IRONMAN 70.3 Da Nang
Da Nang, Vietnam · May · IRONMAN 70.3
Why people love it
- Flat, fast bike where bridges are the only climbs
- Beach finish at the Hyatt, easy to pair with a resort holiday
- Warm sea of 26 to 28 °C (79 to 82 °F)
- Registration and welcome banquet praised
Watch out for
- Heat of 35 to 40 °C (95 to 104 °F) on the run is the defining challenge
- Jellyfish, surf at the exit and rolling-start contact
- Headwind on the bike return
- Cold water and sponges have run short at aid stations
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 27% of the overall score.
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.8
A long-running race with a beach finish and a praised banquet; repeat complaints about heat keep it from higher. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.7
Registration is efficient and there is a swim backup plan, but cold water was scarce in 2019 and bike hydration gaps hit 2018. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable2.8
Flat and well-marked, but 30 to 36 °C (86 to 97 °F) heat is demanding without acclimatisation. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.5
Flat, fast bike and run, but heat and a return headwind; the 2026 pro winners finished near 4:02. · Medium confidence
- Course easeTough2.5
Terrain is easy; heat is the difficulty. · Medium confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalRarely1.0
The sea is about 27 °C (81 °F) and the swim is non-wetsuit. · High confidence
- Water temperatureUncomfortable2.4
About 26 to 28 °C (79 to 82 °F), warm and around the hot threshold. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterChoppy2.4
Rough waves in 2018 and a surf exit in 2019; calmer in 2026. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeModerate2.9
Rolling start in pens, waves and a shore-break exit; one watch read 2.1 km (1.3 mi), hinting at drift. · Medium confidence
- Swim experienceFine3.2
Jellyfish stings reported in practice, a scenic bay start at the Hyatt, and a rolling start that eases crowding. · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood4.0
A 2016 reviewer reported a good road surface. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.4
Pros noted junction problems in 2015, and organisers warned of port traffic in 2024. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful3.7
Coast, resorts and bridges. · Medium confidence
- WindSome wind3.0
Favourable early but a headwind on the return reported in 2016, 2017 and 2018. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.2
Described as very fast and nearly flat on a smooth surface, with a headwind on the return. · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.6
Two bridges are the only climbs; no official gain figure, probably under 300 m (1,000 ft). · Medium confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple3.8
Mostly straight coastal roads; a U-turn caused one crash in 2018. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent2.9
The 2016 out-and-back run had few spectators; loops since 2024 aim to fix that. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.2
Ice, sponges and volunteers were praised, but cold water ran short in 2019 and hydration gaps hit 2018. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.6
Beachfront resorts and My Khe Beach. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsHard1.5
35 to 40 °C (95 to 104 °F) with little shade and a hard-to-run sand finish. · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.8
Flat out-and-back or loops along the coast. · High confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureExtreme1.3
Mid-30s °C (mid-90s °F) and humid; the heat index peaked at 39 °C (102 °F) in 2024. · High confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.2
A storm hit the day before in 2019; otherwise consistently hot. · Medium confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.2
White-sand beach resort setting at the Hyatt. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.5
Multi-loop swim, bike and run designed for spectators since 2024. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.5
Resort city with many hotels, though about 3,500 athletes arrive in race week. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.7
One group stayed in a four-bedroom villa 2.6 km (1.6 mi) from the host hotel; little other price data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.5
Race central is at the Hyatt Regency; villas are about 2.6 km (1.6 mi) away. · Low confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.8
International airport in Da Nang with regional connections. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.6
Single resort hub, but bags hang on hooks with a change tent, which is slower than box systems. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.0
Popular beach resort city, though one report found the post-race food disappointing. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Da Nang, Da Nang, Vietnam
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 9 May 2027
- Organiser
- IRONMAN 70.3
- Field size
- About 3,500 athletes
- First held
- 2015
- Distances
- 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Son Thuy beach, Hyatt Regency Da Nang (ocean)
- Water temperature
- 26–28 °C (79–82 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Banned
- Swim start
- rolling
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 2
- Key climbs
- Suspension bridge
- Run shade
- little
- Air temperature
- 26–36 °C (79–97 °F)
- Humidity
- high
- Altitude
- 5 m (16 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Da Nang International (DAD)
- Where to stay
- Hyatt Regency / My Khe area
- Booking
- Race central at Hyatt Regency Danang; villas nearby.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceCheckRaced 2016 · aggregator · Positive
Loved it and set a PB despite heat. Jellyfish pupae stung practice swimmers, vinegar at the exit. Bike very fast and almost flat with a good surface; the only climb is a long bridge. Run is a monotonous out-and-back with no spectators; 36 C (97 F) with humidity.
“The only 'hill' is a long suspension bridge”
- Cheryl Tay blogRaced 2017 · blog · Mixed
Race day was far hotter than the overcast days before; she bonked on the run after a 2:44 PB bike. Mixed rolling start, some chop, tailwind out and headwind back, 10 km (6.2 mi) out-and-back run without shade.
- Cheryl Tay blogRaced 2018 · blog · Mixed
Rough waves on a rolling start; a headwind on the return and two missed bike hydration points. Hot at about 35 C (95 F) feeling like 41 C (106 F). Praised the safety planning and the backup plan to replace the swim with a 3 km (1.9 mi) run.
- Cheryl Tay blogRaced 2019 · blog · Mixed
Swell milder than 2018 but still a nuisance. Run was the hardest leg in very hot weather; only one or two aid stations had chilled water and sponges. Stayed in a villa 2.6 km (1.6 mi) from the Hyatt on the run route; PB 5:31:43.
- Viet Nam NewsRaced 2015 · article · Mixed
Inaugural race report: pros called it a tough day in the heat, said the course was well run and safe but needed more green areas for cooling, and noted junction traffic issues on bike and run.
Show 1 more
- Tuoi Tre NewsRaced 2024 · article · Mixed
2024 coverage: up to 3,000 (3,000) entrants, a heat index of 39 C (102 F), volunteers spraying water on athletes and a new multi-loop swim and run designed for spectators; transport congestion near Tien Sa Port flagged.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
Training for IRONMAN 70.3 Da Nang? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.