That week
in Da Nang.

This weekend is wetter than last. Expect warm, sticky days around 28 to 30 degrees, with rain showers on and off all three days.

Friday looks the heaviest, with a real chance of a downpour in the afternoon. Saturday and Sunday stay humid with quick showers that come and go, then clear up.

The good news for fireworks night: most of Saturday's rain is the short kind that passes fast. Carry a thin rain jacket or a small umbrella, plan indoor backups, and the sea at My Khe is still nicest early morning before the clouds build.

The Fireworks Festival is back on the Han River. Saturday June 27 is the fifth and final qualifying night, called Vision.

Portugal and Australia go head to head. It starts at 8pm and runs about 40 minutes of fireworks back to back.

You can watch for free from the riverbanks, no ticket needed. After this, only the grand final is left on July 11, so this is one of the last chances to catch a show.

The city shuts the roads by the river for the show. Cars are blocked around Bach Dang, Tran Hung Dao and Le Duan from 4pm.

From 5pm the Han River Bridge and the streets just east of it close to all traffic. No parking near the river from 3pm.

Park a few streets back and walk in, or take a Grab and get dropped away from the water. Drivers are sent around on Ngo Quyen, Tran Thanh Tong and Van Don.

Aim to be in your spot by 6pm, the free banks fill up about two hours before it starts.

Real plans, not just the usual spots.

Friday: The Lost Boys play live at Claypot from 7:30pm. HAT Jazz Band plays The Craftsman from 9:15pm. The Techno Lab with Lady Q and friends runs at Saga from 10pm.

Saturday: Full Moon Rising beach party at Shore Club, An Bang Beach in Hoi An, from 4pm. Yoshe Band plays PĀMA Bistro from 8:30pm. The Sound of Atula DJ night at Saga from 10pm.

Sunday: Acoustic session with Kvartirnik at Sound Cafe from 8pm. The Moon Band plays 1920's Lounge from 9:15pm.

All weekend: Helio Night Market in Hai Chau, Friday to Sunday from 5pm, free to walk in, with food stalls and a music stage.

The Da Nang Asian Film Festival opens this Sunday June 28 and runs to July 4. You do not need a festival pass to take part.

The city is putting on free outdoor screenings each night from 7:30pm at spots around town, including East Sea Park in An Hai and the half circle on the Bach Dang walking street. Bring a mat, grab some street food, and watch a film under the open sky.

A nice cheap evening if the rain holds off.

If you fly in and out of Da Nang a lot, expect more building work at the international terminal this year. The job started in May and is set to finish by May 2027.

When it is done, check in counters jump from 54 to 85 and the terminal can handle six million travellers a year. For now that means a busier airport and more flights landing this summer, so the beaches and good restaurants fill up on weekends.

Book your favourite table ahead.

Da Nang is pulling in big tech and chip money, and it is starting to show up in real jobs. The investment is going into the Hi-Tech Park, where companies building chips, data centers and electronics are setting up.

For people who live here, this is the slow shift from a tourist town into a place with steady work in tech, more training for young people, and fresh demand for rooms, cafes and food near the parks. Worth watching if you or your kids are thinking about where the work will be.

A quick heads up for friends flying in. Vietnam checks that your passport has at least six months left on it before the end date.

If yours is getting close, renew it before you book the flight. The airline can stop you at the gate if it is short.

One less thing to worry about on the way over.