Various kinds of water sports including jet-skiing, parasailing, paragliding, windsurfing, kayaking, and other diversely interesting activities, are now available for visitors to Da Nang during the summer.

Paragliding has been gaining popularity in Da Nang in recent years

Among them, Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) - a kind of sports that involves standing on a large, inflatable surfboard-like plank and paddling through the water, and paragliding, draw much attention from people and tourists.

SUP began to be introduced to Da Nang in 2015 and this kind of sports has become a popular water sport in recent years.

Every morning, Da Nang's beaches are bustling with SUP rowing activity.

Having five years of experience in rowing SUP, Mr. Tran Hong Hai, residing in Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, said that SUP is the optimal sport in the summer because it brings an interesting experience when enjoying the fresh, cool air on the sea.

“Thanks to SUP, my health is significantly improved and my spirit is joyful and comfortable. Da Nang has a lot of potential for SUP development" he added.

Not only local people, many tourists are also excited to experience SUP when coming to Da Nang.

At the Tho Quang Beach in Son Tra District, Ms. Truong Thi Hong Tham, a native of Ha Noi, and her friends, had an interesting experience when rowing SUPs to explore the natural beauty along the Son Tra Peninsula.

According to Ms. Tham, SUP is a sport that is not too difficult. SUP rowers should practice balance skills and control speed. “If you are a beginner, there will be a coach to support you and ensure safety while rowing on the sea” she informed.

To meet the growing needs of local residents and tourists, SUP rental locations and SUP clubs have been set up in the city.

In particular, the Da Nang SUP Club has about 40 members, of which nearly 20 members maintain regular practice.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Tuan, Chairman of the Da Nang SUP Club, the city has long and beautiful beaches along with rivers and streams that are very suitable for the development of SUP. There are two types of SUPs that people can choose: solid and inflatable SUPs.

In order to spread the SUP movement in the city, the Da Nang SUP Club regularly organises competitions and tournaments to create conditions for people with a passion for SUP to participate in.

Along with SUP, paragliding allows participants to explore the beauty of Da Nang beaches and the Son Tra Peninsula as well.

Mr. Tran Quang Khai, a resident of Hai Chau 1 Ward, Hai Chau District, shared that "I have been paragliding for more than 7 years and really like this sport. In summer, the weather is favourable to explore the beauty of the city from above. Before flying, players are instructed in safety skills. If you have the opportunity to come to Da Nang, you should once experience the paragliding".

According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Vu, Head of the Management Board of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourist Beaches, due to favourable weather conditions, paragliding attracts many paragliders during the summer.

The unit has coordinated with relevant agencies to organise many paragliding tournaments and activities in a bid to promote the development of this kind of sports. Notable among them is the annual 'Flying over the silver sea' open paragliding tournament. This year’s tournament is scheduled to take place in July. Accordingly, participating paragliders will take off at the paragliding field on the Son Tra Peninsula at an altitude of 600m, and land at the Tho Quang Beach.

In addition to the aforementioned sports, the city plans to host beach soccer and volleyball tournaments at the Pham Van Dong Beach. Besides, there will be performances of kitesurfing, banana inflatable canoes, and parasailing at the My Khe Beach. All activities aim to create a vibrant and attractive competition atmosphere on local beaches.

According to Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Trong Thao, the city is gradually tunring itself into a marine sports center of the country. To achieve the goal, marine sports movements in the city are required to be vibrant and attractive with a variety of competition types and contents, thereby meeting the sports entertainment needs of residents and tourists, and contributing to promoting tourism development.

Reporting by PHI NONG - Translating by M.DUNG, V.DUNG