It is still the Han market of the vibrant days of March and April with the familiar stream of tourists from South Korea, Japan, China, India flocking to visit and shop. It is still a majestic but humble Han market with ancient features, surrounded by busy streets of Bach Dang, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Pham Phu Thu and Hung Vuong.

Located in the city’s inner, near the Han River and Rong (Dragon) bridges, with facades on 4 urban streets, the Han market is a large shopping address, familiar not only to residents but also tourists coming to Da Nang. Photo: ST

But, it seems that there is also a very different Han market. It is a market that is preparing for the change that has been announced. Coming to Han market at this time, you will feel more clearly the harmony and cultural interference as through handicraft items carefully searched and collected from famous traditional craft villages across Viet Nam.

Also on display are a wide range of famous specialities that have made this market a brand such as dried seafood brought from many remote areas by people in Central Viet Nam. These gifts have a very unique salty, sweet and sour flavour, spent weeks and months being dried, then packaged, labelled and displayed on store shelves to attract the attention of tourists.

In the minds of Vietnamese people, and Da Nang residents in particular, when talking about the Han Market, everyone thinks of the most typical, busiest and famous market in DaNang. But, even though it still maintains its attraction and become an indispensable destination for domestic and foreign tourists every time they visit Da Nang, Han Market still needs to be renewed and efforts are always needed to bring unique tourism products, increase the quality and professionalism of the market, making an important contribution to promoting the city’s economic, tourism and service development.

The new and different face of the Han Market came after new moves taken by the municipal authorities. First of all, the People's Committee of Hai Chau 1 Ward in Hai Chau District recently restore urban order and traffic order at the market by ensuring 100% public sidewalks exclusively for pedestrians around the Han market. One-way traffic is applied to sections of Hung Vuong and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets stretching from their intersections with Bach Dang to Tran Phu streets during daily peak hours, from 10:00 a.m - 12:00 p.m and from 4:30 p.m - 6:00p.m.

In support for the local government-made policy, Mr. Le Ngoc Huu, a vehicle parking attendant at the Han market, said that this is a completely correct policy to form commercial civilisation as the market welcomes many domestic and foreign tourists every day. Mr. Vo Truong Anh, the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hai Chau 1 Ward, assessed that the implementation policies had been disseminated before, so the vast majority of traders have strictly abide by them.

In another development, the Hai Chau District People's Committee recently announced a plan to pilot the Bach Dang Pedestrian Street project. Bach Dang walking wtreet, slated to open on April 27, is expected to be a new tourism product, a night-time economic model that helps promote the economic development of Hai Chau District, and Da Nang as a whole.

Under the plan, the much-awaited pedestrian street project is expected to be located on the extended Bach Dang Street, exactly the section from the approaching roads to the Tran Thi Ly Street to the end of the APEC Sculpture Park with a length of 1.2km, connecting with Nguyen Van Troi pedestrian bridge.

Recently, the Hai Chau District authorities have proactively proposed and implemented many solutions to support the  economic development such as building a project to develop the night economy in the district, piloting Bach Dang Pedestrian Street, upgrading specialized trading streets on Le Thanh Nghi and Huynh Thuc Khang streets; replicating non-cash payment routes, supporting the promotion of OCOP (One Commune –One Product) items.

All of the cited moves have the same goal of creating changes in the appearance of the city's central district, in which the Han market, with its new changes, has been a signal for the process of renewing itself to harmonise with the inevitable development of the times, and further, to contribute to affirming Da Nang's stature as a tourist city, a favourite destination with unique highlights.

Reporting by KHANH HOA - Translating by A.THU