Han River Bridge in Da Nang: Why, When and How Does It Swing?

Han River Bridge is the swing bridge in central Da Nang, between Le Duan and Pham Van Dong streets. Its middle spans turn at about 11 pm on Saturdays and Sundays; watching is free and worth a late night.

Address: Le Duan Street (Hai Chau ward) to Pham Van Dong Street (An Hai ward), Da Nang City
Swing schedule: about 11 pm to midnight, Saturday and Sunday
Ticket: free
Best time: weekend nights, after the 9 pm Dragon Bridge show
Getting there: about 4 km from the airport, 1.7 km from the Dragon Bridge
Width: 13m
Length: 488m in total
Good for: Families, couples, groups...
Information checked: November 2026

For many years, Da Nang people have been proud of Han River that not only presents their influential image but also the city’s symbol of love and romance. Besides, watching how Han River Bridge swings is considered one of the most appealing activities for tourists, especially people who are into exploring the exceptional beauty of night-time in Da Nang.

1. The Origin of Han River Bridge

Before 2000, east-bank residents mostly crossed by small ferry, unsafe in floods, the city portal says. Therefore, the municipal council proposed the idea of a bridge construction crossing Han River to fulfill their people’s needs.

The authority managed to put up a bridge of 11 spans, connecting 2 main routes of Da Nang City: Le Duan street to the west and Pham Van Dong street to the east side.

It was on 2 September 1998 that they began the construction process; not until 29 March 2000 was the bridge open for public use.

Han River Bridge is the first to be able to swing in Vietnam, designed and built by Vietnamese engineers; Da Nang’s own citizens paid about 30% of the 117 billion VND cost.

2. Why and When Does Han River Bridge In Da Nang Officially Swing?

Formerly, the bridge swung during the early hours of the morning – from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. – to support the river traffic and transportation so that large cruisers or maritime ships would go past without facing any obstacles. However, in order to boost tourism profit and local leisure activities, the city governors decided to extend the bridge swinging duration, making it available for more people to admire the scene from 11 p.m. to midnight on Saturday and Sunday, as the Da Nang tourism portal still lists.

The following is a table of swinging periods of Han River Bridge:

Date	Time	Notes
Saturday & Sunday	11 p.m – midnight	Swing for visitors and river traffic; barriers come down at about 10:45 p.m.
Monday – Friday	No published time	Not on the visitor schedule. A 2016 schedule had the bridge turn at about 1 a.m. for ships; no current weekday time is published, so check locally
Lunar New Year (Tết)	Extra nights	Announced by the city each year (for Tết 2026, on 3 February: 14, 15, 17, 18, 21 and 22 February)

3. How Does Han River Bridge Swing?

The river traffic flow of Da Nang city is quite heavy, which makes it impossible for a traditional bridge to function with ease.

Han River Bridge has gained a name for its sophisticated design as well as a refined combination of modern technology and construction techniques. Specifically, the two central spans can detach themselves from the main deck and rotate 90 degrees until they are fixed and parallel to the river bank.

4. How to Get to Han River Bridge?

The bridge is about 4 km from the airport; Grab’s airport page puts an average ride to the city centre at 70,000–120,000 VND. The Dragon Bridge is 1.7 km south, Han Market 700 m, and My Khe Beach 2.3 km east along Pham Van Dong Street.

5. Where to Watch the Han River Bridge Swing

Stand on the riverbank under the bridge, on Bach Dang Street (city side) or Tran Hung Dao Street (east bank), or on the deck behind the staff’s ropes. Crowds gather even near midnight (Dan Tri, May 2024), so arrive by 10:45 pm.

Han River Bridge swung open at night, Da Nang (December 2024) — Photo: Nobbipunktcom, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Skip the boat: cruises listed online, such as one that runs 8–9:30 pm from the wharf by the Cham Museum, finish before the bridge turns.

6. Extra Tips on Visiting Han River Bridge

There are a number of ways to observe the bridge’s swinging duration: settling into a comfortable position of a hotel rooftop (the Sky36 bar atop the Novotel Danang Premier Han River; 18+, from 6 pm), or an outdoor spacious coffee lounge alongside the river bank.
Don’t forget to enjoy the fire-breathing-dragon demonstration on the nearby Dragon Bridge, performing in public at 9 p.m. every Friday to Sunday.
Pay Han Market (Chợ Hàn) a visit if you are interested in local merchandise and souvenirs.

7. Han River Bridge vs Dragon Bridge

They are different bridges about 1.5 km apart: the Han River Bridge swings, while the Dragon Bridge, to the south, breathes fire at 9 pm Friday to Sunday. Thuan Phuoc Bridge is further north and Tran Thi Ly further south (VnExpress, 2021).

Sources: Da Nang tourism portal; city portal (history, Tết 2026); Dan Tri, 2024; Tuoi Tre, 2026; VnExpress, 2021; Bao Ha Tinh, 2024; Grab; Vietnambooking; distances: OpenStreetMap