Surfing in Danang – All You Need To Know
There is surfing in Danang and it’s probably the best in Vietnam. Beach breaks stretch all up the city’s shoreline. It’s top for beginners and groms but can show some teeth, rarely.
An introduction to surfing in Danang
We’d probably rate Danang as the best surf destination in Vietnam.
It’s a close-run thing between here and Mui Ne and Nha Trang, but the rare possibility of clean, long-fetch groundswells coming through the Luzon Strait mean that this one just about steals it.
Plus, winds aren’t as bad as in Mui Ne and – here’s the kicker – you can enjoy the buzz of a real Vietnamese city in between sessions (and there are often lonngggg periods in between sessions in Nam’).
It’s not for nothing that Danang was the place where surfing really took root in Vietnam.
The story goes that American GIs on R&R saw a little bit of their native California in the long, sandy beachfronts that run the length of the city. They sourced boards from god-knows-where and found that, actually, the swells were half-decent too. Sometimes.
See, consistency is the problem here, as it is across the whole of Vietnam. You’re essentially relying on NW monsoons to kick up enough windswell, so it’s often short-period mush. There are occasional days where it will shape into thick A-frame sets, but that’s usually when a perfectly angled storm moves through from the Pacific, so it’s rare.
On the upside, that makes Danang just about perfect for total beginners and a great place to drop in a bit of surfing while you’re exploring the amazing, amazing world that is central Vietnam.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Vietnam
Danang surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Danang surf?
Where is Danang (and how to get there)?
Danang is almost precisely midway up the long, thin country of Vietnam; equidistance between Ho Chi Minh City (once Saigon) in the south and Hanoi (the capital) in the north.
That’s bad news if you want to get here by train, since the famous Reunification Express takes over 18 hours to get to Danang from both major cities! It’s a fun ride though, and one we’d definitely recommend doing if you have the time, preferably with stop offs along the way.
(Pre-book your tickets on 12Go because they do sell out!).
If you just want to jet into Danang then that’s doable thanks to the ever-growing Da Nang International Airport, which now has low-cost links to Bangkok, Hong Kong, KL – loads of regional Southeast Asian hubs. We’d use Kiwi to search for flight connections.
Surf spots in Danang
It’s all about the long sandy beach that goes from the Sun Peninsula to loveable Hoi An. That can be broken into a few separate sections, starting north and going south…
Man Thai Beach
The far northern end of Danang’s long beach stretch is known as Man Thai Beach. It essentially starts at the top end of My Khe (see below) and runs all the way to the start of the Sun Peninsula.
On the biggest days of all – those rare NW groundswell pulses – we’d say this is the prime spot in the city. On a low tide, you can even find some hollowish mid-size barrels ripping off the shallow sandbars. They’ll never be Indo, but they can be fun and technical.
What’s more likely is you’ll rock up and find Man Thai hardly working at all. Because it’s tucked under the shelter of the Sun headland, swells are a foot or two smaller than on more exposed sections of the beach further south. That’s a problem when a foot or two is sometimes all you can expect!
The other problem is the fishing fleet. They tend to harbor at Man Thai, cluttering up the whole place.
My Khe
My Khe is the main section of the Danang beach for surfers. It’s the most consistent area of the lot since it bends to face a little northwest straight into the South China Sea, ready to hoover up any and all of the windswell/lucky groudswell that might make it through.
Works on all tides and the breaks are on a series of well-placed sandbars that can actually hold pretty well. We’ve seen them firing off shoulder-high A-frames with fat and workable faces (don’t believe us? Check it).
You’ll need to do a bit of extra work for the reward here. The way the wind swirls can often mess with the lip and lump the whole thing up. Paddle hard and add volume and you can often get short rides that are decently fun.
Where My Khe shines is for the beginners. It’s a mushfest really with lots of weak, wobbly waves that are kinda perfect for kids and total learners. If you’ve never surfed before then it’s a great place to see if you like it. There are even surf rentals and schools on the beach.
On the biggest days, beware of some rippy currents. The sandbars are formed into small sections and there are pulls either side.
Non Nuoc
Non Nuoc is the middle section of uber-long Danang beach. To be honest, we realllly don’t like it. Massive resorts that look like space ships or someone’s rammed a cruise ship up on the shoreline dominant. It’s a stomping ground for rich all-inclusive types.
Again, the waves here are sandbar wedges that work on all stages of the tide. Tends to be a little punchier than further north but also way more susceptible to wind.
Hoi An (Am Bang)
Hoi An is, simply, amazing. You gotta’ visit if you’re in Da Nang. It’s a charming river town of old Japanese bridges and noodle houses with loads of history and style. We also had some of the best coffee we sampled outside of Java on our last Asia trip.
The beach area of Hoi An is An Bang. It’s recently become quite popular and has fantastic hotels right on the shoreline that offer access to the far south end of Danang Beach and Hoi An town (it’s about a 15-20 minute cycle).
Waves are surfable and workable but it’s realllly mushy down this end. We don’t think you’ll get more than mini fun waves, though a trip up to Danang’s main beach will only cost you $15 in a taxi if you want to make the ride.
We have a complete guide to surfing in Hoi An
Where to stay when surfing in Danang?
There are loads of fantastic hotels on the Danang seafront. To be honest you could pick any that are within walking distance of My Khe beach and be in the right spot. Our personal recs would be…
- Chi House Danang Hotel and Apartment – We choose this elegant beach-side pad because it’s steps from My Khe beach (exactly where you’ll want to be to surf) and perfect for traveling nomads who need extra facilities (think kitchenettes and workspaces). It’s also uber modern and centered on a great pool.
- Awaken Da Nang Hotel – There aren’t many countries left where you can score a 5-star hotel for under $60 a night. Vietnam is one of them, though, which is why the Awaken Da Nang Hotel is a great choice. It’s lux, has a gorgeous infinity pool lofted above the beach, and in-house extras like a spa.
- The Watermark Beachside Hotel – Choose this one if you want to stay in An Bang beach down in Hoi An. It’s lush.
Surf lessons in Danang
You can now pre-book surf lessons on Danang Beach. It’s not required since they’re rarely busy here – this isn’t Kuta Bali. The good thing about doing that is it means you get to go with a company that’s been reviewed, so there’s little chance of being scammed or getting bad gear or whatever.
- 90-minute surf lesson with Surf Clan – these guys sort of lead the way when it comes to Danang surf schools. They’re great with kids and offer a generic 1.5-hour intro to surf safety, technique and the rest, all with a good vibe and welcoming attitude.
- Surf lessons on Danang Beach with Da Nang Outdoor Adventures – Open since 2017, Da Nang Outdoor Adventures have really great equipment and a generally good service. They’re great for families and adults with kids.
When to surf in Danang?
The only time of year that serious surfing is consistently possible in Da Nang is between November and March.
That’s the time of the NW monsoon. It means a bit of rain in the north, though it’s usually in short, sharp bursts in the night, but the potential for big windswells. It’s the time we’d come if we wanted to surf here for sure.
The rest of the year does have potential but it will definitely be a waiting game. You’ll be holding on for typhoon swells coming off the Philippines and Taiwan, which is super rare.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
