Dalat: 3 Waterfalls Day Tour — Datanla, Pongour & Elephant

Da Lat’s best day trips do not stop at waterfalls. This one moves from pine forest and rushing water to a silk workshop, coffee plantation, cricket farm, and the enormous Lady Buddha at Linh An Pagoda. Pongour Waterfall is the star for many people, while Datanla adds a lively alpine coaster ride if you choose to pay extra.

I like the mix of scenery and local work. You see how silk thread is drawn from cocoons, learn about coffee production, and can try fried crickets with rice wine. I also like the guides, especially Su, Phat, Vinh, Andy, and Quy, who are often praised for clear English, humor, and keeping a packed day moving.

The tradeoff is simple: this is a fast-paced eight-hour outing, not a quiet waterfall walk. You will spend plenty of time in the van, some stops feel commercial, and lunch is not included. Elephant Waterfall is also temporarily closed for operational reasons, though you can still see it from nearby Linh An Pagoda.

Key points to know before booking

• Pongour is the scenic centerpiece: Its seven cascades are widely considered the prettiest waterfall on this route.
• Datanla includes an optional thrill: The alpine coaster costs extra, with the coaster and waterfall entry not included in the tour price.
• Local industries are part of the day: Visit silk, coffee, flower, and cricket businesses instead of seeing waterfalls alone.
• Guides make a real difference: Su, Phat, Vinh, Quy, Andy, and others are praised for humor, English, organization, and cultural explanations.
• Elephant Waterfall has a current limitation: The falls are temporarily closed, but you can view them from Linh An Pagoda.
• The $22 price covers the basics: Transport, guide, water, most entrance fees, rice wine, and cricket tasting are included, but bring money for lunch and Datanla.

A full day of Da Lat’s countryside, not just waterfalls

This tour works best as an introduction to the area south and southwest of Da Lat. You leave the city behind and spend the day among pine forests, winding roads, farms, waterfalls, and small production sites.

The route is broad rather than slow. In roughly eight hours, you visit three waterfalls plus several cultural and agricultural stops. That makes the tour useful if you have only one day in Da Lat, but you should not expect long stretches of solitude at every site.

Pickup is from Da Lat, with the guide contacting you before arrival. Wait in your hotel lobby about 10 minutes before the scheduled pickup. Transport is by van, and the driver handles the winding roads while the guide explains the area and organizes each stop.

The strongest part of the day is its variety. One hour you may be taking photos beside a cascade, and the next you are watching silk thread being pulled from cocoons or learning how crickets are raised. I find that mix more revealing than a tour that simply strings together scenic viewpoints.

Van Thanh Flower Village begins the countryside route

Van Thanh Flower Village is scheduled as a short, 30-minute guided stop. It gives you an early look at one of the activities associated with Da Lat’s countryside and breaks up the first part of the drive.

Do not expect a long farm visit here. The stop is brief, and one person found it less useful than the waterfalls and working farms later in the day. If you enjoy flowers and local agriculture, you will likely appreciate the introduction. If your priority is rushing straight to the falls, this is one of the easier stops to treat as optional in spirit.

The route then continues toward Datanla Waterfall, about 5 kilometers south of central Da Lat in the Prenn Pass area.

Datanla Waterfall and the alpine coaster

Datanla is the most entertainment-focused waterfall stop. You walk through pine forest and flowering areas to reach the waterfall, then have the option of adding an alpine coaster ride through the forest.

The standard waterfall entry costs 80,000 Vietnamese dong. If you choose the alpine coaster, the listed price is 250,000 Vietnamese dong. Neither option is included in the $22 tour price, so keep cash available if the ride appeals to you.

The coaster is a major reason some people rate this stop so highly. It gives the waterfall visit a playful edge without replacing the natural setting. If you like rides, the extra cost is likely worthwhile. One useful point from the feedback is that the coaster was described as fun rather than frightening, making it suitable for many visitors who do not want an extreme thrill.

Datanla can become crowded, especially earlier in the day. A good guide may alter the order of stops to reduce waiting. Andy did this when the waterfall area was busy, and the change helped the group avoid a long delay. That flexibility matters on a schedule this full.

Allow about 30 minutes for the listed visit, though the actual timing can shift if the guide changes the route or if you add the coaster.

Cuong Hoan Silk shows an old production method

At Cuong Hoan Silk, you see the process from cocoon to cloth. The cocoons are placed in hot water, the fine thread is located and wound onto a machine, and the thread is then prepared for weaving on a loom.

The value here is that you are not just looking at finished scarves or fabric. You see the labor behind them. The factory is described as maintaining an older method of removing silk from cocoons, which makes the stop useful for understanding a traditional craft still connected to local commerce.

This is also one of the places where shopping may enter the experience. You can look at the finished textiles, but you are not required to buy anything. I would treat the stop as a short cultural lesson first and a shopping opportunity second.

The planned visit lasts about 30 minutes. Several people especially enjoyed this stop, which is a good reminder that the non-waterfall visits are not filler for everyone.

Pongour Waterfall is the day’s main natural sight

Pongour Waterfall lies in Duc Trong District, about 50 kilometers south of Da Lat along National Highway 20. It is known as the seven-cascading waterfall, with water spreading across a broad series of rock shelves.

This is the waterfall I would most want to see on the route. The setting feels more open and less built around a ride than Datanla, and the scale gives you time to appreciate the falls rather than simply take one quick photo. The scheduled visit is about 40 minutes, enough for a walk, photographs, and a look around without turning the stop into a long hike.

Conditions matter here. The supplied information says Pongour was closed from November 20 through November 24, 2025, because of a storm. Waterfall access can also change with weather or local operations, so you should check the current status before departure if this stop is your main reason for booking.

When open, Pongour is the strongest reason to choose this particular day trip over a shorter waterfall outing. You get a major natural sight at a price that also includes several other visits.

Me Linh Coffee Garden crosses Ta Nung Pass

The route continues to Me Linh Coffee Garden, about 23 kilometers southwest of central Da Lat. Reaching it involves the winding Ta Nung Pass, one of the more scenic stretches of the day.

At the plantation, you can learn about local coffee and see how the farm connects to the region’s economy. The stop is listed as 40 minutes. Original weasel coffee is available for an additional, self-paid purchase.

Coffee prices can be high here compared with an ordinary cafe. That does not make the stop pointless, but you should decide in advance if you want the tasting experience or simply want to learn about production. The plantation is most useful for people curious about farming, processing, and the way Da Lat’s products reach visitors.

The drive through the hills is part of the appeal. You get a sense of the countryside beyond the city center, rather than seeing only attractions placed close to town.

Lunch is local, simple, and not included

Lunch takes about 30 minutes at a local restaurant. You pay separately, and the meal is not part of the $22 price.

The available comments are mixed but generally practical. Some people found the food tasty and reasonably priced, while one person felt the meal did not match the quality of the rest of the day. That is a fair warning not to book this tour for a special culinary experience.

The short lunch break also reflects the pace of the route. You have many places to visit, so this is a functional meal stop rather than a long, leisurely lunch. Bring some Vietnamese dong for food, drinks, coffee, and any purchases.

Linh An Pagoda and the giant Lady Buddha

Linh An Pagoda is about 33 kilometers from Da Lat and provides the best way to handle the current closure of Elephant Waterfall. From the pagoda, you can view the powerful falls from nearby, even though the waterfall itself is temporarily closed because of an operational issue.

The pagoda’s main draw is the huge Lady Buddha statue, described as the largest in Vietnam. This is more than a quick photo stop. The religious site gives the day a calmer pause after the roads, waterfalls, and production visits.

You may also see monkeys in the area, though that is not a guaranteed feature of the tour. The planned visit lasts about 30 minutes. Use the time to look at the pagoda grounds, take in the statue, and view Elephant Waterfall from the available position.

This stop is a good example of why the tour still works despite the Elephant Waterfall closure. You lose direct access to the falls, but Linh An Pagoda remains one of the most memorable places on the route.

Elephant Waterfall is currently a viewpoint, not a walk-in attraction

Elephant Waterfall is described as one of Da Lat’s most powerful waterfalls. Under normal conditions, it would be a central part of the day.

At present, the waterfall is temporarily closed because of operational problems. The tour still takes you to the nearby area, where you can enjoy the full view from Linh An Pagoda. Do not book expecting to walk down to the base or explore the waterfall access area.

That distinction is important. If direct waterfall access is essential, check the operating situation before you pay. If you are happy with a viewpoint and the pagoda, the stop still adds value.

The cricket farm is the day’s most unusual stop

At Thien An Cricket Farm, the owner explains how crickets are raised, cared for, and bred. You can also taste dishes made from crickets, and the tour includes a cricket tasting.

This is the sort of stop you remember because it is practical, local, and slightly outside the usual sightseeing routine. Fried crickets may sound daunting, but the tasting is handled as an invitation rather than a forced stunt. Rice wine is also included, giving you a chance to try a small local drink alongside the snack.

If you are curious about food and small-scale farming, allow yourself to take part. If you have dietary concerns or simply do not want to try insects, you can still learn from the demonstration. The visit is listed at about 30 minutes.

Bamboo knitting may also be available seasonally. Since it is not guaranteed, treat it as a possible extra rather than a reason to book.

What the guides add to a packed schedule

The guides are central to the experience. Su is repeatedly praised for strong English, humor, storytelling, and cultural explanations. Phat is described as friendly, funny, attentive, and good at keeping the day moving. Vinh and Quy are also praised for English and for making sure everyone feels included.

Andy is noted for answering questions, handling a schedule change at Datanla, and helping with practical matters. Other guides may lead the departure, so you cannot choose a particular person in advance based on the information provided.

A good guide matters here because the stops are short. Without explanations, the silk workshop, coffee plantation, and cricket farm could feel like quick commercial visits. With clear context, they become a useful look at how people in the Da Lat area work and produce goods.

The guides also help with timing, tickets, photos, and transitions. One guide even gave each person a small group photo as a souvenir. These small touches can make a long day feel more personal.

Is the $22 price good value?

At $22 per person, the tour offers strong value if you want many sights in one day. The price includes transportation, an English-speaking guide, 500 milliliters of purified drinking water per person, a cup of rice wine, cricket tasting, and entrance fees apart from Datanla.

You still need to budget for:

• Datanla entry at 80,000 Vietnamese dong
• Datanla alpine coaster entry at 250,000 Vietnamese dong, if chosen
• Lunch
• Coffee, souvenirs, and other personal purchases

The value comes from the amount covered by the base fare. A private car and separate admissions to all these places would cost more, while independent transport between the waterfalls and countryside stops would take planning.

The downside is that you are paying for breadth, not a relaxed pace. If you prefer to sit beside one waterfall for an hour, this is not the right format. If you want to see the main sights around Da Lat and learn about local products in a single day, it is a sensible deal.

Who should book this Da Lat day trip?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors, people with limited time, families, and anyone who wants more than scenic photos. The coaster gives children and active adults something exciting, while the pagoda, farms, silk workshop, and coffee stop add interest for people who prefer culture.

Height-based child fares apply. Children under 90 centimeters use the infant ticket for free, those from 90 to 110 centimeters receive the child fare at 50 percent off, and children over 110 centimeters use the adult ticket.

You should think twice if you dislike van travel, stairs, changing scenery every 30 to 40 minutes, or stops that may include shopping. The day is full, and several people returned tired even though they felt the schedule was worth it.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. The tour is conducted in English, with hotel pickup in Da Lat.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a full picture of Da Lat’s countryside in one day. Pongour Waterfall, Linh An Pagoda, the silk workshop, and Me Linh Coffee Garden give the route real variety, while the alpine coaster and cricket tasting keep it from feeling like a string of formal sightseeing stops.

Skip it if you want a quiet, slow nature day or if direct access to Elephant Waterfall is essential. Also check Pongour’s current opening status and remember to add lunch and Datanla costs to the advertised price.

For most first-time visitors with limited time, I would book it. Choose the coaster if you enjoy rides, bring water and comfortable shoes, and let the guide manage the order of stops. The route is busy, but it packs a great deal of Da Lat into one useful day.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts about eight hours, including transportation, sightseeing stops, lunch, and the return to Da Lat.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Pickup in Da Lat is included. You should wait in your hotel lobby 10 minutes before the scheduled time, and the guide will contact you before pickup.

Is lunch included in the price?

No. Lunch is at a local restaurant and must be paid for separately.

Are Datanla Waterfall entrance fees included?

No. The standard Datanla entry is 80,000 Vietnamese dong. Using the alpine coaster costs 250,000 Vietnamese dong. Both are paid separately.

Is the alpine coaster compulsory?

No. The alpine coaster at Datanla is optional. You can visit the waterfall without choosing the ride.

Can I visit Elephant Waterfall directly?

Elephant Waterfall is temporarily closed because of an operational issue. You can still view the waterfall from nearby Linh An Pagoda.

What language does the guide speak?

The live guide speaks English.

Are there reduced child fares?

Yes. Children under 90 centimeters use the infant ticket for free. Children from 90 to 110 centimeters receive the child fare at 50 percent off. Children over 110 centimeters use the adult ticket.