Mui Ne is located 180 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and was originally a quiet fishing village. Now the long stretch of beach has a string of resorts, restaurants, hotels or hostels to choose from. From Kitesurfing and sand dunes to yoga, you can do so much in Mui Ne, it’s definitely a place for adventure junkies to visit!
Getting there from HCMC
There are 3 ways to reach Mũi Né; by bus, train or a private car/taxi. We took the easiest way and hired a private car to pick us up at our hotel. You can ask the hotel you’re staying in to arrange a car for you, it’s not the cheapest (ranges from $100- $130) but it is the fastest and most convenient way to get there. It took us only 3 hours! If you want to travel by bus, you need to take a taxi to the bus station in Pham Ngu Lao in District 1 but it would take you 5-6 hours including stopovers. The bus will also drop you off at your hotel in Mũi Né which is really convenient too. Ticket prices start at $9 in the Vietnam Bus Tickets website. Travelling by train is also another option. It would take 4 hours and you need to book your tickets ahead of time to reserve a seat. You arrive at Binh Thuan Station which is 40 kilometers fromMũi Né, so you still need to take a taxi to your hotel. Ticket cost starts from $14. You can book your train tickets at Vietnam Railway. Travelling back was also very easy because there are a lot of booking agencies in Mũi Né. We booked our transportation with Color Full Tours and they gave us an SUV to drive us back To Saigon for $90 only.
Where to stay in Mui Ne
We stayed in Mui Ne for 5 nights and it was during TET season which is Chinese New Year and the most important holiday in Vietnam. That was not the best idea because everything was double or triple the price so check your dates first before you head there. There are a lot of nice resorts and hotels in the area, however, during TET we didn’t really get the hotel that we wanted because it was either fully booked or unreasonably expensive. We stayed at Unique Mui Ne Resort which was $200/ night. On a normal day, the cost would range between $60- $70 / night. We didn’t really have a choice because it was one of the better-looking ones left.
There were two resorts that I saw that were really nice and romantic; Sunsea Resort or Mia Mui Ne Resort. There are also a lot of mid-range resorts by the beach or budget hotel or hostels at Mui Ne Backpackers Village.
1. Jeep Tour (Sand Dunes, Fishing Village and Fairy Stream)
We also booked this tour from Color Full Tours for VND 650,000.00 (around $30.00) which starts at 4:30 AM up to 9:30 AM. You can actually choose if you want a sunrise or sunset tour but we are morning people so we chose to be there the earliest! The driver picked us up in a cool jeep at our hotel at exactly 4:30 AM. It takes about 40 minutes to arrive at the first stop which was the White Sand Dunes for sunrise! We arrived when it was still dark and decided to walk the dunes instead of riding the jeep or hiring a quad bike. It was an amazing experience walking and waiting for sunrise in the desert. It didn’t feel like Vietnam at all. This is how I imagined the Middle East would be like. It was really peaceful despite the jeep and quad bikes bringing people back and forth. I also enjoyed watching how powerful the jeeps were going while cruising on the edge of the dunes. The next stop was the Red Sand Dunes, this was smaller than the White Sand Dunes but we decided to skip it because there were too many people.
After the quick stop, we went to the Fishing Village and checked out the local fishermen and their catch. It was really nice to see them in their traditional Vietnamese hats while interacting with each other and the buyers, both local and tourists. I’ve never seen a crowded fishing village like that!
Our final destination was the Fairy Stream; the soft red creek where you can just walk and admire the limestone cliffs and whimsical rock formations. It was a pleasant and relaxed little hike, the perfect way to end our tour!
2. Rent a motorbike
Driving in Vietnam seems crazy but in Mui Ne it’s the best way to go around. It’s not as hectic and stressful as Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi but they still love use their horns every single time! It was really convenient to have the motorbike with us to spot interesting restaurants or cafes, go shopping and just cruising from place to place.
3. Go Kitesurfing/ Kiteboarding or Wind Surfing
Mui Ne is also a really popular Kitesurfing destination; wind season starts from November until April. There are a lot of kite schools in Mui Ne where you can do a beginner course, refresh your kite skills or just rent a kite to ride. We rented a kite in C2sky which was recommended by our friend from North Kiteboarding Club in Hua Hin Thailand. The school had a really friendly and chill atmosphere where you can hang out on their bean bags and have a fresh juice or a beer!
4. Go for a beach run or Yoga
We always wake up during sunrise to go for a run and swim in the refreshing cool ocean after. It was really nice to see active people like us walking on the beach or going for a run. It’s the best way to start the day!
Mui Ne has a strong yoga culture and the best one was Yoga Dom Na Gore which is held on a 100 year old pavilion on top of a hill overlooking the South China Sea. The place has a really strong energy which is perfect for a spiritual yoga class. We went 2 times, one for Vinyasa yoga for 1 and half hours and a private Acro Yoga class for 2 hours. It was definitely the best yoga experience we’ve tried so far, the teachers were really good and the classes were really different from other yoga classes we’ve tried. If you decide to join their classes you have to check their schedules beforehand because not all classes are in English.
5. Enjoy Vietnamese cuisine or Go for a coffee
Vietnam is known for their amazing food and in Mui Ne they have the typical food but what makes it more special is the seafood you can get anywhere! There are a lot of Bo Ke by the side of the road, you will see the signs everywhere! Bo Ke is the typical Vietnamese restaurant usually open air where locals and tourists would go to eat. The have fresh fish, lobsters, shell fish even lizards and frogs if you want to be more adventurous!
One of the nicest restaurants we went to was called Sandals in Mia Mui Ne resort which was more of a romantic and relaxed setting compared to the Bo Ke. They serve Vietnamese and western cuisines and they have vegetarian and vegan options too!
Vietnam is the 2nd largest coffee producer in the world after Brazil and their coffee culture is eminent even in Mui Ne. Their black coffee or Vietnamese coffee is usually Robusta that’s why it’s dark and has a distinct nutty aroma! The most popular coffee shop there would be Katie’s Coffee House; they have one café and a coffee stall for take away coffee. The best thing about Katie’s was their waffles with fresh exotic fruits! If you just want to get a quick coffee, head to Barista Bike; a hip looking coffee shop that serves quality road side coffee.
6. Go for a massage or sip some cocktails by the beach
If you want to relax from all the activities you can go for a massage or just sip on some cocktails or beer. There are a lot of massage places on the street but the best one was called Forester spa. It had a beachy spa vibe to it and you get massaged on a hut while listening to the waves.
You can also get fresh cocktails and just lay on the beach with a book or have a beer for less than a dollar!
Do you have anything to add to this list? Leave a comment below!
Don’t forget to follow Cecille’s adventures on her Instagram:
Below is the links to our other social media accounts!
