The Top Things To Do In Mui Ne, Vietnam (Where You Need To Visit)
Last Updated: March 16 2021
We spent nearly 4 weeks backpacking Vietnam, and we visited some incredible places. We added this cute little beach town to our Vietnam itinerary after so many people had recommended it. There are so many things to do in Mui Ne, that it is impossible to get bored.
If you are planning a trip to Vietnam we have gone through why Mui Ne should be placed on your itinerary. We have included some of the things to do here, what to see and even where you can stay.
This post will give you all the information you will need on the top sights of Mui Ne. These include the red and white sand dunes as well as the beautiful fairy stream. If you are looking for another destination to add to your Vietnam travel itinerary, then definitely visit this place.
The best things to do in Mui Ne
When looking at what to do in Mui Ne, there are so many options to choose from. Here are some of the places you should include on your Mui Ne itinerary!
White Sand Dunes, Mui Ne
After being advised the best way to see the Mui Ne white sand dunes was at sunrise, we got up at 5 am for a nice early start. The White dunes are a 40-minute drive away from town so keep this in mind.
The dunes only cost 10,000 Vietnamese Dong (30p) to enter and they are beautiful. We stayed for around an hour, but it was chilly so make sure you take a coat. As the sun rises the dunes get brighter and brighter and it is magical. You should make the most of your time here!
Be aware of the scams at the white sand dunes
Once we arrived the dunes were super dark and we couldn’t see a thing. This is where you need to be careful and avoid the scams here. Everybody here will tell you that you need to pay to be taken up to the top of the dunes in a jeep or quad bike.
They will tell you that you will miss the sunrise if you don’t as it is an ‘hours walk’. Due to how dark it was we had no idea how far it was so like everybody else, we paid the money. It cost us around £10 for the two of us, however, it turned out the ‘sunrise spot’ was literally a 5-minute walk away!
You can imagine our frustration when the jeep journey took us literally one minute. We found this out the hard way so you don’t have to! We walked back down because it was a whole lot more fun.
Red Sand Dunes, Mui Ne
After sunrise, we headed towards the famous Mui Ne Red Sand Dunes. The journey to the dunes took us around 30 minutes back in the direction of town.
The red sand dunes here seem to go on forever and we spent ages just wandering around. These dunes don’t cost anything to enter which is a bonus. The red sand dunes were our favourite part of visiting Mui Ne.
Going to the dunes in the morning means that the weather is cool. In the middle of the day, the temperature here would probably be unbearable. The dunes in the early morning are also fairly quiet, and they get busier as the day goes on.
Sand surfing is very popular here and a lot of the children will let you borrow their board. For a fee most of the time of course!
Fishing Village, Mui Ne
If you are wondering what to do around Mui Ne, then paying a visit to the fishing village must be on your list. We found the Fishing village to be such an interesting experience and it gives you an idea about the local culture. This is where you will truly get to see the lives of the people who live here.
If possible you will want to head here in the morning. That is because the local men return from the sea with all the freshly caught fish. We arrived here at around 7:45 am and it truly was an amazing experience.
We stepped down onto the seashell covered beach and wandered around watching the local people working. The beach was full of colourful fishing boats, as well as women sorting out the freshly caught fish. A lot of the boats were circular, almost like a bowl.
To the Southern end of the Fishing villages, there is a small area where the locals live. Here you will find a variety of open restaurants and food carts selling traditional Vietnamese food and freshly caught fish. We aren’t massive fish eaters but if you love seafood, the fish market here is worth a look.
Fairy Stream, Mui Ne
The Fairy Stream is located right in the town, and you could walk to it from our accommodation. It is a small creek that winds itself through a red canyon. It is a really relaxing place and for only 5,000 Vietnamese Dong each (20p) you can spend as long as you want here.
The water is only a couple of centimetres deep and the soft clay under your feet feels nice. The walk to the end takes roughly about 15 minutes, so about half an hour there and back. There are plenty of places to take photographs and you can even sit under the palm trees that run alongside the canyon.
There are also some food and drink vendors located at the entrance to the Fairy Stream. It is a place that you should visit if travelling through, as it is one of Mui Ne’s top attractions.
Mui Ne Beach
As Mui Ne is a seaside resort town the beaches are pretty impressive. Multiple paths lead down to the beach from the town. The sand is beautiful and white, the water refreshing and the beach is lined with plenty of palm trees.
We spent plenty of time at the beach during our stay as it is the perfect place to relax. After enjoying some time in the sun, we then headed to Rang Garden Beach Side Restaurant for a bite to eat. It is a lovely restaurant with nice food and reasonable prices.
Mui Ne Town
The town of Mui Ne is also a place to explore with plenty of shops, hotels, and restaurants to wander around. A lot of the town is located right next to the beach too.
Other things to do in Mui Ne, Vietnam
There are plenty of other fun things to do in Mui Ne, however, that was all we had time for during our short stay. Here are some more options if you are spending more time in Mui Ne:
- Kite surfing in Mui Ne
- Watch the beautiful sunsets at Mui Ne beach
- Visit Ne Cape at the point of Mui Ne
- Shanu cham towers (a 25-minute drive from Mui Ne)
If you are looking for things to do near Mui Ne, why not visit Phan Thiet and spend a day there too.
Tours
There are plenty of tour options that you can take in Mui Ne, whether that be sunset or sunrise. They can be a good option if you don’t have much time, but make sure you do your research first.
Some of the people we spoke to had said they tours were quite rushed, and they didn’t have much time to spend in each place. Also, make sure you check what is included in the tours. Some of the tours only include transport and no entrance tickets so make sure you look into it first.
How to get to Mui Ne
The most popular option is to get the bus to Mui Ne from multiple destinations in Vietnam. You can get the bus to Mui Ne from Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Da Lat, and Nha Trang.
The closest international airport is located in Ho Chi Minh city. If you were flying into Vietnam, you could just get the bus from Ho Chi Minh city.
Accommodation in Mui Ne
We stayed in a little place called Mui Ne Nhat Phuc Guest House, set just off the main road. For £9 a night we got a double room, air conditioning, and a mini-fridge. The owner would also help us with places to see, and how to book onward transport.
We travelled through Southeast Asia on a budget, however, we know not everyone travels this way. Here are some other accommodation options:
Medium Budget:
Sunny Beach Resort & Spa– £41 a night for a deluxe room
Swiss Village Resort & Spa– £39 a night for a superior room and breakfast
Luxury Budget:
Anantara Mui Ne Resort– £127 a night for a deluxe garden view room and breakfast
The Cliff Resort and Residence– £64 a night for a double room with breakfast or £85 a night for a Verde Lounge with a kitchen and free breakfast.
Victoria Phan Thiet Beach Resort & Spa– £100 a night for a garden view bungalow and breakfast.
Onward Travel
There are so many must-see places in Vietnam that it can be hard to choose where to head next. We headed to Hoi An afterward, and would strongly recommend it.
Hoi An is one of the most beautiful cities in Vietnam, and there is plenty to see and do. We spent a couple of days here and loved every minute, we honestly couldn’t recommend it more!
To book onward transport your best bet is to either ask at your accommodation or use one of the travel agents in town. Or you could use the online booking website 12goAsia.
We booked our bus to Hoi An through Sands Travel (Cobia restaurant and bar is next door, which he also owns). The tickets cost us 700,000 Vietnamese Dong (about £24) for the two of us. Pretty good for a 13-hour journey!
The buses in Vietnam are incredible, with the seats being almost like reclining bunk beds. They are so much comfier than ordinary buses and an almost luxury experience if you are travelling through Asia on a budget!
We hope this post has given you plenty of ideas for what to do in Mui Ne. We enjoyed our time in this beach town, and we hope you do too! There are so many places to visit in this beautiful country, however, we are so glad we added Mui Ne to our Vietnam backpacking route.
Have you ever visited Vietnam? or is it on your bucket list?
Thanks for reading,
Jack & Abbie
P.S. We travelled up from the South to the North of Vietnam via the coast. If you want more information on travelling through Vietnam why not check out our other posts here.
If you want to follow our journey, you can find our Instagram here.
MORE VIETNAM BLOG POSTS!
5 Places You Need To Visit In Hanoi
The Best Budget Travel Accommodation In Vietnam
Things To Do In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Where To Find The Best Views Of Hanoi City In Vietnam
Visiting Ninh Binh – A Must-See Destination In Vietnam
Visiting Ho Thuy Tien – Vietnam’s Abandoned Water Park
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I’m one half of Acouplescalling. I'm passionate about all things travel and photography and I love sharing my experiences with others. I've seen a lot of the world already and I want to help as many people as I can do the same thing!
