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TravelTips24 : Asia : Southeast Asia : Vietnam : South : Mui Ne

Mui Ne

Mui Ne is a nice resort area near Ho Chi Minh City in the south of Vietnam.

Culture and History

East of Phan Thiet the road passes through Dragonfruit plantations, finally climbing over the slope of a Cham-Tower-topped hill and descending onto the long, sandy crescent of Mui Ne Bay. The formerly scarcely inhabited beach south of the fishing village of Mui Ne proper has seen some serious development in the last 15 years, leading to a 15 km long strip of resorts that line up like pearls on the shady street lined with coconut palms. Addresses are frequently specified by giving the distance from Phan Thiet in kilometres.

Be warned, if you are staying on the opposite side of the beach to the resorts, the beach is virtually inaccessible unless you walk to the other end where the sand turns to a thin layer laid upon concrete.

Travel to Mui Ne & Visa Requirements

Buses to Mui Ne

Most overseas visitors reach Mui Ne via "Open Tour" buses that run between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang. They depart from HCMC in the early morning(7.30AM for Sinh Cafe in air-conditioned bus124.197.118.167 02:32, 28 October 2008 (EDT))and arrive at Mui Ne at about 1 PM.Outside HCMC, the coach will stop at a petrol station with a pretty large shop and stalls selling snacks, drinks124.197.118.167 02:32, 28 October 2008 (EDT) and fruit. The cost is about US$6 each way, and tickets are sold all over the tourist districts of both HCMC and Nha Trang.

Public buses from both destinations also travel to Mui Ne, though finding the departure stations and figuring out the schedule is difficult for visitors. It's not worth the trouble unless you have a strong need to depart at a different time of day than when the Open Tour bus leaves. Travel agencies play dumb because they don't earn anything from helping you find a public bus.

By train

A train runs daily from HCMC to nearby Phan Thiet, departing around 6:30AM and arriving five hours later. The return trip leaves Phan Thiet around 1PM. The cost is quite modest at around 60,000 dong per person each way (similar to the bus). The train station in HCMC (Ga Sai Gon) is in District 3, about 3 km from the center. The train station in Phan Thiet is about five km (80,000-dong taxi ride) from the beginning of the Mui Ne resort strip, and taxis are abundant to take you there. The railway also sometimes runs a mid-sized bus from the station to Mui Ne for 25,000 dong per person. Tickets are sold on the train, though the announcement might be made in Vietnamese only, and you need to watch carefully for the ticket sellers to pass by.

The train has regular carriages operated by the state railways, and sometimes other carriages booked and operated by private companies. The latter have somewhat larger seats for a higher price, but fall short of luxury. The regular carriages are a bit cramped for the western-sized body. When the train is not full, railway staff usually pack everyone into one carriage, leaving another one empty, and then run a side business selling "upgrades" to the quiet, empty carriage. The entire train will be jammed on on holidays.

Overall, the train is probably less comfortable and convenient than the open-tour bus, though it has some advantages -- you get a better view of the countryside and avoid the endless honking of horns and lunatic driving of the bus drivers.

Tours & Getting around Mui Ne

You can't get lost in Mui Ne, since the whole place consists of one long strip along a main street, Nguyen Dinh Chieu. Xe oms are everywhere and their drivers will bug you each time you leave the hotel. Bargain hard to get appropiate prices (20,000 dong is more than enough to pay for a ride from one place to another along the main strip.) Taxis are also abundant, with fares slightly higher than HCMC but still reasonable.

You can also rent motorbikes and bicycles at many resorts and tour agencies. Motorbikes cost anywhere from 60,000 to 150,000 dong per day depending on how late in the day you start, many hours you need, and age / type of motorbike. Since traffic is light, motorbikes or bicycles are a pleasant way to explore the surroundings.

Mui Ne attractions and sightseeing

  • Po Shanu tower is a derelict remainder of the ancient Cham culture that was built in the 8th century.
  • Fish Sauce Plants, where the famous nuoc mam is produced. Big jars harbour the concoction that, after months in the blazing sun, is sold all over Vietnam to add some spice to the food.
  • The famous Sand Dune. Xe Om Driver will not stop to offer you to get you there, and it is a nice place for views and short walks.
  • Mui Ne market and fishing harbour. Don't miss out on an excursion to this quiet little village. Just off the main road there is a small but colorful market. If you take your transport just down to the water, you will reach the fishing harbour. Walking along the beach, you'll pass by fishermen sorting out their catch, ship-wharfs and, at the southern end of town, a section where clams have been ridded of their shells for many years, so the sand on the beach is by now substituted with littered shells.

Mui Ne city tours

  • Wind and kite surfing is offered by several outfitters and hotels.
  • The Fairy Stream is a little river that winds its way through bamboo forests, boulders and the dunes behind the village, in parts resembling a miniature version of the grand canyon. You can walk up via the sandy hills overlooking the oasis-like valley and return by wading in the waters.

Mui Ne souvenirs & shopping

Bring whatever you need for traveling and pleasure. There is not a lot on the Mui Ne strip and if there is, it is usually junk. There is a small market in the town itself but do be careful. Remember that this area is turning into a real tourist town.

Mui Ne Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Every resort area is surrounded by restaurants specializing in seafood. The food is invariably fresh, well-prepared, and served in friendly and interesting surroundings. By all means get out of your hotel and try one of the local restaurants.

  • Eden Bar and Restaurant, 39A Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, opposite SeaHorse Resort. 9AM-Midnight. Already famous from its branches in Saigon and Phu Quoc, has just set up shop in Mui Ne. Serving delicious International, as well as Vietnamese cuisine and boasting a cocktail selection of over 50 favourites, it's one of the only places in Mui Ne where you really get your money's worth and get to enjoy delicious food. Seafood is cooked in the BBQ area by the trained chefs. Look for the beautifully lit up tree outside the bar at night.
  • Lâm Tòng, 92 Nguyen Dnh Cheu, T:062-847598. is right on the beach under some shady palms. You can even sit at tables in the sand. There's a little hut with hammocks strung. Try the fried fish with lemon and the chicken fried in fish sauce.
  • Smoky House, 125 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street. Offers large, high-quality meals, and offers all customers free ice cream.

Mui Ne nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

If you're in the middle of the Mui Ne strand and want to wring out as much of the day and night as you can then you might consider the Wax Bar if you're a beach party type or The Club if you like casino, disco, karaoke, billiards etc.

  • DJ Station, 120C Nguyen Dinh Chieu (300 m right when facing Sinh Cafe). Open 9AM-3AM. It's the newest bar/club to open in Mui Ne. With an ocean view terrace area, dining area and large dancefloor, it's the perfect place to relax and get something to eat by day, and the hottest place to party at night. Featuring a PRO DJ from HCMC every night, ice cold Saigon beers for just a dollar, cheap but delicious food, friendly welcoming staff and an unrivalled sound system, it's quickly becoming the number one backpacker bar in Mui Ne. Happy hour 6-9 means selected cocktails are just 30,000 dong, and regular priced cocktails are all buy one get one free.
  • Wax Bar, 68 Nguyen Dinh Chieu (beside Rach Dua Tropico Resort, take the alley on the NE side to the beach, pool on your right, bar on your left), on the beach. Mats, pillows and torches set out on the beach below with a pleasant mix of music coming from above. Those evenings were bliss. Located north of Coco Beach Resort.
  • The Club, 56-97 Nguyen Dinh Chieu across from Saigon Mui Ne Resort. For the casino, discothèque, billiard, karaoke suite type. Has all the casual elegance you could want.

Mui Ne cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

Mui Ne has dozens of properties to choose from, in every price category (US$20-200).

Budget

  • Hon Di Bungalows, 70 Nguyen Dinh Chieu (km 13), Trl: 062-847014, hdhongdi@yahoo.com. Has simple but nice bungalows with fan and attached bath for US$10-12. There is a shady courtyard strung with hammocks, and four of the bungalows are directly facing the beachfront. A small restaurant and Internet-access cater for your needs.

BAO TRANG

A nice small bungalow with a beach frontage a few doors away from Sinh Cafe ( turn right when exiting from Sinh Cafe office) Rooms are US$10 and $15 for fan and air-conditioned rooms respectively.

NOTE: Beware -mosquitoes are a big nuisance in Mui Ne.

Get out

There are dozens of small travel agencies along the Mui Ne strip that sell daily excursions around Mui Ne, as well as airline, rail, or open tour bus tickets to other cities. Be sure to shop around since some unscrupulous agents will often overcharge the unwary buyer.

The bus journey to Nha Trang takes about 5 hours.Departure for Nha Trang is at about 1 PM and 1AM.

Sinh Cafe buses stop right inside the compound of a large guest house in Nha Trang. The beach is just across the road. Air-conditioned rooms are US10. Rooms are spotless and even at this rate, rooms are cleaned daily.

This page was last edited at 11:29, on 14 November 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by David and Ric, Wikitravel user(s) MrMuiNe, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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