Clay Tunnel Dalat: Ultimate Visiting Guide 2024

Visiting Clay Tunnel Dalat is one of the best things to do when visiting Dalat. I visited the attraction during my 3 days there, and it was pretty unique.

It’s very popular amongst Asian tourists in Vietnam and it’s growing in popularity with Westerners too, but I struggled to find much information about the park online in English.

That’s why I’ve put together this complete guide with everything you need to know about visiting Clay Tunnel Dalat.

What Is Clay Tunnel Dalat?

Clay Tunnel Dalat is one of the most obscure yet unique attractions in Vietnam. It’s kind of like a theme park but without any rides. It reminded me of some of the themed lands in Disney.

It’s nicknamed an “art world”, and it is essentially a clay village with lots of sculptured landscapes, buildings, etc. Ironically, there isn’t a tunnel at all – at least not a covered one, all of the park is open-air.

To be fair, it fits in with the theme of Dalat as it’s very similar to the Crazy House and also Maze Bar.

The sculptures represent Dalat and its progression through time, but there are also some iconic landmarks from throughout Vietnam.

It only opened in 2014, so it’s fairly new, but it’s become popular because of its abundance of photo opportunities.

Where Is Clay Tunnel Dalat?

Clay Tunnel Dalat is actually a good bit outside of the city itself. Unfortunately, it’s not the most accessible place you can go to.

It’s approximately 30 minutes outside of Dalat to the south by car.

You can see its location on Google Maps. Google Maps is notoriously unreliable in Vietnam, but in this case, it does have Clay Tunnel in the right location.

Since it is to the south, a lot of people I met chose to visit the park and Datlana Waterfall Park on the same day. I visited on separate days but if you’re short on time, it makes sense logistically.

How To Get To Clay Tunnel Dalat

When I visited, since there is no Uber in Vietnam, I got a Grab bike to the park.

I have to say, I’m glad I did because the drive was stunning and showed me the beauty of Dalat and its mountains.

The only downside was because it’s so far outside the city, it’s impossible to get a Grab or taxi back to Dalat. No one will come out that far to get you.

In the end, I made friends with two other travellers and they gave me a lift back to Dalat on their bikes.

Which is why the best way of getting to the park is by renting your own bike or car. It’s very cheap and gives you a lot of flexibility for your travels.

Another option is to take a day tour which includes a visit to the park, but personally, I would rather be able to decide for myself how long to spend at places rather than having to stick with a group.

Clay Tunnel Dalat Ticket Price

Tickets to Clay Tunnel Dalat cost 120k dong for an adult ticket. This is equivalent to $4.80 USD, so it’s kind of expensive by Vietnam’s price standards, but it’s still pretty reasonable if you ask me.

For kids, the price is 50k dong which is $2 on the dot, which I think is a more realistic price tag for the entry fee.

You just buy tickets upon arrival – there is no way to buy online and prices online are out of date as the attraction increased the prices a year or two ago but some sources haven’t updated.

They only take cash, but it’s easily fixed if you use Revolut in Vietnam as you can withdraw cash from ATMs freely with no additional fees.

Parking costs 8k dong ($0.32) which is reasonable and pretty average across Vietnam as the usual price range for parking is 5-10k dong.

Is It Worth Visiting Clay Tunnel Dalat?

I think whether it’s worth visiting or not depends on who you are. If you are a family with young kids, it’s definitely worth visiting no doubt about it.

If you love posing and taking photos, then you will love it as there are endless photo opportunities in the park.

On the other hand, if you’re a solo traveller backpacking Vietnam who doesn’t really care for make-believe, then you probably will think it’s a tourist trap.

I also think if you have been to Disney or another high-quality theme park, you might find it a bit underwhelming, because it’s pretty much theming like Disney’s lands, but without the rides.

It has over 14,000 reviews on Google, which range from the best place ever to an absolute waste of money. So I think it’s a case of you either love it or hate it.

How Long To Spend At Clay Tunnel Dalat

How long you spend at Dalat Clay Tunnel more or less comes down to how many photos you think you will take. I didn’t pose for too many so I was finished pretty quickly.

I would say you need at least 45 minutes to get around the park without rushing. If you plan to eat something there too, I would allow 1 hour and 30 minutes in total.

To be honest, I think it would be hard to spend longer than this here – while it’s a good way to kill some time, you aren’t going to be spending a full day at the park.

Things To Do At Clay Tunnel Dalat

Now that you know everything about what it is, where it is, how to get there and how much it costs, it’s time to get into the fun bit: what there actually is to do there.

My visit still kind of feels like a fever dream to be honest. It’s one of the most bizarre places I have ever visited, but that also made it oddly fascinating.

1. Get a photo with the Two Human Heads

The most famous spot from the Clay Tunnel is the two human heads. There are a few sculptures overlooking the lake but it’s by far the most popular.

It looks exactly as it does in the pictures, but it is impressive in real life to be fair. There’s always a queue here for photos so make sure to respect it.

There is also an automatic camera which takes your photo and you can pay for a printed copy. Personally, I just opted for photos on my phone but it could be a nice idea if you want a keepsake.

2. Explore the COVID-19 Park

I still can’t believe this is a thing, but for some reason, there is a COVID-19 Park as part of the attraction.

It features clay models of COVID-19 particles, vaccines and other things related to the pandemic. Why it was made I have no idea, but if you want to silently question it, it’s a funny way to spend 5 minutes.

3. Admire the sculptures

Of course, there are lots of other sculptures around the park to admire. My personal favourites were a plane and elephants, but there are so many different models along the way featuring all sorts of things.

The areas also have kind of funny names because of how blunt they are, such as “Rooster Church” and my favourite, “Nuclear Research Lab”.

4. Buy some souvenirs

Like every attraction in Vietnam, there are stills within the park selling bits and bobs as souvenirs.

They have typical souvenirs such as conical hats, elephant pants and other things you can find anywhere in Vietnam, along with traditional souvenirs like magnets and keyrings.

5. Enjoy something to eat

There are a few food spots to try within the Clay Tunnel ranging from a quick bite to sit-down restaurants.

The prices are actually quite reasonable for being within a tourist attraction, so if you want to extend your stay as much as possible, why not have a meal?

Clay Tunnel Dalat Visiting Tips

To help you make the most of your visit to Clay Tunnel in Dalat, I’ve put together some top tips for visiting the tourist attraction.

• Ask your driver to wait: If you do choose to get a taxi or a Grab to the park, ask them to wait to give you a lift back to the city. They’ll usually be happy to wait for a fee, and since you won’t be spending all day at the park, it’s not that big of a price.
• Get an ice cream: When I was in the park, I got an ice cream for 10k dong which was really refreshing in the warm weather, particularly as there isn’t much shade in the park and it’s all open.
• Queue politely: At the most popular photo spots such as the Two Heads, people just completely disregarded the queue and bunked to the front. Don’t be that person…
• If you are white, expect to be a celebrity: While it’s a thing throughout Vietnam, I’ve never been asked to take more photos with people than I did here, simply because I am white. I don’t mind personally, but just a heads up in advance…
• Visit early in the morning: Since it’s a prime spot for taking photos, you want to avoid the crowds as best as possible and the way to do this is by visiting early in the morning. Crowds start to get busier from around 11 am.
• Don’t climb where it’s not allowed: There are signs telling you if you can climb on the sculptures or not. Make sure you respect the signs and only climb when it is allowed.
• Follow the sightseeing route: The best way to explore the park is to follow the route signposted. It takes you through the growth of Dalat, so it tells the story better than going in the opposite direction.

FAQs

Below are some commonly asked questions about the Dalat Clay Tunnel along with my answer to each question.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it, a complete guide to visiting the Clay Tunnel Dalat.

If you have kids, it’s a great way to spend a few hours