Story: Hien Phung
Photos: Tonkin
Known for its pine forests, cool breezes, and flower gardens, Dalat offers charming spots full of local colors and flavors.
At its own pace, the mountain town of Dalat enters summer, a season that is slow, poetic, and filled with color. Here, it is easy to find a private hideaway. At times, every street and hillside feels as profound as a page from an old book, or as sweet as a freshly baked cake. The air is gently fragrant and refreshing, full of birdsong at dawn and the rustling of leaves.
This highland region remains cool year-round, allowing visitors to enjoy simple pleasures such as the early-morning mist, a sunny porch, or the scents of pine resin and fresh coffee in a rustic little cafe. Cafes, craft shops, and local eateries are all worth exploring, each reflecting the local way of life and culture.
A fragrant garden
Quan cua Thoi Thanh Xuan offers a fresh and soothing space, somewhat removed from the outside world. Hidden on a quiet hillside, it preserves the gentle fragrance of pine trees and highland flora. Beneath a canopy of roses, wide windows frame colorful bouquets. Bathed in natural light, every detail invites relaxation and evokes the romance of the flower-filled highlands.
The shop’s most heartwarming feature is its team of hearing-impaired youth. Quiet yet skillful, they draw admiring glances through their deft hands and professional manner. Though unable to hear or speak, they always greet visitors with bright, friendly expressions that make the experience especially welcoming. With talented hands, they not only prepare drinks but also craft soaps, essential oils, and perfumes from local ingredients. Each product carries the scent of the highland mountains and forests. Clear bottles of essential oils glow in pale shades of blue and violet on dark brown wooden shelves, adding to the sense of tranquility.
A sweet corner
In a quiet, tree-shaded alley, Tiem banh Chau appears like a peaceful memory of the highlands. Vines cascade over its white-painted wooden facade and windows. Inside, soft yellow lights illuminate rustic brown wooden shelves lined with colorful jars of fruit jam – honey orange, mulberry, sour apricot, pineapple, ginger. These jars seem to capture the flavors of all four seasons.
At the pastry counter, soft butter bread, almond cookies, cream rolls, and fruit tarts are freshly baked each morning. The tinkling of the door chimes, the aroma of butter and milk, the sweetness of fruit, the scent of baked pastries mingling with coffee, and the low murmur of conversation create a space as intimate as a grandmother’s kitchen. It is an experience that delights both the palate and the eyes.
Each cake and jar of jam is crafted with meticulous care. Ms. Chau – the owner – is active in charity work, frequently organizing baking classes for orphans and children with disabilities. At times, the little bakery comes to life as these special students eagerly learn to make beautiful and fragrant cakes.
Chocolate heaven
Tiem Seha Garden opens onto a youthful, sweet, and vibrant world. Mango and coffee trees shade the garden, interwoven with cacao trees bearing brown trunks, dark green leaves, and purple-and-yellow pods. The shop was founded by two young women who came to the highlands in search of a garden plot. This orchard’s mature cacao trees inspired them to pursue artisanal chocolate-making.
Before producing their first chocolate bar, they learned how to compost organic fertilizer, restore the soil, and care for the trees’ roots. When the cacao pods ripened into deep purple beneath the sun, they began their artisanal journey. From fermenting, sun-drying, and roasting the beans to tempering the chocolate, the entire process takes nearly a week, with countless hours spent beside machines and ovens. Every stage demands precision until the first bars solidify with the perfect gloss, smooth texture, and delicate snap, melting smoothly on the tongue while preserving the cacao’s original flavor.
Rather than produce high volumes, Seha Garden focuses on quality, moving in harmony with the rhythms of nature and of its makers. Amid fresh mornings filled with birdsong and the rustling of leaves, the owners are doing more than making chocolate – they are embracing a carefree way of life, surrounded by trees, soil, diligent hands, and like-minded customers. From their hillside garden, the rich aroma of cacao drifts gently on the afternoon breeze.
Each of these small shops carries its own distinct charm, shaped by refined simplicity and a harmonious relationship between people and nature. Each place has its own emotional rhythm. Long after their summer holidays have passed, visitors to this region will carry memories of moments that felt authentic, endearing, and deeply rooted in the highlands.
