Dam Market Nha Trang: Hours, Old vs New Market, Wings
Dam Market is open 05:00 to 18:30 daily on the Khanh Hoa tourism page and on Google Maps. The round lotus-shaped market has closed, and a new Dam Market was built next to it. The market gets busy in the early mornings and evenings.
Two markets share this name, so read this first: the round lotus-shaped Dam Market has closed, according to a press report dated 31/07/2023. Khanh Hoa province had invested in a new Dam market next to the old round one in 2014. The hours and descriptions below come from sources that mostly describe the round building.
The two agree. The tourism page describes the round building, so confirm at the new market; see the box above.
What each part sells
The curved wings on both sides of the round market sold seafood, dried goods, grilled nem and souvenirs. The centre sold essential goods.
The three shopping zones
A VinWonders guide splits the market into 3 shopping zones: the centre, the left wing of the round market and the right wing of the new market. It points seafood shoppers to the left wing, for fresh and dried seafood. The right wing is where it places rice crackers, chilli salt, fish cake and fish sauces. The guide is a tour operator’s listing, not an official floor plan.
Dried seafood stall inside the market.Dried fish by weight, with gift boxes behind.
What to see at Dam Market
The round lotus building
The tourism page says the market was built in a lotus shape, 66.5 m across, with one off-centre ring-shaped upper floor. The national tourism site calls it a two-storey circular building whose “unfolding” roof resembles a lotus flower about to bloom.
The name comes from the site: the market stands on an old lagoon that opened to the Cai river mouth. A press report describes a solid building shaped like an open lotus with a V-shaped folded roof.
Ground and upper floors together cover 5,270 m² and can hold more than 3,000 people at once. The national tourism site says roughly a thousand people pass through each day.
The market hall seen from an upper level.
How the round market was built
A 1961 plan first proposed a round market to replace the old one. A 1964 plan by architect Le Quy Phong centred on a round market with a folded roof and an arc-shaped wing. Neither plan was built before a large fire in 1968 burned 126 houses.
At the end of 1969 and start of 1970 the lagoon was filled with sand, fully filled after 6 months with 350,000 m³.
Thousands of reinforced concrete piles 20 m long were then driven through the mud. Architect Ngo Viet Thu and others refined the earlier plan into the building that stood until the closure.
The new market
The new Dam market was planned as a 3-storey building of over 9,700 m2. Khanh Hoa licensed Song Da Nha Trang Joint Stock Company to build it behind the old market in 2013. The province took back more than 18,147 m2 of land around the round market and handed phase 1 of the project, the new market, to that company. The market is also called the Nha Trang Commercial Centre.
Cho Dam Co. Ltd, set up in 2017, runs the new market from an office on the 3rd floor. The operator says stalls can be rented long term with one payment, or by the year and paid monthly. It also says many empty plots remain reserved for vendors from the old market.
When the new market opened, the operator gave each vendor 5.5 million VND and waived all service fees for 1 year. The floor-by-floor list of what each storey sells is not published, so see the “Not confirmed” box.
Why the round market closed
Nha Trang city said it would close the round market from 0:00 on 18/4. The city gave age as the reason: the ceiling was peeling and the area did not meet fire-safety and rescue requirements. A 28/9/2022 city report rated the round building’s structure class C, meaning dangerous and unsafe.
Nearly 300 vendors were told to rent stalls in the new market. A newspaper report of 29/04/2021 says nearly 200 had still not moved in. Khanh Hoa agreed to stop commercial trading on the old site and use it for public utilities. A plan described by the Culture newspaper would demolish the round market for a square, garden and yard of 6,945 m2.
The Khanh Hoa Union of Science and Technology Associations asked the authorities to list the round market as a valuable building. The status of the old building stays in the “Not confirmed” box.
History
Xanh SM says that in the early 20th century the area was a marsh of up to 7 ha, and a small market formed at its end in 1908.
The tourism page says the market was officially renovated and reopened on 3 February 1980. A press report says the round market was in use from 1974. The tourism page says that in 2013 the provincial government decided to rebuild Dam Market and demolish the round market to build a fountain.
Dried sea products on a market shelf.
Souvenirs and specialties
A souvenir and clothing alley.
The wings also sold souvenirs. Xanh SM (24/02/2025) says the souvenir area sells pottery, sand paintings, silk scarves and shell souvenirs.
Dried squid, shrimp and fish run from several hundred thousand to over a million dong per kg, according to the same page. It also lists swiftlet nests at a few million to tens of millions of dong per 100 g and advises buying from reputable stalls. Treat these as reference prices, not quotes. VinWonders says most dried and fresh seafood stalls pack goods for travel.
Food stalls
The same Xanh SM page lists reference prices for stall food:
Dish
Reference price
Fish cake noodle soup
25,000-35,000 VND a bowl
Banh can
20,000-30,000 VND a portion
Nem nuong (grilled pork roll)
30,000-50,000 VND a portion
Banh xeo
15,000-25,000 VND each
The page describes the round-market era, so expect prices and stalls to differ.
Specialty food shops on the street outside the market.
Prices and haggling
Xanh SM suggests starting a counter-offer about 20-30% below the seller’s price. VinWonders gives a smaller range: haggle about 10 to 20 percent down after comparing several stalls. It says haggling is often easier late in the day. No posted-price rule was found, so agree the price before you pay.
The same page says the market is crowded and warns visitors to watch for pickpockets, especially at peak hours.
Two checks help with dried goods. A reference scale sits at the start of the dried-seafood and fruit areas, so weights can be checked. The aisles also carry the market management’s phone number for disputes.
Who it suits (and who should skip it)
A dried goods stall inside the market.
Early risers: the market opens at 05:00 on the tourism page and 5 AM on Maps.
Seafood and dried-goods shoppers: the wings sell seafood and dried goods.
Souvenir hunters: the wings also sell souvenirs.
Food-stall grazers: Xanh SM lists fish cake noodle soup, banh can, nem nuong and banh xeo at the market.
Bargain hunters: haggling is expected, and late afternoon is easier.
Shoppers who want choice: Google Maps review topics list “variety of goods” (287) and “souvenirs” (212) among the most mentioned.
Skip it if you want a spotless, quiet shop: the listing rates the market 3.9 out of 5, and “traditional market” (122) is a top topic.
Skip it if you hate paying for toilets: “paid toilet” (57) is a listed review topic.
Skip it if you dislike crowds: the national tourism site says it gets busy in the early mornings and evenings.
How to get to Dam Market
The tourism page places the market at Ben Cho, Van Thanh ward, Nha Trang, the old ward name. Xanh SM puts it about 500 m from the seafront and about 2 km from 2 Thang 4 Square. Search “Dam Market (Cho Dam)” on Maps for the new market’s pin. Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab).
VinWonders lists bus route 03 as Dam Market - Nguyen Chanh - Le Hong Phong - Song Lo, 5:50 - 17:55. The reference fare on the 6 inner-city routes is VND 7,000 per trip.
By taxi
Xanh SM lists its Nha Trang taxi opening fare for the first 2 km at 29,500 VND. It lists 18,000 VND per km from the next km up to km 12. The table is for reference only and may change.
When to go and how long
Souvenir and pantry stall shelves.
Arrive after 05:00 and leave before 18:30. Mornings and evenings are the busy periods.
VinWonders suggests 8:00-11:00 for the freshest seafood, or late afternoon for dried goods and souvenirs. It says to avoid midday because the market is hot and some stalls may close.
Xanh SM suggests 6:00-9:00 for fresh seafood, or 15:00-17:00 for souvenirs and food. Late afternoon is also the easier time to haggle. No source says how long a visit takes.
Nearby and how to combine it
Nha Trang Cathedral and Long Son Pagoda have their own guides on this site. A simple plan: shop the market in the morning, then visit the pagoda.
Xanh SM says Po Nagar Towers are about 10-15 minutes away by taxi or motorbike. It says Nha Trang railway station is an easy walk or short taxi ride from the market.
Look for seafood, dried goods, grilled nem and souvenirs in the wings.
Compare prices at several stalls before buying dried seafood or bird’s nest.
Keep bags in front of you in the crowd.
Do not rely on the round building: it has closed.
Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Dam Market on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by @Boom Hùng, @racka hattori, @패밀리아자매, @Виктория Пискарева, @Bibisohara ARNAGOL, @Hưng Phillip, @Денис Меркулов.
1Go earlyThe tourism page gives 05:00 to 18:30 daily; Maps shows the same hours.
2Head to the curved wings for food and giftsThe wings sell seafood, dried goods, grilled nem and souvenirs.
3Use the centre for essentialsThe centre of the market sells essential goods.
Not confirmed: Old round building: some vendors stayed on after it closed; its current state is not confirmed. Hours: the tourism page describes the round building, so confirm them at the new market. Prices: no posted-price rule was found, so agree prices first. Floor layout: no list was found, so check the entrance signs.
Common questions
What are Dam Market's opening hours?
The Khanh Hoa tourism page says it usually opens from 5:00 a.m. to 18:30 daily. Google Maps, checked on 12/10/2026, shows 5 AM to 6:30 PM every day.
Is the round lotus market still open?
No. A 31/07/2023 press report says Nha Trang closed the round Dam market, though some vendors were still staying on.
What does Dam Market sell?
The curved wings sell seafood, dried goods, grilled nem and souvenirs, and the centre sells essential goods.
When is Dam Market busiest?
The national tourism site says it gets busy, especially in the early mornings and evenings.
When was the market reopened after renovation?
The tourism page says it was officially renovated and reopened on 3 February 1980.
Why did the round Dam market close?
Nha Trang city said the building had decayed: the ceiling was peeling and fire-safety requirements were not met.
Who runs the new Dam market?
Cho Dam Co. Ltd, set up in 2017, runs it from the 3rd floor.
How big is the new Dam market?
It was planned as a 3-storey building of over 9,700 m2.
Which bus goes to Dam Market?
VinWonders lists route 03 as Dam Market - Nguyen Chanh - Le Hong Phong - Song Lo.
Should I haggle at Dam Market?
Xanh SM suggests starting 20-30% below the asking price.
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
