Da Nang has been booming over the last decade, becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination and central business hub in Vietnam. This growth has come to a grinding halt with the onset of the COVID-19 virus.
In 2020 Da Nang recorded negative economic growth for the first time in over 20 years. It’s been especially tough for the hotel business in Da Nang. There was already an overabundance of hotels and apartment rentals in the city. Now with no international tourists, many hotel owners have been forced to sell. Land prices have also decreased dramatically from their 2019 highs.
Those who haven’t sold (or haven’t been able to find a buyer) have barricaded their hotels until further notice.
Even though Vietnam has contained the virus and is operating as usual, hotels that depend on international tourism have been hit hard. I’ve arrived at a few hotels this year only to discover that the hotel has since closed or temporarily shuttered.
The Four Points by Sheraton Danang was closed and barricaded, though it was still being shown on booking sites. With major hotel booking sites laying off thousands of workers, it’s not surprising that hotel listings aren’t being kept up to date.
Despite the gloomy tourism outlook for the next year, there is still construction activity happening around the city. Some hotel projects are still going ahead in the hope that the pandemic will be over once they are finished.
This is a trip report from my visit to Da Nang in November 2020. This post gives a general overview of some of the most prominent projects in the city. For a full list of construction projects, visit the Future Da Nang page.
M Landmark Residences complex
Address: 58 Bach Dang, Hai Chau District, Da Nang.
The M Landmark Residences is almost complete, and it looks finished from a distance.
Work was still ongoing in November 2020.
Golden Square
Address: 71 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Da Nang.
After years of delays and lying idle, the Golden Square project appears to be back on track with workers on site.
This is a great location in the city centre, so I am looking forward to seeing what the retail podium looks like.
Regis Bay Da Nang
Address: 17 Quang Trung, Hai Chau, Da Nang.
The Regis Bay hotel project is almost finished, and the exterior is looking better than what the render suggested.
There were workers onsite when I went by.
Times Square Da Nang
Address: Corner Pham Van Dong and Vo Nguyen Giap.
Times Square Da Nang is the biggest beachside project currently under construction.
The two main towers have topped out and the cranes have been removed.
There were workers on-site when I visited, but it didn’t appear to be urgent work.
Wyndham Soleil Danang
Address: Corner Vo Nguyen Giap and Pham Van Dong, Da Nang.
The first tower of this four-tower complex has been completed, and work was underway on another tower.
Four towers worth of apartments is a lot to try and sell in one go, so they are building in stages. It’s going to be annoying for residents living here if they have to listen to construction noise for the next few years.
Proposed: Corner of Vo Nguyen Giap and Vo Van Kiet
In June 2020 the city announced that it was seeking bids for rights to use the land plot on the corner of Vo Nguyen Giap and Vo Van Kiet. Not only is this a prime beachfront location, but it’s one of the largest undeveloped lots in the city.
The announcement included a mention of a twin tower and a casino complex.
The land size quoted doesn’t match the land on the corner. There are two empty lots on each side of the corner, but it’s not mentioned if the project includes both sides.
Premier Sky Residences
Address: 29 Vo Nguyen Giap.
The Premier Sky Residences was still under construction with workers on site.
There was advertising all over the city for this project, including at the airport.
Risemount Ocean Ward
Address: Lot 7.1 and 7.2, Phuoc My Ward, Son Tra District, Da Nang City.
The two blocks of land that make up the Risemount Ocean Ward project are marked out and cleared. No sign of any construction activity though.
Holiday Beach Danang Hotel & Resort
Address: My Khe Beach, 300 Vo Nguyen Giap, My An Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, Danang.
Holiday Beach Danang Hotel & Resort is in an area that has become popular for expats. According to some review sites it had guests in January 2020, but it was closed when I visited.
The hotel was extending while it was still open. When I visited last year it was also closed and looked like it hadn’t finished construction. While looking for more information about this the search results were filled with hotel booking sites that are still offering bookings.
VV Mall and JW Marriott
Address: 8 Vo Nguyen Giap, Khue My, Ngu Hanh Sơn, Danang.
The VV Mall and JW Marriott Hotel Da nang was completed this year, just in time for the worst time in tourism history to open a new hotel. It stands as finished but unopened.
Ariyana Beach Resort & Suites
Address: 107 Vo Nguyen Giap, Ngu Hanh Sơn, Da Nang.
Work was ongoing at the time of my visit.
This one has been slow going, and I thought it would have been finished by now.
Here is the Ariyana from my visit in December 2019.
Vitours Hoang Cuong Luxury Resort & Hotel Danang Beach
Address: Trưong Sa, Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Sơn, Da Nang.
Another one that is slowly getting done is the Vitours Hoang Cuong project.
Here is the same project from my visit in December 2019.
DAP Tourism Area Project (South Beach Danang)
I visited this site in December 2019 when it was known as the South Beach Danang project. It appears that it has been scaled down and renamed over the last 12 months. A launch ceremony was held in October 2020, but there is no website showing what it looks like.
The old advertising billboards have been taken down, and according to this plan it looks like the site will be holiday villas instead of large hotels.
The boundary fencing appears to have been damaged from the recent storms that hit the central coast.
Cocobay
Address: Cocobay Complex, Group 53 Tan Tra, Truong Sa, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang.
Cocobay is a resort/urban development at the southern border of Da Nang City (half way to Hoi An).
Cocobay had opened for business while the rest of the project was under construction. I visited the site in 2018 and had lunch there. It was a bit of a ghost town, but it was operational.
The project had a fleet of buses with bus stops in the city centre and My Khe Beach to ferry customers to this location. All the buses were parked here in November 2020. The train track in the picture is a mini railway that shuttles guests from the hotel to the beach via a tunnel under the main road.
In November 2019 the developer announced that they could no longer maintain the generous 15 percent annual return on investment that was promised. The site is now completely closed to visitors. I tried to ride in on my motorbike but I was stopped by security. These are photos from the main road.
Read more about Cocobay Da Nang.
Golf View Luxury Apartment Da Nang
Address: Truong Sa, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang.
Next to Cocobay is the Golf View apartment tower.
This project straddles the Da nang/Quang Nam Province border, and it gets its name from the Montgomerie Links golf course on the other side of the road.
Work was still ongoing when I visited.
When viewed from the back, Golfview and Cocobay appear to be the same project.
Not only is the project advertising itself as a golf residence without a golf course, but it’s also advertising itself as being on the future Da Nang-Hoi An metro line. Talks of a Danang metro have been in the news over the last few years, though it appears unlikely to happen.
Other Construction Updates
This is the last construction update for 2020. Other updates this year include Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, and Ho Chi Minh City. The list is Vietnam-centric as I am based in Vietnam during the pandemic, and I haven’t been able to do visit my most frequented cities. Once international travel resumes, expect annual updates for Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Singapore.
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