February 2026 (ROTM#206) Da Nang, Vietnam

Looks like the Gold Coast, but it’s Vietnam.

Here is the second instalment of my ‘Images Taken off the Web of Famous Tourist Beaches that have Rip Currents that Never Get Mentioned in the Tourist Promos’ series. This one is in Da Nang on the east coast of Vietnam. You can see the rip currents lined up along the beach at almost regular intervals of about 100 metres or so – I’m looking at the dark green gaps, which are channels carved into the sandbars. It almost looks like the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

I remember my first visit to Vietnam in 2006 when I hired a motorbike to ride from Hoi An to Da Nang and there was no development along the coast, just a long beautiful beach backed by tropical vegetation and fishing villages. But the road was recently paved and immaculate and I sensed impending development. Sure enough when I went back in 2011 to Da Nang for the World Conference on Drowning Prevention, there was one long strip of brand new resorts along the entire coast, many of which are now pretty much abandoned due to overdevelopment.

The beach is clearly prone to rip currents although mostly during the monsoon season from September to March – something to consider if you visit the region. The more popular beaches in the region have lifeguards who rope off areas indicating where you can swim and sometimes fly a red flag meaning ‘no swimming’. Some resorts may also have their own lifeguard. It’s quite variable so just be aware of conditions and be safe!