The Da Lat cable car is one of those rare tourist attractions that's actually worth the ticket price. It connects the city proper to the Truc Lam Zen Monastery and Tuyen Lam Lake, covering 2.3 km of pine-covered valley in about 15 minutes — and the ride itself is half the reason to go.
What it is
Cap Treo Da Lat (달랏 / 大叻 / ダラット) (officially the Da Lat Cable Car, sometimes called the Truc Lam Cable Car) opened in 2003. It runs from Robin Hill station in Ward 3, on the southern edge of Da Lat's center, down across a valley of Dalat pine forest to a hilltop above Truc Lam Zen Monastery. The system was built with Austrian Doppelmayr technology, the same company behind cable cars across the Alps. Each cabin seats six, and the line runs continuously throughout operating hours.
The upper station sits at roughly 1,500 meters elevation. The lower station drops you at the monastery gate, from where Tuyen Lam Lake is a short walk or a longer explore depending on your ambition.
Why travelers go
Three reasons, really. First, the ride. Floating above a valley of Dalat pine with cool highland air coming through the cabin windows beats most things you can do for 100,000 VND. Second, Truc Lam Monastery is one of the more peaceful Buddhist sites in southern Vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム) — active, well-maintained, not overly commercialized. Third, Tuyen Lam Lake opens up a half-day of cycling, kayaking, or just walking forest trails that most visitors to Da Lat never bother with.
It's also practical. Getting from Da Lat center down to Tuyen Lam by road takes 20-25 minutes on winding mountain roads. The cable car is faster, more direct, and significantly more interesting.
Best time to visit
Da Lat's dry season runs from roughly November through March, and that's when you'll get the clearest views from the cable car. December to February is peak season — cool weather (15-20°C mornings), low humidity, and crisp visibility across the valley. The trade-off is crowds, especially around Tet and weekends.
April through October brings afternoon rain showers, but mornings are often clear. If you ride before 10 AM during rainy season, you'll likely get decent visibility and thinner crowds. The cable car does close temporarily during heavy storms or high winds — not common, but it happens a few times a year.
Weekday mornings year-round are your best bet for a quiet ride.
Photo by Serg Alesenko on Pexels
How to get there
From Da Lat city center (around the central market area), Robin Hill station is about 3 km south. A Grab bike runs 15,000-25,000 VND; a Grab car around 30,000-40,000 VND. If you're staying near Xuan Huong Lake, it's a 10-minute ride.
If you're coming from farther out — say Saigon — the most common route is a flight to Lien Khuong Airport (about 30 km south of Da Lat, 45 minutes by taxi, around 250,000-300,000 VND). Alternatively, sleeper buses from Saigon take 7-8 hours overnight and cost 200,000-350,000 VND depending on the operator. Phuong Trang (FUTA) and Thanh Buoi are the most reliable lines.
From Da Nang or Hue, you're looking at connecting flights through Saigon (사이공 / 西贡 / サイゴン), or a long bus ride. Da Lat isn't the easiest city to reach overland from central Vietnam.
What to do
Ride the cable car (both directions)
The return ticket costs 100,000 VND for adults, 70,000 VND for children (prices as of early 2025). One-way tickets are available but the return is better value and saves you arranging transport back up from the monastery. The ride takes about 15 minutes each way. Sit on the left side going down for the best angle over the valley.
Walk Truc Lam Zen Monastery
At the lower station, a paved path leads 500 meters downhill to the monastery. Truc Lam is an active Zen Buddhist monastery founded in 1993 — monks and nuns live and practice here. The grounds are quiet, well-kept, and surrounded by pine forest. The main hall, flower gardens, and a small lake behind the complex are all open to visitors. Free entry. Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered.
Explore Tuyen Lam Lake
From the monastery, it's a 1 km walk downhill to the lakeshore. Tuyen Lam is Da Lat's largest lake, surrounded by pine forest and considerably less developed than Xuan Huong Lake in the city center. You can rent kayaks (around 100,000-150,000 VND per hour), take a pedal boat, or just walk the shoreline trails. The Cu Lan Village eco-tourism area on the lake's edge offers longer forest walks if you want a half-day out of it.
Visit the Robin Hill area
The upper cable car station is inside a small park area with gardens, a few cafes, and views back toward Da Lat. It's not a destination on its own, but worth 20-30 minutes before or after your ride. There's a decent Vietnamese coffee stand near the station entrance — grab a "ca phe sua da (연유커피 / 越南冰咖啡 / ベトナムアイスコーヒー)" before you board.
Cycle the lake loop
If you're feeling active, rent a bicycle from one of the shops near the lake (50,000-80,000 VND for a half day) and ride the partially paved road around Tuyen Lam. The full loop is roughly 25 km with some hills — not flat, but manageable if you're reasonably fit. The pine forest sections are genuinely pleasant cycling.
Where to eat nearby
The area around the cable car stations isn't a food destination, but Da Lat has its own local dishes worth tracking down on your way back to town. "Banh canh (반깐 / 粗米粉汤 / バインカイン)" — thick tapioca noodle soup — is a Da Lat staple, and the versions here tend to come with crab or pork. Try the stalls along Nha Chung street or Tang Bat Ho street near the central market. Da Lat is also known for its avocado ice cream and strawberry treats, though those lean more snack than meal.
For something more substantial, Da Lat's take on "mi quang (미꽝 / 广南面 / ミークアン)" is different from the Da Nang original — lighter broth, sometimes with local highland vegetables. Quan Thanh Thao on Phan Dinh Phung street does a solid bowl for around 40,000-50,000 VND.
Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels
Where to stay
Da Lat has accommodation at every price point. Budget guesthouses and hostels near the market area run 150,000-300,000 VND per night. Mid-range hotels with decent rooms and breakfast go for 500,000-1,000,000 VND. If you want something with character, Da Lat has a growing scene of small boutique hotels and converted French-colonial villas in the 1,200,000-2,500,000 VND range.
Stay central (near Xuan Huong Lake or the market) for easiest access to the cable car and everything else.
Practical tips
- The cable car operates from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Last cabin down is at 4:30 PM — don't cut it close.
- Bring a light jacket. Even when Da Lat center feels warm enough, the open-cabin ride at altitude can be breezy, especially in the morning.
- The monastery has no entry fee, but donations are welcome.
- If you're visiting Tuyen Lam Lake, wear shoes you can walk in — the paths are uneven in places.
- Weekend and holiday crowds can mean 15-20 minute waits at the station. Weekday mornings, you'll walk straight on.
Common mistakes
Buying a one-way ticket down and then realizing you need to arrange a motorbike taxi back up a steep mountain road. Just get the return ticket. Wearing flip-flops for the monastery and lake walk — it's hillier than it looks on a map. Skipping Tuyen Lam Lake entirely because you assume the monastery is the only thing down there — the lake and forest trails are arguably the better part of the trip. And arriving after 3 PM thinking you'll have plenty of time: you won't.
Last updated · May 26, 2026 · independently researched, never sponsored.
