Da Nang
Da Nang (Đà Nẵng) is the fourth largest municipality in Vietnam by population and the largest by geographical area. As one of the country's seven direct-controlled municipalities, it falls under the administration of the central government. Da Nang's port and its location on National Route 1 and the North–South Railway makes it a transport hub. The city was known as Cửa Hàn (Hàn River Estuary) during Đại Việt settlement, and as Tourane (or Turon) during French colonial rule.
Typical weather
1981–presentVital absurdities
measured · the Anti-AwardsWhat to do each season
2dry-hot
tropical-monsoon dry season; openmeteo mean 21.0-28.5 °C (Jun-Jul hottest at 28.5; wikivoyage notes locally 'as high as 40 °C' Jun-Aug); very humid; driest Feb-Mar (~1.1 mm/day); ~2,162 sunshine hours/yr with May-Jun the sunniest (234-277 h/month)
- the beach-and-resort season opens — My Khe Beach ('China Beach' of Vietnam War fame) and the nearly 40 km of coast down to Hoi An are the defining summer affordance
- the tourism peak (initially Korean visitors, increasingly domestic) — 'during holiday periods the city gets packed'
- the Sơn Trà Peninsula (Monkey Mountain) and the Hai Van Pass motorbike rides are at their best
wet-typhoon
tropical-monsoon wet season; openmeteo mean 21.8-27.3 °C, cooling through the season (Dec-Jan mean 18-23 °C); very wet — Oct 19.0 mm/day, Nov 12.1, Dec 7.3; humidity peaks Oct-Jan at 84-86%; wikivoyage notes 'usually tropical storms from Oct-Nov'
- the beach affordance is largely deleted by tropical storms and typhoons (Oct-Nov)
- life moves off the beaches; the central food markets (Hàn Market, Cồn Market) and the night-food scene along the riverbanks carry the season
- humidity peaks (84-86%); the least sunny months (Nov-Dec, 69-165 sunshine hours)
What it is known for
Important moments in a year
Apec 2017
- Da Nang hosted APEC 2017
Golden Bridge Phenomenon
- the Golden Bridge (at Ba Na Hills) became a global viral focal point
On the record
source-trackedDa Nang has a tropical monsoon climate with two seasons: a typhoon and wet season from September to December and a dry season from January to August.
Rainfall is highest between September and November (ranging from 550 to 1,000 mm) and lowest between February and April (ranging from 23 to 40 mm).
Da Nang was also where American combat troops first landed during the Vietnam War, and there are also many remnants of that era left over in Da Nang.
The regions surrounding Da Nang (My Son, Quang Nam) were founded by the Cham Hindus perhaps 3,000 years ago, serving as the capital city and centre of the Hindu Champa Dynasty.
Gorgeous My Khe Beach, the 'China Beach' of Vietnam War fame, runs along the city's eastern edge and continues nearly 40 km south all the way to Hoi An.
Son Tra Peninsula is home to 60% of Vietnam's critically endangered and very distinct looking large red-shanked douc monkeys.
In 2019, the American newspaper New York Times praised Da Nang as 'the Miami of Vietnam', ranking 15th in the list of 52 places to visit in the world.
In the 2018 ranking of tourist destinations by Airbnb, Da Nang ranked 5th globally and 1st in Southeast Asia in terms of attracting tourists.
Mì Quảng is widely regarded as the defining dish of the Quảng Nam–Da Nang region.
Da Nang is particularly known for its vibrant night food scene, with dozens of street vendors operating along the riverbanks and beach promenades after sunset.
Da Nang has some of the best roads in the country. Compared to either Hanoi or HCMC, traffic in Da Nang is always relatively light.
The Hải Vân Tunnel was built, opening in 2005. It is the longest tunnel in south-east Asia at 6.28 km.
The method behind this atlas — 196 pp. Not published yet.