UNESCO's network of 350 creative cities in more than 100 countries focuses on seven areas: design, literature, music, crafts and folk arts, cuisine, cinema and media arts. Among these, Da Lat is honoured to be present.

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Since 1893, when resorts with French architecture were built, Da Lat was shaped as a unique resort of the Indochina government. When the country was unified, this place maintained its unique architectural heritage values, integrating and developing urban areas in a modern direction. In the photo are Xuan Huong Lake and the centre of Da Lat City.

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The entire city has an area of 394.64km² located on the Lam Vien plateau, 1,500m altitude.

Tuyen Lam Lake, a famous eco-tourism attraction of Da Lat. The geology of this city includes mountains, valleys, lakes and vast pine forests.

Because it is located on the plateau, Da Lat has a temperate and cool mountainous climate all year round, a beautiful and poetic landscape, and is the creative place of poetry, music, painting... of many writers and artists. 

Winding roads at the foot of the pass and around the mountains are characteristic of Da Lat's transportation system. 

With a history of 130 years of formation and development, Da Lat is preserving many unique architectural heritage values and is considered a museum of European architecture of the 20th century. Typical architectural heritage works in Da Lat can be mentioned as Chicken Church, Da Lat Pedagogical College, King Bao Dai's Palace, Da Lat train station... In the photo is the Da Lat station, built by the French from 1932 to 1938; this is the connection to the 84km long railway from Phan Rang.

Da Lat is also an ideal landscape photography destination for many photographers. At dawn, the city of flowers is as beautiful as a colourful painting. In the photo is Da Lat Pedagogical College (formerly Grand Lycée Yersin School), recognized by the World Association of Architects (UIA) as one of the 1,000 unique constructions in the world in the 20th century. 

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According to statistics, Da Lat currently has 20 national-level historical relics and landscapes, a French architectural heritage system, 16 provincial-level relics, 5 public and private museums and dozens of relic collectors. In the photo is the Con Ga church.

Truc Lam Zen Monastery is one of the three largest Zen monasteries in Vietnam, belonging to the Truc Lam Yen Tu lineage, with an area of up to 30 hectares. From the monastery, it's about 5km to Da Lat city centre. Vast pine forests surround both sides of the road leading to the monastery. 

With a temperate climate, appropriate temperature and humidity, it is favourable for ornamental flowers in this highland region to grow, develop and bloom brilliantly in all seasons. .

Da Lat's current population is about 250,000 people. After 130 years, from a pristine highland, the city of flowers has become the most famous tourist city in the country. Lifestyle Asia magazine once proposed this as one of the 12 most romantic destinations in Asia in 2022.

In 2022, the total number of visitors to visit and relax here will reach 6 million, an increase of 205% compared to 2021. The entire city has more than 2,400 tourist accommodation establishments, with about 31,000 rooms. Over 1,000 food service establishments are operating to meet the needs of tourists.

From now until 2030, Da Lat will focus on implementing the task of turning tourism into a key economic sector with a high proportion, safe, civilized, modern and friendly to tourists. In the photo is the Valley of Love. Photo: Thao Nguyen.

In the urban development roadmap, Da Lat is planned to become a smart city, a heritage city, and a regional centre of culture, arts, sports, and entertainment. In the photo is Lam Vien Square in the city centre, with a total area of more than 70,000 square meters, accommodating about 60,000 people simultaneously.

Vision to 2050, Da Lat will become a modern, world-class urban area with a unique climate, natural landscape, historical culture and national and regional architectural heritage.

On World Cities Day (October 31), UNESCO announced a list of 55 cities recognized to participate in the "creative city network", of which Da Lat is the first music-creative city in Vietnam. This is good news and great pride for the people of the Flower City. In the photo is Cu Lan village. Photo: Thao Nguyen.