That week
in Da Nang.

The Fireworks Festival is back on the Han River. Saturday June 20, it starts at 8pm and runs about an hour. Germany and Macao go head to head on the Creativity night. You can watch for free from the riverbanks.

Get there early for a good spot, the river fills up fast.

You do not need a ticket. Locals gather on the Bach Dang riverside walk on the west bank, and along Tran Hung Dao on the east bank. The Dragon Bridge end and APEC Park also get a clear view of the sky.

If you want a seat with food and a drink, the riverside cafes and rooftop bars facing the Han River sell paid packages. Pick your spot by 6pm, the good ones fill up about two hours before it starts.

The city closes the roads by the river for the show. Cars are blocked around Bach Dang and Tran Hung Dao from 4pm, and the Han River Bridge area shuts to all traffic from 5pm.

Park a few streets back and walk in, or take a Grab and get dropped away from the river. Drivers are sent around on Ngo Quyen.

Hot all weekend, around 35 to 37 degrees in the day. Saturday looks mostly sunny with only a small chance of a quick shower, so the fireworks should be fine. A short storm can pop up on Friday afternoon and again Sunday morning, then clear.

Saturday night stays warm. Drink water and find shade in the middle of the day. The sea at My Khe and Non Nuoc is nicest early morning or after 4pm.

Ba Na Hills opened a new show called After Glow. It is a cabaret on a round stage you can watch from every side, with music and dancers. It runs in the evening, around 6:30pm, at the top of the mountain. It is for adults only, so leave the kids at home.

A good night out if you have friends in town.

More planes are landing in Da Nang this summer. The Moscow route is back, and new flights from Indonesia and Kazakhstan are coming in more often. Expect fuller beaches and busy restaurants on the weekend. Book your table ahead if you have a favourite spot.

Real plans, not just the usual spots.

Saga runs a DJ party called Illusion from 10pm.

Beyond the weekend, here is how the city is changing right now.

The airport is getting bigger. Work started on May 19 to grow the international terminal, and it should be done in about a year. Check in counters go from 54 to 85. That means more flights, more visitors, and busier beaches and restaurants on weekends.

Book your favourite table ahead this summer.

The city is turning into a tech and chip hub. FPT opened a research center at Software Park 2, and big names like Nvidia, Intel and Synopsys are moving in. The city wants 5,000 skilled chip workers.

For locals this means real new jobs, training spots for young people, and more demand for rooms, cafes and food near the tech parks.

Quang Nam is now part of Da Nang. Since July last year the old province, including Hoi An, joined Da Nang City, and many ward and street names changed with it. If an address looks new or a delivery driver seems confused, that is why.

One city now runs both the beaches here and the old town in Hoi An.

A quick heads up for friends flying in. Since March, Vietnam checks that your passport has at least six months left on it. If yours is close to the end date, renew it before you book the flight. The airline can stop you at the gate if it is short.

D'Hoi Summer Fest at Hoiana, June 26 from 5pm, music into the night. Da Nang Asian Film Festival in Hai Chau, June 28 to July 4. Fireworks carry on every Saturday until the big final on July 11.