Shopping and marketsChợ Đầm
Dam Market
Quick answer
Nha Trang's biggest and oldest market, named after the 7-hectare lagoon it was built on; a market has stood here since about 1908. After a fire destroyed 126 buildings on 16 September 1968 the lagoon was filled with 350,000 cubic metres of sand and the famous lotus-shaped circular hall - 66.5 m across, about 5,270 sqm over two levels - was built, reopening on 3 February 1980. Demolition was announced in 2013 and fought by traders in 2015; in March 2021 trading moved into a new adjacent building, while the round 1970s hall survives as the city's architectural landmark.
Practical
| From the beachfront | 1 km · 5 min |
|---|---|
| Entrance | Free |
| Hours | 05:00-18:30 daily |
| Best time | Before 09:00 for the seafood and the produce; the souvenir stalls run all day |
| Allow | 1-2 hours |
| Foreign visitors | Allowed |
.jpg){kind=link}
Why go
- Dried and fresh seafood, nem nuong, mango rice paper and fish cake at local rather than tourist prices
- The round lotus-shaped hall is one of the few pieces of distinctive 1970s southern Vietnamese architecture left in the city
- Seashell jewellery, woven scarves, lacquerware and conical hats in one place
- A food court in the right wing for banh canh, bun ca and che without leaving the market
How to get there
About 1 km north of Nha Trang Center on Phan Boi Chau street; walk in 15 minutes along Yersin, or any taxi/Grab for a minimum fare.
Tips
- Bargain: guides suggest opening at 20-30% below the asking price and negotiating from there
- Trading is now split between the new hall and the old round building plus the covered lanes - if a stall type is missing, it is in the other building
- Carry small cash and keep your bag in front of you; it is crowded and pickpocketing is the standard warning here
- Prices quoted in dollars are always worse than prices quoted in dong
Map
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to visit Dam Market?
Dam Market: Free. Fees change, so treat this as the last published figure rather than a guarantee.
How far is Dam Market from the beachfront?
Dam Market is about 1 km from the Tran Phu beachfront by road, roughly 5 minutes by taxi.
When is the best time to visit Dam Market?
Best time for Dam Market: Before 09:00 for the seafood and the produce; the souvenir stalls run all day.
How long do I need at Dam Market?
Allow 1-2 hours for Dam Market, not counting the journey each way.
Can foreign visitors go to Dam Market?
Yes, foreign visitors are permitted at Dam Market under the current rules. Carry your passport.
How do I get to Dam Market?
About 1 km north of Nha Trang Center on Phan Boi Chau street; walk in 15 minutes along Yersin, or any taxi/Grab for a minimum fare.
Nearby
Free Beaches · 0km
Nha Trang Beach (Tran Phu Beach)
The municipal beach that fronts Tran Phu street on the west shore of Nha Trang Bay; Vietnam Tourism describes it as about 7 km…
Shopping and markets · 0.3km
Gold Coast Mall and Lotte Mart Nha Trang
A twelve-storey mall at 01 Tran Hung Dao, roughly 200 m back from the beach promenade, with a Lotte Mart supermarket occupying…
Free Stations and piers · 1.5km
Nha Trang Railway Station
The city's mainline station at 17 Thai Nguyen in the former Phuoc Tan ward, about 1.5 km inland from the beach and a few hundre…
Sources
3Every figure on this page comes from one of these pages, fetched on the date shown, or is computed from coordinates.