Mui Ne is popular for hosting the desert of Vietnam. Although really, it is a very lush area of vegetation except for the desert of white dunes and reddish dunes. It's a perfect stop if you're considering a tour of Vietnam and fancy some beach time and laid-back activities.
Mui Ne is a small fishing village with a long beach where it is very common to practice kitesurfing and windsurfing.
The main reason to visit Mui Ne is to descend and enter the colored dunes of the desert, although there are many more things to do. In this post I talk about what to see and do in Mui Ne, how to get there and where to stay.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN MUI NE, VIETNAM
The town of Mui Ne
The town is a small fishing village with sandy streets. I recommend that you get up very early and go to the beach to see the fishermen at work. You will be able to walk between the different stalls that are set up in the same arena, to clean and prepare the fish for sale.
Fairy Stream
The Fairy Stream is a small creek flanked by a mix of red and white sand dunes and bizarre rock formations. You can access the creek for free and follow the trail up the path inland until you find a small waterfall. In our case, we arrived walking until the water was almost up to our waist and we still had about a kilometer to go until we reached the waterfall, but at that time we already had to continue swimming "against the current" so it was impossible for us to get there. Depending on the season of the year, if it is already a dry season, you will be able to reach the waterfall and they say that the water does not reach more than the knee.
Small pools are created where you can bathe, although you should keep in mind that they say there are fish and water snakes. Since the water is muddy, it's really a bit of a pain to swim without knowing what's underneath. We did not want to think too much about what was there and we continued as much as possible to try to reach the waterfall. It was impossible for us, so if you arrive, tell me about your experience.
Enjoy the beach and the sun
The beaches in Mui Ne are nice, but don't expect calm waters. The wind is usually present all the time, thanks to that, you can practice kitesurfing and windsurfing.
Even so, they are beautiful and you can take a pleasant walk along the shore, swim and sunbathe.
The best option is to find a hotel in Mui Ne with access to the beach on foot. Here you have the best accommodation options in Mui Ne.
Red Sand Dunes
Mui Ne has two dune zones. The reddish dunes and the white dunes. The Red Sand Dunes are located about 2km from the center of Mui Ne. The landscape is beautiful and it is advisable to visit them at sunrise or sunset. Although of course, it is the moment where you will find more people.
You can rent a board for about 30,000 Dongs to slide down the dunes. If you hire a tour (usually all hotels have it available) they will bring you to the highest point of the dunes by quad. To access you must pay entrance, it costs about 20,000 dongs. If you have hired a tour, the entrance is already included.
White Sand Dunes
Some say that the white dunes are the most beautiful dunes in Mui Ne. The truth is that I see them very similar, with the difference in color. The most notable difference is that the White Sand Dunes have a small lake in the middle, creating the effect of an oasis.
These dunes are located 20km from the center of Mui Ne and have much less tourism. To access you must pay entrance, it costs about 20,000 dongs. You can hire a jeep or quad tour through the dunes, it is hired at the same box office.
WHERE TO STAY IN MUI NE, VIETNAM
In Mui Ne you don't have an infinity of places to stay. You have some more central options, although I recommend that you find a hotel with a swimming pool (it is very hot and you will appreciate it) and if it can be in front of the beach, better.
Some great accommodation options in Mui Ne are:
HOW TO GET TO MUI NE
Whether you are arriving in Mui Ne from Ho Chi Minh or from Nha Trang, the best option is to do it by train. Whenever you want to find transport in Asia (and other places in the world), the best transport search engine is 12go.Asia
I have always used it to move around Asia. The web is secure and you can choose your language. If you indicate which city you want to leave from and where you want to arrive, and the web will give you all the options you have to move; transfers, buses, trains, planes...
In my case, I got to Mui Ne from Ho Chi Minh by train (for around 9 euros) and returned to Ho Chi Minh by sleep-bus (for around 6.50 euros). Both options are very comfortable.
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Vietnam very much and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!