For centuries, a long, skinny dragon—known as the Ly Dynasty dragon—has served as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in Vietnamese culture. City officials in the bustling Vietnamese city of Da Nang decided that the best way to honor the Liberation of Da Nang—which was an important turning point in the Vietnam War—was to build a dragon-shaped bridge that ‘breathed’ fire and water.
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Da Nang’s Dragon Bridge opened to the public on March 29, 2013—a date that marked the 38th anniversary of the Liberation of Da Nang. The nearly 2,200-foot-long Dragon Bridge accommodates six lanes of traffic and allows commuters to cross the Han River. The Dragon Bridge provides travelers with easy access to Da Nang’s city center, several scenic beaches, and eclectic neighborhoods that were isolated from downtown Da Nang prior to the bridge’s construction.
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Every Saturday and Sunday at 9 PM, and on certain holidays, the Dragon Bridge is cleared of all traffic so that onlookers can watch the Dragon Bridge literally breathe fire. Visitors can line up on the bridge or watch from a nearby cafe, beach, or hotel as the Dragon Bridge alternately spews flames and jets of water for approximately 10 minutes. The bridge is also adorned with LED lights that make the Dragon Bridge twinkle like a star and change colors as it breathes fire.
Bach Dang Street is one of the best places in Da Nang to watch the Dragon Bridge fire-breathing show. Visitors can sip on coffee, bubble tea, or cold beer at one of Bach Dang Street’s numerous bars or coffee shops as the Dragon Bridge belches fire.
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Travelers can even hop aboard a boat near Bach Dang Street for a sweeping view of Da Nang’s skyline and an up-close view of the Dragon Bridge fire-breathing show. Most boat tours last approximately one hour and feature drinks and fresh seafood. A scenic dinner cruise with a technicolor fire-breathing dragon as the main attraction is an excursion that you will not soon forget.
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Watching Da Nang’s yellow Dragon Bridge transform from a six-lane road into a shimmering fire-breathing dragon is a truly thrilling experience. Iconic bridges such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Tower Bridge are certainly worth visiting, but only Da Nang’s Dragon Bridge will leave you with the excitement of having visited a dragon-shaped bridge that breathes fire like a mythical dragon that has suddenly become real.