After nearly two years since the international borders closed, Vietnam reopened to the world in March 2022. As soon as I was able to return I went to Da Nang.
My last construction report for Da Nang was in the first year of the lockout in November 2020. Few would have predicted that the country would remain closed for the entirety of 2021. The international shutdown hit the tourism sector hard, with many hotels closing down. I was stuck in lockdown in Saigon and then I had to leave the country, so I didn’t get to do a Da Nang construction report for 2021.
I finally returned in May 2022 to survey how the city is faring after reopening. It is going to be a long recovery, especially when you consider that Da Nang’s biggest tourist market (South Korea) hasn’t reopened yet. It is also speculated that China will not reopen for the rest of the year, so it will take some time before tourism levels could recover to 2019 levels. This means that the concrete shells of stalled hotel projects could haunt the coastline for years to come.
This is a trip report from my visit to Da Nang in May 2022. It is usually hot and dry at this time of year, but I was there during an unseasonably cool and cloudy time, so the photos are a bit dull. The report highlights some of the most prominent projects. For a full list of construction projects, visit the Future Da Nang page.
M Landmark Residences
Address: 58 Bach Dang, Hai Chau District, Da Nang.
The M Landmark Residences (also known as Courtyard by Marriott & Marriott Executive Apartments) typifies the big projects of Danang that have been working through the pandemic. This landmark tower in the city side of Danang barely looks like it has changed since I last saw it. Perhaps they are working with the bare minimum of construction workers to keep the site live, while not rushing to open until international travel has fully resumed.
There was construction equipment on the ground, and I didn’t see any workers until this crew was hoisted up to install the branding sign for the developer.
Alphanam has signage along with the Marriott brand.
Golden Square
Address: 71 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Da Nang.
Golden Square has been off and on for years, and in 2020 it was back on. Now it has stalled again, and they have now removed the cranes, suggesting a long-term pause in the project.
Diamond Square
Address: Hung Vuong, Da Nang.
Opposide Golden Square on the other side of Hung Vuong Park is the Diamond Square project.
This signage is new since my last visit, and so far there is no website or other details to go with it.
Sojo Hotel Da Nang
Address: Le Duan, Da Nang.
Sojo Hotel Da Nang – status unknown.
Chi Lang Stadium Redevelopment
Address: Chi Lang Stadium, Da Nang.
It has been planned for years to redevelop the block of land at Chi Lang Stadium. This area is bounded by Hung Vuong, Chi Lang, Le Duan, and Ng. Gia Tu.
[Corner Hung Vuong and Chi Lang.]
There haven’t been any updates on what will be built here, but work has started on demolishing the shophouses that line the streets of Hung Vuong and Le Duan.
[Chi Lang Stadium.]
[Demolition on Le Duan.]
[Demolition on Le Duan.]
Times Square Da Nang
Address: Corner Pham Van Dong and Vo Nguyen Giap.
Times Square Da Nang occupies one of the most prominent corners of the beachfront. There were a few workers here in 2020, but as of May 2022, it has ground to a halt.
Wyndham Soleil Danang
Address: Corner Vo Nguyen Giap and Pham Van Dong, Da Nang.
Wyndham Soleil Danang is slowly making progress with the first tower looking completed from a distance.
There were workers on the site when I visited.
Kim Long Towers
Address: Pham Van Dong-Chinh Huu-Morrison-Le Van Quy, Son Tra, Da Nang.
This project takes up two blocks of land on Pham Van Dong, behind the Wyndham project. The Kim Long Nam website was broken at the time this article was published, and there were no details on their Facebook page.
Garden City Da Nang
Address: Vo Nguyen Giap, Da Nang.
A garden-coveed hotel on My An Beach.
Holiday Inn And Suites Danang Waterfront
Address: 29 Vo Nguyen Giap.
When I last visited Danang in 2020, The Premier Sky Residences was being advertised all over town. I returned to the site in 2022 to find that it is now the Holiday Inn And Suites Danang Waterfront.
There are usually press releases for such projects, but there hasn’t been any mention of it in the news. The project has progressed since my last visit, with glass having been added to one section.
Holiday Beach Danang Hotel & Resort
Address: My Khe Beach, 300 Vo Nguyen Giap, My An Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, Danang.
Not to be confused with the Holiday Inn is the Holiday Beach Danang Hotel & Resort. This hotel has a landmark position in the An Thuong tourist area of My Khe Beach.
It had opened for a while and then it closed when the pandemic struck. The hotel was being expanded, and when I visited this time there were workers onsite repaving around the hotel.
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 still remains unopened despite being finished.
Ariyana Beach Resort & Suites
Address: 107 Vo Nguyen Giap, Ngu Hanh Sơn, Da Nang.
I can repeat exactly what I said in the 2020 construction report about the Ariyana Beach Resort & Suites:
“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.”
Vitours Hoang Cuong Luxury Resort & Hotel Danang Beach
Address: Trưong Sa, Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Sơn, Da Nang.
The Vitours Hoang Cuong project is also making slow progress. It looks almost the same as when I last visited, except that it is now being painted.
Sunshine Royal
The large plot of land next to the Sheraton Grand Danang Resort is now being advertised as Sunshine Royal.
This block originally started out as South Beach Danang, and then it became the DAP Tourism Area Project in 2020.
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 (halfway to Hoi An). This massive development was partially opened before the pandemic, and there was a big advertising blitz around Danang to attract visitors and investors. Read more about Cocobay Da Nang.
I first visited in 2018, and some of the hotels and shops were open. I returned in 2020 to find that it was completely closed down. On my return visit in May 2022, Cocobay is looking even worse now and there have been few updates on its status.
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