Why you should not miss Da Nang in your International Marathon race list
The Manulife Da Nang International Marathon is an annual event held in Da Nang’s coastline. This is the first professional Marathon in Vietnam certified by IAAF – AIMS. The number of participants racing the event each year demonstrates the success of this race.

Here are a couple of reasons why Da Nang should be in your must-race marathon list:

Da Nang has one of the most scenic marathon race courses in region.

Da Nang’s 30-kilometer coastline is renowned for pristine beaches with white sand, crystal-clear blue water and is also popular destination for fishing, water-skiing, diving, and yachting. Da Nang got itself listed as a first class city, and has a higher urbanization ratio than any of Vietnam’s other provinces because of its green environment, hardly any pollution, and traffic restrictions. It is considered to be the most livable city in Vietnam.

The run route of the Manulife Da Nang International Marathon will allow you to experience a beautiful coastline, the surrounding mountains, and a city with beautiful bridges that cross the poetic Han River. With all the amazing sights and sounds around you and the fresh air you will be breathing in as you take each stride on your run, it will certainly be one of the most memorable races you’ve done. So come and experience Vietnam and let its alluring beauty be the usher to one of your life’s running milestones.

Experience the city wake up while you run through.

You will have an amazing experience running through Da Nang while the whole city is still sleeping. Starting at 4:30am give runners a chance to enjoy the dreamlike nights and then catch peaceful sunrise on the coast. Things you may see while running through Da Nang: locals doing their exercises on the bridges, men in motorbikes loaded full of stuff rushing to the market, an old lady sweeping her front yard while doing tai chi exercises, and many more activities of the city’s citizens that you can only see during the early morning. One thing Da Nang is known for is its friendly citizens. Do not be surprised if you run past a house and be stopped and offered a cold drink, a biscuit, a banana, etc., to fuel up. Where else you can experience all that just in one run?

Have an awesome vacation in one of the best travel destinations in Vietnam.

We recommend that you arrive a bit early for the race or leave a bit later because there are so many things to do which you may not want to miss.

One place you may want to consider visiting is Son Tra, (called Monkey Mountain by US soldiers) located 10km from the northeast of Da Nang, with its peak of 693m above sea level, it is an area still largely covered with a dense rainforest and amazing wildlife, it is home to the rare Red Shanked Douc. To the west of Da Nang, you may want to visit the My Son ruins, it used to be the capital and religious center of the Champa kingdom but badly damaged by bombing raids in the 1960s, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. There are many more places to visit such as Marble Mountains – a rocky limestone mountain jutting out of the beach in the south, Ba Na Hill – the mountain resort located in Truong Son Mountains with 5km cable car to its peak at 1487m above sea level. Do not forget to visit Hoi An ancient town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located 30km from Da Nang. Here you will be transported to a time long gone as you walk around the town. To the north of Da Nang, a 100km road trip throughout Truong Son Mountains will give you a tremendous view from the top and will take you to the charming and peaceful city of Hue, the Imperial of Nguyen Kingdom. Just getting there is an experience already, but the destination is worth the trip!

Da Nang is not only famous for its scenery and people; it also has its own delicious homegrown dishes such as Cao Lau, Bun Bo Hue, Quang noodles, and not mention all the fresh seafood you can get your hands on.

Ms. Carroll, a runner from Australia shared with us: “The Da Nang Marathon/Half Marathon is an event which allows you to not only run 42.2km or 21.1km but also an opportunity to explore an exciting part of Vietnam. I totally enjoyed my two visits to Hoi An. The Vietnamese people are extremely friendly and race organization is faultless.” If you still in doubt, let’s see some of the best moments of the race.

This will truly be a race that you will never forget.
Are you ready to join the Manulife Da Nang International Marathon this summer?