Garden restaurant specialized in chicken dishes with fresh veggies from their own organic garden on site, food waste recycling through chicken on site.

Delicious chicken curry at Bếp Vườn Đà Lạt

Bếp Vườn Đà Lạt is a garden kitchen (family restaurant) where most of the ingredients are grown and raised in our garden.

We have a simple menu that consists of grilled chicken and curry chicken.

We buy chicken when they are 1/2kg – 1 kg and feed them for a while with a variety of food from our garden and restaurant and then create the signature dishes of our restaurant.
Many ingredients are harvested from our garden such as: lemon grass, lime leaves, chillies, basil, mint leaves…

If we are short of something, we buy from other organic garden in town such as vườn Nhà Gấu and Inner.

Our atmosphere is cozy, simple and delightful with friendly service. We aim to recycle most everything.

All staff members work together in kitchen and garden in a friendly environment where our guests are to be considered our friends.

Welcome to Bếp vườn Đà Lạt 🙂

For reservations:

090 976 98 52

Location:
Bếp vườn Đà Lạt, 37b Đường Triệu Việt Vương, Phường 3, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng

https://maps.app.goo.gl/V9XMGkM7FDUMD3hM8

Beautifully decorated garden café with Japanese touch and relaxing garden atmosphere.

Uniquely prepared drinks with grass straws.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hasudalat/

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/Zcr9wQ58GojEfDwD9

High-end restaurant in the pine forest at Tuyen Lam Lake.

Veggies from their own organic garden, food waste recycling, composting, attention to the environment and environmental education.

Website: https://rungthongmo.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rungthongmo

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/zvHzqvqUmpoozw6f8

DULSIS – more than a glass of milk tea

Motivation for Sustainable Business Models innovation, ​​ it has also become widely accepted that protecting the environment starts from a small habit. Today we are really happy to introduce to all of you a new place on Da lat Eco Map.

Dulsis milk tea has just launched the campaign “Free Pudding when you bring your personal take-away container”. All toppings and milk tea at the shop are handmade from fresh ingredients of Da Lat. They sort their garbage and compost food waste to fertilize their plants like rosemary and some other herbals in their 10m2 garden.

Just start with a small action, it helps you to truly connect with nature and contribute to creating a sustainable business model.

🍨 Dulsis Milk Tea

Opening Hour: Mon to Sun: 9h – 20h

🏠 31 Nguyễn Trãi, Phường 9, Đà Lạt, Vietnam

☎ Phone: 038 283 4627

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Csc11GWsZ7nkGpH67

Local chocolate production, paper straws, paper bags, and paper boxes, garbage sorting

Guest article by Jonah Estanislao, founder of Nomad Ecoplate

If you are a chocolate lover, one place you shouldn’t miss when visiting Dalat is The Choco Station next to the iconic Dalat’s Railway station!

A perfect spot to chill while drinking their signature Bailey’s chocolate served in an elegant cup. The place has a European vibe with a warm color tone wall that brings a pleasant feeling to the customers in this cozy weather.

It’s a local artisanal chocolate brand that supports disadvantaged people in Dalat through live bands.

They specialized in making Nama chocolate that has a smooth and rich texture, it melts in your mouth! You can eat it or give away as a gift to your friends and loved ones!

You can’t resist trying all Nama chocolates, since it’s free! They have 9 flavors such as sweet, lime, Irish whiskey, mint, matcha, berry, durian, bitter, and coconut. My favorites are mint, Irish whiskey, and Durian!

The Choco started in January 2017. At first, they are a small group of friends who made the chocolate and sold it online via the Facebook page. They decided to open the first store in December 2018.

It is located in an old building built in the early 20th century made from brick and uses recycled woods for decorations and shelves.

What foods they offer

PASTRIES or DESSERTS:

Cakes and cookies – 36,000 – 45,000 VND
Nama Chocolate – 90,000 – 170,000 VND

DRINKS:

Chocolate variety – 40,000 – 75,000 VND
Fresh juice – 29,000 – 45, 000 VND
Coffee – 30,000 – 45,000 VND
Tea variety – 45,000 VND

GIFTS OR TAKEAWAY PRODUCTS:

Cookies, Cocoa powder, oatmeal bites and chocolate almond

Live Music

They have a live English acoustic music show every Saturday night at the main branch, with monetary contributions going to the disadvantaged people in Dalat.

Singer: Tommy from Wasabi
Band time: 8pm – 9.30pm, Saturday night
Location: The Choco Station (inside of the Dalat Old Train Station)01 Quang Trung st., Ward 10, Dalat city.
Surcharge: 50,000 vnd/ person (children are FREE)
Note: the surcharge does not include drinks.

The Choco’s efforts for the environment

They use paper straws, paper bag, and paper box, instead of plastic take away items. They are trying to reduce the plastic as much as possible and would like to use a canvas bag for people to carry things.

They sort waste and rubbish and classify them paper boxes and plastic, send them to the people who can recycle them.

BRANCHES: 

The Choco Station (Main branch)
01 Quang Trung, Phuong 9, Thanh pho Da Lat, Lam Dong
Opens from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm

The Choco Mini store
19 Truong Cong Dinh, Ward 1, Dalat City
Opens from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm

The Choco on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/thechoco.vn/photos

Learn more about the writer, Jonah Estanislao, and read more inspiring articles on her blog Nomad Ecoplate.

Locally sourced milk and meat for cheese production, biodegradable takeaway boxes

Find the Google Maps link here:

Le Alpi Dalat Restaurant, 87 Đường An Dương Vương, Phường 2, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng

Or check out the Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/LeAlpiDaLatRestaurant

Zero packaging discounts, delivery in paper bags, local sourcing when possible

It’s a hot day and the only thought in your mind is ice cream? Or is it a regular day and you just want to hang out with your friends in a charming, hidden alley of Dalat and enjoy home-made icecream with delicious waffles, right from the waffle iron?

Then this place is exactly for you! The Bông Bông ice cream shop will delight you with a thoughtful interior and very tasty and surprising ice cream flavors: Did you ever try ice cream made of durian? Or passion fruit? Or matcha? Or coconut? Besides the common flavor like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry you can find these more exotic flavors. When possible, the ingredients are sourced locally.

When it comes to the environment, Ms. Hoa, the owner, decided to offer a discount of 20% to any customer who brings their own take-away-box. That is great news, if you want to eat your ice cream at home or later. Moreover, in case of home delivery, ice cream is delivered exclusively in paper bags!

We love it, when hidden gems are eco-friendly. Thank you Bông Bông for making Dalat a better place!

Find the Google Maps link here:

Quán Cà Rem Bông Bông, 202 Phan Đình Phùng, Phường 2, Đà Lạt

Or find them on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/quancarembongbong/

No plastic straws, no plastic water bottles, reducing plastic bags, garbage recycling

Craving western cuisine or a quiet place to write important e-mails?

This is the address to go to! Here you can find not only cinnamon buns that taste like home, but also bread with different kinds of seeds, eggs Benedict, English Breakfast, Granola bowls and much more.

And if you need healthy food ingredients to make your own dishes at home, on One More Café’s snack shelf you can find many product options. Upgrade your life with all kinds of nuts, seeds, lentils, chickpeas, oats, nut milks, but also home-made jams, chutneys and pickles.

The friendly and welcoming owner, Lorelle from Australia, created a space where expats, locals and tourists meet and greet and enjoy delicious food that tastes like home.

On the top floor of the café a co-working space is waiting for you, where you can get the work done that has been on your to-do-list for too long.

Speaking of which, Lorelle has lived in Dalat for a long time and knows pretty much everything about this city and cares for Dalat in her own, green way.

She introduced a “Commitment to the Environment” which is displayed on every table: You learn that One More Café recycles all plastic, metal, paper and food waste. They use stainless steel straws instead of plastic straws. They take their own shopping bags to buy supplies at the market to reduce the use of plastic bags. If you need a bag, they also offer Bees4life cotton bags for sale.

Moreover, single-use-plastic bottles are banned here and table water and take-away water is offered in glass bottles instead, for a very reasonable price. How? They buy water in huge refillable tanks that each save 40 small single use plastic bottles!
Cheers, friends!

Find the Google Maps link here:

One More Café, 77 Đường Hai Bà Trưng, Đà Lạt

Or check out the Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/onemorecafe77/

Food waste recycling, quitting plastic, garbage sorting

The Lake House offers quiet accomodations at Tuyen Lam Lake in proximity to the famous Truc Lam pagoda. People who want to take a rest from stressful daily life and relax come here to enjoy the silence and the wonderful presence of the peaceful lake. They have private bungalows and single/double rooms and dorm rooms available – a place for all budgets and privacy wishes.

Apart from serving only vegetarian food to guests, the owner is environmentally-conscious and installed a no-plastic-bottle policy.

Instead, they serve free hot tea and filter the water for the guests. They separate the trash as follows: cans & bottles to be recycled, organic material for composting, and non-recyclable trash.

The organic material goes to their own compost, which is then transformed into fertilizer for their garden. They use reusable bags for shopping, and even try to reuse plastic bags, instead of throwing them away.

Again, in their own garden they exclusively use organic fertilizer and compost from the kitchen, no chemical products. The owner is willing to switch also to home-made detergents and washing liquids. Who wants to teach her? 🙂

Find the Google Maps link here:

The Lake House Dalat, Phường 3, Đà Lạt

Or find them on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Thelakehousedalat

Sustainably managed high-end forest resort

Find the Google Maps link here:

https://goo.gl/maps/qiVNdYMYwjRJbATm9

Or find them on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/stay.rungthongmo

Food waste recycling on garden compost, no plastic, garbage sorting, water recycling, water harvesting system, organic veggies

The Cleomy Dalat is a luxury homestay with a 2.000 sqm organic garden and specialty coffee shop.

The Villa Homestay:

Villa designed in a luxurious European style, fully furnished. Staying guests can use the outdoor kitchen to cook with fresh vegetables picked directly from the organic garden. There are also a mini golf course, sunbathing area, outdoor BBQ place, etc. The products provided to guests are all environmentally friendly products.

Bee Dreams Garden:

The vegetable garden is designed and operated completely in an organic way. The clean strawberry garden is well taken care of, from a particularly juicy strawberry breed, grown on both sides of the first “bare-foot path” in Da Lat.

Especially, we often organize workshops on organic gardening, the instructor will take you on a tour and introduce how the organic garden’s process.

You will learn more about different plant varieties, how to make organic fertilizers, etc. Feel free to take pictures and collect vegetables to bring home.

The Yellow Chair Cafe

Enjoy quality specialty coffee, other drinks and pastries, in a fresh green space, along with Dalat hill scenery that opens up before your eyes. We don’t use straws, plastic cups and products that are harmful to the environment.

In addition, The Cleomy always welcomes volunteers who want to participate in the organic life experience!

For bookings: https://www.facebook.com/TheCleomy

Google Maps link: https://goo.gl/maps/BaC8MLMHiuZywtq89

Eco-friendly building materials, kitchen waste composting, organic garden

Komori House & Foods has been built by a group of young people who love the Japanese movie “Little Forest”. Komori is the name of a village in this movie and translates to “Little Garden”. It is about a dream to have a house with a garden, live a sustainable life, and go back to nature.

The best part? All this happens for real in less than 3 km to the city center of Dalat.

The house’s design features open spaces and leaves room to connect with the surrounding nature. It is built with a typical Japanese minimalistic style. One very remarkable building material is visible right when you get there: the beautiful bamboo.  All rooms were placed in a way that connects them to the open space as much as possible, community life is a very important aspect at Komori House.

There are 2 single rooms with garden view and private bathroom and one dormitory room with 10 beds, each bed featuring a curtain and a private shelf.

There is the garden behind the house, where no synthetic chemicals are allowed. To fertilize the garden, Komori prepares compost out of kitchen waste.

Komori has an open-air community kitchen, where guests can join the cooking activities, share their stories and enjoy the warmth of the fire. This is especially then appealing when in it’s rainy and cold.

Next to Komori is the peaceful & majestic Church named Du Sinh. You also can explore the Du Sinh Hills nearby the Homestay and enjoy wonderful sunsets or just go for a good run in the foggy Dalat morning.

You can find the Google Maps link here:

Komori House & Foods, Hẻm 40 Huyền Trân Công Chúa, Phường 4, Đà Lạt

You can also contact Komori house via Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/Komoridalat/

Systemic water harvesting, bio-architecture, garbage sorting & food waste recycling, green guest education

What if you wanted to get a good night’s sleep close to nature, but with the conveniences of a city center? Well, then you probably need to go to a garden homestay. A very good option is the Firefly Garden Homestay Dalat by the freshly married couple Ms. Minh Tam and Mr. Minh Toan. They love their homestay so much, that they decided to throw the party directly in there, as you can see from the Facebook page of Firefly Garden Homestay Dalat.

What’s so special about fireflies, we wondered. The owners explain to us that they love fireflies not only because of their shining beauty in the night but also for their character and needs. The tiny insect thrives in wet conditions without pollution, suffers from the presence of chemical pesticides, needs water, and produces light even in the darkest nights.

Let’s find out how this passion for fireflies impacted the creation of the homestay… In fact, Ms. Minh Tam and her husband designed this homestay and garden to reduce as much as possible the impact on the environment:

On the base of every garden lies the availability of water – so, the house was designed to collect rainwater and greywater for garden irrigation. We are sure that fireflies would love that!

At the same time, water shouldn’t be wasted: Toilets feature a double mode to save the amount of used water and guests get their linen and towels changed upon request, otherwise, those are changed once a week, to reduce the water used for cleaning them. And speaking of cleaning: the Firefly Garden Homestay uses eco-friendly cleaning products, which also makes the greywater safe to be applied in irrigation.

Concerning the energy consumption, the couple opted for wide windows in all the rooms, including the living rooms and toilets. In this way, less electricity is used for lighting and airflow. Lamps are eco-friendly and have energy-saving LED-bulbs.

All the rooms have been equipped with furniture, here she used recycled materials. When it comes to recycling of garbage, the garden homestay provides baskets in the public area to sort newspapers, paper, glass, aluminum, cardboard, metal, and plastic. Food waste is collected separately and used as compost in the garden.

Sustainability by design – a garden homestay in the heart of Dalat

The garden itself is a way of green living. Where there are plants, there is beauty for the eye and soul. So the hosts planted an abundance of flowers, vegetables, and trees in the garden and even in the rooms!

You may wonder how a day as a guest feels like at the Firefly Garden Homestay? Let me take you there…

In the morning you wake up and hear the birds sing a song. You take a sip from the refreshing drinking water provided by your host in a refillable glass bottle. Time to brush your teeth and get ready for the day… Your host provides a bamboo toothbrush that you can take home and use again many times, instead of using a single-use plastic toothbrush. Now you are ready. Before you leave your room, you turn off the lights to save energy. Remember, neither fireflies wouldn’t light up during day time. 🙂

Your host is happy to provide you a bicycle for rent to explore the beautiful city of Dalat. She will also encourage you to take a reusable bag with you, so you don’t need a plastic bag for souvenirs and purchases. When you come home, because this is your home in Dalat now, you can join the host and plant a tree together in the garden.

If you turn out to be a particularly eco-friendly guest, the Firefly Homestay even offers you a discount!

Are you the eco-friendly guest entitled to a discount? Go to find out with this Google Maps link:

Homestay Vườn Đom Đóm – Firefly garden Đà Lạt, 95 Đường Nguyễn An Ninh, Phường 6, Đà Lạt

No plastic water bottles, no single-use bathroom products

Have you seen such an interesting style before? No? In fact, it is so unique that this place has been featured among the extraordinary Airbnb accommodations in SEA by the Escape Magazine. The upcycled interior includes even a real tree growing through the roof of each private suite!

You might think that Kadupul is the name of a city in the Middle East, but you couldn’t be more wrong. 😉 Kadupul is the name of a very special flower, also called ‘Queen of the night’ or Epiphyllum oxypetalum. It blossoms only a few times a year and only in the night.

That sounds like a promise for a good night’s sleep!

The owner, Mrs. Truc, who chose that name also had more ideas in mind to make Kadupul a place you will never forget.

First, she was upset about the amount of food waste thrown away each day, while the many flowers, trees, and plants on the property need constantly fresh fertilizer.

Filling two needs with one deed at Kadupul Homecation…

She needed to fill two needs with one deed: Together with volunteers and her brother the team built a recycling collection point on the property. Food waste becomes compost, plastic gets sold to local scavenger ladies and only a tiny fraction ends up at unrecyclable waste. We really celebrate her tenacity!

What else is cool about her? She buys eco-friendly liquid soap from a local supplier in bulk and gets food locally, whenever possible.

The accommodation doesn’t provide single-use bathroom products and there are no plastic water bottles in the rooms. Instead, guests can refill their water bottles with free drinking water.

But Kadapul goes even further and saves on electricity, too. They installed an electricity-saving card that turns off all the power once the guests leave the rooms and use solarpower-heated water.

Well done… May Kadupul be the Queen of Environmental Efforts, too!

Find the Google Maps link here:

The Kadupul Homecation, 4/36 Đường Đào Duy Từ, Phường 3, Đà Lạt

You can contact the Facebook Page to make a reservation:

https://www.facebook.com/thekadupulhomecation/

No plastic water bottles, no single-use bathroom products, toothpaste eco-tablets, and bamboo toothbrushes

Banyan House welcomes guests as a boutique eco-hotel, guest house, and home. Likewise, it is also a point of connection between people and nature.

We wondered, what does Banyan mean? And the manager Mohamed was glad we asked.

The huge tree in front of the main villa is a Banyan tree. You can’t miss the massive and calming presence of the tree when you arrive at the villa accommodations. According to the Banyan house website, in 1634, English writers began to mention the Banyan tree, under which Hindu merchants conducted their business. The tree provided a shaded place for village meetings or for merchants to sell their goods.

Today, this tree is still providing a meeting place and a relaxing atmosphere.

When we visit the many different hotel rooms and cottages we are amazed by the minimalistic, yet very elegant style of the interior. We also notice that there are many accommodations available. So why call it simply Banyan “house”?

We learn that the creators intentionally chose to call the structure “house” and not resort, in order to conserve the feeling of a place where guests can feel at home and relax. Banyan house wants you to feel at home and treat you like family, from the moment you step through the door.

Truly a boutique hotel “house” offering high quality, comfort, relaxation, and minimalism.

Banyan House is located in the very heart of the city center and you will be surprised: It’s quiet here. The area is surrounded by trees and it feels almost like walking through a forest. From here it’s easy to walk to many hot spots in Dalat city, without even bothering for transport. Just walk out and explore!

And yes, if you are hungry, the elegant @Biang Dalat Garden Restaurant is not far. 🙂 In fact, it’s on the same property.

Apart from delicious food, you can book a fireplace evening at the same restaurant.

Banyan House is the first hotel on the Eco Map with the official title “eco-hotel”.

Let us explore what this means for Banyan House:

Find the Google Maps link here:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/banyanhousedalat

Website: http://www.banyanhouse.com.vn/

Coffee farming without chemical pesticides and herbicides, coffee shipping in reusable containers

There is a lot to say about a person who is a friend, permaculture mentor, coffee farmer, coffee roaster, organic farmer’s market manager, Bees4life translator, and inestimable source of inspiration to us.

In fact, Bui Anh Tuan, the owner of Bui Farm, co-organized the organic farmer’s market in Dalat, translated many of our workshops and speeches simultaneously to the Vietnamese language, and is one of our favorite conversation partners for topics like bees, pollinators, permaculture, farming and many more… How come Mr. Tuan knows about farming? Well…

He owns a visionary coffee farm and coffee brand, called Rin Coffee. Robusta coffee trees grow without synthetic pesticides or herbicides. Here is a picture of a small part of Bui Farm:

If you are a Bees4life reader, you probably remember our post Coffee without bees? in which we explain the importance of bees and pollinators for everyone’s daily dose of the brown liquid gold – coffee.

In the post we basically describe how Bui Farm grows coffee – in a bee-friendly and likewise eco-friendly way. In the picture of the farm above, you can see 2 factors of this kind of farming:

Coffee trees are intercropped with fruit trees (in the picture you see a banana palm in the back, but on the farm, there are also macadamia, jackfruit, and persimmon trees. In this way, not only the farm has more biodiversity, which lowers the risk of pest epidemics, but also features extended flowering periods. When the coffee flowering season is over, bees can continue living on the farm and feed on other fruit tree nectar.

Flowering weeds are allowed and embraced for at least 2 reasons: Firstly they also provide food sources for bees. Secondly, they deliver the organic matter to the soil through the chop and drop method.

Moreover, what you cannot see in the picture is that close to the farm is a pine forest area, where bees and other insects can withdraw and nest.

Bees choose Bui Farm too…

Mr. Tuan reported that due to the presence of bees his coffee harvest increased up to 40%!

Once harvested, he does all the processing in-house and then proceeds to roast. There would be a lot to say about roasting too! Robusta coffee has the image to be a very bitter kind of coffee, which is due to the common practice of roasting Robusta coffee until it’s black. Mr. Tuan reverses this infamous Robusta image! He does light and medium roasting and creates a tender, mouth-watering Robusta coffee. The coffee is available as beans or powder, in reusable coffee bags.

If you are interested to meet Mr. Tuan or try his coffee, meet him at the organic farmer’s market or contact him through this Google Maps link

Bui Farm, Thôn 7, Đức Trọng District, Lâm Đồng

Essential oil production without chemical pesticides and herbicides

Article coming soon…

Meanwhile visit:

https://www.facebook.com/TungHaFarm

Coffee farming without chemical pesticides and herbicides, coffee shipping in reusable containers

Mr. Huy, manager and farmer at Midori Coffee FarmWhen we first met Mr. Huy, we immediately noticed his friendly smile and peaceful attitude. It makes sense. When you live far away from the city chaos, you probably find a lot of peace within, just like Mr. Huy. It was coffee harvesting time, so he took us to the coffee trees to pick coffee cherries first hand. On the way there he described everything about coffee processing and answered all the million questions we had patiently. Turns out they apply a coffee processing method that reduces the impact on the environment and the use of water resources. Thumbs up! Also, coffee waste products, such as coffee skins/husks are reused on the farm – nothing gets wasted. And another great plus: for regular customers who order larger quantities (5 kg and more) the coffee gets delivered in reusable jars, so the packaging is cut down to almost zero, too.

Sustainable coffee farming and passion for the environment…

There is more: His exciting plan is to make the coffee farm become a real food forest! That’s why he is planting many fruit trees among the coffee trees. We obviously love this, because this means a lot of biodiversity for the bee-loved bees and pollinators. It means more nectar sources all year round! He also helps pollinators by not using any kind of herbicides and pesticides. For all the permaculture lovers out there, Mr. Huy has a banana circle, if you are curious to find out what that means, read more here.

Midori Coffee Farm produces very little trash since all organic waste is recycled on the farm – in the vegetable garden, which again doesn’t receive chemicals! Ducks and chicken serve eggs and precious fertilizer. When it comes to water pollution, the farm uses exclusively natural detergents, except for the laundry detergent. We think that we can fix that one. Please share with Mr. Huy your favorite natural laundry detergent recipe 🙂

Recently, they also built a café, where you can try the coffee from farm to cup with a great view of the valley and the stream.

Moreover, the farm now has rooms available, so you can come and stay overnight. During your stay, you may enjoy simple meals with home-grown vegetables from the garden and have certainly a quiet good night’s sleep.

What else is left to say? A lot. Go see yourself and experience coffee farming with an authentic and passionate coffee farmer.
Visit Midori Coffee Farm as a guest or volunteer!

Find the Google Maps link here:

Midori Coffee Farm, 235 Thôn 3, Xóm 4, Lâm Hà District, Lâm Đồng

Bee exhibition farm with a broad range of bee-friendly flowers, inhouse honey production, honey available in glass jars

Are you planning a trip to the Elephant waterfalls, Me Linh Coffee Garden, Midori coffee farm, or the Story coffee? Then you will naturally pass by Dalat Bee Farm!

When driving to Ta Nung village from Da Lat, you will see the bee exhibition farm on your left once you enter the village (anyway, you can use the Google Maps link provided below ;).

Maybe you are afraid to be stung? Don’t worry, the docile Italian bees of Dalat Bee Farm are less prone to sting than other bee races of the honey bee species Apis Mellifera. If you are interested in bee races and want more details about the different traits and characteristics you can also read our Complete Guide to Honey Bee Races.

Anyhow, this is the place to also test different kinds of honey. Why?

Well, it is an exhibition farm of the beekeeper family hosting Dalat Bee Farm and they travel from farm to farm, following the flowering seasons in Vietnam. You can even taste the famous mint honey produced by the bees of Dalat Bee Farm in the area of Ha Giang province in the North of Vietnam. Or the sunflower honey from the Central Highlands, and many others more.

What is important to mention at this point is that they avoid bringing their bees to crops that are sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. So for example, they don’t go to let their bees pollinate cashew plants (yes they have flowers too ;). To make it short, they care about the health of their bees, not only to ensure a high quality of honey but also because they want their bees to be healthy and happy.

You will taste the delicious flavor of the honey yourself!

And if you want to purchase it, we can appreciate the fact that honey is available for sale in glass jars. Also here, we can observe people quitting plastics one step at the time!

Find the Google Maps link here:

Find the Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/N%C3%B4ng-Tr%E1%BA%A1i-Ong-Dalat-Bee-Farm-2729839093753452

Forest garden with fruits and vegetables, chemical-free farm, veggie picking

Did you ever wonder how resistance looks like?

It’s probably difficult to imagine but the picture above has been taken on a slot of land which is enclosed completely by the greenhouses of other farms. Miles and miles of greenhouses as far as you can see.

And one man had enough of that.

In September 2019 Mr. Nguyễn Thanh Tân announced a public event to take down the greenhouse on his land and return it to nature. That time he wrote: “We are all aware that over the years, Da Lat’s agriculture has been attacked by greenhouses and chemical products. These actions for only short-term profits have distorted the purpose of agricultural development, shattered city development plans, and especially impacted climate change. […]

Smile Garden’s short-term purpose is to become a clean farm with pure natural farming techniques, using organic fertilizer, and producing seasonal fruit trees. In the future, our farm will become the space for the weekly agricultural fair with expanded stalls, workshops, free dialogues on agriculture, environment, and recycling, etc. We are looking forward to seeing all people who are interested in improving Da Lat’s agriculture to act together, and to share ideas and discussion with us.”

Said….and done! Together with visitors and volunteers they took down the greenhouse, recycled the large pieces of plastic on the farm, and started growing food in harmony with nature.

Today, on the upper part of the farm you will find all sorts of vegetables growing almost wildly together. They are planted close enough to prevent weeds in a natural way. The more you go further and reach the lower part of the farm with the house, kitchen facility, and living spaces, the higher the vegetation grows. When you reach the house you stand in something that permaculturists might call a “Food Forest“. It is a nature-oriented way of planting which mimics a real forest with the difference that all plants are edible for humans.

The best part?

You can experience how such fruits and vegetables taste like. Upon appointment, you can go to the farm and meet. Mr. Nguyễn Thanh Tân, who will show you around his little paradise. If you are into gardening, you can also help him with the harvest or organize an alternative afternoon there with your friends. If you just want to buy fresh veggies, you can go down to the house and use the pick and pay box (if it’s your first time, send a message first to arrange with Mr. Tân).

Smile Garden is also a very open and welcoming place, accepting volunteers from all over the world.

Just drop Mr. Tân a message and make an appointment through the Facebook Page of Smile Garden.

Here is the Google Maps link to find the farm:

Nhà Cười – Smile Garden, 8 Vòng Lâm Viên, Phường 8, Đà Lạt

Candles made exclusively of natural waxes and natural essential oils poured in reusable glass containers. 

Locally sourced beeswax. Priority on essential oils sourced in Vietnam.

Candle workshops on request.

Part of the profits of the Bee Candle operations are currently keeping this website alive. 

Opening hours:

From Monday to Saturday 8-11 am and 2-5pm

A quick call before visiting is appreciated 🙂

Ms Oanh: 0983174318

Find the Google Maps link here:

https://goo.gl/maps/wypTjqWXgvwYs3MH7

Find the Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/thebeecandle

Meeting point for sustainable farmers, shop for veggie boxes delivery and host location for the weekly farmers market every Saturday for organically grown vegetables and local crafts.

Follow the Facebook page for all updates and events:

https://www.facebook.com/ginkgostation

Address:

https://goo.gl/maps/58sv726YXpFunpPR6

Eco-friendly bakery, baking with less sugar and local ingredients, limiting use of plastic items and connecting local produce with customers

Thanh Chau Bakery has been operating in Dalat for 19 years.

During those long years, Ms. Chau – the owner of the bakery – has not even have one day without turning on the ovens… and so has her passion been beautifully continuos during that time.
Only a few people know that Ms. Chau is inherently a daughter of the city of Saigon and her bakery is like a “legacy” inherited from the family’s generations of baking tradition.
Perhaps thanks to that, coming to the shop, you will easily notice a very unique feature that not all bakeries have, from taste, to space, to music…
Here, the shop’s cakes and jams are selected by her from local ingredients, prioritizing the health of the user, she does not use any additives, chemical flavorings.
She also limits the use of plastic bags, plastic items, … instead, environmentally friendly materials such as paper, banana leaves are preferred by her.
Jams are made from local fruits, are natural, seasonal and use less sugar.

In addition, the Shop is also a place to connect organic products of local gardeners. From there, helping to spread clean products to the Da Lat community and tourists from all over.
For nearly two decades, the shop has quietly produced delicious batches of cakes every day in a small alley on Ba Tháng Hai Street.

Many dear friends call the shop “a predestined transit station”. Because here, there is a beautiful little corner – where friends from four directions when visiting Da Lat can all come here: eat cake, drink tea, enjoy jam, share their own stories, connect with others.

In the afternoons of Da Lat with a little rain, it will be cold, a cozy space filled with the smell of freshly baked cakes will help you find yourself a little tenderness and comfort in your heart.
Products available at the Shop: birthday cake, tea party cake, event cake, jam, jam & tea set….
Address: 177 Bis (old number 79) 3/2 Street, Da Lat, Lam Dong, Vietnam
Tel: 090 959 5664
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiembanhthanhchau

A store the size of a warehouse selling secondhand furniture and home appliances

Find the Google Maps link here:

https://goo.gl/maps/gjrPeqqkgQo55UUL9

1 Đường Phù Đổng Thiên Vương, Phường 8, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng

It is recommended to use the Google Maps link as it is more precise than the address.

Find the Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/ThienAiDaLat/

Local handicrafts, eco-friendly packaging, no plastic bags

Handcrafted notebooks, jewelry, accessories, natural soaps & more – the best place for your souvenirs made in Da Lat

Be prepared, you’ll enter a parallel universe, once you go through the shop door of Labata Handmade…

The shop’s décor will catapult you into something similar to Diagon Alley from Harry Potter (remember, that’s where Harry bought his magic wand in the famous magic wand shop “Ollivander”). OK, let’s get you settled.

If you are lucky, you will meet Thu, the owner, or her sister in person, who will spontaneously invite you for a cup of tea.

You learn that Labata (Made by hand – Made by heart) as the name and slogan of the store. Thus, each product from Labata such as notebooks, recycled sack handbags, scented candles, and jewelry items has its own signature and uniqueness.

Each item is made with passionate dedication by a real craftswoman or craftsman!

The shop is small but the handmade products here are extremely diverse in types, colors as well as styles.

Sometimes people spend hours ‘deep diving’ to satisfy your hobby of crafts, from pretty notebooks bound entirely by hand to recycling bags, purses, shirts, unique jewelry, soap, essential oils, or typical souvenirs.

At Labata, you also easily find eco-friendly products with high quality to reuse many times so as to limit the use of plastic and one-time plastic for environmental protection.

Thu and Labata got famous all over Vietnam because of her homemade notebooks. She also offers bookbinding workshops, yes, she teaches you how to make your own notebook! The best part? If you miss the workshop you can request her to open a private workshop (at least 4 people).

Joining this Workshop, you would feel that this is not just a boring teaching and learning session but interspersed with interesting sharing with the shop owner that you will forget the time and making a notebook for yourself becomes much easier and more interesting.

After the workshop, you will really enjoy your artwork and be more satisfied with the time you have spent here.

Whoever you are, a long-time resident or a tourist who only visits Dalat city for a few days, this is the place you should visit, not only because of the products, but the people at Labata are friendly, fun, and kind.

What else is fantastic? Well, if you wish to give gifts to your loved ones, you can ask the owner to wrap your presents, she will to it free of charge.

Yet, everything will happen in an eco-friendly way. She will wrap the gift in old newspapers and arranges few dried flowers as decoration. Lovely and sustainable at the same time!

The recipient will be surprised and much happier by the rustic and warm from the gifts wrapped with so much love.

Whether you want to shop or not, you are always welcome, Labata always has a place to sit and chat, tea & cake free of charge. All you need is to come and bring your smile. Labata will make your memory of Dalat special and unique.

Find the Google Maps link here:

https://goo.gl/maps/V5bnGEPqSujCmmUu8

Find the Facebook Page of Labata Handmade shop:

https://www.facebook.com/labatahandmadeshop/

Secondhand clothing stores, 3 different stores in Dalat for women, men and babies

When we first walked randomly into the Black Cat store on Hai Ba Trung, we were surprised.

We felt like being in a normal store – the clothing seemed to be super clean, not smelly, and most importantly, well selected. We didn’t have to sort through 100 items just to find that one piece that you actually try on. The opposite!

Indeed, we had never seed such a high-level second-hand store in Dalat before. So we asked the manager of Black Cat some questions and here we share the replies with you! =)

Why did you decide to sell secondhand clothing?

There are 3 reasons for me to sell secondhand clothing.

Firstly, like any other woman in this world, I love clothes. Yet, for me, no other fashion shops have more various designs available than a secondhand clothing shop! You can almost find “whatever you want” – unique and gorgeous items with an incredibly good price. I want to inspire people to focus on style, not price-tag. ^^.

Secondly, in the time of fast-fashion, the fashion industry is the second biggest industry after the petroleum industry to harm the environment. I can give a hand to reduce garbage by having my business selling reusable items.

Last but not least, I have a place to share my interest in dressing well. I believe that wearing beautiful clothes can change the way we behave in a certain way, more positively.

Is there anything else that is eco-friendly about your stores, besides the fact that you sell second-hand clothing?

Before we met the Eco Map team, we were offering our customers plastic bags to carry the products for their convenience (easy to buy, many sizes available, cheap); however, I am ready to change them into paper bags. These days, I am looking for a paper bag supplier for all our shops.

Isn’t this response amazing? We love the instant reaction to our proposal to change! =)
We will keep you updated about the paper bag switch.
Till then, hope you enjoy shopping gorgeous secondhand clothing at Black Cat!

Find the Google Maps links of all shops here:

Black Cat (women) 160 Phan Dinh Phung, ward 2, Da Lat

Black Cat (women & babies) 39 Hai Ba Trung, ward 6, Da Lat

Black Cat (men) 255B Phan Dinh Phung, ward 2, Da Lat 

Find the Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/blackcatsituyen/

Eco-friendly soap bars and essential oil production employing people with hearing losses

Quán Của Thời Thanh Xuân… these are a lot of curious words for an English speaker. Since the name is essential to the particular story of this place, let’s have little Vietnamese class first ;). Quán means “booth, kiosk or coffeeshop”, Của means “of” and Thời Thanh Xuân means “youth” – together that makes something like the coffeeshop of the youth.

What might sound a little unusual at first, bears a very inspiring manifesto. The initial mission of the founders was to create an initiative that brings people together who want to do something meaningful in their youth, the time of life when we are full of energy and ideas.

So they established a place where young people come together to help the poor, sick, jobless, and disadvantaged people. With time, it became a place that also directly created jobs for disadvantaged people, more precisely, people with hearing losses.

In fact, today, people with hearing losses can get a job and be trained as baristas at the coffeeshop (see Google Link below) or as employees in the soap bar laboratory. There are also coffeeshops in other cities, such as in HCMC and Hoi An with the same concept, belonging to the same founders.

Store, coffeeshop, lab and also…. a farm!

Comprised in the concept is now also their own farm, where they grow mostly lemongrass (organically!). The lemongrass serves various purposes. First, it prevents erosion and preserves the land. Secondly, being a grass it is easy to grow and doesn’t require any synthetic input in terms of pesticides or fertilizers. Thirdly, it serves to make essential oils and also natural fragrances for the soaps. Some fragrant herbs are purchased from other farms and processed into soap and essential oils at the lab of Quán Của Thời Thanh Xuân. You can visit the farm every day from 9 am to 2 pm, and there is even a coffeeshop on the farm to enjoy refreshing drinks.

We love their soap bars because they are not only free from unnecessary chemicals, but also very eco-friendly. They are packaged without plastic and you can use the soap to wash your hands and body, even wash your dishes and use the soap bars to produce your own liquid soap. After washing, you can even collect the soap wastewater, dilute it with more water and use it to water your plants in the garden.

Speaking of the soap bars, there is obviously a lot to say and learn. If you are interested, you can follow Quán Của Thời Thanh Xuân on Facebook, because they regularly organize workshops of soap making and essential oil production!

The triple bottom line: a social, environmental and economical success story

Quán Của Thời Thanh Xuân is ticking all the boxes. Not only do they fulfill a social mission by training and employing people with hearing losses, but they also tackle environmental mission with the production of eco-friendly products while being economically sustainable.

A place that you can easily feel good about and support with a full heart.

Find the Google Maps link here

Quán Của Thời Thanh Xuân, 9 Đường Triệu Việt Vương, Phường 4, Đà Lạt

Find the Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/quancuathoithanhxuan/

Secondhand store for women’s clothing

Go for it, it is a very well sorted, nice shop with precious findings. Looks like made by ladies for ladies. <3

Careful, currently the Google Maps link is not correct when you search with the shop name on Google.

Please go to La Viet Coffee, face the entrance and then walk to your left continuing on the same side of the road as La Viet Coffee. After a few houses, you will see the very big frontside and the entrance of Do Si Da Lat Si Le Shop.

We also checked and put you here the approximate location in Google Maps:

Candle workshop at The Bee Candle

Google Maps:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/pXSE8BZ3xeNRonLu7

The Bee Candle

6/3 Hồ Xuân Hương, Phường 9, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng

Book on Facebook or via phone call:

https://www.facebook.com/thebeecandle

Phone: 0869 668 700

Art workshops that heal your mind and soul

Pricing: 500k/pax

Contact Information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lethobenthos/

Eco-friendly cloud hunting tour with camping by Đặng Di Thạch. Reusable plates and cutlery, reusable bags, vegan food options.

Suoi Vang Cloud Hunting & Camping

2 days 1 night | Maximum 10 guests
Price 1.550.000/pax

Tour includes:
● 3 meals (dinner, supper and breakfast)
● Water
● Tents and outdoor equipments
● Photos (with sunset, night sky and sunrise)
● Motorbike
I. Summary:
● Drive motorbike through narrow routes to arrive at the camping spot on top of the hill
with the fascinating view of Langbiang Mountain.
● Admire breathtaking panoramic views of the skyline from one of the most mysterious
hills in Da Lat.
● Immerse in the peaceful atmosphere under the pine tree forests, the impressive
valley with the Golden Lake with a hot artichoke cup, a specialty in Dalat.
● Indulge yourself with a cup of hot coffee and grilled sandwich in the early morning.
● Enjoy camping-style dinner with various menu on top of the hill
● Be a model, a photographer with the dreamy vast starry sky.
● Cozy chit chat around the campfire while waiting for grilled sweet potatoes and
marshmallow.
II. Itinerary:
Day 1 | start at 13h50
● 13h50 – 14h00: Gathering at the meeting place (4/36 Dao Duy Tu, Ward 4, Da Lat)
● 14h00 – 14h20: Receive your personal sleeping bag, a 1.5l bottle of water and
disseminate the rule of safety.
● 14h20 – 15h00: Drive motorbike to campsite (8,5km road and 1,5km off-road)
● 15h00 – 16h40: Setup the campsite
● 16h40 – 17h00: Introduce the safety rule at the campsite, impressive “restroom” and
sightseeing points while gathering firewood.
● 17h00 – 18h00: Enjoy the sunset and take some photos (optional)
● 18h00 – 20h00: Have a BBQ with some salads and drink hot artichoke tea, wine (for
the group of 4 people)
● 20h00 – 20h30: Clean-up the eating area and light up the fire.
● 20h30 – 21h30: Chatting around the campfire
● 21h30 – 22h30: Enjoy grilled sweet potato and marshmallow, taking night photo with
the stars

● 22h30: Go to sleep
Day 2 | start at 5h00 | End at 10h00
● 5h00 – 6h30: Wake up, admire the sunrise, if you are lucky, the sea of clouds too.
Coffee and tea time.
● 6h30 – 8h00: breakfast
● 8h00 – 9h00: Clean-up the campsite and collect garbage.
● 9h00 – 10h00: Drive back to the meeting point, finish the tour.
III Service include:
1. Food, drink and fruit
● Dinner: BBQ (pork + chicken + vegetable) + salad + atiso tea + wine (for the group of
4 people)
● Supper: Grill sweet potato and marshmallow.
● Breakfast: Sandwich with butter jam + coffee + tea

* Note: (we cater to different customer dietary requirements)

2. Outdoor equipment and safety
● Camping gears (Tent, personal sleeping bag, thermal mat camping, camping tent
tart)
● Personal flashlight
● Cooking equipment
● Camera
3. You will get the photo after 4 days via google drive
4. Vehicle
● Tour includes automatic motorbikes and you will ride by yourself.
● Motorbike with a driver to ride you if you can’t ride by yourself. Please contact us in
advance at least 24 hours (200.000vnd/person/trip)
● If you have already rented a motorbike at your hostel and ride by yourself, we will
discount 100.000vnd/pax (It means the price will be 1.450.000vnd/pax).
IV. Important notice
1. We don’t provide alcohol.
2. You have to bring your passport and emergency contact
3. Let us know if you have any food allergy.
4. Please contact us in advance if you can’t ride a motorbike.
5. The weather on the mountain peak can change unexpectedly, especially in the rainy
season. Contact us before booking our tour to make sure we can go on the trip in the best
weather condition.

V. What you bring
1. Good hiking shoes
2. At least two jackets (one winter jacket – it’s quite hot during the day and very cold at
night on the peak)
3. An extra pair of sock (in case of cold weather or rain weather)
4. An extra outfit (in rain season)
5. Good camera (optional, but highly recommended)
6. A tripod (optional, but highly recommended if you wanna do time-lapse videos and
exposure photos by yourself)
7. Passport or ID card (compulsory)
8. Emergency contact (compulsory)
9. A hat/cap

____________________
Dalat City Travel | Your experience is our happiness
Direct contact: 0938275603 – Đặng Di Thạch
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thachdang.rocky/
Email:

Visit real beekeepers and learn more about bees at Dalat Bee Farm

Dive into the world of bees at Dalat Bee Farm in Ta Nung.

https://www.facebook.com/DalatBeefarm

Location:

Dalat Bee Farm, ĐT725, Tà Nung, Thành phố Đà Lạt

https://g.page/Traiongdalat?share

Eco-friendly trekking tours and K’Ho culture trips by Monom Adventures

Dalat Day trek
There are 2 trails for Dalat Day Trek:
Lang biang Day trek ( Northern Dalat trail)
Pick up at customers’s hotels by car.
Dalat- Bon dong village(Lac Duong) 12kms
Start trekking Lang Biang our own private route( as pathfinder) from the village Bon dong, walking the villagers farms- pinus forest- Evergreen forest(higher Biodiversity)- Top 2167 for the whole view)- transferring to 2024 top- walking thru the bush( secondary forest after fire- pinus forests- town.
Lunch on the trail( Snacks, prepared food)
What to bring: trekking clothes, shoes, raincoat.
Trail leght: 15km
Level: Moderat- difficult ( second part after peak 2167, populated site)
Prize: 1,5mln vnđ/person
Included: Car, guidance and interpretation and lunch.

Contact:
Mull K Vang:
Phone: +840969214071
(WhatsApp, FB, Zalo)

Guided tour of a permaculture garden with veggie picking at Cleomy Garden

Learn about permaculture gardening, pick organic veggies, walk a barefoot path and spend some quality time in nature – all this in the center of Dalat.

Book your garden tour at Cleomy Dalat:

https://www.facebook.com/TheCleomy

Location:

The Cleomy https://maps.app.goo.gl/5jXGfaqujZ7BPGMN6

Exploring Dalat on foot with a guided walking tour by Dalat Walks

One of the best ways to learn about a city is to join a walking tour. Finally! there’s Dalatwalks which recently operated in Dalat, a sister project of Saigonwalks.

Even though it’s easy to navigate Dalat, however, due to the language barrier, tour guides are there to walk you around, explore the story behind, give you historical and cultural insights into the key places in the city.

Dalatwalks tours are organized as community tours. The tour aims to bring a relaxed walking morning to all participants and listen to the stories of the city then and now in bilingual language (Vietnamese and English). They also help tour guides have income after a long time without work due to epidemic diseases.

Information:

The walking distance is about 2.5 km, going up and down the slope, within 2 hours and 30 minutes, within the downtown (Ward 1) of Dalat City. The tour is suitable for families and children above 5 years old.

The tour has a 15-minutes break to drink coffee or hot cocoa and cakes, the cost included in the ticket price. They don’t provide plastic bottles, instead encourage visitors to bring their own personal reusable bottles.

Schedule:

The tours opened depending on the host’s schedule. They try to do it every 2 weeks. 250,000 VND per pax

Participants can look for the tour schedule on Ticketbox or their FB account.

The program limited attendance to 15 people to ensure quality.

For private tours:

375.000 VND per pax (from 2-4 pax)

350.000 VND per pax (for group above 4 pax)

Contact Information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dalatwalks

Website: https://scivitravel.com/

Guest post by Jonah Estanislao, founder of Nomad Ecoplate

Local tour guides with eco-awareness through Bidoup National Park

Details coming soon.

For bookings contact Mr. Quan Nguyen Ha on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/nguyenhaquan

Find the Google Maps link here:

Bidoup National Park on Google Maps

Find the Facebook Page of the Tourist Information Center at Bidoup Nui Ba National Park:

https://www.facebook.com/VuonQuocGiaBidoupNuiBa/

or contact:

http://bidouptour.com

Visit the hub of organic farming at Greenbox Café

Once a month, usually on the third Sunday of the month, the Organic Farmer’s Market Dalat takes place in the spacious premises of Greenbox Cafe.

Local farmers come to sell their organic produce, crafters to sell their crafts and even some bakers to sell their delicious cakes and breads.

The market has been co-founded by Bees4life in 2019. Read more about it here.

Since 2020 it is now fully organized by Greenbox Cafe, whose owners have long farming experience and care for organic farming particularly.

You have the chance to meet the farmers, connect with like-minded people and share about topics of sustainability.

Keep an eye on the Facebook page of the Market to find out the next market date:

https://www.facebook.com/organicfarmersmarketdalat

Location:

Greenbox Cafe, 85 Xô Viết Nghệ Tĩnh, Phường 7, Thành phố Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng

https://goo.gl/maps/VNjnEjZki4sUT5DEA