Da Lat
Da Lat is located in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam, and was originally the playground of the French who built villas in the clear mountain air to escape the heat and humidity of the coast and of Saigon, now know as Ho Chi Minh City.
Da Lat's high altitude (1500-2000 m) and fertile landscape make it one of Vietnam's premier agricultural areas. In fact, in markets as far north as Hanoi, vegetable and flower vendors will tout their 'made in Da Lat' produce.
Most guidebooks describe Da Lat as a 'cheesy' town popular only as a local honeymoon destination with tacky sites. The good news is that the town is not over-run with tourists like some other cities in Vietnam. The bad news is that the description is not entirely untrue, but Da Lat is surrounded by some of the best mountain biking, hiking and canyoning opportunities in Vietnam.
