Dalat is located in Lam Dong province, approximately 200 km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. At an elevation of 1,500 m, Dalat bears the look of an Old French city. It was founded in 1897 when Doctor Alexandre Yersin recommended that the area be developed as a resort town.

Located in the center of Da Lat, Xuan Huong Lake is considered the heart of town. In 1919, French civil engineer Labbe had a small lake dug in a small valley where there is a spring and a dam built from Thuy Ta to former Huong Dao (Scout) House, a meeting place of the local scouts before 1975. In 1923, the lake was expanded with a second dam below and was named strong hurricane broke both dams