My Khe Beach
Biển Mỹ Khê
A long, wide city beach just 3 km from the centre. Swim early in the morning when the water is calm and locals are out exercising.
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng
Beach city, bridge city, and the gateway to Hoi An and Hue.
- Region
- Central · Central Coast
- Province
- Da Nang
- Best weather
- January–May
- In this guide
- 8 places · 13 dishes
Overview
Da Nang is Vietnam's most liveable beach city: clean, relaxed and easy to get around. My Khe Beach runs for kilometres along the city's edge, the Son Tra Peninsula rises green behind it, and the Han River is crossed by a series of bridges that light up every night.
It is also the perfect base for central Vietnam. Hoi An's old town is 40 minutes south, the Marble Mountains are on the way, and Hue is a scenic drive or train ride over the Hai Van Pass.
The dry, sunny season runs from roughly February to August. From September to December the central coast gets heavy rain and the occasional typhoon — October and November are the wettest months.
Where to go
Son Tra Peninsula
Bán đảo Sơn Trà
A forested nature reserve on the sea, about 10 km from the city, home to the rare red-shanked douc langur. Ride up for views and stop at Linh Ung Pagoda's giant Lady Buddha.
Marble Mountains
Ngũ Hành Sơn
Five limestone and marble hills rising from the coastal plain, riddled with caves, shrines and pagodas. The stone-carving village of Non Nuoc sits at their feet.
Ba Na Hills
Bà Nà Hills
A hill resort at around 1,400 m, about 40 km from the city, reached by a long cable car. Expect a mock French village and theme-park crowds — but also cool air and big views.
Golden Bridge
Cầu Vàng
The famous footbridge at Ba Na Hills held up by two giant stone hands. Arrive on the first cable cars to beat the crowds.
Dragon Bridge
Cầu Rồng
A steel dragon spanning the Han River, lit by thousands of LEDs. On weekend nights at 9 pm it breathes fire and then water.
Han River Bridge
Cầu sông Hàn
The city's symbol, a swing bridge that rotates late at night to let ships pass. The riverside promenade around it is lively in the evenings.
Bridge of Love
Cầu Tình Yêu
A riverside pier covered in heart-shaped lanterns and love locks next to the Dragon Bridge and the carp-dragon statue. Free and best after dark.
What to eat
Local specialties worth seeking out in Da Nang.
Mi Quang
Mì Quảng
The region's defining dish: wide turmeric rice noodles in a small amount of rich broth, with shrimp, pork, quail eggs, herbs, peanuts and a sesame rice cracker.
Bun thit nuong
Bún thịt nướng
Rice vermicelli topped with chargrilled pork, fresh herbs, pickles and peanuts, dressed with sweet-sour fish sauce.
Bun cha ca
Bún chả cá
Da Nang's favourite breakfast: a light broth simmered with fish bones, pumpkin and pineapple, served with chunks of fried and steamed fish cake.
Pork rolled in rice paper
Bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo
Thin slices of boiled pork rolled at the table with rice paper and a mountain of herbs, dipped in pungent fermented anchovy sauce.
Nam O fish salad
Gỏi cá Nam Ô
Raw herring "cooked" in lime and mixed with herbs and toasted rice powder, from the fishing village of Nam O north of the city.
Seafood by the beach
Hải sản
Pick live clams, crab, squid and prawns from tanks at the beachfront restaurants along My Khe and have them grilled or steamed. Check prices by weight before ordering.
Vietnamese BBQ
Đồ nướng
Grill-your-own marinated meat and seafood over tabletop charcoal — the classic noisy night out with friends and cold beer.
Nem lui
Nem lụi
Minced pork grilled on lemongrass stalks, rolled in rice paper with herbs and dipped in a thick peanut-liver sauce. Originally from Hue.
Chao tom
Chạo tôm
Shrimp paste wrapped around sugarcane sticks and grilled; slide it off, wrap in lettuce, then chew the sweet cane.
Banh xeo
Bánh xèo
Crispy turmeric rice pancakes filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts. In central Vietnam they are small, crunchy and dipped in peanut sauce.
Chicken rice
Cơm gà
Rice cooked in chicken broth with turmeric, served with shredded chicken, herbs and pickled papaya. Hoi An's version is the most famous.
Broken rice
Cơm tấm
Fragrant broken rice grains with grilled pork chop, shredded pork skin and a steamed egg cake — cheap, filling and everywhere.
Durian sweet soup
Chè sầu riêng
A rich dessert of durian, coconut milk, jelly and sticky rice over crushed ice. Even durian sceptics sometimes convert.
When to go
The most comfortable months for sightseeing in Da Nang are usually January–May.
Hover a month for details. Compare with other places on the season calendar.
Vietnam season calendar arrow_forwardDaily temperature range (°C)
20°25°30°35°
Rainfall per month (mm)
0200400600
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Score
- Great
- Good
- Fair
- Wet / extreme
chevron_right Show as table
| Month | High °C | Low °C | Rain mm | Wet days | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23.9 | 20.1 | 165 | 20 | Great |
| February | 24.4 | 20.2 | 82 | 14 | Great |
| March | 26.9 | 22.3 | 62 | 10 | Great |
| April | 29.7 | 24.5 | 72 | 7 | Great |
| May | 31.7 | 26.2 | 77 | 13 | Great |
| June | 33.7 | 27.2 | 97 | 11 | Good |
| July | 32.8 | 26.8 | 118 | 16 | Good |
| August | 33.1 | 26.8 | 133 | 16 | Good |
| September | 30.6 | 25.6 | 255 | 22 | Fair |
| October | 28.2 | 24.4 | 491 | 27 | Wet / extreme |
| November | 26.6 | 23.2 | 362 | 24 | Fair |
| December | 24.3 | 21.3 | 338 | 26 | Fair |
Averages for 2016-2025 from Open-Meteo (ERA5 reanalysis, CC BY 4.0). Model data can overstate light drizzle; treat wet-day counts as a guide. How the score works.
Getting there
Da Nang International Airport is right in the city, with direct flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and many Asian hubs. Hoi An is about 40 minutes by car; Hue is 2.5–3 hours by train or road via the Hai Van Pass.
Getting around Vietnam arrow_forwardPlan your stay in Da Nang
Compare places to stay and things to book.
