Le Duan is considered to be one of the busiest inner-city streets in Da Nang.  The over 2 km-long street runs from the western side of the Han River Swing Bridge in the east to the Cay Lang T-Junction in the west.

During the period of French control, this street was named Rue Pigneau de Béhaine after a French clergyman who was also known by his Vietnamese name Ba Da Loc.  On behalf of Lord Nguyen Anh, he signed the Treaty of Versailles in 1779 during the reign of Louis XVI, the King of France.  The street was renamed Thong Nhat (Unification) in 1950, and then in May 1987 it was given its current name in honour of the late Party General Secretary, Mr Le Duan.  He was a founding member of the Indochinese Communist Party in 1930, and took over from Ho Chi Minh as the First Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party in 1960.  He became Party General Secretary in 1976, and he retained the top leadership position in the Communist Party of Viet Nam’s Central Committee until he died 10 years later. 

Le Duan is considered something of a golden street in Da Nang and is famous for its specialised shopping areas.  There are numerous stores which sell fashionable clothes, footwear, bags and cosmetics, with famous brand names such as Ninomax, John Henry, Pavilion Bags, Converse, Adidas and THEFACESHOP.  Also on this street, there are 2 tailoring shops with over 20 years experience of making Ao Dai, the traditional outfit of Vietnamese women.  They are the Lien and Hong Hanh tailors, and they are a good choice for foreigners who are interested in the Ao Dai and want to have a unique souvenir from Viet Nam.  In addition, Le Duan Street is home to educational institutions, cultural houses, book stores and banks.  They include the University of Da Nang, the Phan Chau Trinh Senior High School, the Fahasa and Phuong Nam book stores, the Centre of Cultural Heritage Management, and banks such as Maritime, Dong A, Nam A and Techcombank.

Visitors to Le Duan Street can easily find some cozy restaurants which serve delicious Vietnamese dishes - the Luc Lac, Tran and Do (Red) restaurants for example- as well as fast food outlets such as KFC and Lotteria.  Furthermore, this street also has many coffee shops, including Nemo, Big Boy and Anna, which are ideal for those who want to enjoy a coffee and have a wonderful time with their families and friends.  The street is also bustling with many cellphone stores like The Gioi Di Dong and Quoc Hung.  It is a busy street, but yet you can also find some places offering peace and solitude, including the Tan Hoa Pagoda and the Ngoc Giang Monastery.

Le Duan Street is worth a visit for shopping and enjoying the wide range of local specialities.