Surfing in Danang – All You Need To Know

We’d probably rate Danang as the best or joint-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

Plan your Da Nang surf trip

Level: Beginner friendly
Season: Sept-March

✈️ Flights: Straight into Da Nang Airport – connections to Ho Chi Minh, Seoul, Thailand, and more these days.
📋Insurance: SafetyWing includes surf cover as standard

🏨 Book this hotel: Chi House Danang Hotel and Apartment – Literally steps off the main beginner surf beach, this hotel has a pool, fitness center, and fine location.

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 tend to 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 (the north end of Da Nang’s main beach – that big green headland that divides the city) to loveable Hoi An (down at the south end).

That can be broken into a few separate sections, each with thier own disctict wave, though there are peaks all the way along.

There one exception to the rule within the city itself: Nam O. It’s one of the rare more advanced spots in Vietnam and it’s on the north side of the Sun Peninsular.

Nam O

Nam O is one of the few intermediate level breaks that exist in the whole of Vietnam really. It needs some swell size on it, so nail down a typhoon pulse in Sept-Oct for this one. When it goes, it’s a nice, fast-kicking left point that comes off a manmade breakwater in the bay north of Da Nang.

The orientation here is a little strange, since you kinda look right out at the city in the distance across the bay. That’s cos Nam O sits on the north-ish side of its own big bay, hooking in big wet-season swells to give fun, steep lefts.

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 Beach

The main surf spot in Da Nang

My Khe is the main section of the Danang beach used by 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, though high and mid ton the push is always the best.

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

When to surf in Danang?

September to November is the peak of the peak season in Da Nang, though swell comes through anytime between September and March.

You’re essentially looking for either long-fetch typhoon swells or the classic 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.

Bring sunblock! We can highly reccomend Suntribe stuff. It’s low in chemicals that are bad for the ocean, plus they offer our readers 10% off (code: Surfatlas10).

Is Da Nang surf good for beginners?

Yes! Da Nang is like perfect for beginners – provided you actually get some swell.

Pretty much everywhere here (bar the left point at Nam O) is suited to complete learners, and Da Nang has sort of become established as one of the top places in Asia to come, vacation, and maybe have a pop at surfing if you fancy it.

There are lots of reasons for that. Mainly, it’s because of the sand bottom the whole way along the beach – there aren’t many rocks or reefs. But it’s also because the swells in this part of the South China Sea tend to be quite mellow, plus the crowds are nice and forgiving.

Where to stay in Danang (for surfing)?

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 less chance of being scammed or getting bad gear or whatever.

90-minute surf lesson with Vietnam Epic Experience – 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.