Mui Ne Travel Guide

Mui Ne is a headland in Phan Thiet city, a famous tourist center in Binh Thuan province. The name Mui Ne originates from fishermen. "Mui" refers to a headland jutting out into the sea; "Ne" means a place to avoid storms. In 2018, Mui Ne was recognized as a national tourist area. It is famous for its long stretches of blue beach and beautiful sand dunes.

What is the best time of year to visit Mui Ne?

Visitors can come to Mui Ne all year round, with each season offering a different kind of beauty to this "beach paradise." The best time to visit Mui Ne is from April to August, when the sea water is clear, blue, and refreshing.

August to December is ideal for surfing and other extreme sports enthusiasts due to the weather. December may be rainy, so visitors should bring an umbrella if going outside.

Move

From Ho Chi Minh City, tourists can now easily travel to Mui Ne by motorbike, bus, or boat.

Motorcyclists often follow the coastal route. From Ho Chi Minh City, you can take the Cat Lai ferry, then to Long Thanh, then to Ba Ria town, continue towards Ho Tram via Loc An, and then follow the coastal road towards Phan Thiet. The total distance is approximately 230 km.

Photo: Minh Minh Huu.

If you don't travel by motorbike, you can also go to the Eastern Bus Station to buy a ticket to Phan Thiet. The journey takes about 5 hours, and the ticket price is 130,000 VND per person, depending on the bus company.

Visitors can also take the SPT1/SPT4 train from Saigon Station. The ticket costs 110,000 VND per person and departs in the morning.

From Hanoi , tourists can fly to Ho Chi Minh City and then travel to Phan Thiet, or fly to Cam Ranh or Nha Trang and then take a bus to Mui Ne (nearly 200 km). From April 29, 2023, the Dau Giay - Phan Thiet expressway opened, shortening travel time from Ho Chi Minh City to about 2 hours by car. Phase 1 of the Phan Thiet airport is expected to be operational by the end of 2023.

Where to play

Mui Ne is not only a "paradise of entertainment" with its beautiful, long stretches of beach, but it is also famous for its many historical sites and rich Cham Pa culture. Below are 10 of the most famous destinations in Mui Ne, Phan Thiet. 1. Hon Rom Hon Rom is the name of a small, still unspoiled mountain located in Long Son hamlet, Mui Ne ward, Phan Thiet city. Tourists should visit Hon Rom early in the morning or late in the afternoon to watch the sunrise and sunset. It is also an ideal camping spot for bonfires at night or stargazing. The beaches at Hon Rom have calm waves, no underwater rocks, and clear blue water. You can ask for directions to Hon Rom 1, Hon Rom 2, or Thuy Trang beach to swim.

2. Red Sand Dunes

Near Hon Rom is one of the most beautiful scenic spots in Mui Ne - the Red Sand Dunes. Besides the long, undulating stretches of sand, the color of the sand is also a major attraction for tourists; at times, the sand on the dunes can display up to 18 different colors. You can rent a sandboard on the dunes for about 20,000 VND per board. At the foot of the dunes, you can find some quick snacks and drinks such as coconut water, tapioca dumplings, tofu, etc.

3. Hon Ghenh ( also known as Hon Lao) Located about one kilometer from Mui Ne, Hon Ghenh remains relatively unspoiled. To reach Hon Ghenh, you can rent a boat from local fishermen (200,000 VND per boat for 10 people) or use the shuttle service provided by your resort or hotel. Early in the morning, visitors can go fishing, then snorkel to admire the coral reefs. Evening is the best time to watch the sunset over the sea. 4. Bau Trang – Bau Sen

Bau Trang and Bau Sen are two natural freshwater lakes nestled amidst vast white sand dunes. Visiting Bau Trang in the summer, tourists can admire thousands of lotus flowers blooming among the white sand dunes. The Bau Trang sand dunes are likened to a "mini Sahara desert" in Vietnam, with their vast and pristine landscape. Here, tourists can rent an off-road vehicle or Jeep to drive around Bau Trang, costing around 600,000 VND for 20 minutes.

5. Fairy Stream: Fairy Stream in Mui Ne is called "Fairyland" by tourists. Here, a small stream is located next to Hon Rom. Beside the stream are natural stalactite hills in red and white colors with many strange shapes due to the erosion of time.

6. Mui Ne Fishing Village: Mui Ne Fishing Village is located about 3 km from the town. At the entrance to the village, hundreds of colorful fishing boats are anchored. Not far away is a small market with a peaceful atmosphere. Although the fishing village only stretches about 100 meters along the coast, it's where visitors can most clearly experience the life of the fishermen. If you visit the fishing village early in the morning, you can buy plenty of fresh seafood as soon as the boats dock.

7. Duc Thanh School: This is a historical destination you should visit when coming to Mui Ne, Phan Thiet. The school was founded in 1907 by patriotic scholars to support the Duy Tan (Modernization) movement in Central Vietnam. Duc Thanh School was also where President Ho Chi Minh stopped to teach before going to Saigon. Today, the Duc Thanh school grounds still retain almost intact relics from nearly a century ago. 8. Van Thuy Tu Palace: Located on Ngu Ong Street, Van Thuy Tu Palace is an ancient monument (1762) with an antique and solemn beauty. It is also a symbol of the worship of the Whale God by fishermen in Binh Thuan. Van Thuy Tu Palace also houses the largest whale skeleton in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

This skeleton is 22 meters long and weighs up to 65 tons. Every year, solemn ceremonies are held at the temple on the lunar calendar dates: February 20th (Spring Festival); April 20th (Fishing Festival); June 20th (Main Season Festival); July 20th (Rowing Festival); and August 23rd (End of Season Festival). During the ceremonies, there are also activities such as traditional opera, boat racing, and boat races... 9. Mui Ne Bay: This is an attractive destination if you enjoy swimming and outdoor activities. Along Mui Ne Bay are beautiful beaches with long stretches of white sand. If you want to find pristine, uncrowded beaches, you can rent a boat to Hon Lao Island. This is a deserted island near Mui Ne Bay but rarely visited. 10. Poshanu Tower: Located 7 km northeast of Phan Thiet city center, the Poshanu Cham Tower is a group of remaining relics of the ancient Champa Kingdom. The tower features the Hoa Lai architectural style, reflecting the ancient art of Champa. If time permits, visitors should also visit Hon Ba Island, Ke Ga Lighthouse, Ta Cu Mountain, Co Thach rocky beach, Hang Pagoda, Son Cliff, Cau Island, Phu Quy Island... 11. Old Fishing Village Fish Sauce Museum This is the first and only fish sauce museum in Vietnam today, recreating 300 years of history of Phan Thiet fishing village, from the Champa era, the Nguyen Dynasty, extending to the French colonial period and the years from the 1940s to the 1960s. The entrance fee for adults is 100,000 VND, children under 1 meter tall are free.

Specialty

1. Mui Ne Seafood Salad: Mui Ne is famous for its fish salad and conch salad. Fish salad is made from fresh scad, barracuda, or grouper, served with raw vegetables, vermicelli, and a special dipping sauce. Conch salad consists of thinly sliced conch meat, pork, vegetables, roasted peanuts, and fried onions, mixed together and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce. 2. Lizard Dishes : A specialty of the Mui Ne sand dunes is the monitor lizard. The lizard meat is white like chicken but sweeter, richer, and softer. Several delicious dishes are made from monitor lizard, such as grilled monitor lizard, roasted monitor lizard, steamed monitor lizard, monitor lizard patties, monitor lizard salad, monitor lizard porridge, and monitor lizard cooked with pickled vegetables. 3. King Crab: This is a specialty of Tuy Phong, Binh Thuan province. The crab meat is sweet, chewy, and fragrant; the shell is crispy, soft, and can be easily broken with your teeth. King crabs from Tuy Phong are available year-round, but the best time is around the twelfth lunar month. King crab is usually grilled or steamed and served with salt, pepper, and lemon, but it's best when cooked in porridge.

4. Soft rice paper rolls and rice paper with shrimp paste: These are popular snacks in Binh Thuan in general. You can find them at various street vendors, especially at the intersection of Thu Khoa Huan and Tran Hung Dao streets, where they are only sold in the late afternoon and evening. 5. Hot pot: Hot pot is a signature dish in Phan Thiet that many tourists seek out. The main ingredients are usually scad, mackerel, herring, grouper, red snapper, etc., cleaned, filleted, and sliced into thin strips. The vegetables served with hot pot are also finely shredded. Hot pot is eaten with a dipping sauce made from a mixture of sour tamarind, chili peppers, garlic, roasted peanuts, ripe plantains (some places use fermented soybean paste), all blended and mixed with pure fish sauce.

Hotels, resorts

The rapid development of tourism has led to a wide variety of accommodation options in Mui Ne. Tourists can choose from budget-friendly homestays to high-end hotels and resorts. Homestays are usually located further from the beach and cater mainly to young people and groups of foreign tourists who enjoy unique experiences, with an average price of 500,000 VND per night. Guesthouses are often located in side streets, mainly concentrated along Huynh Thuc Khang road towards Hon Rom. There are many hotels in Mui Ne, mainly concentrated on Nguyen Dinh Chieu road, with average prices ranging from 700,000 to 1 million VND per night.

The Anam Mũi Né.

If you're visiting Mui Ne for a relaxing vacation, you should choose a resort. Accommodation options here are diverse, ranging from budget-friendly to luxury. Visitors can consider their needs and budget. Many resorts in Mui Ne have been around for quite some time. Recently, several new resorts have opened, including The Anam Mui Ne, the newest 5-star resort, which opened in early 2023 with over 120 rooms. Other options include Anantara Mui Ne with 89 rooms, and other resorts such as Pandanus Resort, Muine Bay Resort, and The Cliff Resort & Residences. These resorts all offer modern amenities, beachfront locations, spa and wellness centers, private beaches, water sports facilities, outdoor BBQ areas, convenience stores, and children's play areas. From here, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Mui Ne Bay.

Note

The waves aren't huge, but they'll be stronger than usual, so you should look for calm beaches with safety signs for swimming. In the evening, Hon Rom tourist area has a night market with many grilled seafood dishes at very reasonable prices. Mui Ne is crowded with foreign tourists in the evening, mostly Russians and Koreans. Some hotels only rent cars to foreign guests, so don't be too surprised.