music & dance

Every country in South East Asia has its own particular form of traditional dance or dancing. Most share many similarities, as befits a region where national borders have been historically less than solid. However, the national dance of Vietnam is something a little more unique and well worth experiencing whilst you are staying in Da Nang.

Although there is no one single venue which specializes in putting on Vietnamese traditional dance shows, may hotels, resorts and even venues such as the general museum which hosts dozens of dance shows each year. These shows are always well advertised locally in Da Nang and very easy to find.

There are actually several different forms of Vietnamese traditional dance. For example, there are specific dances and dance forms which are only used during religious festivals and ceremonies such as the lion dance, which is performed at Tet and Tet Thrung Thu. There are also the Imperial Dances, which accompany performances of Imperial court music known as Nha Nhac. These are intricate, stately dances and in modern times are usually the kinds of dances you will find in the locally organized dance shows.

Indeed, some of the most popular dances you will find being performed all take their routes from the Imperial dances. These include the Fan dance lantern dance, lotus dance, flag dance, platter dance, candle dance, incense dance, hat dance and scarf dance. Each of these traditional Vietnamese dancers requires the dance troop to wear specific, often extravagant costumes.

If you prefer to watch a little traditional Vietnamese dancing in the comfort of your hotel room, then local Vietnamese always has several televised shows each day. This is a good way to get an insight into traditional Vietnamese dance before deciding which dance troupe and type of dance you would like to see in real life.

It seems that every large city in the world always has its fair share of live jazz clubs and the City of Da Nang is no exception. Possibly this is due to the wide appeal of Jazz, which tends to cross racial and linguistic boundaries more readily than other forms of music.

There are two excellent options for people who enjoy live jazz when visiting the City of Da Nang. The first of these is the regular Jazz Night which is held at the Furama Resort.

This night takes the form of a gala event, with a formal seated western style dinner, followed by live entertainment which includes a costume and dance contest. This event forms the residency of the very popular Furama Jazz Band, possibly the best known jazz band in Vietnam. The event needs to be booked in advance and tickets are all inclusive of the meal and cocktails served upon arrival. Further alcoholic beverages are charged at the usual resort rates.

For a slightly more traditional jazz club, then head over to Torino, a fairly new Italian Restaurant close to the center of Da Nang. IN the daytime this is a fairly standard Italian restaurant selling inexpensive pizza and pasta dishes. However, in the evening the vibe changes and the Torino Restaurant is transformed into a hopping jazz club.

Whatever your taste in jazz, you are certain to enjoy either of these two venues. For a better experience try visiting both and experience the real contrast between the formal gala event held at the Furama Resort and the more traditional take on a  jazz club which is organized by the Torino Italian Restaurant.

Da Nang is not a particularly westernized city compared to many others in South East Asia. Because of this, western music (meaning modern popular music sung in English as opposed to country and western music) can be quite hard to find. However, there are two very good options for anyone who wants a taste of home by listening to a live band.

Possibly the number one option for live western style music is the Chill Out Café. This is located on Thai Phien Street and is open seven nights a week, with live music regularly from 8pm onwards. Friday and Saturday night are the two main live music nights, with several local bands playing in rotation. Cheap snack food and cold beer are on hand to add to the enjoyment. This is a fairly new live music ve3nue and continues to gain popularity as the quality of the music on offer has increased, definitely one of the better music spots in Da Nang.

The second option for live music lovers is the Nha Leo Café. This is located on An Hai Bac and puts on live music every Saturday evening. This is also one of the best western bars in Da Nang, a great place for people to hook up with other foreigners in Da Nang. The Nha Leo Café is entirely under cover, meaning this is also one of the only places in Da Nang that is accessible fully throughout the year, even during the monsoon season.

It can be hard to find popular western music being played in Da Nang, let alone find a live band playing some of your favorites. The two venues above, whilst not exactly offering world class music, are the only two real options available to people who are visiting the City of Da Nang.