The story
Cau Ngu is the fishermen's spring festival in Da Nang's coastal communities. Villagers venerate Ca Ong (the whale, seen as a protector at sea) and sea deities, praying for calm seas and good catches. Beach rituals welcome the sea deity, followed by folk performances such as ba trao, net hauling, tug-of-war, fish-carrying races and seafood. It was recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016, and the city keeps more than a dozen such festivals going.
Cau Ngu is a festival tied to the beliefs of Da Nang's fishing communities. The location and dates change each year.
National Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2016 (Decision 829/QĐ-BVHTTDL); Thanh Khe's fishing community traces back about three centuries.
Local tips
Arrive early on the main ceremony morning (Thanh Khe's 2026 main rites were on the morning of 6 March).
Stay for the folk games and performances after the rituals.
Dates move with the lunar calendar and differ by village, so confirm with the city tourism portal each year.
Say it in Vietnamese
“Em chụp ảnh được không ạ?”
May I take a photo?Plan your visit
Opening hours
Festival season; dates change each year
When to go
Mostly early spring after Tet, often around the 14th–16th of the first lunar month, but each village sets its own date. Thanh Khe held it 14–17 Feb 2025 and 4–6 Mar 2026 at Ha Khe seaside park; Nai Hien Dong holds its festival only every three years.
Yearly fishermen's festival; venue and dates change each year.
Held in festival season; exact dates announced locally each year.
Getting there
Thanh Khe's festival is at Ha Khe seaside park; Nai Hien Dong's is at the Ngu Ong shrine by the Han River estuary in Son Tra. Check local announcements for the year's venue.
Open in Google Maps →Where this comes from
History and details come from named press or official sources. Hours and prices can change — travelers help keep them current.
- Tap chi Dong Nam A – Thanh Khe Cau Ngu Festival 2025 · Press · 2025 · tapchidongnama.vn
- Danang Fantasticity – Da Nang Cau Ngu Festival · Official · danangfantasticity.com
- Ministry of Culture – Nai Hien Dong fishermen's festival · Official · 2018 · bvhttdl.gov.vn
- Da Nang City Portal – Thanh Khe Cau Ngu Festival 2026 · Official · 2026 · danang.gov.vn
- Vietnam National Authority of Tourism · Official
