Han Market — what to buy, and how to bargain to avoid getting ripped off

Han Market is located right at the corner of Tran Phu and Hung Vuong streets, just a short walk from the Han River. It is the most frequently visited market by tourists in Da Nang, which is why prices there are also the most flexible and negotiable.

Easy-to-remember layout: the ground floor has dried goods, spices, dried seafood, and snacks; the second floor is almost entirely clothes and textiles. If you want to buy specialty products to take home, just stay on the ground floor—no need to go upstairs.

Best-selling items: tamarind-braised squid, sun-dried squid, Tra river goby fish, dried shrimp, dried beef, sesame candy, and various fermented fish sauces. For dried goods, be sure to ask about the packing date — items that have been sitting too long turn rancid, and you'll taste it right away.

About bargaining: dry goods stalls in this market mostly have listed prices that are fairly honest, so haggling too much isn't really reasonable. Clothing, bag, and souvenir stalls, on the other hand, tend to quote prices quite a bit higher than what they'll actually sell for — offering half and then negotiating up from there is about right.

A few things you should know before entering:

• The market opens early, already bustling by around 6 a.m., but it's busiest from 9–11 a.m. and in the early afternoon. • Bring cash. Many stalls accept QR code payments, but not every stall does. Want to dine in? The dining area is inside, and we have bánh bèo, bún mắm, and various types of chè available. Don't ask the price if you're not planning to buy — at traditional markets, that can easily become awkward for both of you.

If you just want to buy specialty products quickly and don't want to bother bargaining, supermarkets and specialty shops along Bach Dang also sell similar items at fixed prices. In exchange, though, you won't get that market atmosphere.