A Flight Over Đà Lạt in 1968–1971 Before the Tourism Boom

If you’ve taken a trip to Lâm Đồng within the last few years, these scenes seem like a distant dream of a sparsely populated and verdant Đà Lạt that’s engulfed by nature.

These incredible aerial shots were taken by Bill Robie, a US Air Force veteran, in 1968 and 1971. As his plane slid past downtown Đà Lạt, Robie was able to capture the central Đà Lạt Market and other famous landmarks in great detail. Many of these buildings may face demolition under a new urban development plan published not long ago by city officials.

See a bird’s-eye view of old Đà Lạt below:

The central area of Đà Lạt before 1975 with the Hòa Bình Theater on the left and Đà Lạt Market on the right.

Another viewpoint of Hòa Bình Theater.

Xuân Hương Lake.

Pongour Waterfall.

The roundabout in front of Đà Lạt Market.

An elevated path above a row of kiosks.

Đa Nhim Hydroelectric Power Station and dam on the right.

Central Đà Lạt, surrounded by forests.

Central Đà Lạt from above.

[Photos by Bill Robie via Redsvn]