Best things to do in Mui Ne & Travel Guide for first-timers

Mui Ne is a popular tourist destination of Vietnam known for its impressive sand dunes, sunlight all year round, and great kitesurfing conditions. It is located 3-4 hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City, making it a great place to visit from Ho Chi Minh City.

I had a wonderful visit to Mui Ne, stayed in a nice budget-friendly accommodations, and visited many highlights of the city in 2 days and 2 nights. In this Mui Ne travel guide for first-time visitors, I’ll share all the information you need to know about Mui Ne base on my experiences and research.

How to get to Mui Ne and get around Mui Ne

Mui Ne is well-connected by road with Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, Nha Trang, and Phan Rang. You can easily take a bus (seating bus, sleeping bus, or limousine bus) from HCMC to Mui Ne. Price is from 250,000 depending on what type of bus you are taking.

I took a 9-seat limousine and it cost me 420,000VND. It was a very comfortable ride. The driver picked me up at Mega Market near my hotel in district 2 and dropped me off at my hotel in Mui Ne.

You can also consider taking a train from Saigon to Mui Ne, but the nearest train station to Mui Ne is Binh Thuan Station, 40km away. From here, you’ll need to catch a taxi to get to your destination and it can be quite costly.

The easy way to get around in Mui Ne is taking a guided tour where the agency provides transportation, pick up, and drop off at your hotels/resorts. You can use Grab or rent a bike if you’re confident with your driving.

How many days in Mui Ne is enough?

In my opinion, one to two days in Mui Ne is enough to see major attractions such as the White/ Red Sand Dunes, Fairy Stream, Mui Ne Fishing Village, Po Shanu Cham Towers, and Ta Cu Mountain. For just relaxing and resting at your resort facilities, you can spend as much time as you want.

I did see all the Mui Ne in a full day. I woke up early for the sunrise jeep tour to the sand dunes. This tour is normally 5 hours and will take you to the White Sand Dune, the Red Sand Dune, Mui Ne Fishing Village, and The Fairy Stream.

In the afternoon, I hired a private driver to take me to Ta Cu Mountain and Po Shanu Cham Towers. I still have plenty of time to enjoy dinner and visit a beachfront cafe for sunset views.

If you are not an early morning person or you want to do these activities at a slower pace, you can do it in two days. One half day for the sand dunes and one half day for Ta Cu Mountain.

Where to stay in Mui Ne (for first-timers and returning visitors)?

The best area to stay in Mui Ne for both first timers and returning travelers is Ham Tien ward. Ham Tien, especially Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, are the main tourist strip of Mui Ne, lined with many resorts and hotels. These areas are packed with tourist facilities such as restaurants, bars, shops, and tour agencies.

You can consider staying in Phan Thiet City which is located 30 minutes drive from Mui Ne. This area offers more affordable accommodations and local life but further away from major sights in Mui Ne.

Another area to stay near Mui Ne for local life and quiet beach vacation is Tien Thanh Beach, 50 minutes drive from Mui Ne. This area is close to Ta Cu Mountain and Ke Ga lighthouse.

If you want to stay in 5-star luxury accommodations, I suggest The Anam Mui Ne or Anantara Mui Ne Resort, which are the best hotels in Mui Ne. These are located on Mui Ne Beach and on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, the tourist strip of Mui Ne.

Anam has a clean, well-maintained beach and 2 swimming pools. It also has nice spacious rooms and quality breakfast. Anantara is in a similar location and price compared to Anam, it is a great base for families, couples, and those looking for a romantic break.

For those looking for 4-star mid-range resorts, I recommend The Cliff Resort & Residences and Sailing Club Resort. These are all located on Mui Ne Beach and wonderful places to stay for families and couples who are looking for a calm relaxing holiday.

For budget travelers who don’t want to stay in a hostel, I suggest May Bungalow. I stayed in room 203 in May Bungalow for 2 nights and had a wonderful time here. They have a nice swimming pool and clean room with basic amenities like a TV, a table with mirrors, and a balcony with a table and chairs.

Swimming pool view at May Bungalow from restaurant

The owner of May Bungalow is very helpful and friendly. She helped me organize the sunrise jeep tour to sand dunes and the trip to Ta Cu Mountain. There were lots of restaurants and cafes nearby. TheDong Vui food court and the beachfront pineapple cafe are also within walking distance.

8 Best things to do In Mui Ne for tourists

White Sand Dunes

White Sand Dunes, known as Bau Trang, is one of the top things to see in Mui Ne. It is the most breathtaking sandy hills in Vietnam and you will have endless opportunities to take photos here.

It is located 30-40 minutes drive from Ham Tien, which is the tourist center of Mui Ne. The best time to visit White Sand Dunes is during sunrise or sunset. But you can visit at any time of the day. The sunrise tour often starts from 4.30 am, so if you can wake up early it is really worth it.

You can rent a motorbike and go there by yourself or take a tour, which I found cheap and convenient. The driver will pick you up and drop you off from your hotel.

Many accommodations can help organize this Jeep tour for you. Mine cost 150,000VND. At the entrance, you pay an additional 300,000VND for an ATV where the driver will take you to the top of the sand dunes and to the lake. If you drive yourself, the price is higher. You can walk to the top of the dunes but I think the most comfortable way is to take the ATV ride.

Red Sand Dunes

Red Sand Dune is a smaller version of the white sand dunes. The sand here is red. From the top of the sand hill, you can view the ocean.

Red Sand Dunes is located very close to Mui Ne, only 10 minutes drive away. It is not breathtaking as the white sand dunes but worth a look while you’re in town.

Fairy Stream

Fairy Stream, or Suoi Tien in Vietnamese. Is a peaceful place to visit. It is a 2 km long stream that is located just a few minutes drive from Mui Ne Fishing Village.

You can walk along the stream barefoot. You can spend an hour here. There are lots of shaded trees along its banks and you can see colorful red and yellow sand cliffs on the way. There are nice cafes and souvenir shops in its banks, so you can stop for a break and drink if you want.

Mui Ne Fishing Village

Mui Ne fishing Village is a great place to experience local life. Here you find a small market and a harbor with colorful rounded boats. You can observe fishermen selling their fresh seafood here.

Kite Surfing

The beaches of Mui Ne have very strong waves, the wind is also strong, making it a great destination for kitesurfing for both beginners and professionals.

You can book a surfing lessions from are several surfing schools in the area. Prices are different for different skill levels. 5 hours for beginners costs 250usd. Advance levels like 50 usd/ hour.

Po Shanu Cham Towers

Po Shanu Cham Towers is an interesting place to visit in Mui Ne. You can easily use Grab to get here, the ticket is 15,000vnd. There are several towers in this complex where you can view and enjoy the remnants of Cham architecture that date back to the 9th century.

Cham towers are located on Ong Hoang Hill and offer stunning views over its surroundings. It is a small complex so you can spend 10-15 minutes here.

Ta Cu Mountain

Ta Cu is one of the nice places to visit in Mui Ne, known for its panoramic views of its surroundings and a huge lying Buddhist statue. It is located 1 hour drive from Mui Ne center.

To get to Ta Cu Mountain, you can rent a motorbike, take a guided tour, or hire a private driver. My host helped me to find a private driver that costs 1,000,000 vnd two ways stop at Ta Cu Mountain and Cham Towers. He waited for me while I explored these places myself.

You can climb to Ta Cu Mountain but the most comfortable way, especially on hot days, is to take a cable car. It costs around 250,000vnd for two ways and if you want a vegetarian buffet you can pay an extra of 15,000. I tried it but I don’t recommend it. The food is not my taste.

I visited during the middle of the day, so I was the only one on the cable car. The view from the cable is stunning and clear. Some visitors spotted monkeys while on the ride.

From a cable car station, you will see a restaurant, several souvenir shops, and a path to get to the main temple and statues. Each stop you can have sweeping views over the sea, the city, and mountain. You will need to get through lots of steps to get to the lying statue, so no need to climb from the bottom of the hill.

Enjoy sunset at the beach cafes & seafood restaurants

There are many beachfront cafes and restaurants where you can grab a drink/ meal and enjoy the views of the sea and a bit of sunset. Pineapple is a great place for a beach view with affordable drinks and a nice setting to take photos.

There are many seafront establishments on the beginning parts of Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street. They are nice places to dine in and have sea views, but remember eating here means you’ll pay a price for the view.

If you don’t mind the view and are looking for a good and reasonable price, I recommend Dong Vui food court. I tried grilled fish with rice here and it was quite nice.

You can also find many seafood restaurants along Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, where you can choose your own fresh seafood from the shop and they will cook it for you.

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You can watch best things in Mui Ne in my youtube video:

These are my guides on Mui Ne for first time travelers. Hopefully you find some helpful information about how to get to, get around, accommodations, and things to do in this popular tourist destination of Vietnam.