Travel Notes > Vietnam > Mui Ne Travel Guide
Mui Ne is a beach resort area in Southern Vietnam. When people refer to Mui Ne they usually mean the long stretch of beach that runs between Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. The town itself is a fishing port with only a few places to stay.
If you are travelling around Southeast Asia or only spending a short time in Vietnam, then I wouldn’t make Mui Ne a priority. Mui Ne is a good spot to break up a long overland journey along the Vietnam coast.
Things to do in Mui Ne
The Beach
The main attraction of Mui Ne is the beach. While it’s not the best beach in Vietnam, its proximity to Saigon has made it a popular getaway for the southern mega city. And like Nha Trang, Mui Ne is also popular with Russian holiday makers, and you will see many signs here in Russian.
The beach is also popular with kite surfers, of which there is a world-famous scene here.
Red Sand Dunes
One of the natural highlights of the area are the giant red sand dunes. The dunes overlook the sea, but if you face away from the water you can see a landscape of nothing but sand, making it look more like Morocco or Namibia rather than Southern Vietnam.
Fairy Stream
Another place to visit is the Fairy Stream. I thought it was some kind of tourist trap when on my first visit to Mui Ne so I didn’t go. On my second visit I checked it out, and it turned out to be my favourite thing to do in Mui Ne.
The stream is a shallow body of water that runs along compacted sand. Most of the waterway is about an inch deep and it feels more like walking along a beach. The stream runs for a couple of kilometres inland, and there is a cafe and some coconut stands along the way. The water is surprisingly clean and free of rubbish.
Fishing Boats
At Mui Ne harbour the fleet of fishing boats makes for a spectacular sight.
Where to stay in Mui Ne
When visiting Mui Ne you want to be staying along the road that runs parallel to the beach. There is nothing to do in Mui Ne or Phan Thiet town, so don’t expect an equivalent of Koh Samui or Phuket, which has urban area with modern shopping facilities.
I stayed at the La Marina Hotel at Ham Tien, which is a good example of a budget hotel along the beach road.
Search for hotels in Mui Ne/Phan Thiet.
How to get to Mui Ne
I got the FUTA bus from Saigon to Mui Ne, which conveniently leaves from Pham Ngu Lau (the backpacker street in Saigon). Futa will also drop you off in front of your hotel if you are staying on the main beach road.
The fastest and most comfortable way to Mui Ne is to get the train from Saigon to Phan Thiet, and then get a taxi to your hotel.
Photos
[The catholic church in Mui Ne looking like a Chinese temple.]
Mui Ne photo gallery – Photos of my visits to Mui Ne.
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