My Khe Beach: Da Nang's Long White-Sand Beach
Spend a day at My Khe Beach in Da Nang, with its long white-sand shoreline, seafront cafés, surfing, sunrise walks and the best seafood restaurants nearby.
My Khe Beach: Da Nang's Long White-Sand Beach
My Khe Beach is the long, wide beach that runs along the eastern edge of Da Nang and is the city's main attraction for visitors and locals alike. It stretches for several kilometers from the foot of the Son Tra Peninsula to Non Nuoc, with fine white sand, gentle waves and a backdrop of palm trees and mountains. It has been rated among the best city beaches in Asia in various travel lists, and it is a pleasant place to spend a day in almost any season.
The beach rose to international fame in the 1960s when American soldiers on leave in Da Nang called it China Beach during the Vietnam War, and the name stuck in Western memory. Today it is a busy beach town, lined with hotels, resorts, cafés and restaurants, but it has kept an easygoing atmosphere. The water is generally calm and swimmable for most of the year, and the beach is cleaned regularly, which keeps it pleasant.
The best time of day is early morning, when locals gather for exercise, swimming and tai chi and the sun rises over the sea. By mid-morning the heat builds and the beach fills with sunbathers, and later in the afternoon the light turns golden and the crowds return. At night, fishing boats with bright lights dot the horizon, and cafés and bars on the beachfront fill with diners and groups of friends.
Facilities are plentiful. Sun loungers and umbrellas can be hired for a modest fee, and beach clubs and cafés offer drinks, snacks and showers. Along the road behind the beach, Vo Nguyen Giap Street, you will find mid-range hotels, serviced apartments, spas, shops and street food stalls. Seafood restaurants line the beach road, serving fresh grilled fish, prawns and squid, and many have tanks where you can pick your own.
| Time of Day | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Sunrise | Quiet, cool, locals exercising and swimming |
| Midday | Hot and sunny, best for shade and a long lunch |
| Late afternoon | Golden light, cooler air, the crowds return |
| Evening | Seafood restaurants and beachfront cafés fill up |
Swim only where flags indicate it is safe, and avoid the water when red flags are flying. Currents can be strong during storm season, and lifeguard coverage is limited outside the main hotel stretches.
Activities on the water include swimming, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, jet skiing and kayaking, with lessons and rentals offered by local operators along the beach. Surf conditions are best from roughly September to December when swells are larger, though this is also the stormy season, and the rest of the year is better for swimming. Check local conditions and flags before you go in, and avoid swimming in rough water.
The beach is also a good base for exploring. The Marble Mountains are about 15 minutes' drive south, the Son Tra Peninsula and Lady Buddha are a similar distance north, and the Dragon Bridge and city center are a short ride across the river. Hoi An is a 30 to 40 minute drive, which means a beach stay can easily include a day or an evening there.
Getting there is easy. Grab and taxis run from anywhere in the city, and many hotels sit directly on the beachfront. Bicycles can be hired for a few dollars a day, and the flat promenade is a pleasant ride. Public beach access points are marked with parking areas, and the beach is free to enter, so you can walk or cycle along the whole stretch.
Food stalls and beachfront cafés offer inexpensive meals, from iced coffee and fresh coconuts to grilled seafood and banh mi. In the evening, small seafood restaurants set out plastic stools and grills, and the area has a relaxed, local atmosphere that is a world away from the polished resort strips of other coastal cities. Eating here costs only a fraction of what it would at a hotel restaurant.
Practical advice includes using sunscreen, since the sun is strong, wearing a hat, and keeping valuables locked away rather than leaving them on the sand. Typhoon season, between roughly September and December, can bring red flags, rough water and heavy rain, so check the forecast before booking. Outside those months, My Khe Beach offers an easy and inexpensive seaside break for travelers of any age.
Families and long-stay visitors often ask about the best sections of the beach. The stretch near the Son Tra end is the quietest and most local, while the middle section opposite the main hotels is the busiest, with the most facilities and the most vendors. The southern end toward Non Nuoc is wide, calm and less developed, which suits long walks. Lifeguard towers and red and yellow flags mark the safer swimming areas in front of larger hotels, and it is sensible to stay within them, particularly with children, since the sea can change quickly.
