To meet the changing tourism needs of tourists, Da Nang has launched a food tour campaign and opened a tea tour on Ban Co (Chess Board) Peak. These are new tourism products to enhance the experiences for tourists when coming to Da Nang.

Culinary venues participating in the Da Nang Food Tour campaign. Photo: NGOC HA

New, unique products

The Ban Co Peak, the place associated with the image of an old man playing chess, has long been a check-in point that cannot be missed by locals and tourists when exploring the nature on the Son Tra Peninsula. However, this place became more famous when in March 2024, American billionaire Bill Gates took a leisure trip here. The event immediately attracted a large number of media and public.

With many favourable factors, the Da Nang Department of Tourism has chosen the tea tour on Ban Co peak as one of the breakthrough products in 2025. The Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang tourist beaches is in charge of organising the tour.

During this special tour, visitors can experience how to enjoy tea of the ancient wealthy class; use tea making tools, choose teapots, cups, water; brew tea or enjoy under the guidance of the available artisan.

Visitors are arranged a private tea time slot, with few people to fully experience and avoid affecting other visitors. This product is aimed at high-class guests who like to experience culture and tea ceremony.

Recently, the Department of Tourism announced the Da Nang Food Tour campaign, under the inspiring slogan ‘Enjoy DN Food Tour – Beyond Bites’, which was first deployed in the city.

Accordingly, the department has launched a digital culinary map at www.foodtourdanang.vn. The platform offers a wealth of information on local specialties, regional Vietnamese and international cuisine, Michelin Guide-recommended establishments, delightful gift-worthy delicacies, and an array of dining options across 400 carefully selected venues.

In this campaign, from December 15, 2024 to March 15, 2025, the department issues more than 10,000 ‘culinary passports’ in both Vietnamese and English at key locations: Tourism Information Desks (Domestic and International Arrival Terminals, Da Nang International Airport); Tourist Support Center (18 Hung Vuong, Hai Chau District, Da Nang; selected culinary establishments and prominent hotels and attractions.

This thoughtful distribution is limited to 150-200 passports daily or adjusted based on demand, ensuring tourists and residents can partake. With every purchase at one of the 50 selected culinary establishments, participants can collect a unique stamp featuring the Da Nang Food Tour logo and each venue’s branding.

The Ban Co Peak associated with the image of an old man playing chess, has long been a check-in spot that cannot be missed by locals and tourists. Photo: NGOC HA

Efforts to make a difference

According to Mr. Ly Dinh Quan, the Chairman of the Da Nang Culinary Culture Association, the Ban Co Peak is an ideal space for tea drinking because it combines serenity and natural beauty; sipping a cup of tea, listening to the rustling wind and admiring the city view from above is memorable experience.

Through tea drinking experiences, visitors can take an insight into Vietnamese tea culture and stories about the life and customs of Da Nang people.

However, this is a new, high-end cultural experience tourism service activity, requiring service tours to have artisans or experts in Vietnamese tea and service resources with knowledge of tea culture. In addition, tourism businesses need to boldly connect and cooperate with partners to build and design quality tea cultural tours that can win tourists’ hearts.

“To support the implementation of the tea tour on Ban Co Peak and the Da Nang Food Tour campaign, the Da Nang Culinary Culture Association will coordinate with the municipal Department of Tourism and related culinary cultural units, businesses to connect with Vietnamese tea experts, support their participation in promotional programmes contributing to creating more creative products in the tourism industry,” said Mr. Ly Dinh Quan.

Businesses participating in the Da Nang Food Tour campaign in the city unanimously promote Da Nang cuisine to attract more domestic and international tourists.

According to Ms. Do Thi Yen, the Director of the Draff beer & Veranda restaurant chain, one of the 50 locations selected for the Culinary Passport, her business is striving to introduce the goodness, beauty, and delicacies of Da Nang cuisine to diners.

“Building a story for a dish is very important so that when enjoying it, customers can feel the dish more attractive. In addition to local typical dishes, other popular seafood dishes, Da Nang people still have their own way of preparing them. That is how we bring culture into cuisine, creating a difference to attract more tourists to the city," Ms. Yen expressed.

According to Ms. Truong Thi Hong Hanh, the Director of the municipal Department of Tourism, in 2025, the Da Nang Food Tour campaign will also continue to expand many activities such as the Culinary Passport programme with the themes of Street Food and Fine Dining, Chef Tour and Food Race, and culinary festival activities.

This unit will coordinate with the Viet Nam Restaurant Association, the Culinary Culture Association to conduct surveys to evaluate facilities, service quality and build new culinary products associated with the experience of tourists.

This is an opportunity for the city to enhance the recognition of the culinary destination brand on the tourism map of Viet Nam and the world, contributing to developing cuisine into a unique tourism product of Da Nang.

Reporting by NGOC HA - Translating by A.THU