Learning to Surf at My Khe Beach: How to Get Started
"Can you actually surf in Da Nang?" It's one of the questions our guests ask most often. Yes, you can, and My Khe Beach is a pretty friendly place to start. It's a long stretch of sand with a gently sloping, mostly sandy bottom (no sharp reef to worry about), and when the season is right the waves are very manageable for beginners. If you've ever watched surfers and thought "that's not for me," this guide is for you.
When are there waves in Da Nang?
This catches a lot of visitors off guard: in summer (roughly April through August), My Khe is often beautifully calm, with the water almost glassy in the mornings. That's perfect for swimming, but there usually isn't much to surf.
The waves really show up once the northeast monsoon starts blowing, typically from around September or October, through winter and into early spring. That's when the local surf community is at its most active. The flip side is that this season also brings days of rough seas from storms and tropical depressions, with big surf and strong currents. On those days, beginners should stay on the sand.
A small tip: before your trip, check a surf forecast app or website (search "Da Nang surf forecast") for wave height and wind direction. As a beginner, anything from knee-high to waist-high is plenty of fun.
Teach yourself or take a lesson?
Our honest advice: take a lesson for at least your first session. Surfing looks simple, but a few things are really hard to figure out alone:
- Lying on the board and paddling without nose-diving.
- Timing your paddle so you actually catch the wave.
- The "pop-up," getting from lying down to standing in one move.
- Falling safely and keeping the board away from you and others.
- Basic surf etiquette, so you don't drop in on someone already riding.
There are several surf schools and informal instructors along My Khe and the surrounding area, and most offer board rental too. Prices and formats (group or private) vary by season and by operator, so ask directly, read recent reviews, and check what's included: board, rash guard, and how long the session runs.
When picking a lesson, look for a few things. Does the instructor check conditions before heading out? Is the student-to-instructor ratio reasonable? Do they start beginners on large soft-top boards? Soft-tops are long, wide, very buoyant, and much kinder when you fall, which is exactly what you want at the start.
What your first lesson looks like
Most lessons begin on the sand: a warm-up, getting to know the board, and practicing the lie-paddle-pop-up sequence over and over until it feels natural. Then you head into the shallows, where the waves have already broken into white water. There, the instructor can often push your board at the right moment so all you have to focus on is standing up.
Don't expect to look like a pro on day one. Most beginners fall a lot, swallow some seawater, and maybe manage a few seconds standing on the white water by the end of the session. That counts as a win. After a few sessions, once the rhythm clicks, the progress becomes very noticeable.
What to bring
- A rash guard or long-sleeve sun shirt: it protects you from the sun and from chafing on the board.
- Water-resistant sunscreen, applied 15-20 minutes before you get in.
- Water and a light snack: surfing is far more tiring than it looks.
- Leave jewelry and glasses behind, since they're easy to lose in a wipeout.
- A dry bag if you want to keep your phone on the beach.
Eat something light about an hour beforehand, and avoid heading out right after a big meal.
Staying safe at My Khe
My Khe has lifeguard towers and a flag system along the beach. Always check the flags and follow the lifeguards' instructions. If there's a no-swimming flag or a warning, stay out of the water, however tempting the waves look.
It's also worth knowing about rip currents. If you feel yourself being pulled away from shore, don't try to swim straight back against it. Hold on to your board (it floats very well), stay calm, and paddle parallel to the beach until you're out of the current, then come in. This is one more reason to learn with someone experienced: a good instructor will show you how to spot a rip on your very first day.
Early morning is usually the sweet spot: lighter wind, softer sun, and fewer swimmers in the water.
After your session
You'll come out of the water hungry and tired, which makes it the perfect time for breakfast: a bowl of mì Quảng, bún chả cá, or a bánh mì from one of the local spots around An Hai and My Khe. Then rest up, and in the cooler late afternoon, head back to the beach and watch other surfers. You'll pick up a surprising amount just by observing.
Stay close to the beach
If you're planning a few sessions in a row, staying near the beach makes a big difference, since you can roll out of bed and be on the sand in minutes. Lapin Homestay is at 73 Duong Tri Trach, An Hai, Da Nang, just a few minutes from My Khe Beach and close to Dragon Bridge for evening walks. We also rent electric scooters to guests, which makes the morning beach run or the post-surf breakfast hunt easy. Feel free to message us on Zalo or give us a call to check room availability.
Surfing takes patience, but the first time you stand up on a board, even for a few seconds, is hard to forget. We hope your first waves at My Khe are great ones!