{"id":2399,"date":"2026-05-07T13:28:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T04:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/news\/danang-summer-destination\/"},"modified":"2026-08-02T08:10:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T23:10:59","slug":"danang-summer-destination","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/en\/news\/danang-summer-destination\/","title":{"rendered":"Da Nang comes in 2nd on the \"Top 9 Asian summer destinations\" \u2014 a Lonely Planet pick, holiday crowds top 1.46 million"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lonely Planet names Da Nang 2nd in its \"Top 9 summer destinations in Asia\"<\/h2>\n

In the \"9 places to visit in Asia this summer\" announced on May 1, 2026 by the global travel guide \"Lonely Planet,\" Da Nang, a city in central Vietnam, ranked second. The publication described Da Nang as\"a paradise for outdoor lovers,\"<\/strong>highly praising its geographical advantage of beaches, mountains, and cultural heritage all within an hour's reach.<\/p>\n

The list also named cities across Asia, including Busan (South Korea), Singapore, Shimla (India), Bali (Indonesia), Almaty (Kazakhstan), and Sendai (Japan). Da Nang was the only selection from Southeast Asia, a result that again shows Vietnam's international presence as a tourist city.<\/p>\n

1.46 million visitors over the 5-day holiday \u2014 foreign travelers up 24% year on year<\/h2>\n

Around the same time as Lonely Planet's announcement, Da Nang welcomed a long holiday including Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1). According to a tally by the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, tourists visiting the city over the five days from April 29 to May 3 numberedmore than 1.46 million.<\/strong>This was a 35% increase over the same period last year.<\/p>\n

Looking at the breakdown, foreign travelerssurged to more than 621,000<\/strong>(up 24% year on year). Tourism revenue reached5.72 trillion VND (about 220 million USD).<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Indicator<\/th>\n2026 holiday results<\/th>\nYear on year<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Total number of tourists<\/td>\nmore than 1.46 million.<\/td>\n+35%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Foreign travelers<\/td>\nOver 621,000<\/td>\n+24%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tourism revenue<\/td>\n5.72 trillion VND (about 220 million USD).<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of flights (4\/25\u20135\/3)<\/td>\n1,460 flights (average 162 a day)<\/td>\n+11%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u5ba2\u5ba4\u7a3c\u50cd\u7387\uff08\u5e02\u5168\u4f53\u5e73\u5747\uff09<\/td>\n75-80%<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4-5 star hotel occupancy<\/td>\n90-95%<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Why Da Nang was praised \u2014 three strengths<\/h2>\n

A \"compact resort\" where beach and city sit side by side<\/h3>\n

Da Nang's greatest strength is that My Khe Beach and Non Nuoc Beach spread out within a 10-minute drive of the city center. Lonely Planet also cited this \"closeness of city and beach\" as a reason for the selection. Because it's close from the area where hotels and restaurants cluster to the beach, even a short stay lets you enjoy both the sea and the city.<\/p>\n

Access to cultural heritage<\/h3>\n

The Museum of Cham Sculpture houses hundreds of stone carvings from the Champa Kingdom that flourished in central Vietnam. Add the 30-minute drive to Hoi An Ancient Town (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and an hour to the Hue Imperial City, and access to historical heritage is superb. Travel + Leisure magazine also selected in 2025Hoi An 1st and Da Nang 2nd in its \"world's hidden gem cities,\"<\/a>and praise from overseas media keeps coming.<\/p>\n

Nature experiences on the Son Tra Peninsula<\/h3>\n

Primeval forest remains on the Son Tra Peninsula that juts out to the northeast of the city, home to the endangered red-shanked douc langur. Lonely Planet cited this peninsula as one basis for \"outdoor lover's paradise,\" a spot where you can enjoy untouched nature through trekking or driving.<\/p>\n

The 2026 goal is \"20 million\" \u2014 the growth strategy the administration envisions<\/h2>\n

Nguyen Thi Hoai An, deputy director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, \"For 2026 we aim for about 20 million overnight guests from home and abroad, establishing our status as a dynamic and distinctive destination.\" The plan is to add a further 15% on top of the 2025 results of 17.3 million.<\/p>\n

On the infrastructure side, during the holiday the cruise ship \"Star Voyager\" called at Tien Sa Port, with 2,500 passengers and crew landing in Da Nang. Railways from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City alsointroduced AI dynamic pricing from May 1,<\/a>and short-distance segments are getting discounts of up to 35%. Air, sea, and rail \u2014 access to Da Nang is being strengthened on every route.<\/p>\n

Local reactions \u2014 voices of tourism operators and travelers<\/h2>\n