14 Beautiful Old Photos (And A Short History) Of Da Nang

Da Nang’s history can be traced back to 192AD when it was part of the Champa Kingdom, only becoming part of Vietnam after the culmination of Đại Việt Southern expansion in the 15th century.  

Portuguese explorer, António de Faria, anchored in Da Nang in 1535 and was one of the first Westerners to visit and write about the area. His descriptions resulted in frequent visits by Portuguese traders to neighboring Hoi An, which, at the time, was an important international port.

The town got a major boost in 1835 when Emperor Minh Mạng forbade all trade with the West with exception of Da Nang’s Han Port, making it the main commercial port in Central Vietnam.

The French, who arrived about 10 years later, failed in their first attempt to take control of the city but returned not long after, in 1887, after capturing Saigon (1859) and establishing the Union de l'Indochine Française.

2 years later, the occupiers renamed the city Tourane and quickly became one of the most important French assets in the region.

Following the departure of the French, the city became a major base of operations for the American military during the American War.

Today, the city is one of the most prominent in Vietnam, known for its beaches and massive urban growth (oh, and free WIFI).

These images of the city and its surrounding countryside were taken between turn of the 19th century and the 1970s.