How to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat? Let’s check the best ways to travel in this Vietnam route, including options by train, taxis and flights
Are you traveling in Vietnam and want to know the best options to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat? This post will guide you on how to get from Saigon (currently Ho Chi Minh city) to the unique city of Dalat. It also features information on how to buy bus, taxis and flight tickets in Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Da Lat: The route
Ho Chi Minh city, known also is Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam and one of the main points of entry to the country. Despite not being the country’s capital (which is Hanoi), Ho Chi Minh is a great place to start traveling in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh Tan Son Nhat International Airport has great international flight connections, including direct flights to Europe, Australia and many Asian countries.
Da Lat on the other hand, is a very unique city in Vietnam. It sits at an altitude of 1500 m (4900 ft) and has one of the mildest climates in Southeast Asia. It has a population just above 400.000 inhabitants. Da Lat is the perfect getaway if you want to get a different Southeast Asian experience, away from the tourist crowds and have a break from the heat.
The distance between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat is of approximately 300 km. The good news is that there are a good number of options to travel from Ho Chi Minh to Dalat and vice versa. All of them can be booked online or directly in Ho Chi Minh. All options are relatively affordable as well.
Ho Chi Minh to Da Lat by Bus
The cheapest option to get from Ho Chi Minh to Da Lat is traveling by bus. This option has a number of advantages, but it also has one main disadvantage, which is the time it will take to compete the journey.
There are many companies operating direct buses and vans from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat. A great plus of traveling by bus on this route is that you will have a lot of flexibility to complete the journey. Buses depart from Ho Chi Minh to Da Lat at a rate of approximately one per hour. In some case, there are more than one bus on the route per hour.
The price is another great aspect for those choosing the bus. Prices start from 280,000 VND per person for a one-way tiket or roughly 12 USD.
The main disadvantage of taking the bus, is as mentioned above, the travel duration. Despite the two cities being just 300 km from one another, it takes around 7 to 8 hours to complete the journey from Ho Chi Minh city to Dalat.
Vans are slightly faster than the bus.
How to buy bus tickets from Ho Chi Minh to Da Lat
Buying bus tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat is very easy and can be done online. Almost all (if not all) bus companies operating in this route allow you buy tickets online. Here are some websites allowing you to buy bus tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat. Here are some options of agencies selling bus tickets on this route:
Bookaway – a great website for traveling in Southeast Asia, selling tickets for trips in various ASEAN countries.
Baolau – another great option to buy bus tickets in Vietnam and neighboring countries.
Pros
- Comfortable buses or vans
- Cheapest option to travel to Da Lat
- High number of schedule options
Cons
- Approximately 7 to 8 hours trip
You can use the search bar below to check availability and routes:
Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat by Plane (Flights)
Traveling by plane from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat is certainly the fastest way to get between these two cities. However the closest airport to Da Lat is not actually in Da Lat city, but 30 km from it. Even considering this, the flight duration is of 50 minutes, making it considerably faster than the bus, van or car.
The Lien Khuong Airport is your gateway to Da Lat if you want to fly. It is located in the Da Lat province and has flights to several cities including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Bangkok and a few others.
There are a few companies operating scheduled flights from Ho Chi Minh to Da Lat (Lien Khuong Airport). Most of the flights are operated by Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air.
How to buy flight tickets from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Lien Khuong (Da Lat)
You can check Jetradar on the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Lien Khuong (DLI).
Pros
- Fastest way to travel to Da Lat
Cons
- Waiting times at the airport
- Transferring from Lien Khuong to Da Lat city is time consuming
Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat by Train
It is currently not possible to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat by train. Da Lat train station is currently not largely used for commercial purposes. The closest train that comes from Ho Chi Minh does not have any stop close enough from Da Lat to make it reasonable using it.
Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat by Car (Taxi)
Another option to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat is by taxi or transfer. This way gives you a lot of flexibility and comfort. Obviously, this option is considerably more expensive than travel by bus or even by plane. However, if you are traveling in a group of at least 3 people, it may be a good option, even financially.
You can book taxis (car os vans) from Ho Chi Minh to Da Lat or Da Lat to Ho Chi Minh online. Booking is available on Klook.com. Alternatively you can try to sort it in Ho Chi Minh City through your hotel.
Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City
You can also check our guide on where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City for our guide on the best areas of the largest city in Vietnam.
Beautiful Saigon Boutique Hotel – a comfortable option close at a walking distance to the Ben Thanh Market.
Saigon InnCrowd 2 – an affordable accommodation in the District 1, one of the best to stay in Ho Chi Minh City.
Hotels in Da Lat
Dalat Wind – a comfortable option close to the Xuan Huong Lake in Da Lat.
Du Parc Hotel Dalat – another excellent hotel to stay in Da Lat.
Other Resources for Travelling in Vietnam
If you are traveling in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries you will definitely want to check our guides to the region. Check our guide on how to travel from Hanoi to Da Nang, and also our post on Vietnam eVisa or Visa on Arrival. You can also check the best places to stay in Hanoi here.
Are you already in Ho Chi Minh or in Da Lat? Leave your thoughts and questions in the comment box below.