Mui Ne: top things to do, hidden gems and key tips

Mui Ne suits a night or two on the way up the coast, or a weekend from Ho Chi Minh City. Drive the expressway to Phan Thiet: it cut the trip from five hours to two.1Viet Nam News (opens in a new tab)vietnamnews.vn Come between November and April for the wind. Mui Ne is now a ward of Lam Dong Province.2Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)en.wikipedia.org

How long have you got?

• Half a day: the white dunes and the Fairy Stream.
• One night: add the red dunes at sunset and the harbour at dawn.
• Two or three nights: add a kitesurfing lesson.

When are you going?

• November to April: the wind is strongest, the best time to learn kitesurfing. Boards can be rented, and clubs and schools teach beginners.3Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel
• October: the Kate Festival is held at Poshanu Cham Tower, a few kilometres east of Mui Ne.4Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel
• December to April: the dry season in the south. From May to November, expect a downpour most afternoons, usually lasting a few hours.5Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel

Top things to do

• White sand dunes: closest to the beach, also called the “flying sand hills”, and good for sandboarding and photos.6Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travelTip They look like a small desert, with sparkling lakes nearby.7Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel
• Red sand dunes: quad biking and sliding down the slopes.Tip Go at sunset, when they glow.8Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel
• Fairy Stream (Suoi Tien): about 18 km north-east of Phan Thiet, you wade through shallow water between white and ochre rock walls to a small waterfall.Tip Vendors sell snacks and drinks along the way.9Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel
• Fishing harbour: the morning fish market, where fishermen bring in the catch.Tip Go early.10Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel
• Kitesurfing: steady sea breezes and warm water, with lessons from schools along the beach.11Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travelTip Book in November to April, when the wind is strongest.12Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel

Hidden gems

• Poshanu Cham Tower: ruins of three temples from the 8th and 9th centuries, on a hill a few kilometres east of Mui Ne.13Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel
• Ta Cu Mountain: a 7.2 km round-trip hike of two to three hours to a 649 m summit, with a cable car as the alternative.14Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel

Getting there and around

• By car or bus: the Dau Giay to Phan Thiet expressway opened on 29 April 2023. It is 99 km and cuts Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet from five hours to two.15Viet Nam News (opens in a new tab)vietnamnews.vn Open-tour buses also run between Mui Ne and Ho Chi Minh City; book a day or two ahead.16Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel
• By train: the Reunification Express stops at Phan Thiet.17Vietnam Tourism (opens in a new tab)vietnam.travel The station is outside the town, beside National Route 1,18Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)en.wikipedia.org so you need a taxi on to Mui Ne.
• Getting around: Mui Ne and the Phan Thiet wards stretch about 50 km along the coast,19Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)en.wikipedia.org so hire a driver or scooter for the dunes and the stream.

If it doesn’t go to plan

• Train sold out? Take an open-tour bus or drive the expressway.
• No wind? Move to the dunes, the harbour or the Ta Cu cable car.
• Afternoon downpour? Do the dunes and the stream in the morning.