Dalat Railway Station (Ga Đà Lạt), Dalat

-
Dalat Railway Station was designed in the Art Deco architectural style and built in 1932 by French architectures, and opened in 1938. Dalat Railway Station is the unique and beautiful construction of Dalat, a harmonious combination between Western architecture and Central Highland’s communal house architecture. It is also the oldest railway station in Vietnam, as well as in Indochina. In 2001, Dalat Railway Station was recognized as the National architectural relic by Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture and Information.
The station is shaped like the Langbiang Mountain, with a length of 66.5m, a width of 11.4m and a height of 11m. The three roofs, said to represent the three peaks of Dalat's iconic LangBiang Mountain, are also reminiscent of Normandy's Trouville-Deauville Station in a southern province of France. Under each roof is a multicolored glass window, and under the central roof is a large clock, which has recently been restored. Inside the station, the elevated roofs create a raised ceiling. At the front of the station is a Porte-cochère, or coach gate, supported by two rows of twelve columns each.
In the past, there were two daily trains from Dalat to Nha Trang and Dalat to Saigon with three compartments for passengers and one for goods. However, during the Vietnam wars, the railways and station became the target of bombing and they were seriously destroyed. After the fall of Saigon and the national unification in 1975, the railways were repaired and put back into use.
Since 1991, Dalat railway station provided tourists with the 7km route from Dalat to Trai Mat station, where visitors can enjoy the fresh peaceful daily lifestyle of local people, find fresh vegetables and fruits in the local market, as well as visit small Linh Phuoc Pagoda. Sitting on the train going on a slow speed, tourists can enjoy the full sight of Dalat from different angles when the train is winding its way along hillside, as well as the purest atmosphere of the highland. Though the seat is not quite so comfortable, this train trip is really worth a try, thanks to the unique feeling of the past that it brings about.
Dalat Railway Station to Linh Phuoc Pagoda

- 5.40am, 7.45am, 9.50am, 11.55am, 2.00pm, 4.05pm

Linh Phuoc Pagoda to Dalat Railway Station

- 6.40am, 8.45am, 10.50am, 12.55pm, 3.00pm, 5.05pm

  • The price is starting from 108,000vnd to 150,000vnd for a return ticket.
  • The ride takes about 30 minutes per way.
  • Not advisable for you take the last train to Linh Phuoc Pagoda because 30 minutes is not enough time for you to tour the whole pagoda unless you plan to not to return by train. Please remember that they only sell return train ticket. There is no one-way ticket for sale.

Dalat Railway Station is now the ideal address to photograph the wedding of the couple to record sacred moments right at the old trains existing over the time. Young people also come Dalat Railway Station to explore and take beautiful photos. Retaining the unique and impressive records along with its magnificent beauty, Dalat Railway Station is worth a must-see tourist site in the journey of exploring Dalat tour. The station thus displays its significant contributions in promoting Dalat tourism closer to both domestic and international tourists. The entrance fee is 5,000vnd per person. If you are driving a car or a motorbike, parking is charged separately at a very small fee.
There are 3 types of trains with different design are displayed here. There’s an original Black Prairie steam engine which was manufactured in 1930 in Germany. This is the one and only train engine is displayed here. It was getting lesser train displayed here than it used to be. That's really sad.
Anyway, I believe with your photography technique and if you have a model that's very photogenic like I do, you can get a good picture with all the limitation it has here. You may only need to spend about 30 minutes here but if you have creativity photography in mind, you will spend more than an hour.
After the French occupied Vietnam, as part of the colonialists ‘mission civilastrice’, major infrastructure projects were initiated. The French installed electricity power stations, built French-style buildings as well as roads, parks, canals and of course a rail system. In the early 20th century, Paul Doumer, the French Governor-General of Indochina from 1897 to 1902, approved the construction of a railway line from Thap Cham in Ninh Thuan province to Da Lat at a cost of 200 million franc.
The colonialists hired Swedish engineers for the job, who had experience at building zigzag railways for use on steep slopes. Although the initial survey was conducted in 1898, construction of the first phase running from Thap Cham to Song Pha, just 38 kilometres, only commenced in 1908 and took seven years to be completed.
During the second phase the railway line was laid down from Song Pha to Eo Gio, just 10km as the crow flies, but it had to run over the vast Ngoan Muc pass. Work on the railway from Thap Cham to Da Lat continued until 1932. The last stretch was said to be the hardest as it traversed the Lam Vien Plateau, 1,500m above sea level. The construction of Da Lat Railway Station was subsequently completed in 1938. The railway station was among the first colonial-style edifices to be built in the area.
It is a stunning piece of architecture, and the largely French style is complemented by architectural gestures towards the cottage style of ethnic minorities from the Central Highlands. Right in the middle if its façade three high, pointed roofs cut a striking shape against the sky. Under the central roof sits a large clock, which has been restored in recent times. The front of the building features a porte-cochere, supported by two rows of columns, twelve in each row.
In 1997, as Vietnam’s economy began to flourish and tourism industry was starting to thrive, the seven-kilometer railway tour around Da Lat city was initiated and has proven to be highly popular. The railway station was also restored. You can find vintage post boxes and time-tables still fixed on the walls and antique chairs and tables in the waiting rooms.
The highland city of Dalat is considered an oasis in the mountains. Being a city of Vietnam, however, Dalat has the breath of France, France's climate and be affected by French architecture. Dalat Railway Station is a typical French classical architecture in Dalat.
To get to here is very easy since it is located at the city of Dalat. You can either take a taxi or rent a motorbike to come here. There is grab service here but only Grab bike available. No grab car service available. Overall, I would highly recommend you to drop by here especially you like to take photos. This place will be the best place for you.
Total Damage: 5,000vnd per person
Ambiance: 3/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Recommended?: Yes

Dalat Railway Station
Quang Trung, Phường 10, Tp. Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng, Vietnam
Opening Hours: 8.00am - 5.00pm (daily)
Location: Dalat Railway Station, Quang Trung, Phường 10, Tp. Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng, Vietnam

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bao Seng Durian Farm, Balik Pulau

-
Image
Have you ever stay in a Durian Farm before? No? At Bao Sheng Durian Farm, you can do it! This 6.7 acres durian farm has been established in Balik Pulau since 1959. It really took them full 60 years to get the fruit of their hard work. Their villa is well equipped with air-con, hot shower and LCD TV with hundreds of Blu-Ray quality movies in it! They have existing queen size or king size bed and extra bed can be requested. To get close and personal with the King of Fruit...the accommodation charges will be Deluxe Villa is charged at RM280/night and standard villa will cost you RM180/night. They only have 1 Deluxe Villa and 2 Standard Villa only. So it is very easy to be fully booked during the durian season. Advance booking is greatly recommended for at least 3 months ahead so that you will be able to choose the right schedule for the durian you wish to taste. Why stay in a durian farm? This is what you see when you open the window with all the durian trees around you. The fre
Read more

Hawker Center @Jalan MacAlister, Penang

-
Image
What will people think first when we talk about Penang? Penang Hill? Batu Feringghi? Hard Rock Cafe? I doubt any of them come first but their local food! Penang famous with their local foods and that is the reason there are a lot of hawker center at Penang. One of them is at Jalan MacAlister. No name for this hawker center but the local good foods are concentrated here. A lot of hawker stall like this here. There are just too many to choose from. Prawn Mee @RM5.00 Outlook: 3/5 Creativity: 3/5 Taste: 3/5 Price: 2/5 Overall: 2/5 - As I mentioned in my previous post at Raodifang, I just hate to eat a prawn mee with small prawns in it. Loh Mee @RM5.00 Outlook: 3/5 Creativity: 3/5 Taste: 2/5 Price: 2/5 Overall: 2/5 - Nothing special for an expensive small portion. Carrot Cake in chinese style @RM6.00 Outlook: 3/5 Creativity: 4/5 Taste: 4/5 Price: 3/5 Overall: 3/5 - We ordered two plates and one plate is very delicious and fragrant but another one is too s
Read more

Sports Shooting Club Hatyai (SSC)

-
Image
Most of people think if you travel to Hatyai and not visiting their temples, you are just wasting your time at Hatyai. As for my personal opinion, if you come to Hatyai and did not go to Sports Shooting Club (SSC) Hatyai to experience the shooting experience with a real gun, I think you are not just wasting your time at Hatyai but you are wasting your time being a human. You only live once and there is no better way to understand these guns than coming over to SSC.   Their gun selections are enough to satisfy your urge. From rifle, pistols, revolvers to shotguns. You would be surprised that their rifle is the cheapest. The price is stated from 890 baht nett for a 15 rounds.  I have tried the rifle, beretta and this Smith and Wesson 4506 .45 ACP. This 45 is my favorite among all with 50m shooting range and 8+1 capacity. One of the most expensive gun to rent here. Basically you are shooting at the target paper like this. You can adjust the range of the target to your prefer
Read more

Kedai Kopi Lotus, Kota Kinabalu

-
Image
Kota Kinabalu doesn't have huge hawker center like you will see in Peninsular Malaysia or Kuching but I have to reckon that the best hawker center in Kota Kinabalu is in Kedai Kopi Lotus. Kedai Kopi Lotus themselves do serve their own food which was very terrible and beyond edible state. So do not eat anything from this restaurant. You just pick the stalls beside this restaurant. There are 4 stalls which I will introduce one by one to you but the only stall which will not be introduced is the stall which is selling Guo Tie ( a kind of dumplings) -  not my favorite. The best and the most popular stall of all is this chicken wing stall. Everyone is there lining up for them either taking away or dining there. You may need to wait for 15-20 minutes for it. However, it will be definitely worthwhile. RM2.65/pc for this chicken wing. The reason it is taste so good is because of the perfect combination of the honey and the BBQ fragrance. They blend it so well inside the fresh and
Read more

Restoran Makanan Laut Lau Heong, Bandar Baru Sentul

-
Image
This is my first time dining at Sentul and glad to know this great Chinese restaurant which is known as Restoran Makanan Laut Lau Heong. This is the crowd at 6.00pm on Sunday. Crazy right? Let you see from another angle. They just own one shop lot but seems like owning an extra 4 parking space but still they are people standing and waiting for their seat including me! Curry Fish Head @RM25.00 Outlook: 4/5 Creativity: 4/5 Taste: 4/5 Price: 3/5 Overall: 3/5 - This is their signature. You can choose a normal fish meat or a fish head like this. The curry is not really spicy at all. It contains more coconut milk taste than the curry itself. The fragrance of the curry and the coconut milk work perfectly. I can smell it before it is served. The fish heads are soft, tender, fresh and delicious. Highly recommend to everyone to try. Ginger Squid and Prawn @RM18.00 Outlook: 4/5 Creativity: 5/5 Taste: 5/5 Price: 2/5 Overall: 4/5 - Hardly taste the ginger but what makes me
Read more

Gua Tempurung (Tour 1 - Golden Flowstone), Gopeng

-
Image
Talking about caving, at East Malaysia, we will surely talk about Gua Niah . While at West Malaysia, many of us will think of is this, Gua Tempurung. So here I am at the entrance of one of the famous caves in Malaysia. A little history about this cave for you to know more. These are the prices and packages that you can choose from based on the difficulty and the adventure you would like to experience. Please take note on the number of people as well in your group. Tour 3 (Top of the World & Short River Adventure) & 4 (Grand Tour) have to be minimum of 8 pax. Tour 2 (Top of the World) is 4 pax and for any lesser than that will be Tour 1 (Golden Flowstone) .  Here are the sample pictures of what you going to experience depending to the tour you took.  So you have a good picture on what you will be experiencing. If you only have three pax or below and you do not wish to go for the tour 1, you have 2 options; 1) Wait for other visitors to come. NOTE: Not many visi
Read more

Trang An Boat Tour, Ninh Binh

-
Image
It’s known as the Ha Long Bay of the land. About 150 kilometers from the famous Vietnamese bay where hundreds of islands form a natural wonder is another equally as impressive landscape. This one, known as Trang An, is nowhere near the coast, though. The mountains are connected by rice paddies, not water. You can cycle to them, not sail. And – best of all – they are not full of foreign tourists. Such is the joy of a Trang An boat tour. Trang An Heritage Complex is a part of Ninh Binh province, it is about 100km away from Hanoi city center. If Halong holds an impressive and magnificent beauty, Trang An will be its best rival. Though smaller in size, you will be lost in a wonderland with the karst mountains, lush green forests, sparkling and crystal-clear river and the endless rice field running to the horizon. In general, the cost of entrance fees & boat trip of three routes is the same ( 200.000vnd/ person) on a shared- rowing boat (maximum 4 people/ 1 boat). You can ch
Read more

Skyline Luge, Sentosa

-
Image
After taking the cable car from Harbourfront to Sentosa Island, Skyline Luge is what you will see when you reach there at Imbiah Lookout. Riding this can get you faster to the Siloso Beach and extremely exciting too! The price is as above and as you can see there is an express queue charges if you got bored of queuing. Luge is a very light sled where over here it is functioned by wheels instead of skate. It slides down the hill without using engines to run it. They have two types of trails which are Dragon Trail and Jungle Trail. Choose either one you prefer but if you choose more than 1 ride, you should try both! Luge is the most dangerous sports in the Winter Olympics. So it is the same goes to this. You must adhere to their warnings and instructions at all times to avoid any unwanted accidents happen which will spoiled your entire day.  The first thing to do is to get the right size of helmet. Then, you listen to the instruction on how to control the luge. Do not a
Read more

City Square Shooting Gallery @Menara TKSS, Segambut

-
Image
I have been always wanted to get hold of a real gun and shoot like James Bond, Neo in Matrix and Max Payne. I have invited my buddy, Suyin who is very interested in it as well to accompany me. Thanks to ILoveDiscounts , this dream is no longer a dream and it is made possible and affordable to everyone. The link of the deal as follows: RM105 for a handgun experience + 25 Rounds of Ammo Before we attend, we are required to submit our passport photo, photocopy of our IC and filling up their Vetting form. The documents are required for a background check to eliminate those who has criminal record especially related to gun. 14 working days are required to run the check. After that, it is compulsory to attend their briefing which is lasting at most 2 hours to learn and understand the safety rules. At the same time, to learn the basic techniques in shooting. Since this is a real gun and it is not a gun we are playing in a fun fair, we must adhere to their strict rules not just for prot
Read more

Blue Moon Valley, Lijiang

-
Image
Blue Moon Valley actually is an extremely blue river meandering through a lush valley of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Seen from a distance, it resembles a blue crescent moon inlaid at the foot of the mountain. That's how the place got its beautiful name! However, blue is not the only colour of the river. If it rains, the white mud and limestone rubble at the riverbed will be swirled up, making the water as white as milk. Therefore, local Naxi people name it White Water River (Baishui River). Blue Moon Valley is a popular spot inside the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Scenic Area, 15 kilometers (9 miles) away from Lijiang Old Town. You can either take a through bus or charter a minibus to get to the Snow Mountain first. Take a through bus at Yuhe Parking Lot near the northern gate of Lijiang Old Down. You can buy the ticket in Tourist Service Center at the northern end of Lanhua Street, opposite Tianyu Hotel. The bus leaves for the Snow Mountain at 8.30pm and returns at 4.30pm;
Read more