Da Nang or Nha Trang: which to choose — seasons, long stays, day trips and flights
Da Nang or Nha Trang: in winter Nha Trang is warmer and drier, while Da Nang’s rainy season is heavier and ends later. Da Nang has Hoi An and Ba Na Hills, Nha Trang has islands and mud baths. The cities are about 530 km apart.
Short answer: it mostly comes down to the month. From December to March Nha Trang is warmer and drier — in January it averages 2–3 degrees warmer than Da Nang, with about half the rain: roughly 40 mm against 80. Both cities have their rainy season from September to December, but Da Nang gets much more rain. Summer is dry in both. Da Nang is the base for Hoi An’s old town and Ba Na Hills; Nha Trang is the base for islands, mud baths and diving. The cities are about 530 km apart: an hour by plane or a night on the train.
When does it rain in Da Nang and when is it dry?
| Months | Average temperature | Monthly rainfall | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21.5 °C, around 19 °C at night | about 80 mm, 12 rainy days | cool and damp |
| February — April | 22–26.5 °C | 24–35 mm | the driest months |
| May — August | 28–29.5 °C, daytime highs of 34–34.5 °C | 80–140 mm | hot, short showers |
| September — December | 22–27.5 °C | 220–630 mm, peaking in October | rainy season |
Nha Trang’s rainy season is also September to December, with monsoon swell from October to December. Nha Trang’s averages for every month are on the weather page; the seasons are explained in when to go to Nha Trang.
Da Nang or Nha Trang for a winter stay?
For a stay from December to March, Nha Trang is milder. In January Nha Trang averages about 24 °C and Da Nang 21.5 °C, dropping to around 19 °C at night. Da Nang is also wetter in January: about 80 mm over 12 rainy days, against roughly 40 mm over 9 days in Nha Trang. If you arrive in October or November, both cities start with the rainy season; in Nha Trang it is over by January. Where to live is in Nha Trang districts.
Where should I go for the beach in summer?
From May to August both cities are dry. Da Nang is hotter: in June and July the average daytime high there is 34–34.5 °C, against about 32.5 °C in Nha Trang. In Nha Trang the sea is calm from February to August — the season for islands, boat trips and diving. Beaches are covered in Nha Trang beaches.
What day trips are there from Da Nang and from Nha Trang?
From Da Nang people head to Hoi An, the lantern-lit old town 30 km south, 45–60 minutes by car. The other big one is Ba Na Hills, a mountain resort at about 1,500 metres, 25–30 km west of the centre, reached by a 15–20 minute cable car. It is 10–15 degrees cooler at the top, so bring a jumper.
From Nha Trang people go to the islands, the mud baths, diving and waterfalls. See boat trips, mud baths and what to see in Nha Trang.
How do you fly from Russia to Da Nang and to Nha Trang?
Charters change every season, so check the tour operator’s programme for your dates. As of now: Anex has been flying winter charters from Moscow to Nha Trang (Cam Ranh airport) since late September 2026, three a week, rising to five a week from January 2027. Da Nang had an Anex summer programme from 16 April to 31 October 2026 from 12 cities in Russia, the CIS and Belarus; the first direct flight from Moscow landed on 23 May 2026. We found no announcement of a winter programme to Da Nang, so if you are going in winter, check flights before booking. Getting from the airport is covered in Cam Ranh airport to Nha Trang.
How far is Da Nang from Nha Trang?
About 530 km on Highway 1A and 524 km by rail. That is just over an hour by plane, 9.5–11 hours by train or a night on a sleeper bus. Plenty of people stay in one city and spend a few days in the other. All the options are in Nha Trang to Da Nang.
Frequently asked questions
Which is warmer in winter, Da Nang or Nha Trang? Nha Trang. In January it averages about 24 °C against 21.5 °C in Da Nang, and Da Nang gets more rain.
When is the rainy season in Da Nang? September to December, with the most rain in October — about 630 mm in the month. The driest months are February to April.
Which is better for a long winter stay? For December to March, Nha Trang is warmer and drier. If you arrive in October, both cities start with rain.
Are there direct flights from Russia to Da Nang in winter? Anex’s summer programme to Da Nang ran until 31 October 2026, and we found no winter one announced. Winter charters from Moscow to Nha Trang have been running since late September 2026. Check with the tour operator for your dates.
How far is Nha Trang from Da Nang? About 530 km by road and 524 km by rail. The flight takes just over an hour.
Can I visit Hoi An from Nha Trang? Yes, but not as a day trip: first get to Da Nang (an hour by plane or a night on the train), then it is another 30 km to Hoi An. Some sleeper bus companies run from Nha Trang straight to Hoi An.
Sources and checks
Da Nang and Nha Trang temperatures and rainfall — long-term averages for the Đà Nẵng (no. 108) and Nha Trang (no. 118) stations in Vietnam’s national standard QCVN 02:2022/BXD, tables A.2–A.4, A.25 and A.28. Hoi An and Ba Na Hills — vietnamtourism.com guides (updated 7 Oct and 14 Sep 2026). Charters to Nha Trang — VOV (17 Aug 2026); to Da Nang — the Da Nang tourism portal and Tuoi Tre (23 May 2026). Road distance — Vietnam Booking (28 Aug 2026, from Google Maps); rail distance — station kilometre markers. Nha Trang sea seasons — our guide on when to go. Updated 22.10.2026.