The charming city of Da Lat in the highlands of Vietnam, often called the “City of Flowers”, features two beautiful floral attractions for nature enthusiasts. The Valley of Love is a massive, romantic resort which includes a small theme park centred around a lake and large gardens in a valley. The Da Lat Flower Garden or Park is a more compact botanical garden that showcases diverse flora and a natural lake.
Valley of Love
In the 1930s, French couples frequently chose this idyllic setting for their romantic outings, christening it Vallée d’Amour or the Valley of Love. Over the years, this 242-hectare valley has become a cherished symbol of love and a testament to the rich history and natural beauty of Da Lat This enchanting garden boasts a vibrant display of colourful blooms in well-manicured gardens, amid a picturesque valley of rolling hills with a lake in the middle.
The first thing you see is a tall glass bridge and massive colourful slides which I found to be rather gaudy and did not gel with the peaceful nature of the gardens. But leave that aside as you walk further up, you come across a very lovely vantage point that overlooks a man-made lake. As I sit on a bench that overlooks the lake, it brought me a sense of tranquillity and peace.
The central area of the valley is predominantly adorned with romantic love-themed displays and love-inspired sculptures and decorations. The valley covers a huge area with winding paths surrounding the lake and hills. In order to save time and unless you must exceed 15,000 steps, you can hop on the complimentary tram ride to view the many delightful locations around the valley.
There is also an international sculpture area which features the iconic national tourist attractions of other countries such as the Colosseum of Rome, Moscow Kremlin, Merlion of Singapore and so on. I found this international sculpture garden to be out of place. Honestly, the beautiful gardens and lake can stand on their own as the major attractions.
The entrance ticket of 250,000 Vietnamese dong or about US$11 USD, is well worth it.
Da Lat Flower Garden
The Flower Garden has the biggest selection of flowers in Da Lat with hundreds of varieties of flowers which are meticulously arranged in stunning displays, creating a captivating tapestry of colours and fragrances.
You are welcomed to the Flower Garden by a tall floral gate and refreshing water fountain. This garden has its own natural lake. It is smaller at 7,000 sqm in size as compared to the Valley of Love and it takes about an hour to walk through its lovely paths with colourful flower displays.
From lavender flowers, roses, orchids to exotic blooms, the park showcases diverse flora from around the world in stunning floral arrangements. There are also orchid nurseries on top of the hill amid sci-fi-looking sculptures adorning the surrounding garden.
The park also has its own love bridge together with romantic symbols dotting the park and displays of traditional weaving handicraft.
The entrance fee is reasonably priced at 100,000 Vietnamese dong or about US$3.80.
