Mui Ne (Vietnamese: Mũi Né) is a fishing village and a popular tourist destination in Lam Dong province. The town is surrounded by unique natural formations, sweeping sand dunes, and verdant mountains. There are two main beaches to explore in Mui Ne: Ganh Beach and Suoi Nuoc Beach, both with an increasing number of resorts, shops, and restaurants. Strong sea breezes make it very popular for kitesurfing and windsurfing. With pristine beaches, this is also an ideal place for a day of swimming, surfing, or simply relaxing.
What is the best time to explore Mui Ne?
Less affected by the northeast monsoon, Mui Ne has been relatively dry and hot throughout the year. For this reason, you can travel to Mui Ne at any time of the year.
However, you should also know some weather rules, which are:
- January to June is the most ideal time to travel to Mui Ne. During this period, the water is clear and clean. However, April and May are the hottest times of the year. The sun is relatively strong, so you should wear a hat and sunscreen to avoid sunstroke.
- The rainy season runs from July to October, but it usually rains for only one or two hours a day. The seawater is not clear, with an alluvial colour from red sand flooding, which is affecting participation in water activities and photography.
- Between the months of November and March, Mũi Né is affected by the strong winds, but it’s the ideal time for kitesurfing and surfing.
How to get there?
By train:
A train runs daily from HCMC to Phan Thiet, departing at 6:00 AM and arriving at around 09:40 AM. The return trip leaves Phan Thiet at 15:20 PM. The train station in HCMC, Saigon Railway Station, is in 01 Nguyen Thong, Nhieu Loc Ward, about 3 km from the centre. The railway station in Phan Thiet is about 5 km from the start of the Ham Tien resort strip and about 25 km from the train station to the centre of Mui Ne. A ticket costs approximately $10 USD, one-way.
By tourist buses:
The most popular choice for travelers from Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, or Nha Trang to Mui Ne is direct buses, available year-round through multiple travel agencies. Although the trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne takes around 4.5 hours, most bus companies offer soft seats or soft beds with air conditioning.
Futa – one of the famous bus company to Mui Ne
However, travellers need to go to the Eastern Bus Station or the Backpacker area in District 1 to depart. But the buses stop in front of most resorts or hotels in Phú Hài and Hàm Tiến, so there is no need to take a taxi.
By private car/bus:
This is the best way to Mũi Né when you’re travelling with a large group or your family. Most of travel agencies provide private car to Mũi Né and return with clean, comfortable, well-maintained vehicles driven by experienced drivers. Arrangements need to be made in advance if you wish to take a private car from the city centre. They can pick you up and drop you off at any location in both HCM and Mũi Né.
Places to visit in and around Mui Ne
Suối Tiên (Fairy stream)
This small stream next to Hòn Rơm is hidden behind a sand dune, so not everyone knows it. To reach Suối Tiên (Fairy Stream), first go to Huỳnh Thúc Kháng (Mũi né ward, Phan Thiết), then ask locals for directions to the stream. For the most part, the water does not flow fast, about ankle-deep, and no more than the knee, even at its deepest. Therefore, visitors often come here, carrying shoes or walking barefoot to enjoy the cool steam. Along the stream, there are many paths leading up to the sand dunes. You can follow them to see the entire stream from above. On one side is a row of immense green coconuts; on the other is a wall of sand in two colours. Upon arrival, visitors seem immersed in the pure wild beauty. Although it only takes about an hour for the journey to discover Suối Tiên, many people still spend a whole day having fun in the fairyland.
Mũi Né fishing village
The village is located on Huỳnh Thúc Kháng Street, about 7kms from the centre of the town. The Mui Ne fishing village lies along the coast, overlooking a splendid view of hundreds of colourful fishing boats moored in here. The best time to visit the village is in the early morning when hundreds of fishing boats come back from the sea after their catching time. There is also a harbour where you can purchase fresh seafood or enjoy steamed crabs, shellfish…on the spot from local vendors.
Sand dunes
The beautiful sand dunes in Mũi Né have been a creative subject of photographs and paintings. There are 3 famous sand dunes: the yellow sand dune, the red sand dune, and the white sand dune, which is the largest.
Visitors can rent plastic sleds or enjoy a beautiful sunset by kite flying. These sand dunes are a popular picnic place for locals, too.
The best time to visit the dunes is early in the morning or late afternoon as the sand can get very hot during the day.
Po Sah Inư Tower
Also known as the Poshanu Tower (or more accurately, the Poshanu Tower complex), it was built around the end of the 8th century and completed at the beginning of the 9th century, originally intended for worship of Shiva, one of the supreme deities of Hinduism. These towers are the remains of the ancient Champa Kingdom, located on Bà Nài Hill overlooking the bay, approximately 7 km northeast of Phan Thiết. Three towers remain largely intact, and it remains a place of Shiva worship used by the local Chăm people, who also hold religious festivals and other celebrations there.
Tà Cú Mountain
Located about 30km south of Phan Thiết City, Bình Thuận Province. This is an ideal place for mountain climbing and hiking if you have good health. There is also a cable car that takes you to the middle of the mountain and offers views of the area along the way. There are 02 pagodas on Ta Cu Mountain, Long Đoàn, and Linh Sơn Trường Thọ that attract thousands of pilgrims each year. The mountain is best known for the reclining Gautama Buddha statue and panoramic views of the farms below.
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