What can we learn from the "cool party" at the Flying Sand Dunes?

My dear friend! As the sun began to set, I noticed groups of people heading towards the sand dunes in the distance. It was as if they had made an appointment.

I didn't know what was going on. The noisy off-road vehicles carrying tourists crossing the sand dunes, all heading towards that spot, only reinforced my belief in the reason for the gathering. Standing at this gate, looking up, I could see the highest point of the Mui Ne Sand Dunes. Curious, I waded through the sand towards it. Other tourists did the same. At this time, the top of the highest sand dune was almost completely packed with people.

I went to see what was ahead... It turned out there was no event, just ahead and below were mounds of sand dunes dotted with native trees, followed by the peaceful scenery of villages and towns nestled beside the deep blue sea, a gentle, endless silken ribbon. It was like a watercolor painting captured within my view. Cameras and phones were all being used to capture moments they found beautiful. Vietnamese, English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese… languages mingled on the wind. Tall and short, adults and children, young and old, black, white, yellow, single eyelids and double eyelids… everyone gathered at this sand dune as if to enjoy a refreshing feast. Because on this high sand dune, the wind blowing in from the sea was cool and refreshing. It was late afternoon, the full moon had appeared early and hung in the sky, and many tourists had not yet left Mui Ne Sand Dunes.

Tourists enjoy the scenery and have fun on the sand dunes of Mui Ne.

It's currently the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day holiday, meaning it's already past mid-April, the time considered the end of the international tourist season. However, those tourists haven't left yet. This is a sign that Mui Ne tourism is returning to its pre-Covid-19 normal state. Restaurants and shops are crowded. The bustling traffic of colorful tourist buses on the Mui Ne to Bau Trang Tourist Area (Bac Binh) and vice versa further confirms this.

Tourists visit Bau Trang in colorful vehicles.

Dear friend!

If you've read the Yahoo! Life (Singapore) article in the past few days about the 9 most beautiful tourist destinations in Vietnam that international visitors shouldn't miss when visiting the S-shaped country, you'll see that Phan Thiet city ranked 7th. The article describes Phan Thiet as a coastal tourist city located more than two hours' drive from Ho Chi Minh City. It boasts beautiful beaches, white and red sand dunes, most notably the Mui Ne Sand Dunes, offering visitors a unique and surreal landscape. The article further suggests: “Visitors can try sandboarding and admire the panoramic views of the surrounding area. Phan Thiet is also known for the vibrant Mui Ne fishing village, where colorful boats and bustling activity create a picturesque scene.”

Around the same time, Booking.com, a well-known company in the digital travel sector, also announced that Phan Thiet city is one of the 9 most searched domestic destinations by Vietnamese tourists during the upcoming April 30th and May 1st holidays.

This series of good news, I believe, is not only due to the highway shortening the distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet, but also to the changes in people's awareness, most notably in environmental protection and sanitation. Hosting the 2023 National Tourism Year, Binh Thuan – Green Convergence, has generated a series of environmental protection activities with strong and widespread impact. Provincial leaders and heads of departments have gone to the grassroots level, rolled up their sleeves to clean up garbage, and promoted environmental preservation, thereby enhancing the already beautiful scenery of the homeland. With Phan Thiet City as a tourism center with many beautiful landscapes and a resort capital, the increased attention to environmental sanitation has further enhanced its inherent beauty.

Therefore, familiar destinations suddenly seem more beautiful and different than before. Like the Mui Ne Sand Dunes, a place where trash and plastic bottles easily accumulate, but that day I only saw the smooth, velvety pink sand dunes shimmering in the afternoon sun. With that thought in mind, I suddenly realized that the April 30th and May 1st holidays are coming soon, so why don't you come to Phan Thiet to rekindle our friendship of over 20 years?

Phan Thiet, April 19, 2024

BICH NGHI - PHOTO BY N. LAN

Source