Over recent years, Da Nang has welcomed a large number of visitors from both home and abroad. However, the city is now facing a shortage of night-time shopping areas. Meanwhile, such venues have become very popular with both residents and visitors in elsewhere in the country like Nha Trang, Da Lat and Phu Quoc.

Tran Bach Dang, an internal street in the An Thuong Quarter, is always crowded wwith foreign visitors

In an attempt to meet the diversified entertainment demands of visitors, relevant local  agencies are focusing on completing plans aimed at developing nigh markets in the districts of Hai Chau, Ngu Hanh Son, Son Tra and Thanh Khe in a bid to create new landmarks catering for both locals and visitors. Night market development plans will be submitted to the municipal government for final approval soon.

In Hai Chau District, the around 40 billion VND Da Nang Night Market and Pedestrian Space project is expected to be established on an area of 21,000m², stretching about 1,000m, from western end of the Rong (Dragon) Bridge (opposite the APEC Park) to western end of the Nguyen Van Troi.

Five parking lots exclusively for vehicles of shoppers will be set up at this shopping venue, and such auxiliary facilities as wastewater treatment, public sanitation, lighting, and fire prevention and fire fighting systems will be installed there.

The Da Nang Night Market and Pedestrian Space project is expected to be established on an area of 21,000m2, stretching about 1,000m, from western end of the Rong (Dragon) Bridge (opposite the APEC Park) to western end of the Nguyen Van Troi.

The Son Tra Night Market project near the Da Nang Marina complex on the eastern bank of the Han River will be opened in the coming time.

This new night market will be located on a 150m-long section of Mai Hac De between its intersections with Phung Khac Khoan and Trieu Viet Vuong, and along a 30m-long section of Ly Nam De.

There will be a total of 152 stalls, 56 of which sell fashionable clothes, bags and footwear, 28 offer food and drinks, and the rest feature specialities, dried seafood, souvenirs, books, pictures and other commodities.

Once open, this venue will daily operate from 6.00pm until midnight.

The new market is expected to create a combined tourist and shopping space in the inner city, thereby attracting more visitors to the city, and encouraging them to extend their stay in the city.

With regard to Ngu Hanh Son District, the My An Ward-located An Thuong Quarter will be developed into the first tourism area catering to night-time shopping and entertainment activities.

This much-awaited project will be bounded by 4 main streets, namely Hoang Ke Viem to North, Ngo Thi Sy to the South, Chau Thi Vinh Te to the west, and Vo Nguyen Giap to the east.

In detail, the project will be divided into 3 stages, spanning from this year until 2025, with a focus on developing infrastructure facilities, making traffic re-arrangements along internal roads, and constructing a square and underground parking areas.

Once operational, the quarter will become the city’s ‘Pho Tay’ (Street of Foreigners) which offers various drinking and eating services, and attractive night-time entertainment activities for foreign visitors.

Mr Rich Martin from the UK who has been living and working in the city for over 1 year, said that streets of foreigners have been established in such Vietnamese localities as Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang. Such these streets, which feature many bars and pubs, are ideal places for foreigners to meet with each other, and to enjoy relaxing moments.

Ms Vo Bich Phuong from Ha Noi who has visited Da Nang for 3 occasions within 5 years underlined a must-do for the city to develop new attractive night markets in the current context of growing influx of visitors from both home and aboard keeping pouring into this beautiful and dynamic city. 

Hopefully, such shopping venues will offer more nigh-time entertainment spaces in the city, and especially, encourage to visitors to increase their spending and enjoy local cuisine and cultural values.