When is the Best Time to Visit Da Nang?

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Da Nang is slowly, but surely becoming the main touristic destination in Vietnam. Last year alone, Da Nang hosted more than 7.5 million tourists and tourism experts predict more than 8 million tourists this year. The city is going through major development and many people ask the same question - when is the best time to visit Da Nang? Since Da Nang features a monsoon season, it's important to plan your visit accordingly. The city has two parts - a beachside and the city center.

The east side is known for tourism, chilled expat community, stunning sandy beach, and Son Tra peninsula. On the other hand, a city center features a local vibe, museums, delicious and diverse food, and extremely friendly locals. I am going to go through weather statistics and explain different seasons in Da Nang. After that, I will share my experience with seasons since I've been living in Da Nang for 11 months.

Let's plan your trip to Da Nang together.

Seasons in Da Nang

Da Nang has a monsoon climate and distinct between two seasons - wet and dry season. Officially, a dry season starts from January all the way to the beginning of September. Wet season takes place from September to early January. Since Da Nang features a tropical, or monsoon climate, the rainfall through the year is significant, especially during the wet season.

Average rainfall and temperatures in Da Nang

On the graph above you can see the amount of rainfall in Da Nang in 2017. The red line represents the average temperature for each month. You can notice that rainfall significantly increases in September and peaks in October. February is the first month of the dry season with low rainfall. The average yearly temperature (2017.) was 25.7°C. Temperatures start to rise from the middle of March and peaking through June and July.

Don't forget to check the detailed weather statistics of Da Nang.

Best Time to Visit Da Nang?

Da Nang rooftop view

Da Nang is widely popular by its sandy coast, lovely city center radiating with a local vibe, stunning surrounding nature, friendly people, and much more. Majority of tourists who're visiting Da Nang come here mainly because of beaches and nature which is partly a reason why Da Nang is extremely busy during the dry season.

Tet holiday falls in the first week of February and that's the time when the city is literally empty since people move to celebrate Tet holiday with their families (usually countryside). The temperatures around that time averages around 22°C which results in chilly days and cold nights. From the beginning of March, temperatures slowly start to rise while rainfall decreases.

Based on our experience and statistical data, it's safe to say that the best time to visit Da Nang is anytime between March and August.

Budget & Prices Through Seasons

Da Nang, compared to other big cities like Hanoi and Saigon features a quite lower cost of living during the year. As the city thrives from tourism, it's easy to understand why the prices are seasonal. Food and drink prices usually stay the same, but rental prices skyrocket when the tourist season kicks in. January to March is the perfect time to visit Da Nang if you're on a budget.

The accommodation options are abundant and the prices are slightly lower compared to the upcoming dry season. You can also bargain since the market is huge, but the demand isn't so. Prices of everything starts to rise around April all the way to August. In September, the prices start to normalize again.

Explore the night markets of Da Nang!

Beachside road in Da Nang

Da Nang has many options when it comes to accommodation including hostels, hotels, resorts, guest houses, and homestays. If you're a budget traveler, hostels are affordable all year round. You can find some cozy and social hostels in the city center for as low as 50,000 VND per night. On the other side of the city (beachside) hostels are a bit more expensive with an average price of 80,000 VND per night.

We loved to stay in the Fedora hostel that is near the airport. The night included breakfast costs 89,000 VND. The staff is extremely friendly, the rooms are comfortable and quiet, plus the rooftop view is just amazing. (We're not affiliated with the hostel in any way, nor we earn any money mentioning the place. Just a friendly recommendation for a place we love to stay in!) Apartment prices tend to rise too.

I stayed in the apartment for around 6 months and the price was about 20% lower during the wet season. It happens mainly on the beachside of the city since it's the place where tourists flock in. If you're living for a longer period, it's recommended to figure out the prices through tourist season with the landlord and put everything in the contract.

Fresh beer in Da Nang

Prices for food & drinks usually stay the same, but it's important to avoid tourist spots if you're on the budget. For instance, a sugar cane juice (nuoc mia) on the local/regular street costs 5,000 - 8,000 VND, but for the same drink, you'll pay about 20,000 VND near the beach or in city center's tourist area.

It doesn't seem a lot, but believe us, these small costs add up very fast and burn your budget. Be aware of your budget and spend your money accordingly.

Personal Experience & Recommendation

I've been living in Da Nang for the past 11 months and visited the city countless times before finally deciding to move here. Here's my personal experience that might help you while planning your visit to Da Nang.

August - November

Beach in the fall

The first time I've arrived in Da Nang was August and the weather couldn't be better. We drove from the rainy north and finally had sunshine and a stunning beach in front of us. The tourist season was still in high gear, the place was filled with tourists, but we decided to stay in Thanh Khe district which is a local place. The vibes were great and prices were local.

Weather in September starts to change introducing occasional rain and storms, but it's still good to hit a beach on a daily basis. October is also a very good month for swimming and driving around, but everything changes from the beginning of November. Temperatures were still around 23°C, but the weather started to be unstable with constant daily showers/storms/rains.

If you're looking to have a great time when you still can hit the beach every day, we recommend visiting Da Nang from the end of August to the beginning of October. There are not so many tourists around and the prices start to drop.

The perfect period for budget travelers.

December - March

Rainy season in Da Nang

December and early January are probably the worst months to be in Da Nang. The constant rain, cold weather, and floods are the part of daily life. There was huge flooding that devastated the city center at the beginning of December. I remember that for a week I couldn't move out of the apartment. This period is ideal if you want to spend time in cafes while focusing on the projects.

During that period, I've explored quite a lot of cafes around the city and come up with a list of the best working cafes in Da Nang. Around the beginning of February, the weather becomes a bit more stable, but it's still chilly outside.

People wear long sleeves while driving and nights can be cold. Locals love to say that the summer starts to kick in after Tet holiday and it was a really accurate statement.

From the middle of February, the weather starts to stabilize, with constant sunny days and even a beach time. The water was a bit cold for swimming, but if you prefer a cold swim, then it's a good time for you.

March to April are good months to visit since the weather is amazing and the prices are still the same as during the wet season.

April - August

My Khe beach during dry season.

This period is known as a dry season and it's the start of a tourist season. During April, prices started to rise, especially in the beachside area. Constant development is a part of life during that time.

Tourists start to flock in, and you can experience it in the traffic. The price of my apartment rose for a whopping 20% in April. Anyway, the weather is extremely stable and I don't remember if there were a few consecutive days of rain. I can probably count rainy days from April to July on my hands. It's really great time to be in Da Nang. Even if you're a budget traveler, you can enjoy Da Nang during the peak season as the total cost of your trip won't exceed 20%.

Since lots of tourists and expats start to flock to Da Nang during this season, it's nice to know where to find the best expat bars in Da Nang to connect and have a great time!

This period is ideal for exploring the surrounding area. We've explored beautiful waterfalls in Da Nang and drove Prao Loop.

Be extra cautious when visiting tourist places as street vendors tend to pull scams on tourists (like in every touristic place).

We've written a huge list of scams in Vietnam we've experienced during our 2 years in the country.

So When to Visit Da Nang?

Basically, it totally depends on your preferences and budget. Probably the main reasons for visiting Da Nang are beautiful beaches, relaxation and generally having a great time. We recommend avoiding anytime between the middle of November to the middle of February. September to November and March to April tend to be amazing for budget travelers.

Expect to pay at least 20% more for the whole trip if you're visiting between April and August. It's still affordable, even for budget backpackers. Best time to visit Da Nang - April to August.

Now when you know when to plan your trip to Da Nang, head over to our detailed 3 days in Da Nang itinerary and plan your activities.

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