Unique clay tunnel in Da Lat

The Clay Tunnel is one of the attractions drawing travel enthusiasts to visit when they come to Da Lat.

Da Lat, the city of a thousand flowers, always knows how to captivate and enchant people with its dreamy, romantic natural scenery and attractive tourist destinations, such as Datanla Waterfall, the Valley of Love, the Chicken Church, Langbiang Mountain, and more.

The clay tunnel has become a unique tourist attraction, drawing many enthusiasts who love exploring the city of a thousand flowers.

Furthermore, Da Lat boasts a popular spot attracting many tourists who check in on social media: the Clay Tunnel. Located 13km from Da Lat Market, about a 30-minute drive away, at the end of the Tuyen Lam tourist complex, this attraction is a captivating stop when exploring Da Lat.

The Clay Tunnel was built starting in 2010. This is an elaborate man-made structure made from clay, recreating the entire history of the city of a thousand flowers from its "early days" to its development. Besides the name Clay Tunnel, this tourist attraction also has other nicknames such as the Sculpture Tunnel or the Red Clay Tunnel...

Opening hours for visiting the clay tunnel

The Clay Tunnel opens to visitors at 7:30 AM and closes at 5:00 PM every day of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays. Furthermore, it takes approximately one hour for visitors to explore the entire area due to its vast size.

During the rainy season, the tourist area may close up to 30 minutes earlier than scheduled. Therefore, visitors to the clay tunnel should plan their time accordingly to ensure a convenient trip.

The Clay Tunnel is open to visitors from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays.

According to the experiences shared by many previous tourists, the best time to explore the clay tunnel is between 8:00 and 9:30 AM and between 4:00 and 5:00 PM.

The Clay Tunnel is located on the outskirts of the city of a thousand flowers, so some tourists are concerned and worried that the road will be difficult to navigate. But don't worry too much, the road to the tourist area is easy to follow. However, for safety reasons, remember to be careful and reduce your speed when approaching blind spots.

There are two most convenient routes to get to the tourist area from Da Lat market: via Prenn Pass and from the city center.

- Directions to Prenn Pass: From the city center, take 3 Tháng 4 Street towards the Phuong Trang bus station. Then, after crossing the pass and descending near Datanla Waterfall, look to your right and you will see a Buddha statue along with a sign. Turn right towards Truc Lam Zen Monastery. Next, follow the signs for about 1km up a slope and you will see the picturesque Tuyen Lam Lake right in front of you. At this point, turn right and follow the lakeside for about 400m until you see a sign directing you to the Clay Tunnel tourist area.

The Clay Tunnel tourist area is always open to welcome visitors.

- From the city center: Many tourists choose this route to reach the Clay Tunnel, as along the way you can combine your visit with other famous tourist attractions such as the Chicken Church, Hang Nga Villa, and Bao Dai Palace.

The path to the clay tunnel leads through a vast pine forest, creating a romantic, movie-like atmosphere. If you're a fan of taking Instagram-worthy photos, this is the perfect opportunity to capture stunning shots.

What makes the Clay Tunnel so attractive to tourists?

The Clay Tunnel tourist area comprises two main themes:

- Theme 1: Like a "time machine" taking visitors back to the past, the clay tunnel tells the story of Da Lat city from its early beginnings, from when Dr. Yersin discovered and found this forest plateau, to when the French colonialists first set foot in the misty city.

You'll easily recognize the Rooster Church.

- Theme 2: Recreating the most famous cultural landmarks of Da Lat, such as Lycée Yersin, Palace Hotel, Pasteur Institute, Chicken Church, Da Lat University, Da Lat Market, Linh Son Pagoda…

The records of the clay tunnel

Inside the clay tunnel, there are two "unique" houses in Vietnam, sculpted from unbaked clay with the first and largest roofs featuring a raised map of Vietnam. Additionally, the first unbaked red basalt clay house, with its unique style, currently holds the national record.

If this is your first time visiting the Clay Tunnel tourist area, you'll be absolutely amazed by what you see.

If this is your first time visiting the Clay Tunnel tourist area, you'll be amazed by what you see. What you might think is just a lump of clay, an inanimate object, has been transformed into a unique, eye-catching, and highly artistic sculpture. You won't believe it was created by humans. This shows just how much dedication the creator of the Clay Tunnel must have put into making it happen.

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