Da Lat in December is cool, dry and festive: the rainy season is over, the old churches light up for Christmas, and in 2026 the city hosts its Flower Festival in the last two weeks of the year. Here is how cold it gets, what is on, which flowers you may see, what to wear and how to plan around the crowds.
What is the weather like in Da Lat in December?
December is in the dry season. On average the days reach 21.4°C and the nights fall to 13.2°C, with rain on only about 6 days. The lowest temperature on record for the month is 2.6°C. Sunny afternoons are pleasant in a T-shirt; once the sun goes down, the wind feels cold, especially by the lake or on the pine hills.
| Average | Nov | Dec | Jan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average high | 21.7°C | 21.4°C | 22.3°C |
| Average low | 14.6°C | 13.2°C | 11.7°C |
| Rainfall | 93.5 mm | 36.2 mm | 9.1 mm |
| Rainy days | About 12 | About 6 | About 2 |
| Sunshine | About 169 hours | About 199 hours | About 237 hours |
More months are compared in Da Lat weather by month.
Da Lat Flower Festival 2026
The Flower Festival is usually held in December, roughly every two years, with recent editions in 2019, 2022 and 2024. The 11th festival, themed “Da Lat – a harmony of flowers and music”, has 11 main programmes and 25 side events concentrated in December 2026, according to Báo Lâm Đồng. The main dates in the province’s plan:
| Event | Planned date | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Opening ceremony, broadcast live on VTV | 8 pm, Saturday 19 December 2026 | Lâm Viên Square |
| International flower and ornamental plant exhibition | 18 December 2026 – 3 January 2027 | Da Lat Flower Garden |
| Vietnam brocade culture festival | 22–23 December 2026 | Lâm Viên Square |
| Vegetable and flower market; tea, coffee and wine street | 24 December 2026 – 3 January 2027 | Lâm Viên Square fountain; Hồ Tùng Mậu Street |
| Closing ceremony and New Year 2027 show | 8 pm, Thursday 31 December 2026 | Lâm Viên Square |
Newspapers confirmed the opening and closing dates in early October 2026. The rest comes from the plan the province published in June, so treat it as provisional: a jazz festival on Xuân Hương Lake (25–27 December) is in that plan but was missing from the programme list given at the 8 October press briefing. Thanh Niên reports that the flower installations and flower streets are being built to stay up at least until the Lunar New Year, so a January trip still catches them. Check the official schedule from Lâm Đồng province close to your dates.
Are there fireworks on New Year’s Eve?
According to the province’s plan, yes: the closing night on 31 December 2026 includes low-altitude fireworks to welcome 2027, and the opening night on 19 December has high-altitude fireworks. The plan was made in June and newer reports have not repeated these details, so check again in December. For reference, on the last New Year’s Eve Lâm Đồng fired 15 minutes of low-altitude fireworks at midnight at three sites, including Lâm Viên Square, according to Dân trí.
Christmas in Da Lat
- Da Lat Cathedral (13 Trần Phú), built from 1931 to 1942 and nicknamed the Chicken Church for the bronze rooster on its 47 m tower. Wikipedia notes that every Christmas it draws large crowds, Catholic and not, for Mass and sightseeing. During services, keep quiet and leave space for worshippers.
- Domaine de Marie Church (1 Ngô Quyền), with its deep pink walls and a statue of the Virgin Mary about 3 m tall in a large, leafy garden.
- On Christmas Eve 2025, Mass at the cathedral ran from 8 pm to 9:15 pm, the busiest time of the night; the night market was packed and a giant Christmas tree stood in Lâm Viên Square, according to Báo Lâm Đồng. The 2026 times are not out yet. With children or older relatives, go early in the evening.
Cherry blossoms and pink grass
Cherry blossoms (mai anh đào) usually open in late December or mid-January and need a cold spell to bloom, according to VnExpress. In the 2025–2026 season several cold snaps brought them out early: at the Cầu Đất tea hills they bloomed 10–15 days earlier than the year before. A season lasts about 6–8 weeks.
Pink grass (cỏ hồng) blooms from about early November to the end of December, at its best in late November, according to VnExpress. In the first half of December you are more likely to catch pink grass than cherry blossoms.
What to wear in Da Lat in December
- A T-shirt or thin thermal top as a base layer.
- A sweater, fleece or hoodie in the middle.
- A windproof or light padded jacket for the evening, especially for outdoor shows.
- A scarf, beanie and gloves if you ride a motorbike at night.
- Shoes with a good grip for the hills, plus lip balm and moisturiser for the dry wind.
Plan around the crowds
- In 2026 Christmas falls inside the festival week, followed by New Year’s Eve: book your room and transport early.
- Stay near the centre so you can walk to the lake, the market and the churches.
- Visit flower displays in the morning or on a weekday to take photos without the crowds.
- Keep an eye on your belongings in crowded places, especially on show nights.
Warm up after a cold evening
A day of walking in the cold wind leaves legs and shoulders stiff. The Pine Spa & Wellness is a short walk from Da Lat Market, open from 09:00 to 21:00, with Vietnamese head spa, massages and a long relaxation package; see Vietnamese head spa in Da Lat. December is a busy month, so book ahead: call or message +84 868 097 660, also on Zalo.
Vietnamese readers can find this guide at Đà Lạt tháng 12.
