That week
in Da Nang.

The Fireworks Festival ends this Saturday July 11 with the grand final on the Han River. Two teams close it out, Portugal and China. Portugal lights the sky first, then China takes over. It starts at 8:10pm, and each team plays for about 20 minutes.

You can watch for free from the riverbanks, no ticket needed. There are also paid grandstand seats by the water if you want a fixed spot. This is the last night of the festival, so expect the biggest crowd of the summer.

Get down to the river early, the good free spots fill up about two hours before it starts. If you cannot make it in person, it is shown live on VTV1.

For a free view, locals gather along 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 look at the sky. 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. From 3pm there is no parking or stopping along Bach Dang, Tran Hung Dao, Tran Phu, Pham Van Dong, and the streets by the Dragon Bridge and Han River Bridge. From 4pm cars cannot drive on Bach Dang, Le Duan, Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen The Loc and Pham Van Dong until the fireworks end. Park a few streets back and walk in, or take a Grab and get dropped away from the water.

A hot one this weekend. Days climb to around 34 to 37 degrees, muggy, with strong midday sun. A short thunderstorm can still pop up in the late afternoon or evening on any of the three days, the fast kind that passes.

Saturday night for the fireworks looks warm and mostly dry, but keep an eye on the sky through the afternoon. Drink plenty of water, stay in the shade from late morning to mid afternoon when the sun is hardest, and the sea at My Khe is nicest early morning or after 4pm.

No storm is heading for Da Nang this weekend. A big typhoon called Bavi is far out near Taiwan and is not expected to reach us, though it is making the open sea rough offshore, so some boat trips may be cut back. This is still storm season though, and the weather here can turn fast, so check the forecast again the morning you head out.

Real plans, not just the usual spots.

Friday: The Lost Boys play live at Claypot from 7:30pm. Megaboom plays PĀMA Bistro from 8:30pm. Fire Dance by the sea at Kala Kala from 8pm. HAT Jazz Band plays The Craftsman from 9:15pm. Lady Q and friends spin at Saga from 10pm.

Saturday: Fireworks night on the river, see above. Before it, a crawfish and oyster boil with the Han River Settlers at Dirty Fingers from 4:30pm. Yoshe Band plays PĀMA Bistro from 8:30pm. After the fireworks, Atala and iMessenger play Saga from 10pm.

Sunday: Acoustic session with Kvartirnik at Sound Cafe from 8pm. The Moon Band plays 1920's Lounge from 9:15pm. Christian and friends at Saga from 10pm.

Beyond the weekend, here is a big change taking shape. Da Nang is being built into a money and finance hub, not just a beach city. A new international financial center is going up by the river, a 20 storey building that is due to open later this year.

It sits next to the new free trade zone, a huge 1,881 hectare area out in Lien Chieu and Hoa Vang, set up last year for trade and shipping. Global firms are already signing on. For people who live here, this points to a new kind of work over the next few years, office and finance jobs, more foreign companies, and fresh demand for homes, English classes and services near the center.

A quick heads up for friends flying in. Vietnam checks that your passport has at least six months left before the end date.

If yours is getting close, renew it before you book the flight. The airline can stop you at the gate if it is short.

One less thing to worry about on the way over.