Dalat Countryside & Pongour Waterfall Tours (Small Group)

Pongour Waterfall is the star here, a broad seven-tiered cascade set about 50 kilometers south of Dalat. But this $22 full-day tour gives you much more than a waterfall: coffee, flowers, silk, pagodas, countryside views, and an unusual cricket tasting.

I especially like the mix of nature and working local businesses. I also like the guides, including Su, Phat, Hoang, and Bao, who bring humor and clear explanations about Vietnamese life. The main drawback is that Elephant Waterfall is temporarily closed, so you view it from nearby Linh An Pagoda rather than walk beneath it.

• Pongour’s seven cascades: The tour’s finest natural stop, with about an hour to explore.
• Me Linh Coffee Garden: Taste coffee and look across the plantation, with weasel coffee available at your own cost.
• Silk from cocoon to cloth: See an old-style process that is still maintained at Cuong Hoan Silk.
• Cricket farming and tasting: Learn how crickets are raised, then sample a cricket-based dish and rice wine.
• Linh An Pagoda: See one of Vietnam’s largest Lady Buddha statues and look toward Elephant Waterfall.
• A lot for the price: Eight hours of sightseeing, transport, admission fees, water, and a guide are included for $22.

Why this Dalat day trip offers good value

At $22 per person, this is an unusually full day for Dalat. Your transport, entrance fees, bottled water, English-speaking guide, a cup of rice wine, and a cricket dish are included. Lunch is not included, and coffee, tastings, or other optional activities may cost extra.

I see the value in the range of stops. A more focused waterfall trip might give you longer at one site, but this outing helps you understand why the area works as both a farming region and a popular mountain destination. You see crops, flowers, silk production, religious sites, and dramatic water.

The tour lasts about eight hours, with pickup and drop-off in Dalat. A van handles the long stretches, which matters because Pongour is far outside the city. The ride is part of the day, not a minor transfer, but the countryside views and guide commentary help give it purpose.

The group may not always feel tiny. One recent booking described a fairly large group, though the guide kept people involved at each stop. If you want a private, slow-paced outing, this is not the right format. If you want to cover a lot in one day and meet people from several countries, it makes sense.

Me Linh Coffee Garden and the Ta Nung road

The first major stop is Me Linh Coffee Garden, about 23 kilometers southwest of Dalat. You reach it by crossing the winding Ta Nung Pass, a scenic road that sets the tone for the countryside portion of the day.

You get about 30 minutes here, enough for a guided look and time to take in the plantation view. This is not simply a coffee shop stop. You see coffee growing in the hills and learn about the local coffee trade before trying a cup.

The plantation is also associated with original weasel coffee, which is available on a self-paid basis. I would treat this as an optional tasting rather than part of the basic tour. Coffee fans may enjoy the chance to compare it with ordinary Vietnamese coffee, while others may prefer to enjoy the included tour without adding purchases.

The short visit means you should not expect a farm workshop or a long coffee lesson. Still, it gives useful context. Dalat is not only about cool weather and flowers. Its surrounding area supports working farms that shape the local economy.

Van Thanh Flower Village and Dalat’s farming identity

Van Thanh Flower Village follows with another 30-minute visit. The stop includes a guided visit and time for photos, so you can expect a quick introduction rather than a full morning among the growers.

The site helps explain Dalat’s reputation as Vietnam’s flower center. You see how agriculture is part of ordinary life here, not just a backdrop for sightseeing. The timing of your visit may affect what looks best. One booking noted that the flower village is especially attractive in December, so keep your expectations seasonal.

This stop works well beside Me Linh Coffee Garden. Coffee shows one side of the local farming economy; flowers show another. The tour gives you these contrasts without asking you to spend the whole day at commercial attractions.

Pongour Waterfall, the day’s big natural reward

Pongour Waterfall is the reason many people choose this excursion. It lies in Duc Trong District, roughly 50 kilometers south of Dalat along National Highway 20. The waterfall is also called the Seven Cascading Waterfalls because water spreads over several broad levels of rock.

You get about an hour here, which is a useful amount of time for a stop with walking, photos, and views. The scale is different from a narrow, high waterfall. Pongour spreads outward, making the sound and movement of the water feel wide and powerful.

Conditions can affect the experience. Recent rain may make the water more dramatic, but wet paths can also make walking less comfortable. Bring practical shoes and expect some outdoor exposure. A hat is useful, especially on a full day when you are moving in and out of the van.

Pongour is the tour’s clearest payoff. If you care most about waterfalls, this is the stop to remember. The other visits add meaning and variety, but Pongour gives the day its strongest natural scene.

Lunch in Dalat and what you pay separately

After Pongour, the schedule returns to Dalat for about an hour of lunch. You pay for your own meal, and the food stop offers several choices at reasonable local prices according to the booking information.

That arrangement keeps the tour price low and lets you choose what suits you. It also means you should carry some cash, since extra activities and meals may not always use the same payment method. One couple reported spending just over 1 million Vietnamese dong on two people for optional items and lunch, though you can spend less by skipping add-ons.

The full day has a steady rhythm, but lunch is your main chance to sit down properly. I would use it to refuel rather than plan a large independent meal away from the group. The afternoon still includes several stops.

Linh An Pagoda and the view of Elephant Waterfall

Elephant Waterfall is one of Dalat’s most powerful waterfalls, and the original plan includes a 40-minute visit. At present, the waterfall itself is temporarily closed because of an operational issue.

You can still view it from Linh An Pagoda, which is close by. This is important to understand before booking. You will not explore the windy cave beneath the falls or stand at the base of the cascade, but you do get a view from the pagoda area.

Linh An Pagoda is about 33 kilometers from Dalat. Its main draw is the huge Lady Buddha statue, described as one of the largest in Vietnam. The pagoda gives the afternoon a cultural pause after the outdoor waterfall visit.

The closure does not erase the value of the stop, but it does change it. If Elephant Waterfall is your main goal, wait for an update before booking. If you are happy to see it from a nearby viewpoint and visit a major pagoda, the stop still fits well into the day.

Cuong Hoan Silk, from cocoon to woven fabric

At Cuong Hoan Silk, you see the production process from cocoon to cloth. The factory maintains an older method of removing silk thread, beginning with cocoons soaked in hot water.

The delicate thread is then wound onto a machine, transferred to a reel, and worked on a large loom to create patterned fabric. This is a useful stop because you see a real production chain rather than only a finished souvenir.

You get around 30 minutes, so the visit is compact. You may want to buy silk, but you do not need to treat the stop as a shopping obligation. The main value is seeing how much work sits behind a finished piece of fabric.

I like this kind of visit because it connects the countryside to skilled work. The tour is not only showing scenery. It is showing how local products are made and sold.

Thien An Cricket Farm and a memorable tasting

The cricket farm is the day’s most unusual stop. The owner explains how crickets are raised, cared for, and bred. You also receive a cup of rice wine and a tasting of a cricket-based dish as part of the tour.

This is not for everyone. Some people will find it fun and curious; others may prefer to observe rather than eat. You can approach it as a cultural food experience instead of a dare. Cricket dishes are part of the localized cuisine presented here, and the farm gives you a direct look at how an unfamiliar ingredient reaches the plate.

The guide’s role matters at this stop. Su and several other guides have been praised for explaining things clearly while keeping the mood light. A good guide can turn the tasting from a quick novelty into a useful lesson about local food and small-scale farming.

The schedule allows about 45 minutes for one later visit, and this may be the cricket farm or the bamboo knitting stop depending on the day’s arrangement. The supplied schedule does not name that 45-minute stop, so ask your operator if you want the exact order.

Bamboo knitting and the quieter side of the tour

Bamboo knitting is included among the listed experiences, though no detailed stop time or process is given. You might see local bamboo craft and learn how practical objects are made by hand.

This is likely to appeal more to you if you enjoy village industries and everyday skills. It is less dramatic than Pongour Waterfall, but it helps balance the day. Coffee, flowers, silk, bamboo, and crickets all point to the same idea: the area’s identity comes from work as much as scenery.

Because the exact timing is not specified, do not build your day around a long craft lesson. Think of it as one more short window into local production.

Guides, transport, and the pace of the day

The guides are one of the strongest parts of the experience. Su appears often in the supplied feedback, along with Phat, Hoang, Bao, Vinh, Duyen, Bell, and others. Their strengths include good English, humor, local stories, and explanations about Vietnamese culture, religion, history, and daily life.

A strong guide matters on a route with many short stops. Without explanations, the coffee, silk, flower, and cricket visits could feel like unrelated photo breaks. With a good guide, they connect into a picture of Dalat and its surrounding communities.

The van is described as comfortable, and transport received a 93 percent perfect score. The driver also matters on winding countryside roads, especially when the day covers long distances between Dalat and Pongour.

The pace is active but not described as rushed. You should expect to get in and out of the vehicle several times, walk around outdoor sites, and keep an eye on the meeting time. Families and solo visitors can fit in well, and one family booking found the range of stops suitable for adults and children.

Children’s fares are based on height. A child under 90 centimeters uses an infant ticket for free, a child from 90 to 110 centimeters receives the child rate, and anyone above 110 centimeters uses the adult ticket.

What to bring and what to budget

Pack light, practical items for a full day:

• Comfortable shoes for waterfall and pagoda visits
• A hat for sun protection
• Cash for lunch and optional activities
• A small snack, since the schedule has many stops
• Water, although bottled water is provided

The tour includes admission to all listed attractions, but it does not include lunch. Coffee at Me Linh, weasel coffee, an alpine coaster if one is added, and other optional activities cost extra.

Some guides may adjust the plan when weather or closures interfere. One day included Datanla Waterfall and an alpine coaster as alternatives, while another had sites affected by heavy rain. Treat such changes as possible rather than guaranteed. The guide may offer a replacement, but the exact substitute depends on conditions.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. The tour is wheelchair accessible according to the supplied information, though outdoor waterfall surfaces may still be worth checking in advance if you have specific mobility needs.

Should you book this Dalat countryside tour?

Book it if you have one full day in Dalat and want a broad sample of the area. You get the strongest waterfall, a pagoda, coffee and flower farming, silk production, bamboo craft, and an unusual local food stop for a low starting price.

I would especially recommend it to first-time visitors, families who want variety, solo visitors who like meeting people, and anyone interested in how local goods are produced. Guides such as Su, Phat, Hoang, and Bao can make the long day feel social and informative.

Think twice if you want a private tour, long hikes, or a full visit inside Elephant Waterfall. The closure is a real limitation, and the schedule favors variety over lingering. For most people with limited time, though, this is a practical way to see far more than Dalat’s central streets.

FAQ

How long does the Dalat countryside tour last?

The tour lasts about eight hours, including pickup, sightseeing, lunch time, and return to Dalat.

What is the tour price?

The listed price is $22 per person.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included, so you pay for your own meal during the one-hour lunch stop.

Is Elephant Waterfall open?

No. Elephant Waterfall is temporarily closed because of an operational issue. You can view it from nearby Linh An Pagoda.

Can I still see Elephant Waterfall?

Yes. The tour takes you to Linh An Pagoda, where you can enjoy a view of the waterfall from a close distance.

What is included in the price?

Pickup and drop-off, admission to all listed attractions, an English-speaking guide, bottled water, a cup of rice wine, and a cricket-based tasting are included.

Is coffee included?

A coffee plantation visit is included, but coffee purchases and the original weasel coffee tasting at Me Linh Coffee Garden are self-paid.

Are children charged adult prices?

Children under 90 centimeters use a free infant ticket. Children from 90 to 110 centimeters use the child fare. Children above 110 centimeters use the adult fare.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.