Streets full of people day and night make Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest and most populous city, a popular destination that will keep you entertained for days. The city offers something for everyone, from colonial architecture to museums. When you get tired of such a bustling atmosphere, Dalat is the perfect place for a change of scenery. Located in the Central Highlands, Dalat is a pretty and peaceful city surrounded by pine forests around a lake. Its mild climate sets it apart from the tropical cities the country is famous for. It has beautiful gardens and waterfalls and fog that covers the valleys almost all year round. That is why it is called the city of eternal spring.
Travel options from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat
It is about 300 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat. It doesn’t seem like much, but if you’re on the road, the journey is long and it can take 6 to 8 hours to cover the route by bus. The bus is a common means of transport from one city to another in Vietnam, and several companies operate this route and depart from various points in Ho Chi Minh City. Buses are cheap, but you can also consider another inexpensive option that doesn’t take so long to cover this route: the plane. Flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat can be purchased at a very reasonable price, so it is a viable alternative to spending the whole day on the bus. We will tell you about the advantages and disadvantages of flights and buses, and also suggest the last option: a taxi.
From Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat by bus
With so many bus companies serving the Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat route, you’ll have no problem finding a seat. Traveling by bus in Vietnam is a popular option because it is cheap. Although locals also use these services, many of the passengers are tourists visiting Southeast Asia. If you’re traveling on a budget, you’ll probably prefer to travel by bus because of its cheapness, although it’s usually not the most convenient way to get from one place to another.
There are many options to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat and you have the opportunity to spend a little extra to travel more comfortably. It is best to choose sleeper and semi-sleeper buses as you can recline the seat to lie down and stretch your legs. Almost all companies have half-sleeper buses, which is a good and economical option.
Interior of a sleeper bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat © duangphorn wiriya / Shutterstock.com
Some buses have a sleeper service and while they are more expensive, it may be worth paying a little extra for the comfort you enjoy on your journey. For example, Thanh Buoi’s VIP 20 service is different from the rest. They have seats that recline completely and become practically beds, and each has a TV and curtains for more privacy. Tickets are more expensive, but the price is not too high either.
Thanh Buoi also has semi-sleeper buses and there are many other companies to compare prices with, such as Phuong Trang, Thinh Phat Limousine, Minh Tri Limousine and The Sinh Tourist. You can buy tickets with all of them through the booking website 12Go.asiawhere you can see the prices and services of each option to easily compare and buy. Buses take 6 to 8 hours to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat, depending on the departure time.
Flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat
Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport © AsiaTravel / Shutterstock.com
If you want to shorten your travel time, consider flying from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat. The flight time is only about 50 minutes, but you need to add the time it takes to get to Ho Chi Minh City airport and the time it takes to get from the airport to Dalat city. The nearest airport is 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Dalat, so it takes some time to get to the city. Still, by adding extra time, the journey will be shorter than by bus.
Flights arrive at Lien Khuong International Airport, the largest airport in the Central Highlands, and from there there are constant delivery vans to the city. Vans are inexpensive, but seats fill up quickly with each arrival. Taxis are another option. They are generally more expensive, but it doesn’t make much of a difference if you share the cost with other passengers.
Vietjet Air at Dalat’s Lien Khuong International Airport © Son Hoang Tran / Shutterstock.com
The three airlines that fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat are Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and VietJet Air. The first two offer comparable prices, although Vietnam Airlines includes 20 kilograms of checked baggage in the ticket price and Jetstar Pacific does not. VietJet Air is much cheaper than the other two airlines and in fact not much more expensive than the more expensive bus service. Therefore, traveling by plane from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat is a cost-effective and recommendable option.
From Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat by taxi
Taxi in the countryside in Vietnam © Asia Images / Shutterstock.com
The last option is to take the entire trip by taxi, although it is not cheap. Even if you are traveling with family or friends and split the cost between several passengers to make it more affordable, the individual cost is more expensive than a plane or bus ticket. Anyway, we like to suggest this alternative if cost is not an issue as taxis offer a very convenient service as they take you door to door and are very flexible. If you choose to travel by taxi, you will be able to make stops along the way. In addition, when traveling on the road, you can admire beautiful landscapes from the car that you miss from the plane.
Whether you choose the cheapest option to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat (bus), the fastest option (airplane) or the most expensive option (taxi), you can buy tickets through the 12Go website.