This bustling hill town, often referred to as the ‘City of Love’ because of its popularity with Vietnamese honeymooners, is just poles apart from any other place you are likely to visit in Vietnam. At over 4,920 ft (1500 m) above sea level Dalat enjoys a much cooler climate than the lower coastal regions and is surrounded by rolling mountains, dense pine tree forests, picturesque waterfalls and scenic lakes. But it is the similarity to a European mountain town that is so initially striking. You could be forgiven for thinking that you had wandered into a town somehow mystically transported from the French Alps and to top off the French theme, Dalat has its own scaled down version of the Eiffel Tower in the city centre.

The frantic central market, when in full flow, is an experience in itself but it is the local scenery that is the main draw. At trip up to the Zen Monastery at the beautiful Tuyen Lam Lake is highly recommended, as is a visit to the somewhat bizarre Chicken Village! If you are travelling on to Nha Trang, be sure to stop along the mountain road that descends to the coast, as it offers some of the most breathtaking views in all of Vietnam.