My Khe beach, the city beach Da Nang is built along

My Khe beach is the reason Da Nang is a beach city rather than an airport. Several kilometres of open, public sand face the city centre, hotels and seafood restaurants line the road behind it, and the airport is fifteen minutes away. The sea decides whether it is a swimming beach or a place to watch surf.

Where is My Khe beach?

My Khe beach runs along the eastern edge of Da Nang, facing the city centre across the Han River. Da Nang's sand stretches for roughly 30 km from the Son Tra peninsula in the north towards Hoi An in the south, and My Khe is the central section, several kilometres long.

The beach road, Vo Nguyen Giap, runs its whole length with hotels, cafes and restaurants on the land side. Son Tra rises at the northern end, and the white Lady Buddha statue on its slope is visible from most of the beach.

When is the sea at My Khe safe for swimming?

The sea at My Khe is safest from about February to August, and calmest in the mornings from May to August. From September to December the northeast monsoon builds the surf, rip currents form, and lifeguards close the water on rough days. Swim between the flags and never alone.

The beach safety guide explains the flags and the rip currents, and it names My Khe among the few beaches with lifeguards through the season.

What do the flags on My Khe mean?

The flags on My Khe mark the patrolled swimming zones. Swim between the paired flags, where lifeguards watch from towers. A red flag on its own, or a closed tower, means the water is closed that day, and the lifeguards will whistle swimmers back in.

Outside the patrolled zones the same beach has no cover at all. Rip currents run out between sandbars even on days that look calm from the sand, which is why most drownings happen away from the flags.

What does a day on My Khe cost?

A day on My Khe costs almost nothing, because the beach is public and free. Sunbeds and umbrellas are rented by the day, often for the price of a drink at the cafe that owns them, and public showers and lockers along the road charge a few thousand dong.

Hotels on the beach road charge the most for the view. The Da Nang where to stay guide puts rooms at the north end of My Khe at 800,000 to 1,600,000 dong a night, with resorts further south costing more.

When is the best time of day on the beach?

The best time of day on My Khe is early morning. The sun rises over the sea, the water is at its calmest, and the city comes to the beach to swim and exercise from about five. Round basket boats land fish on the sand at the northern end.

By eleven the heat drives people off the sand, and the afternoon brings an onshore breeze and choppier water. The beach fills again from about four, when families arrive and the seafood restaurants start setting tables.

Where do you eat near My Khe beach?

The seafood restaurants along the beach road near My Khe are the standard evening. Tanks of live fish, crab and shellfish stand at the front, and diners choose by weight and name the cooking method.

Prices are per kilogram and should be on a board. Ask before choosing anything without one, and check the weight when it comes back cooked. The seafood guide explains how to order this way, and the what to eat guide covers the central dishes worth eating on the same night.

How does My Khe compare with the other beaches?

My Khe is the easiest beach in Vietnam to reach, and the least sheltered of the major city beaches. Nha Trang sits in a bay with calmer water, and Hoi An's An Bang beach is smaller and quieter, about 30 km down the coast.

The beaches guide ranks them by season, and the Da Nang or Nha Trang guide compares the two beach cities directly. For arrivals, the Da Nang airport guide covers the short ride in.