Dalat works as a cool, dry winter base from December to March: days of 21-25 °C, nights of 11-13 °C, 10-50 mm of rain a month and no central heating. A one-bedroom flat rents for about $265-300 a month and a house for about $385-460, but a stay past 45 days needs an e‑visa, and a visa run from Dalat takes about 32 hours. I handle visas and visa runs for a living, so this guide spends most of its time on the parts that go wrong.
What is the weather in Dalat from November to March?
Dalat sits at about 1,500 m in the Central Highlands, so winter is dry and mild by day and cool at night. The annual mean is about 18.8 °C and the winter months average 17-19 °C. December to March is the dry season, while November and April are transition months with rain still possible.
| Month | Day high / night low, °C | Rain, mm | Sun hours a day |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | 22 / 14 | transition month | 5.5 |
| December | 21 / 13 | 20-38 | 7 |
| January | 22 / 11 | 14-19 | 8 |
| February | 24 / 12 | 10-18 | 8.5 |
| March | 25 / 13 | 28-50 | 8 |
The temperatures are long-term climate norms for 1964-1998 from Climates to Travel, and the rain range runs from that table to the medians on Nomads.com. Rain in November differs by a factor of two between sources, so I give no figure for it. Mornings are often foggy in winter, and fog can last into the day when the sky is low. February is the month I like best here: it has the least rain and the most sun in the table, and the nights are a little milder than in January.
Is there heating in Dalat, and how cold do the nights get?
There is no central heating in Dalat homes and hotels, and December and January nights sit at 11-13 °C. Some winters bring nights near 10 °C. People get through them with extra blankets, an air conditioner in heating mode or a small electric heater. The common mistake is judging a house by a warm, sunny afternoon viewing, when the 11-13 °C night is what you will actually live with.
Ask to see the heating option at the viewing, because some air conditioners are cooling-only. A flat with a bedroom on the sunny side stays warmer in the morning, so check which way the windows face.
How much does a house or flat for a winter cost in Dalat?
A one-bedroom flat costs about $265-300 a month, with the central ones near the top of that range. A three-bedroom house in the centre averages about $460, and a two-bedroom house of 122 square metres in a quiet area is listed at about $385. Villas with a pool run $800-3,000, and they make sense only when four or five people split the bill. For one person I would take the flat, because the house only pays off when two people split the rent.
Owners quote in dong, so ask them to convert at the rate of the signing day. The numbers above come from listings and cost-of-living sites. None of them is a signed lease, so expect the final price to move a little. The usual deal is one month of deposit plus the first month in advance, and electricity is billed separately. One source reports that some owners ask for a six-month minimum, so say that you plan three to five months before you drive out to a viewing. My guide to renting long term in Vietnam covers the viewing and contract steps.
What does a month in Dalat cost in total?
Two people spend about $920 a month on a published budget, split like this:
- Rent: $300
- Electricity: $20
- Gas and water: $5
- SIM card: $5
- Groceries: $150
- Scooter rental and fuel: $100
- Entertainment: $300
- Cleaner: $40
Nomads.com puts a single nomad at about $1,248 a month and an expat at about $956.
Street food costs $1-2 a dish, a restaurant meal $5-10 and a 3 km taxi ride about $4. Entertainment is the biggest line after rent in that budget, so a quieter winter costs noticeably less. These are estimates built from published budgets, so your own total will move with how much you eat out and whether you rent a scooter.
How do you get to Dalat in 2026?
Lien Khuong airport reopened on 19 August 2026 after a runway reconstruction that began on 4 March, according to Tuoi Tre. Flights from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang and several other cities run again, and there is no direct flight from Russia, so most people change in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.
By road, Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat is about 300 km and takes 7-8 hours. On 24 October 2026 a seat on the FUTA Phuong Trang bus started at $16 (400,000 dong), and a limousine van at $19 (480,000 dong) took 6-7 hours. The road climbs through mountain passes, so the van is the better choice if the bus makes you carsick.
Is the 45-day visa-free stay enough for a winter in Dalat?
No. Citizens of 12 countries, Russia among them, get 45 days visa-free until 14 March 2028, and a winter of three to five months needs the e‑visa for up to 90 days. Under Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC the fee is $25 for a single entry and $50 for multiple entries, and you apply on evisa.gov.vn.
Plan on leaving and re-entering after 90 days rather than counting on an extension inside Vietnam. Dalat is far from every border: the usual run is a night bus to Saigon, city bus 703 to the Moc Bai crossing and the same way back, about 32 hours and roughly $60 in total. My Dalat visa run guide has the clock times.
The costly trap is on the way back in. Vietnam does not issue visas on arrival at land crossings, so a new e‑visa that is not approved before you cross leaves you stuck on the Cambodian side. Cambodia charges an e‑visa fee of about $30-36 for a tourist visa, so check the current amount on evisa.gov.kh. At BestBus Vietnam we organise visa runs from any large city on request, and the visa services page lists what a run includes. Tell me your visa end date on WhatsApp and I will say when to leave and how to route the trip from Dalat.
Step-by-step: how to plan a winter in Dalat
Build the winter around the 90-day e‑visa and the day your visa ends.
- Pick the arrival month. December gives you most of the dry season, while November is a transition month that suits viewing houses more than hiking.
- Apply for the 90-day e‑visa on evisa.gov.vn two to three weeks before the flight. Do not leave it for the last week.
- Book a flight or a bus, plus two to four weeks in a hotel or short rental.
- View houses in person. Test the heating, the hot water and the Wi-Fi, and ask whether a three- to five-month contract is possible.
- Pack layers for 11-13 °C nights.
- Decide before day 80 whether to leave on a visa run or fly home.
What should you choose: Dalat or the coast?
Dalat suits anyone who wants dry days and cool nights at $265-460 a month for housing, and who accepts no beach, no central heating and a 32-hour visa run. If you want to swim in winter, a coastal city fits better, and my winter guides to Da Nang and Nha Trang and Phu Quoc compare them.
You can look for a house after you land, but the visa has to be settled before the flight, because a refused application a week out leaves no time to refile. Send me your arrival date and I will tell you how to cover your visa for the whole winter.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pack for a winter in Dalat?
Pack layers: a fleece or light jacket for 11-13 °C nights, long trousers, closed shoes and a thin rain jacket for November and March. Evenings in a house without heating feel colder than the thermometer suggests, so thick socks and a warm base layer earn their space.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Dalat?
Nomads.com rates the average speed at about 10 Mbps, which it calls slow, and free Wi-Fi in the city as great. A coworking hot desk costs about $107 a month, so test the line during the viewing or buy a day pass before you commit to a month.
Is there a beach near Dalat?
No. The nearest coast is Nha Trang, about 140 km away and 3-4 hours by bus. Many people in Dalat treat the sea as a weekend trip rather than a daily option.
How does Tet 2027 affect a winter in Dalat?
Tet falls on 6 February 2027, and shops, services and transport slow down for most of that week. Agree the rent for the holiday weeks in the lease, and book buses and flights for that period a month or two ahead.
