In addition to the bustling food area, Con Market also features many stalls selling souvenirs and local specialties.

Con Market, established in 1940, is considered a culinary "maze" in the heart of Da Nang by many tourists, offering a full range of local specialties such as avocado ice cream, fish paste noodle soup (bun mam), Quang noodles (mi Quang), cao lau, and Vietnamese savory pancakes (banh xeo).

Local residents say this market draws visitors not only with its diverse goods but also with the civilized trading culture of its vendors, where aggressive touting or price gouging does not occur.

The market complex includes one three-story building, two two-story buildings, and 6 single-story buildings. Its name, Con Market, originated from its initial construction on a sand dune (con cat).

Food is sold both indoors and outdoors. The indoor area, known as the Food Court, is divided into two distinct sections.

Tran Thi Xi, owner of a bun mam stall with over 30 years of experience at Con Market, stated that the market's appearance has become brighter since the management renovated it, laid ceramic tiles, and upgraded the lighting system.

At Ms. Xi's stall, diners can find dishes such as bun mam, mi Quang, and grilled pork noodle soup (bun thit nuong). The owner is willing to purchase food from other stalls if customers request it. According to Ms. Xi, this is a distinctive cultural aspect of Con Market, where vendors consistently support each other rather than engaging in aggressive competition for customers.

Each serving of bun mam at Ms. Xi's stall costs VND 40,000 and includes vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, roasted pork, and fermented anchovy sauce (mam nem) made from pure mackerel. The owner explained that while mam nem can be prepared from anchovies, tuna, or swordfish, mackerel still provides the best flavor despite its higher cost.

After purchasing, the pure fish paste is filtered to remove bones and then finely ground. To reduce saltiness, Ms. Xi uses pineapple juice cooked with rock sugar, simmers it until thick, and then mixes it with the fish paste.

Truong Huyen, a regular customer in Da Nang, stated that she frequently visits Con Market because the food has a homemade flavor and is affordable.

"The stall owners are always welcoming and hospitable, regardless of the time", Ms. Huyen said.

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Tran Thi Thu Thanh (in an orange shirt), owner of a mixed cake stall at Con Market, often addresses customers as "baby" to show hospitality. Her stall is currently a "double lot", managed by her and her mother.

Each portion of mixed cakes, including banh beo, banh uot, banh it, banh bot loc, and banh can, costs VND 35,000 and is considered sufficiently filling for female tourists.

According to the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center, the civilized behavior of Con Market vendors results from a coordinated campaign by various authorities, combined with the local cultural foundation.

The city has implemented solutions to enhance service attitudes towards tourists, ranging from the Tourism Code of Conduct to the Da Nang SMILE tourism culture criteria (from 2025). This initiative concretizes behavioral standards, helping vendors understand their role in building the destination's image.

Additionally, management units regularly collaborate to provide communication skills training, guidance on price listing, food safety assurance, and fostering a friendly business environment.

Chau Ngoc, a regular market visitor, noted that most vendors have been operating for many years. The openness and cooperative spirit among sellers have become a distinctive cultural trait of Da Nang.

A representative from the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center agreed that the inherently friendly and sincere nature of the local people is a decisive factor.

Hoang Thuy Trang (in a white shirt), a tourist from Quang Binh, was impressed by the clean environment and diverse cuisine when she visited Con Market in late April. After trying rice paper rolls with pork (banh trang cuon thit heo), she found the roasted pork fragrant, complemented by a mam nem that had a harmonious blend of spicy, salty, and sweet flavors.

"In Quang Binh, the spicy or salty flavors are usually distinct, not as blended as the dipping sauce here", Trang said.

After an hour of shopping and dining at Con Market, Truong Quang Vinh, a tourist from Quang Binh, and his friends spent over one million VND on gifts such as banh nhan (longan cakes), banh dua (coconut cakes), sam dua (pandan leaf drink), and com chay (crispy rice crackers).

On Google Review, Da Nang's Con Market has a rating of 4,3 stars, with nearly 22,000 reviews, many from international tourists. Most customers leave positive comments about the market's friendly trading culture, suggesting it as a "must-visit" spot in Da Nang.

A foreign customer account named Binder Vegas wrote, "A really interesting market. Very bustling. Everyone is friendly. Signs say no bargaining. But they are still willing to negotiate. Got some bargains. Shopping here is a lot of fun."

Tu Nguyen

Photos: Giang Huy