High up in the central highlands the cool climate and evergreen forests make Dalat one of Vietnam’s most pleasant towns. A popular haunt of writers and artists there is a distinctly continental feel to the town’s architectural style. Home to the Montagnard group of peoples for centuries, the town’s name means ‘River of the Lat tribe’ and today about 5,000 members of hill tribe communities live in the town and can sometimes be seen at the market in their traditional dress.

Among things to see are Emperor Bo Dai’s summer villa, a splendid art deco residence built in 1933 which has kept nearly all its original fittings, Lam Ti Ni Pagoda which is inhabited by a monk who is a prolific artist – he has painted over 100,000 pictures!, and Hang Nga Villa, an eccentric house that has been constructed as an extraordinary work of art. It is easy to arrange trips out of town to explore the surrounding countryside and visit local villages.