Dalat is mountain sunrises, chicken soup, paddle boats, and pine forests. It's where Vietnamese people go to cool off in the summer, or see "European winter" for Christmas. Even in the hottest global-warmed summer, you don't need A/C here. Dalat is Vietnam like you've never seen it.

As heavily touristed as Dalat is, tourists miss the best stuff. There's not much written on Dalat, other than the very touristy attractions and resorts. My local advice on in-depth, local Dalat — always with map links and QR codes — fills this book.

This is Dalat the way I know it and love it. We'll eat UFO cakes, conquer mountains, and find how to hide from the screaming tourist groups.

Come with me. Let's discover Dalat.