Dalat offers a fair bit of attractions. Listed below are some highlights and short write-ups about the attractions I visited.
King Palace
King Palace was once the residence of the last king of Vietnam. Before King Bao Dai bought this property, King Palace was a villa owned by a French millionaire. The main palace building together with a few other smaller buildings stand on a very extensive palace ground. The huge gate at the entrance, followed by a long avenue lined with trees, flower shrubs and garden chairs look majestic and the flower garden in front of the main palace is an enchanting sight. Vintage cars and a horse carriage that belonged to the king are displayed near the entrance. The rooms within the main palace are now show rooms with exhibits that depict the lifestyle of the king. Write-ups about the King's history are also put up as exhibits and are good self explanatory guide for visitors. This is an awesome place and one of my favourites in Dalat.
The Dalat Railway was constructed and completed in the 1930s during French Colonial rule. In its early era, trains used to ply longer routes commuting between Dalat and bigger cities like Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang. During the Vietnam wars, much of the railway track was destroyed and has since been abandoned. Only 7 km of the track between Dalat and Trai Mat have been reconstructed and resumed operation. This half hour route was launched specially for tourists who wish to take a train ride down memory lane and at the same time visit the tranquil village of Trai Mat and its attractions.
The railway station which was designed by French architects remains a beautiful architectural piece. Seen on display at the station are historical train coaches, one of which has been converted into a cafe, some small souvenir stalls and arts booths. Tickets to Trai Mat can be purchased at this station.
Lin Phuoc Pagoda is a grotesque looking Buddhist temple with walls and ceilings that are pasted with thousand pieces of mosaic, broken terracotta, porcelain, and glass. The temple has many Buddhist and Taoist related icons which include Buddha statues, dragon statues and statues of other mythical creatures. Adjacent to the main temple is a 37 meter high walk-up bell tower. There is a huge 8500 kg bell that hangs in this tower. At the basement of this temple complex is a display of scary figurines that depict 'hell'. There are also shops and eateries within the temple complex. A visit here does not require any entrance fee.
XQ Historical Village
Even though, XQ Historical Village is not a very significant attraction in Dalat, it does display some interesting artwork. The highlights of this place are the refined and meticulous hand embroidered pictures that look like painting from afar. Called a village, but it is more like a complex that comprises a series of exhibition rooms and small shops. It displays and also sells these artwork to visitors.Besides this, there are interesting stone sculptures and modern art pieces on display.
Related Posts:
1. Getting To Know Dalat
2. Dalat's Valley Of Love
3. Top Things To Do In Dalat: A Cable Car Ride To Truc Lam Monastery
4. Top Attractions Of Dalat Part I
5. Top Attractions Of Dalat Part II
6. Dalat: Food Time
7. Dalat In Video: Beautiful Colours Of Dalat
No comments :
Post a Comment