Visit a Fire-Breathing Dragon Bridge in Vietnam
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Dragon Bridge (Cầu Rồng), Da Nang, Vietnam
- Coordinates
- 16.0611682, 108.2278968
- Access
- Dragon Bridge is a public road bridge over the Han River; use the riverside walkways or another designated viewing area for the show, and do not stand in traffic. Crowds and traffic controls can affect access around performance time. The city tourism portal currently describes the weekly fire-and-water show at about 21:00; check the city notice for the date you plan to visit.
- Admission
- There is no ticket for viewing the bridge or the fire-and-water show from public riverside areas. River cruises, cafés and other reserved viewing options charge separately.
- Time needed
- The Da Nang tourism article gives a 10–15-minute show window. Another city tourism page describes the active fire and water sequence without a duration, while a current airline visitor guide reports roughly five minutes of fire/water activity within a longer event window. Treat 10–15 minutes as a planning window, not continuous effects; allow additional time for crowds and traffic restrictions.
- Best season
- No official best season is published. The bridge is a public city landmark year-round, but rain, maintenance, holidays or city events can affect the show. Check a current city notice rather than assuming every weekly show will run.
- Opening hours
- The bridge is a public road crossing with no visitor opening hours. Da Nang Fantasticity lists the show at about 21:00 Friday–Sunday; Visit Danang lists Saturday–Sunday. These current city tourism pages conflict on Friday, and their duration descriptions differ. Special holiday shows may be added. Confirm the exact date with current city notices; show times are not bridge opening hours.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-26
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-26
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