The Dalat or Da Lat (spelled Đà Lạt in Vietnamese pronunciation) is the capital of Lam Dong Province in Vietnam. The town is located 1500 m (4,920 ft) above sea level on the Langbiang Plateau in the southern parts of the Central Highlands. According to a myth from the French colonial era, the name derives from the acronym of the Latin phrase ‘Dat Aliis Laetitiam Aliis Temperiem’ (“Giving Pleasure to Some, Freshness to Others”), which the French colonial government used in their official emblem of Dalat. In reality, the name derives from the language of the local ethnic group Lạt and its original meaning is “Stream of the Lạt,” and the acronym above is in fact a backcronym. In Vietnam, Dalat is a popular tourist destination – highly appreciated for its temperate climate, beautiful sights such as waterfalls and lakes and its abundance of flowers and vegetables.
Dalat’s specific sights are pine wood (forming the name: “City of thousands of pine trees”) with twisting roads and tree marigold blossom in the winter. The city’s temperate weather stands in contrast to Vietnam’s otherwise tropical climate. Mist covering the valleys almost year-round leads to its name “City of eternal spring”.
