My Khe / Da Nang Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a honest look at what My Khe / Da Nang has got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks, and I’ll tell you straight – it’s a slow burn.

We’re looking at a pretty flat start, honestly. The first few days up through the weekend are going to be a write-off. The swell is tiny, mostly under 1 ft with short, weak period. The energy is negligible (values in the single digits to low teens). You’ll be floating around more than surfing. There’s a gap of basically no surf on offer from now until late Sunday the 26th of July. If you’re itching for a paddle, save your energy.

Now, things finally start to whisper on Sunday the 26th of July. A pulse of energy shows up in the morning with a 1 ft swell, but it’s coming from the ENE on a very long 16-second period (groundswell). The combined energy jumps to a moderate 107, but the waves are reported as “poor surf conditions” with onshore wind ruining it. The afternoon pushes up to 3 ft with a 13-second period and a hefty 336 energy reading, but again, onshore winds kill the quality. We’re still waiting for the clean window.

Monday the 27th of July is the first moment we get something that resembles a surfable wave. The morning brings 2 ft from the NE with that long 10-second period. The combined energy is a moderate 108, and the real kicker is the glassy conditions. The wind is almost nothing out of the NNW. The report calls it “surfable but very ordinary,” and I’d give it a solid 1/10 for quality. It’s not a standout, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far.

We then hit another dry spell. From Monday afternoon right through to late next week, it’s back to weak, tiny, or onshore junk. A couple of mornings on the 29th and 30th of July show clean winds and a bit of energy (77-84) with 2 ft to 2 ft swell, but the overall energy is still weak to moderate. Good for a longboard or a foiler if you’re keen, but not a proper surf day.

Hold onto your board, because the real window opens up on Tuesday the 4th of August. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The morning session shows 2 ft from the ENE with a very long 18-second period groundswell. The combined energy is a solid 266 – that’s moderate to high energy, real power behind it. The wind is cross-offshore from the WSW and light, with a gentle breeze. That’s clean conditions. This is the best combination of size, period, and wind in the entire forecast. The break is My Khe (Da Nang). The swell direction (ENE) matches the optimum direction (NE) fairly well, so the setup should work. Keep in mind this is a beach break, and a long period like 18 seconds can make it a bit straight and fat here. Also, crowds can be a problem here sometimes.

The next morning, Wednesday the 5th of August, looks even punchier. Another morning session, 3 ft from ENE with that same 17-second groundswell period. The combined energy jumps to a very strong 488. The wind is again light cross-offshore from the WSW. This will have some grunt. For a spot that usually averages around 2 ft, this is a proper pulse. At 3 ft it’s still fine for most, but the power from the period and the energy will be noticeable.

Thursday the 6th of August morning is a step down but still clean with cross-offshore wind and a moderate 247 reading from 2 ft ENE swell.

The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird – just your typical warm Vietnamese bathwater.

So, to cut through it: the best on offer is the Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th of August mornings. Go early for the clean glass with that cross-offshore wind. Tuesday has the best balance of clean conditions and solid groundswell energy. Wednesday has a bit more size and power. These are the true standouts in an otherwise quiet forecast window.

Stay patient, and I’ll see you in the water.

Rusty

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