Once Mui Ne was an isolated strip of coastline with a small traditional fishing village, where only the adventurous travelers camped on the beach. The original fishing village is still there, but nowadays there are more tourists than locals. It has now become a tourist beach destination with a number of luxury hotels, a few cheap hostels, but above all a midrange hotels. The sights on Mui Ne and Phan Thiet range from beautiful beaches, tropical forests and sand dunes to traditional villages, fishing port and ancient Cham buildings and ruins.
5 reasons to visit Mui Ne
Region
South Vietnam, Binh Thuan province, part of the city of Phan Thiet
Number of residents
25.000
Recommended travel days
2 days
Vietnamese name
Mũi Né
Rainy season: between the months of April and October.
Best travel time: The best time to enjoy going to Mui Ne is from November to March.
The weather in Mui Ne is much drier throughout the year than the rest of VIetnam and is even part of the driest region in Southeast Asia.
There are many cash machines along the main Mui Ne strip.
Mui Ne is not a big village, the original fishing village that actually lay here was called Ham Tien. Mui Ne is actually a 10 kilometer long road where the many resorts, hostels and hotels are located. It is therefore impossible to get lost here! This is mainly about surfing and the famous Sand Dunes.
1. Relax on the beaches
Mui Ne’s has 15 kilometers of sandy beaches surrounded by palm trees, fishing village, a range of restaurants and shops, as well as luxury resorts.
2. Sand dunes
You have impressive red and white sand dunes that feel like a desert. Good for, among other things, sunrise and sunset, quad biking and sledding.
3. Wind or kite surfing
The constant strong wind is ideal for kite surfing, windsurfing and other water sports. There are lessons in one of the surf schools scattered around the beach at extremely competitive prices.
4. Fairy Stream
The landscape is a kind of miniature of the Grand Canyon and has a red-orange color because of the sand.
5. Mui Ne harbor
In Mui Ne harbor you can see the fishermen coming back with their catches and you can observe the real local life in Mui Ne. The hundreds of colorful fishing boats that lie in the harbor are a beautiful sight.
6. The local fish market
The chaotic morning market offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of local fishermen. Every morning they bring their catch to the coast. Expect fishing nets full of seafood, buckets full of fish and strewn with shells everywhere.
7. Visit the Cham tower
The Po Shanu Cham Towers offer a good opportunity to see some of the remains of the Champa empire.
8. Ke Ga lighthouse
South of Mui Ne along the coast is an area known for the lighthouse on a small island across the street from a beautiful beach.
9. Ta Cu mountain and the reclining Buddha
Ta Cu Mountain consists of a large area with lush rain forests, rare flora and fauna, limestone caves and ornate Buddhist buildings.
10. Sunrise and sunset
Sunsets and sunrises in Mui Ne are among the best in Vietnam. Choose to sit on the beach, from the fishing village or on the white or red sand dunes for incredible skies.
Favorited experiences, day trips and tours in Mui Ne booked by fellow travellers.
Mui Ne beach – The beach of Mui Ne covers 15 kilometers of sandy beaches where you can enjoy a wide range of water sports. The northern part is a traditional fishing village, while in the southern part you can find hotels, shops and souvenir shops. Iconic sights such as Fairy Stream, the red and white sand dunes and Mui Ne Fishing Village are easily accessible.
Phan Thiet City – The village of Mui Ne actually belongs to the city of Phan Thiet. It is also possible to stay here in the city of Phan Thiet, 30 minutes from Mui Ne, good for experiencing the local lifestyle. Hotels are relatively affordable, but the nightlife is quiet compared to Mui Ne.
Budget hotels & hostels
Mid range hotel
High end hotel & resort
There is no shortage of restaurants in Mui Ne, but the selection is not as diverse as you would expect from a city with so many hotels and resorts. Simple Vietnamese fishing rights at BBQ eateries are a good choice. A whole stretch of the beach, known as “bo ke”, is assigned to these wonderful local places. There are also a handful of western options along the strip.
The nightlife in Mui Ne is fairly compact, with hotel bars, restaurants open late at night and hippie lounges on Mui Ne beach. The most popular nightlife venues are also great for parties, cultural evenings, film screenings, cozy campfire and dance shows.
Bus tickets to Mui Ne can be purchased in the tourist district of Ho Chi Minh City. There are day and night buses. The duration of the journey is 5-7 hours, depending on how much traffic there is on the road. There are also buses to and from Nha Trang (5 hours) and Dalat (6 hours). If you do not want to travel by bus or train, you can take a private car to Mui Ne.
Mui Ne has no train station, but the closest one is in nearby Phan Thiet, in the northwestern corner of the city. There is only one train a day, it leaves Ho Chi Minh City around 7 am and arrives at 11:30 am. From Phan Thiet to HCMC, the train leaves at 1:00 pm and arrives at 6:30 pm. There are also trains to and from Nha Trang (5 hours).
The red local bus runs from Phan Thiet train station to Ham Tien (the tourist strip) and Mui Ne. Otherwise metered taxis are available.
The easiest way to explore Mui Ne is by motorcycle or scooter. They rent at shops and hotels for 80,000-150,000 dong a day. Be very careful when driving in Mui Ne, little traffic, but nobody knows traffic rules.
Some hotels offer bicycles for free or rent them out.
Taxis are available for further locations. Taxis usually hang outside the larger resorts or let your hotel call one, they come to you at no extra cost.
To view sights, tour companies offer cheap (shared) jeep or bus tours that are usually cheaper than the cost of renting a motorbike.
Start early in the morning for the port of Mui Ne and the local fish market.
Drive to the white sand dunes and grab a beach on the way.
Walk through the Fairy Stream
Finish the day with a sunset in the red dunes.
Enjoy a drink on the beach.
Take a kite surfing or windsurfing course. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon on the beach.
Alternatively you can also visit the Po Shanu Cham Towers, The Prince’s Castle and Ta Cu Mountain. Along the way you drive through Phant Thiet city.
