Every Beach in Da Nang, Ranked (2026)
Da Nang has about 30km of sand running from the Son Tra headland south to Hoi An, plus a second, quieter coastline facing north into the bay that almost no visitor finds. Almost all of it is free; the two exceptions charge under 10,000₫. My Khe is the right answer for most people — wide, serviced, lifeguarded and ranked 6th best beach in Asia by TripAdvisor in 2024. Everything else on this list is a specific trade: quieter, calmer, better snorkelling, harder to reach. The one thing that overrides all of it is the season — the sea is swimmable roughly March to August and effectively closed October to December.
The rule that applies to all thirteen
Swim between the flags, and take that literally. The sea off My Khe is calm and swimmable from roughly March to August; from September the swell builds and red flags go up, and the water is effectively closed to casual swimmers October to December. The real danger is not sharks or jellyfish — it is rip currents, which drown people here most years. Lifeguards staff the flagged sectors roughly 05:00–19:00. Look for a darker, calmer-looking channel with debris moving out to sea: that is the rip, and it is the bit that looks safest.
Two structural things about this coast. First, the main strip faces east into the open sea, which is what gives it surf in winter and rip currents all year. The second coastline — Nguyen Tat Thanh, facing north into Da Nang Bay — is nearly waveless, murkier, backed by traffic and almost tourist-free. That is where you go with a toddler when the surf coast has a metre of swell on it.
Second, the beach erodes. A severe episode from October to December 2024 took roughly 100 metres of sand and dike from My Khe and damaged the shoreline at Man Thai, and the monsoon cuts the beach back every year before the city rebuilds it. Photographs taken in April do not describe November.
The Da Nang beaches worth your time, in order
My Khe — the one you came for
Wide, fine sand along the central strip with a promenade, exercise stations, showers, surf schools and named lifeguarded swim sectors at the Pham Van Dong entrance and along T20–T18. TripAdvisor ranked it the 6th best beach in Asia in 2024. Busiest at 05:00 and from 17:00 to sunset — the local dawn-swim culture is the real reason to be here — and nearly empty at midday. If you only use one beach, use this one.
Non Nuoc — the resort coast
Five kilometres of wide, clean, palm-backed sand fronting Furama, Hyatt Regency, Melia, Pullman, Premier Village and Sheraton Grand, at the foot of the Marble Mountains. Consistently described as the quietest long stretch on the coast. The catch is that there is no walkable town at all — it is a resort bubble, and Hoi An is 20–30 minutes further south.
Bac My An — including the old China Beach
The south continuation of My Khe, running from the T20 sector down to Furama, and the stretch that carried the American-era name China Beach. Quieter, resort-backed and reached through public entrances between the compounds. The best compromise if you are staying in An Thuong and want sand without the main-strip crowd.
Bai Rang — the easy snorkelling one
A tiny beach on the Son Tra peninsula reached through a cluster of family seafood restaurants — the arrangement is that you eat, and you use the beach. The best easy snorkelling near the city, with reef close enough to swim to, and clearest water roughly March to August. Bring your own mask; hire here is basic.
Bai Nam — the sunset cove
A 600m coconut-backed cove near Lady Buddha with freshwater showers and a small dry-season entry fee. Sheltered, quiet and the natural place to end a Son Tra afternoon. Reachable by any vehicle, since it sits below the section of the loop where automatic scooters get turned back.
Xuan Thieu, the Red Beach — calm-water insurance
On the north-facing bay coast, fronting the Japanese Mikazuki resort and water park. The water is near-waveless and noticeably murkier than the ocean side, and the road runs close behind it. Its whole purpose is being swimmable with small children on a day when the surf coast is flying red flags.
Son Thuy — the local swim beach
Where the central strip starts turning into the resort coast, by the Hyatt. Lifeguards, local families, and parking at 4,000₫ — which is the entire cost of a day here. Few facilities beyond that, and not worth a special trip if you are already on My Khe.
Nam O — a fishing village and a green reef
Out at the Cu De river mouth in Lien Chieu: a fish-sauce-making village, the raw-anchovy speciality gỏi cá Nam Ô, and the moss-covered Nam O Reef, which turns bright green from January to March and is one of the few genuinely photogenic things on this coast in the cool months. A culture and photo stop, not a lounging beach.
Tien Sa — the odd one behind the navy hotel
A cove at the north-west tip of the peninsula behind a navy-run hotel, with roughly 10,000₫ entry, bean bags and a beach bar. Laid-back, slightly surreal, and the view is of the container port. Worth a stop if you are already circling Son Tra; not worth the drive on its own.
Tan Tra — where the crowds run out
A local family beach near the Sheraton Grand, well down the coast road. Sparse crowds and minimal facilities — no sunbed economy, no surf school, not much shade. The point of it is the emptiness, and it only makes sense if you are staying south.
Bai Da Den — the hard one
A black-boulder crescent on the far side of the peninsula, reached by a 4.5km forest track and a scramble, with zero facilities — no water, no shade, no phone signal in places, no lifeguard. It has become a TikTok destination, which is not the same as being safe. Confident hikers only, in the dry months, in company, and never in the afternoon heat.
Bai But — status unverified
Historically the longest beach on Son Tra at roughly 700m, with canoe-to-reef snorkelling and camping. There are current reports that it has been fenced off for resort construction and we have not been able to verify its status — so treat it as closed until you can see the access road for yourself, and do not plan a day around it.
All thirteen at a glance
Everything above plus the two you cannot use, in coast order from the Son Tra headland southwards. Distances are along the coast road from the My Khe strip.
| Beach | Where | Cost | Best for | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bai Bac | End of Hoang Sa, inside the InterContinental | Room rate, $350–700+ | Nothing, unless you are a guest — the bay is effectively private | SKIP |
| Bai Da Den | Far side of Son Tra, 4.5km forest track | Free | Confident hikers in the dry season, with company and a lot of water | DEPENDS |
| Bai But | About 4.5km along the peninsula | Unknown | Nothing right now — reports of fencing for resort construction, unverified | SKIP |
| Tien Sa | North-west peninsula tip | About 10,000₫ | Bean bags, a beach bar and port views | DEPENDS |
| Bai Rang | Son Tra, through the seafood restaurants | Free with a meal | The best easy snorkelling near the city, March to August | WORTH IT |
| Bai Nam | Near Lady Buddha | Small dry-season fee | A 600m sheltered cove with showers, and sunset | WORTH IT |
| Xuan Thieu (Red Beach) | Nguyen Tat Thanh, bay side | Free | Toddlers and calm water when the ocean coast is red-flagged | DEPENDS |
| Nam O | Lien Chieu, Cu De river mouth | Free | The moss-green reef from January to March, and the fish-sauce village | DEPENDS |
| My Khe | Vo Nguyen Giap, the central strip | Free · sunbeds 40,000₫ | Almost everyone. Lifeguards, showers, surf schools and the 05:00 swim | WORTH IT |
| Bac My An | T20 south to Furama, behind An Thuong | Free | Escaping the main strip without leaving walking distance | WORTH IT |
| Son Thuy | 4km south, by the Hyatt | Parking 4,000₫ | A local swim beach with lifeguards and no scene | DEPENDS |
| Non Nuoc | Truong Sa, 12km south at the Marble Mountains | Free | Resort holidays and the widest, quietest long stretch on the coast | WORTH IT |
| Tan Tra | 16km south, near Sheraton Grand | Free | Emptiness, if you are already staying at the southern end | DEPENDS |
Checked August 2026. Bai But's access status could not be verified and is reported as fenced for construction — treat it as closed. Bai Bac sits inside the InterContinental grounds and is not a public beach.
The coast, practically
Getting off the sand and into the water
Every beach on this list is free or under 10,000₫, so nothing below is buying you access. It is buying boats, reefs and instructors — the parts of this coast you cannot walk to. All of it follows the same season: motorised and snorkelling roughly April to September, surfing the opposite half of the year.
Da Nang beaches FAQ
Which is the best beach in Da Nang?
My Khe, for almost everyone. It is free, wide, has lifeguarded and flagged swim sectors, showers, sunbeds at about 40,000₫ and surf schools, and TripAdvisor ranked it the 6th best beach in Asia in 2024. Non Nuoc is the better choice for a resort holiday and Bai Rang for snorkelling.
Are Da Nang's beaches free?
Almost all of them. The exceptions are small: Tien Sa charges about 10,000₫, Son Thuy charges 4,000₫ for parking, and Bai Nam has a small dry-season fee. Sunbeds on the serviced stretches run about 40,000₫ a day and are the main thing you will actually pay for.
When can you swim in Da Nang?
Roughly March to August, in the flagged sectors. From September the monsoon swell builds and red flags go up; October to December the water is effectively closed to casual swimmers. Sea temperature runs 24°C to 30°C all year, so it is never the water temperature that stops you.
Which Da Nang beach is best for snorkelling?
Bai Rang on the Son Tra peninsula, where the reef is close enough to swim to and access is through a row of family seafood restaurants — you eat, and you use the beach. Boat trips around the headland reach the coves with no road access. Visibility follows the swim season, so March to August.
Which beach is best with small children?
Xuan Thieu, the Red Beach, on the north-facing bay coast by the Mikazuki resort. The water is near-waveless where the ocean side is not, which matters in the months when My Khe is flying red flags. It is murkier and the road runs close behind it — that is the trade.
Is Bai But beach open?
We could not verify it. There are current reports that the cove has been fenced off for resort construction, and until that can be confirmed on the ground it is safer to treat it as closed and not plan a day around it. The surrounding water is still reachable by boat.
Is Bai Da Den worth the hike?
Only if you are a confident hiker with company, water and a dry-season morning. It is a 4.5km forest track plus a scramble to a black-boulder crescent with no facilities, no lifeguard and patchy phone signal. It looks spectacular on TikTok, which is not the same as being a sensible afternoon out.
What is China Beach in Da Nang?
The American-era name for the stretch now called Bac My An, running south from the T20 sector towards Furama. It is a quieter, resort-backed continuation of My Khe with public entrances between the compounds, and it is the closest sand to the An Thuong grid.
or five minutes
back from it.
Da Nang's coast splits into three products: the My Khe hotel wall on Vo Nguyen Giap, the walkable An Thuong grid a few blocks behind it, and the Non Nuoc resort strip 12km south at the Marble Mountains. Beachfront four-stars run $40–60 a night and the city's five-star average is about $84, which is one of Asia's cheapest. Rates fall sharply in October and November — the same months the sea closes and the dike works start.
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