Mui Ne, Vietnam – a place that only recently began to attract Russian tourists. An ordinary fishing village suddenly became a resort that major travel agencies set their sights on. In recent years, our fellow citizens have begun to appear on the seashore, and there are much more signs in Russian than in English.
“Russian ghetto”
This is what foreigners sometimes call Mui Ne among themselves.
The resort of Mui Ne on the coast of the South China Sea is sometimes called differently-Phan Thiet. However, in fact, these are two different localities that are located a few kilometers from each other. Mui Ne is a poor fishing village in Vietnam, where guesthouses are somewhat cheaper. More populous Phan Thiet offers more decent (and expensive) housing and higher food prices.
How to get to Mui Ne from Ho Chi Minh City?
The best way to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne is by bus. There are 2 carriers:
- The Sinh Tourist (www.thesinhtourist.vn);
- Futa Bus Lines (futabus.vn).
Buses of the first company make 4 flights a day-to 7:00, 14:00, 21:00 and 22: 15. The ticket price for the morning flight is 149 thousand VND, for the afternoon and evening flight – 109 and 119 thousand, respectively. Travel time is 5-5. 5 hours.
Tickets for 2 or more days can be purchased online. On the day of departure, tickets can only be purchased at one of the 2 offices (from 6: 30 to 21:30) at the following addresses::
- 246-248 De Tham St., District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- 24-26 Pho Duc Chinh St., District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
Futa Bus Lines buses leave for Mui Ne much more often-15 times a day. The first flight is at 6:30 am, the last one is at 23: 30 pm. The travel interval ranges from 30 minutes between morning flights to 2 hours between evening flights.
The ticket price is VND 140,000. Buses are equipped with TV and Wi-Fi, and a bottle of water is included in the price. You can also pay for travel on the company’s official website or at the office located at 272 De Tham, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
Landing place: 121 Tôn ĐứC ThắNg, Phú ThủY, Tp. Phan ThếT, Bình ThuậN, Vietnam.
How to get from Nha Trang to Mui Ne?
From Nha Trang directly to Mui Ne, buses run by one of the above companies — The Sinh Tourist. Departure times are 8: 00 and 20: 00. The cost of travel by bus with recumbent seats is 119.00 VND. The journey will take 5-6 hours.
For more information, please contact the Nha Trang Office located at 130 Hung Vuong St., Nha Trang City, Vietnam.
How else to get to Mui Ne?
There are also regular buses passing by, but they are inconvenient, although somewhat cheaper. Separately, you will have to get to the Phan Thiet bus station, from where you will have to take a taxi to the resort area and still drive for a quarter of an hour.
Every 15-20 minutes, a bus runs between Phan Thiet and Mui Ne, which runs along the main road of the tourist area. You can explore the entire coast and get to some of Vietnam’s attractions.
There are also regular taxis with air conditioning and a negotiated price. Motorcycle taxi drivers will also take you quickly to your destination. They are easily recognized everywhere: any locals who stand next to motorcycles. You will not confuse, because the Vietnamese will not stand idly by the motorbike, they have a lot of other worries.
And, as the last option of transport, – rental of motorcycles and bicycles. Rent daily, for a bike pay 5-8 dollars, for a bike-a couple of dollars. By the way, you can easily ride a regular bike to all the beaches and visit the main attractions: the Cham Towers, the fishing pier, the Red dunes and the same color stream. The road is good, without hills and ravines, only on the hike to the Cham towers there are low hills.
Beaches and sea in Mui Ne
The villages of Phan Thiet and Mui Ne gradually merge into each other. They are connected by a 15-kilometer strip of beaches, a fenced strip of hotels. There are both luxury and budget options.
Please note! In the fishing village of Mui Ne and Phan Thiet itself, there are no beaches suitable for swimming, so there are quite a few visitors there.
Although Mui Ne is positioned as a place of relaxing beach holidays for the whole family, swimming there is not very comfortable, especially if you take your kids with you. The sea is muddy and choppy. Sometimes, after strong waves, garbage floats in the sea: bags, gobies, sticks, leaves … There are also jellyfish. If you have already decided to swim, it is better to come to Mui Ne Beach in the morning – by lunchtime the waves become even higher. Sunbathing on the beach can also be uncomfortable, as the sand that constantly picks up the wind flies in the face and hits the skin.
However, if you love outdoor activities and water sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing, then the Mui Ne Coast is perfect for you! Professionals will simply frolic to their heart’s content, and for beginners, too, there is everything you need. There is no end of instructors, they will come to the rescue to put you on the board. But be careful, the beaches of Mui Ne are an extreme place to learn. The width of the sand line is small, the sea meets with rough waves, almost immediately from the water’s edge the bottom becomes deep.
North of Mui Ne Village, there are wild beaches that can only be reached by motorcycle. Some places don’t even have roads, and you have to go straight through the sand along the coastline. Tourists who do not engage in water sports are unlikely to appreciate the sea in Mui Ne due to the waves and wind. But tours and vacations are quite cheap, so for the sake of exoticism and economy, some are willing to suffer these inconveniences.
There are no malls, night clubs, or heavy car traffic in Mui Ne. A vacation in Mui Ne in Vietnam is a great way to get a quick tan and swim in the sea. The town is suitable for a family holiday away from the active club life.
There are 3 beaches in total: Central, Ham Tien, and Phu Hai Beach. The first two are connected to each other and they are distinguished only to indicate the difference in infrastructure.
Central Beach
The beach is located along the roadway. There are quite a lot of food establishments and bars, there are massage parlors and travel agencies, ATMs and currency exchanges are available. There are also wind and kitesurfing schools on the Central Beach. If you decide to learn these sports, there will be no problems.Here you can also rent the necessary equipment, if you are not a beginner and do not need lessons.
Due to almost constantly windy weather, sand rises on the beach, and waves rise in the sea. The water is somewhat muddy. Garbage is brought ashore, which is not as little as we would like in Mui Ne, but it is removed. In general, for a holiday with children and a quiet beach relaxation and sunbathing, it is better to find another place in Vietnam. But kite and windsurfers should like it here.
Ham Tien Beach
Ham Tien, more deserted and unkempt, is located in the east of the village. You won’t be able to rent a chaise longue — they’re not here. The beach is rarely cleaned, so there is garbage of both natural origin and various kinds of plastic, packaging. In fairness, it should be said that in front of hotels, their employees try to monitor the cleanliness of the beach.
Local fishermen also leave their boats on Ham Tien, which gives it a certain flavor.
Phu Hai
Phu Hai Beach is located west of Mui Ne, closer to Phan Thiet. It stands apart, it is fenced off from the others by large stones. You can only get on it by driving along the highway. Only hotel guests sunbathe here, locals don’t come here.
A distinctive feature of Phu Hai is its cleanliness. Since it is located near quite expensive hotels, it is cleaned regularly. The sea is also much cleaner than Central Mui Ne Beach.
Attractions
In general, Mui Ne is not a very interesting place in Vietnam. People don’t come here to go on excursions. But there are a few places that are definitely worth visiting if you are bored with a beach holiday. Here they are.
Cham Towers
These buildings are very ancient, built in the VIII century as part of a huge temple complex. They got their name because at that time there was a Cham kingdom here. But more than three centuries ago, the temple fell, only 3 towers remained, to which tourists flock. They were restored about 20 years ago. Inside one of them is an altar where Shiva was worshipped. By the way, local fishermen still come to pray for a successful fishing trip.
The towers are located five kilometers from Phan Thiet, if you go in the direction of Mui Ne, almost at the start of the resort area. From the Central beach, you can walk on your own two feet. Turning to the attraction from the road is marked with a nice stone sign – “Nhomdenthap Cham”. You will only have to pay VND 5,000 for admission.
Red Dunes
In general, nothing special, just red sand, but not spoiled travelers like it. The dunes are located to the east of the tourist area, near Mui Ne. They start right across the street. This is a rather unusual attraction for Mui Ne (and Vietnam in general), because at the very sea you can imagine yourself standing in the center of a real African desert. You can get there by bus from Mui Ne, bike or motorbike. You will not miss the dunes, they will be on the left side (the attraction is marked on the map).
Red Creek
A small muddy stream that flows through the canyon, among the red sand hills. In the deepest part of it, you will be below the knee. It’s not as hot here as on the coast, and the treetops will hide you in the shade. In addition, the place is picturesque, the photos are amazing. You can turn off and look at the fish sauce factory.
There is a city bus service here, but you can also take a bike ride or even walk (if your hotel is located in the eastern part of Mui Ne). The stream comes from a small bridge that can be seen from the main road. He’s the only one there, you can’t confuse him.
White Dunes
They differ from the reds only in color and distance, which separates them from the city of Mui Ne. You will have to get to Belye for a long time and purposefully, because transport does not go here, and you probably don’t want to ride a bicycle for 30 kilometers. The white dunes are more extensive, and you can rent a quad bike or board to ride down the hills. By the way, a trip to the white dunes can be combined with a trip to the red sands, this is on the way. It is best to arrive at the dunes at dawn or at sunset. At this time of day, the most successful shots are obtained.
Lotus Lake
The lake is also a long way from Mui Ne. It is located near the white dunes. Unfortunately, lotuses do not always bloom, and you can not guess the time of arrival. You can not swim in the lakes (there are several of them, but there are three of the largest), because they are deep, there are many stems and leaves in the water – you can get confused and drown. In addition, the water is fresh. There is a chance of catching an infection. But if you get to the flowering season in Vietnam, Mui Ne, the photos will be great!
Fishing Harbor
By itself, the village of Mui Ne is an original place of Vietnam. On the approach to it from the resort area, you can see a nice pier. There, fishermen leave their boats to dry, and the view of the marina is stunning.
Of course, the coast is somewhat dirty, but visitors stop here to look around and take some colorful pictures.
There are no big supermarkets, which you get used to in Thailand. Goods have to be bought in small private shops with a mark-up.
Mui Ne Vacation: General tips
- It is best to take trips here for November-March. In winter, this part of Vietnam has the most beautiful weather: the air temperature during the day is about 30 degrees, at night – 22 degrees Celsius. The water is warm, 25-26 degrees. In summer (from May to October), the rainy season begins here. And there can be up to twenty rainy days a month. However, you still won’t be able to freeze, the climate is tropical! So when is the best time to relax in Mui Ne is a matter of taste.
- If you draw a line under the question of movement around the area, then one of the most convenient modes of transport is still a motorcycle. It is better to rent it. There are different versions of bikes, for every taste and color. If you have taken a bike, be sure to hide the helmet in a special compartment. In Vietnam, it is not uncommon to steal helmets even in the courtyard of a hotel.
- If you have a choice, it is better to go to another resort with your children: an exhausting long road and noticeable waves can spoil the rest for both you and the child. About food – if you take a trip to a travel agency, choose the option without food or with only breakfast. This will be more profitable, because food in Vietnam is inexpensive and diverse, there will be no problems with this.
- Although small shops are a dime a dozen in Mui Ne, do not expect a pleasant shopping experience. For the most part, the assortment of shops is made up of Chinese consumer goods and fake brands, the prices of which are very high. But you can buy silk, cotton products, silver jewelry with stones.
- In neighboring Phan Thiet, you will find decent markets by the standards of Vietnam, their names are Lotte Mart and Coop Mart (marked on the map below). Pay close attention to the expiration date. Go to the Ham Tien Market in Mui Ne for fresh natural gifts (both from the sea and from the garden). After 9 am there is nothing to do there, get ready early, preferably from six o’clock. In the evening, prices for vegetables and fruits in stores can be 2 times higher than market prices.
- There are a huge number of different types of fruit here, most of them are not sold here, and if they are, then in an obscene form. In general, lovers of the fruit diet in Vietnam paradise! Many people take baskets with fruit sets with them to their homeland at the end of their vacation. Such a souvenir will reach your home without any problems.
- Mui Ne, Vietnam is best suited for those who want to discover the world of Southeast Asia on a limited budget, see how modest Vietnamese fishermen live, or surf the waves.
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