Built on a plateau 1,500 metres above sea level, Dalat was such a favourite retreat of the colonial French that it became known as "Le Petit Paris." A cool retreat from the heat of the coastal plains and the Mekong Delta, Dalat has a refreshingly mild climate accompanied by a pretty landscape of waterfalls, lakes, springs, pine hills, and French built villas. It’s also a good base for visiting local tribal villages outside the town. Some villages, like Lat Village and the Chicken Village (with a huge statue of a chicken) are close to Dalat itself.