat – now let’s publish like a pro! Your travel shots will never look better than these, with some clever poses, a little post-production work, and a trending hashtag. If you want to discover further secrets outside of Da Lat, be sure to check out our Southern Vietnam travel guide – with ready-to-go photo ops that you’ve got Vietnam’s most beautiful destinations inside the bag.