Da Nang Shopping and Districts

(Da Nang, Vietnam)

As expected in a large industrial and commercial city such as Da Nang, shopping opportunities are many and varied. Western-style retail therapy begins at the mall-style Da Nang Supermarket in the downtown area, close to the central rail station and Big C in the centre, and spreads outwards, getting less Western as it goes, past souvenir and handicraft centres to the real Vietnam in the many open air local markets.

There are also lots of small shops and souvenir stalls on the beach roads and in the blocks behind the promenades, and the usual upmarket comparatively expensive handicraft and fashion boutiques are found in the resort complexes. Wherever you are, do remember that bargaining is still a way of life here, and can be a lot more fun than it seems.

When to Shop and Where

Vietnam is a great place to buy clothes, shoes, DVDs and homewares, and both the shops and markets are crammed full of good quality examples. For those visitors with lots of time for shopping, the recently-opened French-owned Big C is well worth a visit, as is the Da Nang Supermarket store, with its floors of jewellery, fashions, accessories, home textiles and much more.

If it is handicrafts you are after, Vietnam doesn't have the selection of, say, nearby Thailand, but what is there is interesting and very well made. The best sources of traditional craft items are Da Nang's daily markets, which carry a selection from across the central region.

Silk and silk products are a good buy here, with many believing that Vietnamese silk is now superior to Thai silk. Table runners, cushions and other decorative home items are popular, as are hard stone and wood carvings. If you are shopping for something individual in the silken clothing line, many shops will make any item up in two days from your description or drawing.

Vietnamese silver in Da Nang is as traditional as you can get and good value, whether it is an ornament or a piece of jewellery, and traditional pottery here is colourful and decorative. For the art-lover, there are traditional painted wall-hangings and other art works by local artists, easily available at good prices.