Datanla Waterfall and alpine coaster in Da Lat: 2026 prices, rules, safety and how to get there

Datanla Waterfall is the easiest adventure stop near Da Lat: a short ride from the center, a forest alpine coaster that you drive yourself, a long zipline and a full-day canyoning trip. Our list of places to visit in Da Lat gives it one paragraph. This guide goes further: how the two coaster tracks differ, what each ride costs, who is allowed on what, the site’s safety record and when to go to beat the queues.

Where is Datanla Waterfall and who runs it?#

The park sits right on Highway 20 at the Da Lat end of the Prenn Pass, in what has been Xuan Huong - Da Lat ward since Vietnam’s administrative reshuffle of July 1, 2025. According to Lam Dong newspaper (in Vietnamese), the gate is about 5 km from the center. VnExpress International gave the same distance in 2018.

Datanla Waterfall is run by Lam Dong Tourism JSC, better known as Dalattourist, which also operates the Langbiang Mountain park and the Robin Hill cable car. A sponsored Dan Tri (in Vietnamese) feature from February 2026 lists the current mix: alpine coaster, high rope course, a 1,500-meter zipline, canyoning and, new in 2026, Pine Kart off-road buggies. A net playground called Wonder Webs was added in 2026 too, according to Thanh Nien (in Vietnamese) (April 6, 2026).

In short, Datanla Waterfall today is a ticketed adventure park with a waterfall at the bottom, not a quiet jungle cascade. That is fine as long as you know it before you arrive.

The name and the legends behind it#

According to Vietnamese Wikipedia, the name comes from the K’Ho phrase “Đạh-Tam-N’ha,” roughly “water under the leaves.” Older maps and books sometimes misspell it “Dalanta.” The same source records three local legends, all variations on hidden water:

• K’Lang and Hobiang: the hero K’Lang fought a pack of wild beasts here, and the flattened forest left deep holes, one of them the chasm locals call the Death Abyss.
• The bathing fairies: fairies came to bathe in water so hidden by leaves that villagers only found it by accident, hence the name.
• The water that won a war: Lach villagers, close to losing a war against Cham raiders for lack of water, discovered the falls and held out.

Wikipedia puts the main drop at about 20 meters, spread over rock terraces, so Datanla Waterfall is more of a broad cascade than a thundering plunge. The clear pool below is called Fairy Stream; the deep gorge above is the Death Abyss. Those names are a fair hint that the rocks are slippery and the water deep.

The waterfall tiers: Waterfall 1, Waterfall 3 and the stairs#

The stream drops through a chain of tiers. A 2018 report by Kenh14 (in Vietnamese) described the canyoning route as seven tiers ranging from 7 to 25 meters. The operator’s own canyoning page says six tiers in Vietnamese and seven in English, so the exact number depends on how you count.

For a normal visit to Datanla Waterfall you only need two stops:

• Waterfall 1: closest to the gate. Reach it on Coaster 1 or on foot along a pine-forest path of about 1 km with roughly 200 steps (Dalattourist). The VND80,000 entry ticket covers this area.
• Waterfall 3: farther down, the stop for the long Coaster 3 and the end point of the 1,500-meter zipline. The Coaster 3 ticket includes entry.

Wikipedia notes that before the coaster, reaching the falls meant a 10-15 minute walk down a steep path; the ride takes 1.5-2 minutes. The walk back up is the tiring part, so older travelers may prefer a round-trip ticket.

How the Datanla alpine coaster works#

If you have ridden a summer toboggan in the Alps, you already know the idea behind the Datanla Waterfall coaster. Small two-seat carts run on a fixed rail that winds down the hillside, pulled by gravity. It is not a water slide. Each cart takes up to two people, and the person in the back usually handles the brake lever.

You control the speed

According to Wikipedia, the carts have a hand brake, average 10-20 km/h and top out at about 40 km/h. VietNamNet reported the same 20-40 km/h range in 2017. A sensor brake system also slows carts that are going too fast, to keep a safe gap from the one ahead. The operator describes Coaster 3 as having a “speed reduction lever” so kids and cautious adults can keep it gentle.

In practice: push the lever forward to let the cart roll, pull back to brake. Nobody forces you to go fast. The best trick is to leave a gap after the cart in front right at the start, so you are not braking all the way down.

Two tracks, two tickets

Table source: Dalattourist booking page, checked September 26, 2026 (adult / child). Tuoi Tre (in Vietnamese) covered the launch of the long track in a December 21, 2018 video, calling it Asia’s longest outdoor bobsled track. Those “longest” claims come from the operator; we found no independent body confirming them.

Datanla Waterfall ticket prices for 2026#

We took every figure straight from Dalattourist’s official booking page at midnight on September 26, 2026. We skipped the prices on blogs and resale sites because they disagree with each other and with the operator.

How child fares work: under 100 cm tall rides free, 100 cm to under 140 cm pays the child price, and 140 cm and up pays the adult price. Promotions cannot be combined.

What a visit actually costs

Three common plans for one adult, using the table above:

• Walk down and see the falls: VND80,000, about US$3.
• Coaster 1 round trip plus entry: VND130,000 + VND80,000 = VND210,000, about US$8.
• Coaster 3 round trip: VND250,000, about US$10, entry included.

So the long track costs only about VND40,000 more than Coaster 1 with entry, for twice the ride. With nervous young kids, Coaster 1 is still the gentler choice. You can also buy on resale apps such as Klook or Traveloka, sometimes with small discounts; check that the ticket names the right track.

Age, height and weight rules for each ride#

This is where travelers at Datanla Waterfall get turned away at the ride gate. Here are the conditions listed by Dalattourist (checked September 26, 2026):

The two limits that catch people out are the 120 kg per coaster cart and the 90 cm waist. Two large adults should take separate carts. The Pine Kart limit of under 80 kg is also lower than many Western adults expect.

Zipline, high rope course, Pine Kart and Wonder Webs#

The 1,500-meter zipline

According to the operator, the route has a 1,000-meter first leg about 130 meters above the ground and a 500-meter second leg ending at Waterfall 3, after which you ride Coaster 3 back up. The trolleys use the European SkyTech system. At VND1,000,000 it is the priciest ride at Datanla Waterfall; smoking, eating and phones are banned during the flight.

High rope course

More than 60 obstacles across five levels: tightropes, Tarzan swings, short ziplines between tree platforms. VietNamNet reported in 2017 that the course opened in March 2015 and that its coaches trained in Bali (VietNamNet). The last level ends with a 15-meter Tarzan jump, and the course stops taking guests at 2pm, so go in the morning.

Pine Kart and Wonder Webs (new in 2026)

Pine Kart is a single-seat off-road buggy you drive yourself: two laps, 1,200 meters in total, about 10 minutes plus a briefing. Local media reported its launch in early 2026. Wonder Webs is a climbing-net playground aimed at kids, though adults can join.

Canyoning at Datanla: who should try it#

Canyoning means working your way down the stream bed through the tiers: abseiling, zip lines, natural rock slides, swimming and some trekking. Dalattourist lists six challenges: an 18-meter dry cliff abseil, a 40-meter zipline over a 14-meter fall, a natural rock slide, a 25-meter waterfall abseil, a lazy swim and a 13-meter chute nicknamed “the washing machine.” The trip lasts 5-6 hours, departs between 8am and 11am, and must be booked at least two hours ahead.

The operator charges VND1,886,000 (about US$73) per person. Many other companies sell Da Lat canyoning trips, and we do not list them, because we have not seen major media evaluate their standards. If you book with an outside operator, ask whether the trip enters the Datanla park legally, uses the park’s equipment and includes insurance. The safety section below explains why.

The operator’s packing advice: soft-soled shoes, quick-dry clothes, sunscreen, breakfast before you go, nothing unnecessary and no alcohol. If you are not a confident swimmer, think twice.

Is Datanla Waterfall safe? The incidents on record#

Here are the incidents covered by major media, in date order. We list them so you can see where the risk lies, not to scare you off. All of the deaths happened during activities in the stream and waterfalls, not on the coaster.

• March 25, 2010: two students from Da Lat Vocational College died after slipping into a deep part of the falls during a picnic (Wikipedia, citing Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper).
• February 26, 2016: three British tourists died downstream while on a tour with a local company (Saigoneer). Tuoi Tre (in Vietnamese) reported that a preliminary autopsy found head injuries from the rocks (February 28, 2016). Lam Dong’s tourism department suspended the operator, which had not bought insurance and let guests cross the falls although they had booked a trekking tour (VietNamNet, February 29, 2016).
• September 22, 2018: a 23-year-old South Korean tourist died after a jump of about 9 meters, or 11 meters according to Tuoi Tre News, during an adventure tour. The provincial tourism department told the park to suspend jumps and other adventure activities while it reviewed procedures (VnExpress International, September 23, 2018; Viet Nam News).

On the Datanla Waterfall coaster itself, we found no major-media report of a serious accident as of September 26, 2026. That does not mean zero risk: bumps from sudden braking, pinched fingers or scrapes can happen if you ignore the instructions.

Five rules we would follow

• Stay inside fenced areas with staff; do not climb down into the stream for photos.
• Listen to the whole brake briefing and keep a gap from the cart ahead.
• Skip adventure rides after drinking, when exhausted or if you have a heart condition.
• After heavy rain, ask whether canyoning is running that day and be ready to postpone.
• Book adventure tours only with a licensed operator and confirm the insurance before you pay.

Best time to visit and how to beat the crowds#

Datanla Waterfall looks its best in the rainy season, roughly May to October, when there is more water. That is also when rocks are slick and the pass is prone to landslides, so go after at least half a day of dry weather, as our Da Lat weather in October guide suggests. November to March is drier and better for adventure activities, though the falls are thinner.

We suggest arriving right at the 7:15am opening, when it is cool and you have the whole morning. Weekends, public holidays, Tet and the summer break bring long coaster queues; that is the common experience of visitors, not an official figure. If you want the high rope course or the zipline, arrive before 2pm and 3:30pm respectively.

What to wear and bring#

• Sneakers with good grip; skip flip-flops, since the steps down to the falls are damp.
• A light jacket and a packable rain layer; the valley is cooler than the gate and weather changes fast.
• Tie back long hair and stash scarves and hats before the coaster or zipline.
• A zipped crossbody bag for your phone; phones are banned on the zipline.
• For canyoning: quick-dry clothes, a change of clothes and a dry bag.

A full seasonal packing list for Da Lat is in our Da Lat travel tips.

How to get to Datanla Waterfall from central Da Lat#

From Xuan Huong Lake, follow Highway 20 south toward the Prenn Pass; Datanla Waterfall is about 5 km away at the Da Lat end of the pass, so you never need to drive down to the bottom. A taxi or ride-hailing car is the safest option on wet days. Renting a motorbike is cheaper, but the bend near the falls saw a fatal crash on a rainy evening in September 2026, as noted above.

Also note that the stretch from the foot of the Prenn Pass up to the Datanla park was closed from January 9-15, 2026, for landslide repairs (Tuoi Tre (in Vietnamese), January 7, 2026). Road conditions change week by week, so read the road section of our Da Lat travel tips before you go. Still planning the trip up from the south? Our guide from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat covers buses, flights and transfers.

Pros and cons#

Combining Datanla with the rest of southern Da Lat#

Datanla Waterfall shares the south side of town with Tuyen Lam Lake and the Truc Lam Zen Monastery; for the cable car ride from Robin Hill to the monastery, see our Da Lat cable car guide. A sensible morning: coaster at 7:15am, head to the Tuyen Lam Lake area around 10am, back in town for lunch. More stops in the same cluster are in places to visit in Da Lat, and the big picture is on our Da Lat travel overview.

Is Datanla Waterfall worth it?#

Yes, if you like being in charge of your own speed on a forest coaster, are traveling with kids, or want a supervised taste of adventure. If you want a quiet, wild waterfall, it will feel busy and noisy. Arrive early, pick the right track, read the rules and avoid the Prenn Pass in heavy rain, and you will have a good morning.

If you go and find that prices or hours differ from this guide, tell us through our contact page so we can update it for the next traveler.