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In early November, the Ham Tien - Mui Ne coastline becomes bustling. Colorful kites stretch across the blue sky, and surfboards cut through the water, creating the rhythm of the early season.
"The number of customers coming to learn and play surfing at the center has increased significantly since the beginning of November; this year's surfing season looks more promising than in previous years," shared Diep Anh Truc, manager of MuiNe Surf School .
Mui Ne during surfing season
The northerly winds (northeast winds), which last from November to March each year, are often a difficult time for some coastal tourist destinations like Phu Quy Island.
But this is precisely the "golden season" for Mui Ne to attract a large number of international tourists to enjoy surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, or wingfoil. This period coincides with the peak inbound season (the season when international tourists visit Vietnam), creating a bustling scene of Western tourists on Mui Ne's beaches.
According to Truc, November is just the beginning. The peak is in mid-December when European tourists take their winter break and Vietnam enters a series of attractive Christmas, New Year, and Lunar New Year holidays, drawing visitors seeking extended vacations combined with enjoying various water sports .
"Clients book early. Some tourists only stay for 2-3 days, but many stay for weeks to train, especially the wingfoil group from Germany. The number of walk-in and returning guests each season also increases," Truc said. Currently, his center has 6 instructors, and during peak season, they have to hire additional freelance teachers to meet the demand.
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Bustling with tourists enjoying kitesurfing and surfing along Ham Tien - Mui Ne beach. Photo: Diep Anh Truc. |
At Vietnam SurfTrip, the number of visitors increased by approximately 30% compared to the same period last year, with Vietnamese visitors accounting for about 40%, mainly traveling on weekends.
Tran Thanh Viet, a representative of the establishment, said that most customers register for 3-5 sessions to complete the basic course before renting a board to play on. Instruction costs approximately 1 million VND/hour for surfing and 1.3 million VND/hour for kitesurfing. For those who already know how to play, about 10-15% bring their own boards to Mui Ne to practice independently.
A sport for high-spending tourists.
Dr. Duong Duc Minh, Deputy Director of the Institute for Economic and Tourism Development Research, noted that Mui Ne possesses a unique geographical location: its curved coastline forms a small bay, shielding it from strong winds and rough waves, resulting in calm and stable seas without strong disturbances. During the monsoon season, winds maintain at 30-40 km/h, creating moderate waves, ideal for many water sports.
This explains why Mui Ne has hosted numerous international competitions such as the 2011 PWA Windsurfing World Cup, the 2012 KTA Asian Kiteboarding Championship, and a series of annual events. National Geographic magazine has praised Mui Ne as one of the region's leading water sports destinations.
| NUMBER OF VISITORS TO OLD PHAN THIET CITY (MAIN DESTINATION IS MUI NE) OVER SEVERAL YEARS | ||||||
| Source: Binh Thuan Provincial Department of Tourism (before merger) | ||||||
| Label | 2019 | 2020 (11 months) | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Million views | 6.4 | 2.88 | 3.8 | 6.25 | 6.8 | |
Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa, Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial Tourism Association, said that before Covid-19, tourists from Eastern and Western Europe were the main market. After the pandemic, despite being affected by war and economic recession, the number of young tourists who enjoy kitesurfing and windsurfing has steadily increased year after year.
Among these, kitesurfing remains the sport that has made Mui Ne famous. Stable winds allow players to "fly" out of the water, performing technical jumps. Surfing, with waves that aren't too big but are long and consistent, is suitable for beginners and families. Windsurfing and wingfoil require technique and stable, medium to strong winds.
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Besides water sports, Mui Ne also attracts tourists with its long stretches of white sand beaches, fishing village culture, and rich cuisine. Photo: Linh Huynh. |
Mr. Nguyen The Son (representative of Mui Ne Garden Hotel & Kites School) said that the number of tourists during this year's wave season has increased by about 20%, especially Russian tourists.
"The majority of customers are young people aged 16-45, focusing on kitesurfing; when there isn't enough wind for kitesurfing, they switch to surfing," Thế Sơn said. About 40% of the customers are already experienced surfers, while the rest are new visitors.
According to Dr. Minh, Mui Ne's advantages lie not only in its natural beauty but also in its relatively complete service ecosystem. From a small fishing village, the Mui Ne National Tourist Area now boasts over 600 accommodation establishments with nearly 18,000 rooms along the "golden land" coastal strip; the 8-kilometer-long Nguyen Dinh Chieu road alone has 53 resorts.
Alongside this, nighttime offerings such as art performances, fishing village tours, and local cuisine help to prevent the experience for sports enthusiasts – who prefer variety – from becoming monotonous. The expressway shortens travel time from Ho Chi Minh City and the Eastern and Southwestern regions to Mui Ne, making it an easily accessible weekend destination.
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Mui Ne beach boasts a range of beachfront resorts and hotels, catering to the diverse needs of visitors. Photo: Quynh Danh. |
Dr. Minh believes that those who participate in water sports are usually high-income earners who view conquering the water as a way to express their lifestyle. They tend to stay for extended periods to familiarize themselves with the sea conditions.
With strong personalities, they are willing to pay a premium when a product is attractive enough, prioritizing luxury rooms with sea views. They need balanced meals to maintain their physical fitness and are willing to spend extra on healthcare and training services. This customer segment has the potential to increase the spending value of Mui Ne, while also helping the destination attract a stable and sustainable flow of tourists.
Knot
According to Dr. Minh, the biggest limitation of Mui Ne currently is the high density of accommodation facilities built too close to the water's edge. This impacts the ecosystem, puts pressure on the coastline, and generates a large amount of wastewater. Controlling and treating wastewater is a prerequisite if Mui Ne wants to "green the journey" for tourists.
Meanwhile, Mui Ne is competing with countries like Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and especially Thailand – which have developed marine sports tourism products in the form of daily or weekly training packages. Vietnam is currently only at the stage of organizing tournaments, and has not yet established standardized training packages – which are essential for creating a stable flow of tourists.
According to Dr. Minh, water sports are appealing because they offer a sense of accomplishment: when tourists master the waves or themselves, a feeling of exhilaration arises. However, to develop offshore sports products, safety must be the top priority.
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After learning on shore, guests will get to practice on the waves. Photo: Tran Thanh Viet. |
From a local perspective, Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa stated that the Ham Tien area is facing coastal erosion, and many units have reinforced the coastline to limit sand erosion. However, the annual northerly winds bring back sand, stabilizing the beach and creating favorable conditions for athletes to compete.
"Mui Ne tourism has almost overcome seasonality thanks to its unique geographical location and the influx of water sports enthusiasts. The combination of high-end resort tourists and water sports groups during the monsoon season keeps the destination vibrant year-round. By overcoming the seasonal factor, Mui Ne also maintains stable service quality and a stable workforce," Mr. Khoa said.
Source: https://znews.vn/rop-khach-tay-tren-bien-mui-ne-post1604115.html
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