The architect himself is a legend: this house is not about beauty, it's about “dreams”!

The founder of Crazy House is Dr. Đặng Việt Nga (Đặng Việt Nga), the daughter of the former President of the State, who grew up as a schoolteacher and went to the Soviet Union to study architecture and get her doctorate. Did you think she would take the institutional route? She didn't. Instead, she chose to start her own artistic architecture in the mountain town of Dalat, where she started building this “completely unconventional” house in the 1980s, and it has taken her almost 30 years to turn it into its current size.

The inspiration for the entire building came from nature. She didn't like the cold look of reinforced concrete, so she designed a house that looks like a tree trunk, a room that looks like a mushroom, a staircase that looks like a vine, and windows that look like animal faces. She says, “This is what nature inspired me, that we humans should live in harmony with nature.” That's why you basically don't see any right angles in the crazy house; every room, door, and path bends and curves, and walking in is like entering a fairy tale world deep in the forest, kind of like Alice in Wonderland but with a little bit of Southeast Asian soul mixed in.

The more you look at the house, the more outrageous it becomes, but there are so many details that you'll always want to take pictures!

Crazy House looks like a tree trunk with wings, or like a volcano with a lot of tentacles coming out of it. Seriously, it doesn't look like a “hotel” or a “museum” in the normal sense of the word. When you walk in, you realize that there is no set route, and it's like entering an adventure game with a bit of a sleepwalking feel.

The staircases are winding, some are wall-to-wall and some are almost “roof to roof”. Some of the stairs have no handrails and will make the faint-hearted shiver, but once you're up there, you can see a panoramic view of Dalat City. The walls are lined with sculptures of elephant heads, owl eyes, and a whole bunch of “creature faces” that you can't name. The interiors of the rooms are completely asymmetrical and cave-like, with some rooms looking like they've been dug out and others like mushroom umbrellas growing out of them.

Each room has a different theme, such as “Tiger House”, “Eagle House”, “Ant House”, and is decorated in animal style. You might sleep in a bed with a lizard motif, have a chandelier that looks like a spider's web above your head, and wake up to a “window with eyes” looking at you - it sounds a little scary, but it's also full of childish fun.

The most interesting thing is that although it's called a madhouse, it's actually quite well maintained, with a lot of details taken care of. The walls are also painted with nature conservation motifs, such as forests, oceans, and animals, which is a bit of environmental education. You will not be able to stop taking pictures, just a stairway may have four or five ways of composition waiting for you to discover.

In addition to seeing the house, there are also “live-in” activities and some interactive activities.

Although it is an attraction, Crazy House is actually a hotel where you can stay! That's right, if you want to “stay in a fairy tale at night”, you can directly book a room. The price per room is not too high, ranging from 40 to 80 dollars, depending on the theme. After checking in, the tourists will clear out after 5pm, so you can enjoy the quiet time in this “other world”, which is even more amazing than the daytime.

Sometimes Crazy House also organizes some art exhibitions or creative activities, such as installation art exhibitions, environmental protection lectures, local students' art works exhibition and so on. It's just that these events don't happen every day, so you have to take your chances. You can also ask in advance on the official website or local travel agency if there are any special events.

For kids, this place is like a big playground. Although there are no real slides and swings, there are a lot of floors to explore and many rooms like mazes, so kids will feel like they are breaking into a maze when they walk in. Just be sure to keep your parents company, as some of the stairs are steep and not quite suitable for complete release.

Playing tips and some small things to pay attention to

The location of Crazy House is not far from the center of Dalat, so it's easy to walk or take a taxi. Tickets are 60,000 VND (roughly 2.5 USD), which is very cheap. The opening time is from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm, it is recommended to go earlier, less people are better to take pictures, especially in the morning when the sunlight penetrates into the windows, it is especially good to take pictures.

But also to remind a few points. Crazy house inside a lot of stairs and high passages, not very suitable for people who are not easy on their legs and feet. In addition, although children can go in to play, but it is not recommended to bring a stroller to go in, really will be stuck in the road. It is recommended to wear flat shoes, otherwise it is easy to twist your feet when climbing up and down.

Taking pictures is no problem at all, but don't use flash to take pictures of other people's rooms, and don't touch the sculptures everywhere, so respect the creators' fruits of labor. If you're afraid of heights, some of the hallways may make you a little bit hairy, so go around in advance and don't push yourself.

Crazy House may sound like a joke, but it really isn't just a joke to “attract tourists to take pictures”. Behind it is an artist's insistence on the kind of “liberal architecture” rarely seen in Vietnam, “growing wildly” in a relatively conservative city. You may not learn any heavy history here, nor will you see the ruins of the royal palace, but you will be shocked by the creativity of the “unusual way”, which does not talk about rules, but emotion; does not pursue the symmetry of beauty, but pursues the natural sense of flow. If you like those rules and regulations of European architecture, it may feel it “too chaotic”; but if you are the kind of willing to walk a couple of steps more, to see something special travelers, that Crazy House is definitely worth you to arrange half a day dedicated time. In short, don't miss the Crazy House. It may not be as dignified as other attractions, but it lives freely and purely, and because of this, it is one of the most vital houses in Dalat. After seeing it, you may not be able to help but sigh: in this world, it's only fun to be a little crazy.