Da Nang held a number of events to welcome in 2016 and they drew surprisingly large crowds despite the cold weather and rain over the 3-day New Year holiday break from 1 - 3 January.

A spectacular fireworks display took place at 9.00pm on the beach near the East Sea Park on 31 December.  A total of around 50,000 local residents and visitors were treated to the 10-minute-long fireworks show which featured 553 high-level fireworks, 176 firework frames, and 5 rotating firework frames. 

31-year-old visitor Tran Khanh Duy from Phu Yen Province said that this was the first time he had admired such an impressive fireworks display on a beach.

The Deputy Head of the Management Board of the Son Tra Peninsula and Tourism Beaches, Mr Nguyen Duc Vu, said that his unit would organise other fireworks displays on the beach in the near future to attract more visitors to the city.

After the fireworks display, there was an exciting musical performance featuring famous domestic singers My Linh, Thanh Bach, Nguyen Phi Hung and Minh Vuong.

On the same evening, the New Year Countdown Party 2016, which was entitled ‘Let's Create Memorable Moments Together’, took place at the 29 March Square on 2 September street.  Starting at 9.00pm and ending at 0.15am, the outdoor musical event featured famous domestic singers and bands, as well as world-renowned DJs from the Netherlands. 

Visitor Tran Thuy An from Ha Noi said that she was deeply impressed by the amazing countdown party, and this was her most memorable moment during her New Year holiday break in Da Nang.

Over the New Year holiday the city saw a higher number of tourist arrivals, especially foreign visitors, when compared with the same period last year.  Many local residents and visitors went to the city’s popular tourist attractions, including the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, the Marble Mountains Tourist Area, and the Linh Ung Pagoda.

Air passengers arriving at the airport on New Year’s Day

On the first day of the New Year, a leader from the city’s tourism sector presented flowers to English visitor Ms Melisa Silva who was one of the foreign passengers on the Singapore-Da Nang direct flight, the first international flight to arrive in 2016.  Ms Silva said that this was the 3^rd time she had visited Da Nang, and she had a keen interest in learning about the land, people and culture of Viet Nam during her stay in Da Nang.

On 2 January, a large audience gathered near the Eastern end of the Han River Bridge at 7.00 pm to enjoy the Tiger Remix Music Festival 2016 entitled ‘Wake up the Spring’.  Local residents had the opportunity to enjoy popular songs in a new mix of styles, combining Vietnamese and Western musical instruments with visual effects.

Local Tuong (classical drama) lovers were treated to a free performance, entitled ‘Like Monuments’, at the city’s Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theatre at 7.30pm on 1 January.  Local cinema-goers had the opportunity to enjoy various exciting Vietnamese and foreign films at the city’s cinemas.

Over the holiday, Asia Park received many visitors wanting to experience its newly-opened monorail system, which is the most modern of its kind in Viet Nam. 

A news and arts photos exhibition, entitled ‘The Ecosystem on the Son Tra Peninsula’, is taking place at the western end of Da Nang’s Rong (Dragon) Bridge until 5 January 2016 and is attracting many local residents and visitors.

A group of ladies in ao dais at the news and arts photos exhibition