April 28th and 29th brought a huge influx of domestic and international tourists into the central Vietnam city of Da Nang. An estimated 450,000 people settled into Da Nang for the 7th edition of the Da Nang International Fireworks Competition (DIFC).

With the Han River area completely shut off from motorbike and auto traffic, hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered in the stands and streets along Bach Dang and Tran Hung Dao to watch the colorful display. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Vietnam’s reunification and the liberation of Da Nang city, there were certainly a number of things to be celebrated.

Day One brought a beautiful opening ceremony and musical performances followed by the first display of fireworks by Team South Africa. Team USA and Team Vietnam followed after South Africa, wowing all the spectators with their incredibly intricate displays and arrangements. Day 1 wrapped up with guests torn between USA and Vietnam, two displays that would ultimately tie at the end.

Guests returned for the final night on April 29th with the displays of Australia and Poland. While Poland really impressed judges with their music and fireworks arrangement, Australia ultimately came out on top with a performance that has been deemed the best in 7 years. Final results ended with Australia in first place, Poland in second place, and Vietnam and the United States of America coming in joint third. South Africa, the youngest of all the competitors, took last. Previous winners were USA, Italy, France, China and Canada, so Australia was pleased to gain a seat amongst the world’s best fireworks display teams.

With more excitement to come in Da Nang, guests are quickly falling in love with central Vietnam’s fastest growing city. Water sports, firework displays, beach concerts and much more are keeping visitors busy for the duration of their stay (in addition to the standard attractions of Hoi An, Hue, My Son, etc.)

While the fireworks are no longer an annual event (the last display was in 2013), guests who are interested in attending are strongly advised to book their trips and accommodation far ahead of time. Keep your eyes posted for the release of new firework dates or contact our MinMax staff to get your accommodation/tickets booked in advanced!