about dalat

In 1893, Dr. Alexandre Yersin, a protégé of Louis Pasteur, decided to leave his ship docked at Nha Trang to explore the central highlands of Vietnam. What he found was Dalat. Quickly, he spread word about this evergreen-filled region dotted with lakes and waterfalls. By the time the city established itself in 1912, Dalat was already popular with Europeans as a cool retreat from the sweltering heat of the coastal plains and the Mekong Delta.

The recreation of these early tourists included boating, tennis, big-game hunting and, since the 1920’s, golf. Many of the French colonialists built vacation homes in Dalat, and these villas remain standing today in all their architectural splendor. It is these structures that give a distinct Mediterranean look to the city.

Dalat lies at a lofty elevation of 1,500 meters (a mile high) in Lam Dong Province located in the central highlands of Vietnam, 290 kilometers northeast of Ho Chi Minh City.

Known for decades as both "Le Petite Paris" and the "City of Eternal Spring", Dalat is blessed year round with favorable weather amidst crisp, cool mountain air. The joy of visiting Dalat begins with the 4 1/2 hour journey by car from Ho Chi Minh City on the Bien Hoa Highway which winds through rice fields, banana farms and rubber plantations. Alternatively, there is 50-minute air service from Ho Chi Minh City in modern 70-seater planes, with an additional direct service from Singapore anticipated.

The Sofitel Dalat Palace provides luxury accommodation for visiting golfers. Many of the cascading waterfalls for which the town is famed lie within easy reach of the hotel and golf course, with the enchanting "Valley of Love" nestled among tranquil hills a few kilometers away.

Since the opening of Dalat Palace Golf Club in the 1920’s (originally a 9-hole course), the city has hosted golfers from around the world, including American champion Billy Casper.

In early 1994, Dalat emerged once again as the ideal golf retreat in Southeast Asia with the revival and expansion of Dalat Palace Golf Club.

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