1. Than Tho Lake
It is 5,5km from Dalat in the North on the way Quang Trung - Ho Xuan Huong Street, which costs about 8000dongs by motorbike from Hoa Binh square. For a long time, Than Tho like has been a famous name is Dalat “Dalat has Cam Ly waterfall, than Tho lake so nobody dares going away “The lake locates near the National Military Academy (The ground troops Institute now) and it had a relation with the most successful period of this academy in the 50s and 60s.
Now, it has still the legend of the two lovers Thao and Tam and the legend of the two graves on the pine hill from that time. The graves of the two lovers lie in the North of lake. At Than Tho lake there is also “ a couple of pine trees” which is very strange picture of the couple of lovers embracing and visitors can take photos there. All of these sights are now faced with the shortage of water because of the destruction of the forest and the irrigation for agricultural land.
2. Xuan Huong Lake
Location: Xuan Huong Lake is located in the centre of Da Lat City.
Characteristics: Xuan Huong is a very beautiful lake. The surface of the lake is as smooth as glass reflecting the shadows of pine-trees which sing in the wind all day and night.
Characteristics: Xuan Huong is a very beautiful lake. The surface of the lake is as smooth as glass reflecting the shadows of pine-trees which sing in the wind all day and night.
Previously, Xuan Huong was a big lake in Da Lat that was 5sq.km in the shape of a crescent moon. Xuan Huong Lake is a poetic site, attracting leisure visitors; it is also a popular rendezvous site for lovers. The road round Xuan Huong Lake is fully surrounded by pine-tree shadows, sometimes running straight, sometimes curved. Tourists can sit under ancient conifers to fish, play on the lake with pedal-boats in the shape of swans or rest at Thuy Ta Restaurant, admiring its exceptional architecture while enjoying a glass of fresh sweet water.
3. Tuyen Lam Lake
Go alongside National Road 20 to Prenn Pass, just pass Datanla Waterfall, then turn left, and go about 2 km into the rolling pine forest, the tourists will face an immense lake with an impressive long time name of Tuyen Lam Lake.
The lake is formed by Tia Stream and by source of the Da Tam River, which flows down from Elephant Mountain. In an effort to have a reservoir of water supply for irrigation of the fields, in 1982, Irrigation Ministry started heaping barrages and damming up the rivers here. In 1987, the works finished and enlarged the lake surface up to 32 km2 with the greatest depth of 30m. It links numerous mountains and hills, offering a monumentally natural landscape.
Sailing on Tuyen Lam Lake, tourists have a chance to admire wonders of the mountains and hills, where they can make new discoveries from different views. How excited to call at Bao Dai Waterfall for an opportunity to get acquainted with a secluded family in the closest attachment to the nature. A visit at the picnic areas of Nam Qua and Da Tien will enable tourists to enjoy roast meat beside a big jug of Cần in beautiful houses. They may also lie at pleasure on glossy grass alluvial plain with wind flowing strongly, feeling the pleasure of life more and more, and feeling comfortable with that long journey in Dalat.
4. Dan Kia Lake
Dankia Lake – Golden Stream is located 17 km from Dalat city to the North-West which belongs to Lac Duong district, Lamdong province. Before 1919, there were a lot of villages of Lach and Chil people in Lang Biang highland, in which the largest village was Dan Kia at Da Dong riverside. The origin of the word “Dan Kia” is Dang Ja which means thatching hill.
In the afternoon of June 21st 1893, after arriving current Dalat, Dr. Alexandre Yersin came to Dan Kia to stay for a night, then came back to Riong (Lam Ha district now).
After receiving letter of Doumer, on July 19th 1897, Dr. Alexandre Yersin suggested Lang Biang highland to found a place for resting and relaxing and he focused on Dan Kia.
Nowadays, when coming to Dan Kia Lake – Golden Stream, tourists can visit Golden Valley, Ankroet waterfall, dam of Golden Stream and Dan Kia Lake. Tourists can also see the overall view of Dan Kia Lake – Golden Stream when they reach Radar mountain top in Langbiang tourist site.
5. Da Nhim Lake
Da Nhim Lake is located in Dran town of Don Duong district, Lamdong province. It is 36km far from Dalat city to the South-East. In 1961, some Japanese experts and Vietnamese workers built a dam which was 1,460m long and 30m high to hold back a stream of Da Nhim river, then they created a 9.7km2 reservoir with capacity of 165 million m3.
Da Nhim River rises from the north of Gia Rich Mountain in Lac Duong district and longs to Don Duong and Duc Trong district of Lamdong province. It is near the border between Lamdong and Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan province.
Da Nhim River rises from the north of Gia Rich Mountain in Lac Duong district and longs to Don Duong and Duc Trong district of Lamdong province. It is near the border between Lamdong and Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan province.
About the history of Da Nhim River, the K’Ho ethnic people told that: In the old days, in Kon Do village (belonged to Dung K’No commune, Lac Duong district), there was a couple whose names were Ha Biang and K’Lang. One year, the place where they lived went into drought, Ha Biang (the husband) decided to ask the Heaven for justice to be done. However, he died of hunger on the way to Heaven. K’Lang (the wife) cried so loud when she saw her husband’s dead body that the Heaven could hear her voice. Then, it rained but K’Lang still cried and cried and she died too. At that time, an elephant was moved to tears and it came to shelter the dead couple from the rain and it also died. The rain-water mixed with the tear of K’Lang and the elephant creating Da Nhim River (Da stands for water, Nhim stands for cry).
Until now, Da Nhim Lake hasn’t been a place for tourist visiting but you can stand at Dran pass or the hill after Giac Hoa pagoda to enjoy Da Nhim Lake and the valley of Da Nhim River.