At this year’s edition of the World Travel Awards, Da Nang won the title of “Asia’s Leading Festival and Events Destination 2022”, an honor that recognizes its growth into one of the most exciting cities in Asia. Tucked below the spectacular ridges of the Truong Son mountains, along an expanse of golden-sand beaches, Da Nang city is a paradise on Vietnam’s central coast. A modern city with ancient origins, present-day Da Nang is a stylish city characterized by modern architecture, incredible restaurants, resorts, and hotels, and a range of festivals and events that encompass the traditional, the new and voguish, the lovely, and the strange.

Why is Da Nang a Perfect Festival/Event Location?

To understand what makes Da Nang so appealing, one needs only glance through pictures of the spectacular city. Often considered Vietnam’s “Most Livable City,” Da Nang is blessed by a confluence of gorgeous natural surroundings, excellent city planning and development, some of the best weather in the world, and the youthful, excited energy of a thriving city on the rise. On the coast of Central Vietnam, Da Nang enjoys sunny blue skies for the majority of the year, making trips to its many sandy beaches a favorite activity for locals and visitors alike. The city is divided by the Han river, spanned by a half dozen bridges of wildly varied styles and designs, and bordered by grassy parks and promenades, colorful energetic bars, and countless tasty restaurants. The city is well-laid out, with an international airport near a city center that boasts wide, clean streets, a bustling business district, attractive residential areas, and a refreshing lack of the usual pollution. These factors combine to make Da Nang an exceedingly pleasant city, and the perfect place to host events. 

 

What Festivals and Events Are There?

Da Nang International Fireworks Festival — First held in March 2008, the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival is probably Da Nang’s most famous festival. Every year, the skies over Da Nang are lit up by a glorious display of sound and color as if great flowers of fire are blooming in the night. Typically held in June, the festival features a different theme every year, around which teams from different countries compete to design the most impressive display. Now, the festival is scheduled to return from June 3rd to July 7th 2023. 

Cau Ngu Festival — The Cau Ngu (Fish Worshiping, sometimes also translated as Whale, or Whale God) festival is a long tradition for the fishermen of the Vietnamese coast and a national intangible cultural heritage. Typically held after the Tet holiday, the festival is made to honor the gods of the sea and the whale, respectfully called the “grandfather fish” to pray for good fishing in the year to come, a peaceful and better-off life and to honor their ancestors. The festival includes solemn rituals and ceremonies, offerings to the gods and to the deceased, as well as more lively singing, dancing, and games. 

Local Village Festivals: An Hai Village,  Hoa My Village, Tuy Loan Village: In the area surrounding Da Nang are a number of ancient villages, where elements of Vietnamese folk tradition and beliefs are kept alive. The nearby villages of An Hai (from the 10th to 11th of the 8th lunar month every year), Hoa My (on the 12th of the first lunar month every year), and Tuy Loan (on the 9th of the first month every year) are each known for their communal house festivals, a gathering of the villagers during which prayers and offerings are made, and a variety of folk songs, dances, and rituals are practiced. These festivals provide an incredible opportunity for visitors to find a window into Vietnamese village life as it has existed for hundreds of years, to eat local delicacies, and to watch or play folk games such as dap om, keo co, and bai choi.

Da Nang International Marathon — Every year, runners from around the world congregate in Da Nang to take part in the marathon, testing themselves while making the most of Da Nang’s 30 kilometers of gorgeous beaches. First held in 2013, the race is Vietnam’s first internationally certified marathon. With a 42 Km marathon, 21 Km half-marathon, 10Km, 5 Km, 1.5 Km fun run, the spectacular race course sends runners across the bridges of Da Nang during sunrise, along the white-sand beaches, and through the foothills of the mountains, making it one of the world’s most beautiful marathons. The marathon is scheduled to return in August of 2023. 

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Boat Racing Festival — At the beginning of each Lunar Year, the Han River hosts the boat racing festival, a long-standing tradition during which more than twenty teams from the area race colorful Dragon Boats, to the enthusiastic support of watching spectators. 

Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara) Festival — This Buddhist Festival is Da Nang’s largest traditional festival, held annually in the Marble Mountains. Usually held in the second Lunar month, this festival focuses on spiritual and cultural values and includes a Buddhist art exhibition, poetry exchange, and a variety of folk rituals and spiritual ceremonies. 

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Hot Air Balloon Festival — Among Da Nang’s most picturesque events is the Hot Air Balloon Festival, a gathering that turns the skies over Da Nang into a scene from a painting, filled with colorful hot air balloons. For photography enthusiasts, or anyone who loves seeing the world from the sky, the hot air balloon festival is a can’t-miss Vietnam experience. 

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These amazing events represent only some of Da Nang’s most famous, as it also hosts music festivals and parties every summer, regular carnivals in the world-famous Sun World Ba Na Hills Tourist Area (2022 winner of World's Leading Iconic Tourist Attraction) and a wide range of non-annual events. In addition, Da Nang hosts lively celebrations for Vietnamese national holidays such as Tet, the Hung Kings Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival. For those seeking a truly engaging experience of Vietnamese festivities, Da Nang is truly the city to visit.