Da Nang's sea is churning with waves, and the surfing season begins

At the end of October, when the northeast monsoon arrives, the sea in Da Nang completely changes its temper. Waves pile up layer upon layer, crested with white foam, crashing against the shore without pause. Swimmers start to hesitate about going into the water, but at My An Beach, this is precisely when some people pick up their boards and head out.

Da Nang's sea has two sports seasons, and those two seasons are almost the opposite of each other.

The Summer of Paddleboarding

From around April to August, the sea is calm. In the early morning the water is so flat that you can stand on a paddleboard and paddle out quite far without wobbling. It's the season for stand-up paddleboarding, swimming, jet skiing, and parasailing. Crowds of people and plenty of vehicles too, to the point that there have been reports of jet skis encroaching on swimming areas, and the Beach Management Board had to set up buoy lines and separate lanes for the water sports area.

For surfers, those months offer almost nothing to do. The sea is too calm, and the small waves are only enough for people who are just getting used to the board.

The Surfboard's Winter

From October to around March, the northeast monsoon pushes waves onto the central coast, usually at its strongest in the last few months of the year. The city's rainy season is also the surf season for surfers.

The spot with the most surfers is My An Beach, near the An Thuong area, where many foreign visitors rent houses for long stays. Also in My An, in recent years the Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Tourist Beaches has held an amateur surfing competition during this season, open to both locals and tourists. The 2025 tournament had more than 60 participants, coming from many provinces and cities as well as from the USA, Russia, Germany, South Africa, and China.

The same coastline, yet every stretch is different. The northern end sits right at the foot of Son Tra, where the mountain massif that was once an island blocks some of the northeast waves, so the water is usually calmer. The farther you are from the mountain, the less sheltered the waves are. Surfers also often say the best time of day is from mid-morning to early afternoon, when the wind isn't too strong yet.

The sea today

According to the forecast, today the waves off the coast of Da Nang will be about one meter high at most, coming from the northeast. On Wednesday and Thursday, the waves will rise slightly to around 1.2 to 1.3 meters, with a longer wave period. It's going to rain heavily tomorrow. Waves of this size are just right for people who can already stand steadily on the board. Beginners should learn with someone experienced and choose days with small waves.

As for those who just want to go in for a swim, these weeks are the time of year when you need to be most careful. October and November are when rip currents often form along the beach. You can't see them by looking at the water's surface; you only notice that you're being pulled away from shore. If you see a red flag, please don't go into the water. Swim in sections with lifeguards and stay away from areas where people are surfing, as mentioned in the post about the beaches at the foot of Son Tra. On days when the sea is rough but you still want to paddle, the Han River is a spot where the water is much calmer.

For many people, big waves are a reason to stay on shore. For those who carry their boards out to My An, that's exactly when the sea becomes worth waiting for.

Surfing and paragliding photos: Văn Hóa Newspaper. Coastline photos: Christophe95, Jpatokal — Wikimedia Commons.