Why Are so Many Locals Leaving Da Nang — Vietnam's The Most Liveable City

This observational documentary explores why 15,000 locals have left Da Nang despite its reputation as Vietnam's most liveable city since its tourism boom in 2016. Land prices surged 350% while wages rose only 40%, creating an affordability crisis that pushes working-class residents out. The film profiles two locals: Tien, a young waiter earning $200/month who abandoned university to support his fisherman father, and Mrs. Loan, a Banh Xeo restaurant owner who built a successful business after losing agricultural land to zoning policies. Urbanization since 2006 has transformed peaceful countryside—rice fields along the Han River and My Khe Beach—into development zones, displacing traditional farmers. Older generations struggle with inadequate compensation; youth leave for Ho Chi Minh City or overseas labor export. The video presents local cuisine like Bun Mam, Banh Dap (hit cake), Nem Lui, and Banh Xeo as cultural anchors. It concludes by urging policy solutions for social housing and job retention.

Key Facts

1. Tien, a waiter, earns $200/month, with $80 going to his father's medicine.