Mui Ne is a famous tourist destination of Phan Thiet City in Binh Thuan Province. Mui Ne is one of the leading resort towns in Vietnam, known by many people for its long stretches of fine white sand, blue sea and coconut trees. Mui Ne Beach has been voted as one of the 11 most beautiful beaches in Southeast Asia.
When coming to Mui Ne, you not only will be captivated by picturesque sea views but will also have impressive experiences when exploring the peaceful life of locals as well as enjoying delicious local dishes made from seafood. Someone used to think that Mui Ne was Thai "Phuket" in Phan Thiet.
The ultimate guide to Mui Ne, Phan Thiet provides the most important information about this tourist destination in Vietnam, including details about how to get to Mui Ne, where to have fun like a local, what to do, where to stay, food to eat, and best of all.
Mui Ne Attractions
In addition to the beautiful beaches that fascinate tourists, the main attractions in Mui Ne include Red Sand Dunes, White Sand Dunes (Bau Trang), Fishing Village, and Fairy Spring. As these are the must-visit attractions, there are many tours that can bring you to all these 4 destinations.
Red Sand Dunes
Among all tourist destinations in Mui Ne, sand dunes are the most impressive attractions for many tourists. Mui Ne Red Sand Dunes can be found just about 2 km from Mui Ne Market, and about 23 km east of Phan Thiet city center. The unique feature of this scenic place is that after every big wind or overnight, sand dunes get a new shape.
Here you can take fascinating photos or rent a sand-board for 10,000 VND and experience the downhill sliding experience.
White Sand Dunes
White Sand Dunes, also known as Bau Trang, is a unique and interesting tourist destination in Mui Ne that you should not miss. There are 2 freshwater lakes with blooming lotuses lying in the middle of White Sand Dunes. Visiting White Sand Dunes by jeep during a sunrise or sunset is an unforgettable experience.
Fishing Village
Mui Ne Fishing Village is located nearby Mui Ne town. At the fishing village you can witness hundreds of colorful fishing boats anchored on the water. If you are a seafood lover, the fishing village in Mui Ne is your dream destination. After being caught, all seafood is processed right after coming to the mainland.
Fairy Spring
Fairy Spring, also known as Red Stream Mui Ne, is a small stream next to Hon Rom. Fairy stream is only about 1 km long, hidden in the red sand hill, creating an extremely beautiful and impressive landscape. The stream of Fairy Spring is quite shallow, just up on your ankle and the deepest place is only knee level so you can easily walk in the middle of the stream.
If you have just a short holiday in Vietnam, you can join this 2-Day Mui Ne Beach Tour with Sand Dune Sunrise from Ho Chi Minh City to experience Mui Ne’s breathtaking beauty and tour all highlight attractions.
Other Attractions in Mui Ne
There are countless attractive destinations not to be missed if you have an opportunity to stay longer in Mui Ne, such as Hon Ghenh, Duc Thanh School, Poshanu Tower, Ta Cu Mountain, etc. We have gathered suggestions for the top attractions in Mui Ne that are really worth experiencing.
Where to Stay in Mui Ne?
Hotels in Mui Ne are very diverse with the majority of them scattered along Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Huynh Thuc Khang streets towards Hon Rom. There many accommodation options available in Mui Ne so you can choose the place that suites your needs the best, from high-end to affordable.
Some of the best rated hotels in Mui Ne:
Luxury Resort: Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa
Mid-Range Hotel: Full Moon Village
Budget Hotel: Mui Ne Ocean House
Other suggested resorts and hotels in Mui Ne can be found here: 10 Best Hotels in Mui Ne.
Affordable Mui Ne hotel we were staying at recently: Mui Ne Home [Review].
Mui Ne Transportation
Traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne
By Bus
Taking a bus is the option that many people choose for traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne because of its flexibility and affordable price. There are many bus companies operating on Ho Chi Minh City - Phan Thiet – Mui Ne route such as Sinh Tourist, Hanh Cafe, Kumho Samco, Futa Bus and Tan Hanh Travel Bus. Each bus company has a very diverse travel schedule. Most of the buses depart from Saigon’s Eastern Bus Terminal or De Tham Street in District 1. Ticket prices normally range from 100,000 VND to 180,000 VND.
By Train
Taking a train is also a good choice for those who are intending to visit Phan Thiet - Mui Ne. Normally, trains on Saigon - Phan Thiet route depart from Vietnam’s largest city in the morning and train tickets cost starting from 160,000 VND per person. The train stops at Phan Thiet Railway Station, so for getting to your hotel in Mui Ne you need to hire taxi or take a local public bus.
Other Options
The detailed guide on how to travel from Saigon to Mui Ne can be found here: How to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne.
If you are flying to Ho Chi Minh City and want to go to Mui Ne right away, check for transportation from Saigon Tan Son Nhat Airport to Mui Ne.
Traveling from Hanoi to Mui Ne
Flights to Mui Ne
There is currently no direct flight from Hanoi to Mui Ne, so if you want to travel to the resort town from Vietnamese capital, you can fly to Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN) or Cam Ranh Airport (CXR) in Nha Trang and then transfer to Mui Ne by bus, train or taxi.
By Bus
From Nuoc Ngam Bus Station in Hanoi, you can take one of many buses to Phan Thiet Bus Station. Buss ticket price ranges from 700,000 VND to 800,000 VND per person. For getting from Phan Thiet City center to Mui Ne you will need to take a taxi, motorbike taxi or find a public bus going that way.
Other Options
The detailed guide on how to travel from Hanoi to Mui Ne can be found here: How to get from Hanoi to Mui Ne.
Transportation within Mui Ne
Walking
Many tourists explore Mui Ne on foot, especially those who are staying at the resort nearby the beach and just want to have a relaxing time during a long walk on the beach.
Public Bus
Taking a public bus is one of the memorable experiences in Mui Ne, especially for those who prefer using public transportation, which is both environmentally friendly and much more cost effective.
There are currently 9 public bus routes operating in Binh Thuan Province. Some of the most popular bus routes in Phan Thiet for your reference:
- Route 1: Tien Loi - Mui Ne - Hon Rom - Suoi Nuoc
- Route 4: Ta Cu - Phan Thiet - Phu Long
- Route 6: Phan Thiet - Ke Ga - Tan Thanh
- Route 9: Phan Thiet Railway Station - Mui Ne - Hon Rom - Suoi Nuoc
Detailed Mui Ne public bus routes and schedules can be found here: Phan Thiet Public Bus Routes.
Motorbikes
Motorbikes are the favorite vehicle for tourists traveling to Phan Thiet because it brings convenience when exploring the famous landmarks of the province. In Mui Ne, there are many motorbike rental services available. You can also rent a motorbike right at the hotel. The motorbike rental price is about 100,000 -150,000 VND per day.
Taxi
Taxi is an ideal vehicle for those who love comfort or travel in a large group to locations far from the city. Some of the most popular taxi companies in Phan Thiet and Mui Ne are Mai Linh Taxi, Vinasun Taxi, Phan Thiet Taxi and Sun Taxi. Mui Ne taxi fare is affordable but various destinations are quite far away so getting there might not come cheap.
Food in Mui Ne
Mui Ne cuisine is one of the reasons why this town attracts many local and foreign visitors. Some dishes not to be missed when visiting Mui Ne include:
Seafood in Mui Ne: Mui Ne and Phan Thiet is a seafood paradise for tourists. There are various types of seafood and also a variety of ways of processing. You can easily find to find seafood that is freshly caught. If you want to bring back home, there are dried seafood products such as dried fish or squids you can buy here. Seafood prices are mainly not high and the quality is good.
Sunny Squid (Muc Mot Nang Nuong): A sunny squid is the big squid, which is spread out to dry on the sun for 1 day. Unlike fresh squid, a sunny squid has more sweetness without losing quality and flavor. You can easily find a sunny squid in fishing villages along the coast of Mui Ne or Phan Thiet market as well as shops selling seafood specialties. This dish is even more charming when dipped in Phan Thiet fish sauce with few slices of chili. Prices of a sunny squid in Mui Ne range from 300,000-450,000 VND per kg.
Lizards: The specialty of sand dunes area is called "Dong". This is a kind of lizard that every tourist is recommended to try out. Dong meat is like chicken, but sweet, fleshy and softer. Dong’s meat can be cooked in the variety of ways like fried, roasted, stir-fried with herbs, or used as the main ingredient for hotpot. You can enjoy this Mui Ne specialty dish at the shop along the banks of the Ca Ty River, or some local restaurant.
Phan Thiet Beef Noodle Soup: When it comes to beef noodle soup, you immediately think of Hue beef noodle soup (Bun Bo Hue), but Phan Thiet also has its very own beef noodle soup with a completely different taste.
Phan Thiet Quang Noodles: A very typical dish of Phan Thiet. The Quang My noodle dish in Phan Thiet has a slightly sweet taste, so you can squeeze more lemons into it to make it easier to eat. You should try once to see the difference of Quang noodles and Phan Thiet noodles.
King Crab: This is a specialty of Tuy Phong and Binh Thuan regions. Crab meat is sweet, chewy, and fragrant. The king crab in Tuy Phong area is available year round but December is the best time to try it. King crab is usually grilled or steamed with lemon pepper or made porridge. You can enjoy King crab in seafood restaurants of Mui Ne.
Seafood Salad: Salad is a dish you definitely have to try once when traveling to Phan Thiet. There are many different types and Mui Ne is famous for fish salad and snail salad. Fish salad is made from shellfish, transparent fish or fresh opaque fish served with raw vegetables, vermicelli and a special dipping sauce. Snail salad is made with finely chopped snail meat, pork, fried onions, raw vegetables, roasted peanuts and served with sweet and sour dipping sauce.
Best time to travel to Mui Ne, Phan Thiet
Located in the South Central region, Mui Ne in particular and Phan Thiet in general are considered the sunniest and most windy area in the country. The area is also less affected by storms so you can travel at any time of the year. However, there are some notes about the weather in Mui Ne, Phan Thiet to pay attention to before traveling there:
March - May: the hottest time in Mui Ne, Phan Thiet. The temperature can be over 30 degrees Celsius.
June - August: At this time, the weather is cooler than on other months. The sea water is also greener and calmer.
September - November: If possible, avoid traveling to Mui Ne during this period because it often has sudden rains so the tour plans may be affected. There will be red tide and seaweed blooming, the sea is no longer clear so it is not suitable for swimming. However, this can happen for some period and not every year, you just need to monitor the weather before the trip.
December - February: The weather is quite cool and pleasant and there are not many storms as before. During this time, many locals from the northern region try avoid the cold and come to travel to enjoy the warmth of the golden sunshine in Mui Ne.
What gifts to buy in Mui Ne?
There are some souvenirs to be found in Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. Products include handicrafts and items made from shells and unique flavor of the sea such as necklace from snails, artificial pearls, bracelets made from natural stone, etc.
You can also buy Mui Ne specialties such as dragon fruit, sunny squid, durian candy, anchovies, dried shrimp, and fish sauce as gifts.
Few notes when planning a trip to Mui Ne
The weather in Mui Ne is quite sunny and dry, so remember to bring sun screen, mineral water, sunglasses, sandals and slippers when going out.
Another interesting resort town not too far from Mui Ne is Nha Trang. There are nice beaches, fun activities making it suitable for relaxation. You can go there if you have more time.
For those who want to experience something different, head to Dalat in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam.