The popularity has been growing with stand up paddle boarding (SUP) in Da Nang as the city has given high priority to promoting the development of this water sport in efforts to attract tourists to watch and to participate in.

SUP has become a popular water sport in Da Nang in recent years. Photo: P.N

SUP was introduced to Da Nang in 2015, and it have exploded in popularity in recent years. Every morning, Da Nang’s beaches are bustling with SUP rowing activity.

Nguyen Van Hoang, a resident of Phuoc My Ward, Son Tra District said: “SUP is a sport that all ages can enjoy. Paddleboarding is indeed a good workout as it offers a combination of strength, balance, and endurance training. The interesting thing about this sport is that it provides an opportunity to connect with nature, and escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. Over recent years, I have maintained a healthy habit of rowing SUP across the Tho Quang Beach along the Son Tra Peninsula.”

SUP is very attractive to domestic and foreign tourists while visiting Da Nang. Tran Hoang Hai, a tourist from the northern province of Quang Ninh shared: “Every time I visit Da Nang, I rent a SUP and make a ride in SUP with my friends to explore the beauty of local beaches. I am happy and excited to experience this fun and easy water sport. With a long coastline, Da Nang is blessed with beautiful beaches, rivers and streams that are very suitable for the development of SUP”.

In order to meet growing demand for the sport of SUP from its lovers, many SUP clubs have been established in the city.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Tuan, the Chairman of the Da Nang SUP Club, the club now has about 40 members, of whom, nearly 20 people maintain regular practice. Paddle boarding requires a lot of balance to stand up on the board. Paddling is a crucial part of surfing, and it requires a lot of strength and endurance to get out into the sea and ensure you’re stable, and have the confidence to ride waves with style. There are two main types of paddle boards: inflatable and hard boards. Most of people who join the SUP club show their love for this water sport, and want to stick to it. Da Nang’s beaches are bustling with the sport of SUP, thereby promoting further development of this sport in the city.

Da Nang targets to become a sports hub of the country, and the city will host sporting events which contribute to the increase in the number of visitor arrivals.  The city has hosted successful large-scale sporting events that contributed to driving tourism rebound. Most recently, the National Youth Sailing Championship and Stand Up Paddling (SUP) Tournament for Best Rowers 2023 has taken place on the Nguyen Tat Thanh Beach located in Thanh Khe District. Co-organized by the Viet Nam Boat Racing Federation and the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports, the sports event saw the participation of 50 male and female rowers from Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. At the Sailing tournament, participants compete in men's and women's events in Optimist boats (male and female competitions), laser boats, and 470 boats. In the SUP tournament, athletes compete in men's and women's events at distances of 200m; 1,000m; 1,500m; 2,000m; and 6,000m.

This is the third time Da Nang has hosted such a event that has drawn great deal of attention from the SUP tournament members, local people and tourists. Trinh Duc Giang, an athlete of the Da Nang SUP team said: “I won a silver medal at this tournament and my success went beyond my expectations. This tournament provided a good opportunity for me to challenge myself and compete with the best rowers across the country. Hopefully, such a tournament will be held annually in the city, and it will continue in the years ahead, contributing to promoting further development of the sport of SUP in the city in a bid to attract more locals and tourists to participate in."

Mr Pham Tan Chu, the Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports, said that SUP has grown to popularity in the city in recent years. You can use a paddle to propel yourself on the allowed waters. Every day, many local people and tourists are seen participating in the sport of SUP in the early morning and afternoon on local beaches. With its favorable natural conditions, Da Nang has been chosen to build a Water Sports Training Centre, including SUP, by the Viet Nam Boat Racing Federation. In the coming time, the city will continue to host Stand Up Paddling National Championships in order to promote further development of this sport in the city.

Reporting by PHI NONG – Translating by H.L