Thuy Ta Dalat - from 'Frog Pond' to 'shaking coffee'

Thuy Ta Pavilion is one of the iconic images associated with the romantic Xuan Huong Lake in Da Lat (Lam Dong province).

In the early 1930s, the French dug a lake, creating a small island to serve as a visual focal point. On it, they built a water sports club, complete with a three-tiered diving platform for swimming. The structure was built on a system of stilts driven into the lakebed, giving the impression of "flying" above the water.

The Water Pavilion resembles a white boat moored on Xuan Huong Lake - a painting by architect Duy Huynh.

Initially, Thuy Ta was a water sports club - a sketch by architect Bui Hoang Bao.

This is a private club, exclusively for French people to relax. The Vietnamese call it Thủy Tạ, while the French call it "La Grenouillère" (Frog Pond) to commemorate the famous recreational spot of the same name on the outskirts of Paris, where world- renowned painters Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir once depicted it in their paintings.

Bridge over Thuy Ta Restaurant - sketch by architect Thang Ngo

Thuy Ta Restaurant is one of the favorite photo check-in spots for tourists - sketch by artist Tran Binh Minh.

Due to various reasons, Thuy Ta was later renovated into a cafe and restaurant. "Coffee that makes you shiver" is a term locals often use when sitting and drinking coffee there in the evening. Simply because Da Lat is cold, and customers sitting near the windy railing of Thuy Ta all huddle together.

Pedal boating on Xuan Huong Lake - a sketch by architect Tran Xuan Hong

The Water Pavilion was built on an island created by the French digging a lake - a sketch by architect Thang Ngo.

Before 1975, Thuy Ta was a place frequently visited by musician Hoang Nguyen (author of the famous songs "Ai len xu hoa dao" and "Bai tho hoa dao "). It was also here that he imparted his musical knowledge, gradually guiding his student Nguyen Dinh Anh (who later became musician Nguyen Anh 9, author of songs like "Co don," "Khong," and "Buon oi chao mi" ) onto the path of music.

Thuy Ta Pavilion viewed from Xuan Huong Lake - a sketch by fashion designer Le Quang Khanh.

Originally a water sports club, Thuy Ta has been transformed into a restaurant - a sketch by architect Tran Xuan Hong.

At the end of 2023, the small oasis was abuzz with an auction for its lease reaching over 15 billion VND per year. However, the winning bidder forfeited their deposit and withdrew because they wanted to change the name but were not allowed to (the reason being that Thuy Ta is part of the Xuan Huong Lake national scenic area and cannot be rebuilt or renamed).

View from Thuy Ta towards Hoa Binh area - painting by architect Phung The Huy

The Water Pavilion has become one of the highlights associated with Xuan Huong Lake - a sketch by architect Nguyen Hoang Quan.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thuy-ta-da-lat-tu-dam-ech-den-ca-phe-run-185250823203116315.htm