Located at 64 2 September street in Da Nang’s Hai Chau District, the Ca Massage (Fish Massage) Coffee Shop is drawing a great deal of attention from local residents.  The venue, the first of its kind in the city, is a place where customers can enjoy a relaxing garra rufa fish pedicure service whilst sipping their coffee.

Garra rufa, also known as doctor fish, nibble fish, kangal fish, or bonefish, have been introduced into spa treatments because they gently remove the dead cells from the outer layers of skin without touching the inner layers. This species of fish originates from the river basins of the Northern and Central Middle East, mainly in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Oman.  It is legally protected from commercial exploitation in Turkey due to concerns of overharvesting for export.

Customers enjoying the relaxing garra rufa fish pedicure service

The coffee shop’s owner, 27-year-old Nguyen Tan Hung, said that this special service has been popular in Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi over recent years, but in August his venue became the first in Da Nang to start offering it.  His garra rufa fish were bought in Thailand at between 10,000 and 15,000 VND each.  Customers sit with their feet in a tank of water whilst the fish gently and painlessly nibble away the dead skin.

The coffee shop is always crowded with customers, especially young people, thanks to its varied drinks menu and reasonable prices.  19-year-old Nguyen Thi Kim Anh from the Da Nang College of Foreign Languages said that she has visited the venue 3 times since it opened.  Anh explained that she is very interested in the venue’s garra rufa fish pedicure service and its exciting atmosphere.