Da Lat in December: Christmas, the Flower Festival and the coldest nights of the year

December weather: dry, sunny, the coldest nights of the year

December opens Da Lat’s dry season. The rain all but stops after November, the sun comes out more often, and the nights cool down towards the lowest temperatures of the year.

Long-term averages (1964–1998) for the Da Lat station, from Climates to Travel. What the table means in practice:

• Days are pleasant, around 21°C. A T-shirt and a light jacket are enough for walking around.
• The temperature drops quickly after sunset. 12.8°C is the average for the whole month; clear nights from mid-December on can be colder. If you plan to sit outdoors in the evening, bring a proper warm coat and a scarf.
• Only about 3 rainy days in the month, so outdoor plans rarely get washed out. That is also why December is busier than November.

The 11th Da Lat Flower Festival: planned dates

2026 is a Flower Festival year in Da Lat, the 11th edition. According to the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the festival is concentrated in December 2026 in the Da Lat area, with 11 main programmes and 25 supporting events.

These dates are planned, as reported by VOV (17 June 2026), Bao Van Hoa (17 June 2026) and Nhan Dan (8 October 2026). At the time of writing the detailed schedule had not been published, so check the organisers’ announcements before booking a room around a specific date.

The one exception is the Vietnam Jazz Festival 2026, one of the festival’s 11 main programmes, which does not fall in December: under the provincial plan it runs 6–8 November 2026 at Lam Vien Square, the Haus Da Lat grounds and in front of the 3 Thang 4 Cinema in the Hoa Binh area (VietnamPlus, 26 October 2026). For the jazz, come to Da Lat in early November.

Nhan Dan also reports that the central wards are building flower streets for the festival, including Xuan Truong Ward, where Trai Mat is, with flower installations in 12 residential groups.

Plan for the traffic. On the opening night and on 31 December, the centre around Lam Vien Square and Xuan Huong Lake will be packed. Arrive early if you want to see the opening; if you just want a calm dinner, eating outside the centre saves you the traffic jams.

Christmas Eve in Da Lat: which church, and when

Christmas Eve 2026 falls on a Thursday and Christmas Day on a Friday. Da Lat has several French-era churches that are usually lit up, with a nativity grotto, over Christmas, so the 24th is one of the busiest nights of the year for strolling in the centre.

The two churches visitors go to most:

• Chicken Church, officially the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas of Bari, on Tran Phu street. Right in the centre, so it is the most crowded on the 24th.
• Domaine de Marie Church, 1 Ngo Quyen, a French-era church on a hill about 1 km from the centre.

Christmas Eve Mass times are announced by each parish close to the date, usually on the church notice board. Don’t rely on Mass times copied onto travel sites, as holiday times differ from the regular schedule.

If you are going to look rather than to attend: Mass is a religious service, so stay in the area set aside for visitors, dress modestly and keep quiet while it is under way. To photograph the nativity scene and the lights without the crush, go during the day on the 23rd or 25th, which is far quieter than the night of the 24th.

December flowers: wild sunflowers for sure, cherry blossoms depending on the year

December sits between two of Da Lat’s best-known flower seasons, so what you see depends on the year’s weather:

• Wild sunflowers (dã quỳ) line the roads in yellow in November and December. Look for them at the foot of the Prenn Pass and the D’ran Pass, on the road up Langbiang mountain and along An Binh street (according to Zing News).
• Vietnamese cherry blossoms (mai anh đào) bloom at a different time every year: some years before Christmas, some years as late as February or March, and usually earlier on the hillsides and outskirts than in the city centre (according to Znews).

In short: in December you will certainly see wild sunflowers. Cherry blossoms are a bonus if they come early that year, so don’t plan the trip around them.

Key dates at the end of 2026

Both the 24th and the 31st fall on a Thursday, mid-week. New Year’s Day is a one-day public holiday in Vietnam, and because 1 January 2027 is a Friday, people with weekends off get three days in a row, 1–3 January. Visitors are likely to pile into Da Lat over those three days, so book your room early if that is when you are coming; for a quieter Christmas, pick the mid-week days around the 24th.

Tết, the Lunar New Year, falls on 6 February 2027. Many restaurants in Da Lat close for it; how to check which ones are open is covered in Da Lat restaurants open at Tết.

A December evening at Xom Leo Grill & Chill

The restaurant is in Trai Mat, at 113 Huynh Tan Phat, about 8 km from the centre, with tables along the hillside looking down over the greenhouse valley. December has some of the earliest sunsets of the year, so the whole evening moves earlier with it:

Sunset times are calculated with the NOAA formula for the restaurant’s coordinates; the full 12-month table is on the about page. How to pick a table to watch the train pass right by the railing is covered in Da Lat BBQ with a train view.

On a cold night, order a hotpot: chicken hotpot with la e basil, seafood hotpot or sturgeon hotpot, around 300,000–320,000đ for the whole table; hot tea is 37,000–39,000đ. The charcoal grill sits right on the table, so it cooks and keeps you warm at the same time. On windy days there is an indoor area.

We are open 15:00–23:00 every day, including Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. There is no holiday surcharge; the only surcharge of the year is over Tết (8%, from the 2nd to the 10th day of the Lunar New Year). Prices on the menu include VAT.

Booking a table for 24 or 31 December

Both nights are usually busier than an ordinary Thursday, and the outdoor tables looking straight down over the valley go first. Send everything in one message:

1. Date and arrival time. For the sunset, aim to arrive before 16:30.
2. Number of people, and whether there are small children or older guests.
3. Where you’d like to sit: outdoors over the valley, or indoors to stay warm.
4. The occasion: for a birthday or anniversary, mention it so we can decorate the table.

Book through the booking form on the home page. Groups of 10 or more get a private space set up free of charge; see also picking a table for a large group. Directions are on the directions page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Da Lat cold in December?

Days are pleasant, with an average high of about 21°C. The average low at night is about 13°C (12.8°C, 1964–1998 average for the Da Lat station), and clear nights from mid-December can be colder. You need a proper warm coat to sit outdoors in the evening.

When is the 2026 Da Lat Flower Festival?

The 11th Da Lat Flower Festival is concentrated in December 2026. The opening is planned for 20:00 on 19 December 2026 at Lam Vien Square, and the New Year 2027 programme combined with the closing for the evening of 31 December 2026, with some events running into early January 2027. The Vietnam Jazz Festival 2026 comes earlier, on 6–8 November 2026. These are planned dates, so check the organisers’ announcements before booking a room.

Where should I go on Christmas Eve in Da Lat?

The two churches visitors go to most are the Chicken Church (Cathedral of Saint Nicholas of Bari, Tran Phu street) and Domaine de Marie Church (1 Ngo Quyen). Christmas Eve Mass times are announced by each parish close to the date. For photos without the crowds, go during the day on the 23rd or 25th.

Are the cherry blossoms out in Da Lat in December?

It depends on the year. Da Lat’s cherry blossoms (mai anh đào) bloom at a different time every year, some years before Christmas and some years as late as February or March. The safer bet in December is wild sunflowers, which line the Prenn and D’ran passes and the road up Langbiang mountain.

How long is the New Year holiday in 2027?

New Year’s Day is a one-day public holiday in Vietnam. 1 January 2027 is a Friday, so people with weekends off get three days in a row, from 1 to 3 January 2027.

Is Xom Leo Grill & Chill open on Christmas Eve?

Yes. We are open 15:00–23:00 every day, including Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, with no holiday surcharge. Book ahead for both nights, especially if you want an outdoor table over the valley.

What time is sunset in Da Lat in December?

In Trai Mat the sun sets at about 17:24 on 15 December, 17:29 on Christmas Eve and 17:32 on 31 December (calculated with the NOAA formula). Golden hour starts about half an hour earlier, so arrive before 16:30 for a sunset table.