Ho Xuan Huong Lake

Created by a dam in 1919, banana-shaped Xuan Huong Lake was named after a 17th-century Vietnamese poet known for her daring attacks on the hypocrisy of social conventions and the foibles of scholars, monks, mandarins and kings. The lake can be circumnavigated along a 7km sealed path that leads past several of Dalat's main sights, including the flower gardens, golf club and the majestic hilltop Hotel Sofitel Dalat Palace.

Hang Nga Crazy House

A perfect combination of Dalat's bohemian tradition and its taste for kitsch. Hang Nga Crazy House (Map p309; ĐT: 822 070; fax 831480; 3 ĐHuynh Thuc Khang; admission 8000d) is a guesthouse in the form of a giant surreal artwork. The architecture is Gaudi-meets-Alice in Wonderland and cannot easily be described: there are caves, giant spider webs made of wire, concrete tree trunks and scary-looking animals with glowing red eyes. Yes it's tacky, and exceedingly commercialised, but many are astounded to find such a countercultural construction in Vietnam. The owner of Hang Nga Crazy House, Mrs Dang Viet Nga, gained a PhD in ar-chitecture in Moscow, where she lived for 14 years. Hang Nga, as she's known locally, has designed a number of other buildings that dot the landscape around Dalat, including the Children's Cultural Palace and the Catholic church in Lien Khuong. The Dalat People’s Committee has not al-ways appreciated such innovative designs. An earlier Dalat architectural masterpiece, the 'House with 100 Roofs', was torn down as a fire hazard because the People's Commit-tee thought it looked antisocialist. However, there is little chance that Hang Nga will have such trouble with the authorities. Her father Truong Chinh, was Ho Chi Minh's succes-sor, serving as Vietnam's second president from 1981 until his death in 1988. There's a fascinating display on his history and achievements in the main hall. Probably the strangest thing about this construction is that people can actually stay here (rooms range from US$19 to US$84), although the constant -stream of tourists and the glowing red eyes of the giant kangaroo would surely take some getting used to.

Crémaillère Railway Station

Dalat's pretty station (Ga Da ;Tell: 834 409, 1 Đ Quang Trung; return ticket 70,000d; 6.30am-5pm) is now largely decorative. Railway enthusiasts will be interested in the old locomotives on display, including a Japanese steam train. From 1928 to 1964, when it was closed because of VC attacks, the cog-railway linked Dalat and Thap Cham. It's unfortunate that the line has never been fully replaced, as it would provide a great tourist link to the main north-south lines. A section of track has been re-opened, allowing you to ride in an historic carriage 8km to Trai Mat village (30 minutes) and back again. Although there are scheduled six trains per day, in reality this varies according to demand - they won't leave unless there's a minimum of two passengers. Once in Trai Mat, most travellers make a requisite stroll over to visit the ornate linh Phuoc Pagoda. This colourful pagoda was built between 1949 and 1952, and recent renovations included the installation of an 81/2-tonne bell in a seven-tiered tower. Remove your shoes when entering the main temple building, where an amusement-park dragon guards the gate. Once inside, visitors are greeted by a 5m-high Buddha sporting a five-ringed neon halo. From the ground floor, take the left-hand .staircase up to the 2nd-level balcony area for great views.

Lam Dong Museum

This hilltop museum (Tell: 820 387; 4 Đ Hung Vuong;admission 40,000d;7.30-11.30am& 1.30-4.30pm Mon-Sat), housed in a lovely French-colonial style villa, displays ancient stone artefacts and pottery as well as costumes and musical instruments of local ethnic minorities, it was once the abode of Nguyen Huu Hao, the richest person in the Go Cong district of the Mekong Delta and the father of Vietnam's last empress.

Bao Dai's Summer Palace

This Art Deco-influenced vilfa (Dinh3;offt Đ Trieu Viet Vuong; admission 5000d; 7-1 lam & 1.30-4pm) was constructed in 1933 and was one of three palaces Bao Dai kept in Dalat. The decor has not changed in decades, except for the addition of Ho Chi Minh's portrait over the fireplace, but the palace is filled with artefacts from decades and governments past and is extremely interesting. In Bao Dai's office, the life-sized white bust above the bookcase is of the man himself;the smaller gold and brown busts are of his father. Emperor Khai Dinh. Note the heavy brass royal seal (on the right) and military seal (on the left). The photographs over the fireplace are of Bao Dai, his eldest son Bao Long (in uniform), and his wife. Empress Nam Phuong. Upstairs are the living quarters. The room of Bao Long, who now lives in France, is decorated in yellow, the royal colour. The huge semicircular couch was used by the em-peror and empress for family meetings, during which their three daughters were seated in the yellow chairs and their two sons in the pink chairs. Check out the ancient tan Rouathermique infrared sauna machine near the top of the stairs. Bao Dai's Summer Palace is set in a pine grove, 2km southwest of the city centre. Shoes must be removed at the door. There's an extra charge for cameras and videos.

Dalat Flower Gardens

An unusual sight in Vietnam, these gardens (Vuon Hoa Thanh Pho; Tell: 822 151; Đ Tran Nhan Tong; admission 5000d; (7.30am-4pm) were estab - lished in 1966. Flowers here include hydran geas, fuchsias and orchids. Most of the latter are in special shaded buildings to the right of the entrance. All in all it's a very nice and well-kept cross section of Daiat foliage, along with some crazy kitsch topiary. The Dalat Flower Gardens front Xuan Huong Lake, on the road that lead.s from the lake to Dalat University.

Dalat University

Dalat's climate has made it something of an education centre; before air-con it was one of the few places in Vietnam where it was possi -ble to study without working up a sweat. Datat University (Map p316; 1Đ Tran Nhan Tong) was founded as a Catholic university in 1957 by Hue Archbishop Ngo Dinh Thuc (the older brother of unpopular South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem) with the help of Cardinal Spelman of New York. It was seized from the church in 1975 and reopened two years later as a state-run institution. There are presently more than 13,000 students studying here. Foreign visitors are generally welcome.

Domaine de Marie Convent

The pink tile-roofed structures of this hill-top convent (Nha Tho Domaine; 6 Đ Ngo Quyen; admission free; 7-11.30am &2-5pm), constructed between 1940 and 1942, were once home to 300 nuns. Today the remaining nuns support themselves by making ginger candies and selling the fruit grown in the orchard out the back. The French-speaking nuns are pleased to show visitors around and explain the work they do for orphans, the homeless and children with disabilities. The shop sells handicrafts made by the children and nuns. Mass is celebrated in the targe chapel, Sunday to Friday.

Linh Son Pagoda

Built in 1938, this pagoda (Chua Linh Son; 120 Đ Nguyen Van Troi) is a lovely ochre-coloured building that fuses French and Chinese architecture. The giant bell is said to be made of bronze mixed with gold, its great weight making it too heavy for thieves to carry off.

Dalat Cathedral

This gingerbread-style cathedral ( Đ Tran Phu) was built between 1931 and 1942 for use by French residents and holiday-makers. The cross on the spire is topped by a weathercock, 47m above the ground. The church itself is rarely open outside of mass times.

Du Sinh Church

This church ( Đ Huyen Tran Cong Chua; was built in 1955 by Catholic refugees from the nỏrth.The four-post, Sino-Vietnamese steeple was constructed at the insistence of a Hue-born priest of royal lineage. The church is on a hilltop with beautiful views in all directions. making this a great place for a picnic. To get to Du Sinh Church, walk 500m southwest from the former Couvent des Oiseaux (Đ Huyen Tran Cong Chua), which is now a teachers' training college.