We woke lazily and without much purpose. The house had emptied out the day before and it was just Diem, myself and a small gang of motorbikes in the living room. The house was quiet, cool and felt a bit lonely on this beautiful mountain morning. I stepped outside to find a mostly clear sky. I took a deep breath of the clean air and observed the warm and inviting sun peaking over the mountains in the distance. The morning was so perfect in fact, that Diem and I decided a walk to breakfast was in order.
We returned to the famous noodle house just up the hill for another delicious bowl of Bún bò Huế. That richly satisfying bowl of bone broth, noodles, chunks of tender pork ribs, slices of beef and mass of coagulated pork blood. All topped with fresh cilantro, basil, chili, green onions, field greens and a fresh squeeze of lime. The noodle dish made famous in the ancient capital city of Huế has become one of my favorites and we try the regional variations everywhere we go. The one offered here at Thiên Trang 2 is one of the best I’ve had.
A Discussion on the Day
Over breakfast we discussed our day and the things that we may do. Coffee was definitely next on the list, but there was something else peaking my interest while in Da Lat. Da Lat, being one of the vacation capitals of southeast Asia, also boasts one of the regions most beautiful Golf courses. Though I didn’t have any gear with me, the course offered most everything one would require for a reasonable rental fee.
Da Lat Golf course was built, like most everything else in Da Lat, by the French in the early 20th century. It is said to be one of the most beautiful courses in all of Asia and has won many awards for it’s breathtaking landscaping and design. We finished up our breakfast discussion and headed off for that cup of coffee.
Coffee by the Lake
We chose a coffee shop on the lakes edge opposite from our rental house. Named the Blue Water Cafe, everything from the umbrellas to the roof were actually purple. This feature added quite tastefully to the whimsical charm that was downtown Da Lat. We sat in the comfortable mountain air along the water’s edge and I ordered a cappuccino. I couldn’t remember the last time I had a hot cup of coffee and the cool mountain environment seemed the perfect place to remedy this.
After a few minutes of enjoying the lake view our beverages arrived. The cappuccino was more milkshake than hot cup of coffee and Diem in her infinite desire to remedy such errors offered to have it replaced. It wasn’t that important and I happily snuggled up to my frozen concoction and gave it a sip. I found it hard to get upset about much in Vietnam. No sense in wasting a good time on something as trivial as a misunderstanding and a cold beverage. I have definitely adopted the local attitude of “just go with it” and I think it’s done wonders for my blood pressure and overall happiness.
A Day at the Spa
We decided, after our coffee and quiet repose by the lake, to treat ourselves to a day at the spa before an afternoon of Golf. We paid our tab and left the Blue Water cafe for the heart of the city’s neighborhoods. The residential district was tightly packed into the hillside. A labyrinth of alleys, corridors, insanely tight turns and streets. We were headed to Ot care, and it was said to be one of the best spas in the city.
After some very tight maneuvering and several moments of retracing our tracks, we finally found the entrance to the spa. It was so tightly packed into the twisting alley that we almost drove past it without notice. There was a small area to park at the right of the entrance. Diem parked the bike while I took a few pictures of the incredibly tight lane the spa rested in. We then made our way inside.
Ot Care
The spa was decorated very tastefully and was a warm and inviting space. The hostess discussed our options and we filled out little slips of paper to make things clear. We decided on a session of full body couples massage with additional facial treatments. One must keep those pores open We walked up the stairs towards our room. A quick shower and redressing and Diem and I made our way to the massage tables and tucked in for a 90 minute session.
With the added facial we were worked on from crown to toe and to be honest I don’t remember much. I have not experienced a massage outside of Vietnam, but get them here regularly. I always enjoy them and I always fall asleep. Diem usually jokes at me when we’re done due to the snoring I produce in mid-session. What can I say, 15 minutes in, super relaxed, and it’s off to never land. I was in and out for most of the session and was finally spoken back into the realm of the living with the information that we were finished. I was satisfied, relaxed, and feeling just wonderful. We changed, collected our belongings and paid the very reasonable price of 20 usd a piece, and made our way out.
Lunch Time
By this time I had worked up quite an appetite and it was time for a late lunch. We looked for options around the city, but couldn’t find anything appealing. I was still in search of a draft beer and slice of good pizza, but all the pizza joints were not open for lunch. Besides, Diem and I had ordered pizza the night before and I was again heavily disappointed. I just couldn’t seem to find a good slice anywhere in Vietnam and was beginning to believe it didn’t exist. So in lieu of further disappointment we decided on Korean BBQ and made our way across town.
Khoi BBQ
Khoi was western in style and space and looked like a great late night hangout for expats. It sat overlooking the Da Lat center which houses the night market, which at mid day was quiet and uninteresting. The waitress came and loaded fresh coals in the grill at the center of the table and we ordered lunch. Sliced beef short ribs, fresh squash, bell peppers, dipping sauces, a bowl overflowing with fresh herbs and a platter of “Da Lat vegetables”. We also ordered a dish from the kitchen, roasted pigeon with fried creamy rice cakes.
The raw ingredients arrived and I loaded up the grill in front of us. I just love the smell of beef as it cooks on a grill of fresh chary coals. The dish from the kitchen was brought out and we ate our fill. It was all very delicious. But I was excited to get a game of Golf in. We settled the bill and again hit the road.
Not Today
We made our way back towards the lake. The golf course overlooked the lake on its northern shore. At times I could get small glimpses of the course as we traveled around Da Lat. It was well enclosed by a large privacy fence and you could only see inside from higher vantage points. We made our way to the main entrance as it was shown on the map, but it was gated shut and there was no guard in attendance. Thinking it may not be the main entrance, we rode the streets that surrounded the course. Entrance after entrance, all gated, all chained and locked. In a last effort Diem called the club, a recorded message was all that was there. The club had still not reopened due to a lack of foreign tourists. There would be no Golf outing today.
Should We Stay or Should We Go
After the failed golfing attempt we headed back home. By now it was early evening and we had a decision to make. We had discussed briefly about extending our time in Da Lat. I checked with the landlord, but the house was already rented out on the day of our departure. Which would be tomorrow. In searching online I found a potential place for us to go a few streets over, but the air was filled with a different desire. After quite some time sitting in Da Nang in quarantine we had really enjoyed having travel companions.
We had seen most of what Da Lat had to offer and after a quick discussion we both agreed. It was time to go. We would not book new accommodations and called to have our motorbike picked up. Diem made arrangements for a bus back to Saigon, we packed everything and ordered dinner. Diem and I had been in Da Lat for the better part of a week, but we both wanted to be with family. We had another quiet and enjoyable night together in the cool mountain air.
Saigon Bound
We woke not too early and gathered our things. Our bus would leave the station at 11am and it was about a 6 hour ride back. We ordered a few Banh Mi for breakfast and called a taxi. The landlord arrived to see us off and collect payment for the motorbike rentals. We loaded in the taxi and sped down the twisting mountain streets for the bus station. It was bittersweet leaving the beautiful mountain retreat. Ahead was the stagnant, humid heat of Saigon. But there was still adventure to be had there.
We arrived at the bus station as our bus was loading and we purchased two coffees for the road. I settled into my bed and we pulled out of the station and onto the mountain highway. 6 hours to Saigon, we should be there by dinner. The ride was quiet and uneventful. Around 2 we stopped at a roadside pit stop for a quick bite. Beyond our quick lunch, the trip back was a quiet reflection on the wonderful time we had in Da Lat.
The mountains eventually made way for the coastal plains and finally the flat river delta as we made our way into Saigon. Night was just beginning to fall as we passed Landmark 81 and settled at the bus station in downtown Saigon. I didn’t know it yet, but tomorrow we would make our way deep into the Mekong River Delta to the floating markets of Cai Rang. That would prove to be one of our wildest adventures yet.
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