Should you visit Mui Ne or Da Nang?

Mui Ne and Da Nang are two beautiful coastal cities in Vietnam. They have warm weather and beautiful beaches, making them popular destinations for beach holiday in Vietnam.

In this article, I will compare Mui Ne and Da Nang to help you to decide which city is better for your visit. I will outline their similarities and differences in some aspects such as location, beaches, nightlife, food, shopping, weather, and cultural attractions.

I am Vietnamese and I have traveled to both Da Nang and Mui Ne, so I hope to give you helpful information based on my first-hand experience.

Is it better to stay in Mui Ne or Da Nang?

In my opinion, I recommend visiting Da Nang if you’re first-timers to Vietnam. Da Nang is a popular beach city in Central Vietnam that has a good combination of beaches, food, nightlife, shopping, cultural attractions, and natural attractions.

Additionally, Da Nang’s prime location and international airport make it a great base for exploring Hoi An Ancient Town and Hue. You can easily take a taxi ride to Hoi An within 45 minutes, and to Hue within 2-3 hours by taxi or train.

Da Nang has more things to do and see than Mui Ne. It also gives a better introduction to Central Vietnam for first-time visitors. Some iconic attractions in Da Nang are My Khe Beach, Han River, Dragon bridge, Han market, Ba Na Hill, Golden Bridge, and Marble Mountains.

I recommend visiting Mui Ne if you have a long time in Vietnam traveling backpacking around the country. Mui Ne is also a good choice if you want a relaxing weekend beach holiday close to Ho Chi Minh city.

Many international tourists know Mui Ne for its Sahara-like sand dunes, where you can take beautiful photos at sunrise, sunset, or try the thrilling ATV ride on the sand.

In terms of beach activities, the beaches in Da Nang, in my opinion, have better conditions for swimming and surfing. Mui Ne has strong winds all year round, making it a better place for windsurfing and kite surfing.

Generally speaking, Da Nang is a better choice for first-timers to Vietnam. Mui Ne is a great consideration for returning visitors or those backpacking around the country or want an easy getaway from busy Ho Chi Minh city.

You can combine visiting Da Nang and Mui Ne within a single trip. During my trip from south to north Vietnam, I traveled from Ho Chi Minh, to Mui Ne, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, then Da Nang. It was a great road trip with a mix of buses and trains.

Best places to stay in Da Nang:

Best hotels to stay in Mui Ne:

Luxury: The Anam
Mid-range: Bamboo Village Beach Resort
Budget: Lac House

Location and How to Get There

Da Nang is a major city in Central Vietnam, half way between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Mui Ne is located in South Vietnam, around 742 km south of Da Nang and 200 km north east of Ho Chi Minh City.

Da Nang is a large city that is surrounded by rivers, beaches, and mountains. Mui ne is a much smaller town. The main strip of Mui Ne is along the 10km long road Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Huynh Thuc Khang Street.

Da Nang is easier accessible both internationally and domestically. It has an international airport and a train station, located right next to the city center area. You can easily get to Da Nang by air, train, and buses.

Mui Ne has no airport and train station, you can only reach the city by car. The closest airport to Mui Ne is in Da Lat (130km away) or Ho Chi Minh (200km away).

The closest train station to Mui Ne is Phan Thiet train station, located around 30km away. If you take the train, you need to get off at Phan Thiet Station, then take a taxi to Mui Ne.

Accommodations

Both Mui Ne and Da Nang have a wide range of accommodations for all budgets. You can find luxury beachfront resorts, as well as mid-range guest houses, homestays, and budget backpacker hostels.

As a more touristy and developed city, Da Nang has more choices for luxury resorts. There are dozens of upscale all-inclusive resorts along My Khe Beach, Non Nuoc Beach, and all the way to the coastal area in Hoi An.

The main area to stay in Mui Ne is in the Ham Tien area, Most accommodations are concentrated along Mui ne beachfront as well as Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Huynh Thuc Khang Road.

In Da Nang, you can choose to stay in the beachfront area or the city center. These areas are located within 2km away from each other.

Da Nang City center and Han River has cheaper accommodations and a more authentic atmosphere than the beachfront. My Khe Beach offers easy distance to the beach for swimming and water activities. There are more luxury resorts on the beach than in the city center.

See more:

Da Nang or Mui Ne for Nightlife

Both Da Nang and Mui Ne have good nightlife scenes but Mui Ne has smaller scale. Da Nang is the larger city, so it has wider choices of bars, night clubs, night markets, and restaurants.

In Mui Ne, most bars, restaurants, and cafes are located on the 4km long Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, running parallel with Mui Ne Beach. There are many bars and seafood restaurants with beautiful settings, romantic sunset and beach views.

Da Nang’s nightlife is scattered on Tran Hung Dao and Bach Dang street along Han River, My Khe Beach Road, and An Thuong area. You can find dozens of restaurants, rooftop bars, seafood restaurants, and night clubs.

There are night markets for those who don’t like the bar and club scene. I recommend checking out Son Tra Night Market and An Thuong Night market. The Son Tra Night Market is very close to Love Bridge and Dragon Bridge with the fire show on weekends.

Da Nang or Mui Ne for Shopping

Da Nang, without a doubt, is the best place to go shopping. It has modern shopping malls and large traditional night markets. Mui Ne does not have these things, just small local shops, convenience stores, and local markets.

You can find typical Vietnamese souvenirs in both places. Though there are more options in Da Nang. When local Vietnamese go on holiday to these beach cities, they like to buy dry seafood, which is a local speciality in both Da Nang and Mui Ne.

In terms of shopping malls in Da Nang, I like to shop at Vincom Plaza. It has a central location close to the Han River and My Khe Beach, making it a great place to escape from the heat when exploring these places.

Vincom Plaza has a great air conditioning system. There are international shoes shops, clothing stores, super markets, as well as beautify products, and accessories.

You can skip visiting the shopping malls in Da Nang, but make sure to visit the local markets like Han Market or Con Market. These markets have hundred stalls where you can find everything from local products to souvenirs at bargaining prices.

Mui Ne vs Da Nang Food

Both Da Nang and Mui Ne have a good range of restaurants serving both local Vietnamese and international dishes. Da Nang is a more touristy city, so it has a wider range of restaurants and cafes. Both places are great places to eat fresh seafood dishes.

Most restaurants in Mui Ne are concentrated in Nguyen Dinh Chieu street. There are many seafood restaurants in this area. I recommend checking out Dong Vui food court, where you can find reasonable prices and authentic dishes.

The local dishes often come with dragon fruit as the desert. This fruit is grown in this region which has freshness and sweetness in it. I normally don’t like dragon fruit, but it tastes better when eating in this region.

In Da Nang, you can find authentic reasonably priced restaurants in the city center or on the banks of Han River, on Tran Hung Dao or Bach Dang street. There are also many street food stalls at the night market.

There are many seafood restaurants along the beachfront, but, as usual, it’s more expensive than other areas due to its location near the beach. It’s still reasonably priced for international tourists, though.

Da Nang has some local dishes such as Mi Quang, Banh Xeo, Banh Trang Cuon Thit Heo, or Bun Cha Ca.

Da Nang or Mui Ne for Beaches

I personally prefer the beaches in Da Nang than the beaches in Mui Ne. The beaches in Da Nang such as My Khe Beach have wide beach white sand, clean water, and calm water in the dry season, which are ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and surfing.

The beaches in Da Nang also have a long stretch of public area, with no blocked from beachfront resorts and hotels. In Mui Ne, many parts of the beach are blocked by private properties.

Mui Ne has strong wind all year round, which makes its beach ideal for kite surfing and windsurfing. There are some nice beach cafes and bars along Mui Ne Beach such as Pineapple Bar where you can enjoy the drinks and meals at sunset and beautiful settings.

Da Nang’s My Khe Beach has move lively atmosphere both day and night. Local Vietnamese like to go to the beach early in the morning and late afternoon to avoid the sun. The beach is great for sunset, sunrise, and exercise. There is public gym equipment and a square along the beach promenade.

aThe beach road, Pham Van Dong street, is packed with seafood restaurants, beachfront hotels, and resorts, and rooftop terraces. The beach has stunning views of the highrise buildings and Son Tra peninsula with the Big Lady statue.

Historical Influence

Both Da Nang and Mui Ne were part of the Cham Kingdom before the 15th century. Da Nang later became part of Dai Viet (now Vietnam) in the 15th century, and Mui Ne was merged to Dai Viet in the 17th century.

Champa Kingdom Roots (before 15th century)

From the 2nd to 15th century, Da Nang was an important maritime link of the Amaravati region of Cham Kingdom. The name “Da Nang” comes from the Cham term Da Nak or Danak, which means “large river” or refers to the mouth of a great river.

To learn about Cham ruins and history, you can visit the My Son Sanctuary located 50km southwest of Da Nang city center. This Hindu temple complex was built by Champa Kingdom from the 4th-13th century with red-brick towers in a mountain valley.

You can also learn about the history at the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, located right at the heart of the city at the south bank of Han River. It has thousands of artifacts dating back to the Cham Kingdom period.

Mui Ne was part of the Panduranga region, in southern Cham Kingdom, before the 17th century. Major cham ruins in Mui Ne is The 8th century Poshanu Tower, which was built in honor of Hindu god, Shiva.

The towel has typical Cham architecture with red bricks stacked without visible mortar. The traditional Cham festivals are still held regularly in Poshanu Tower each year.

Dai Viet period (15th-18th century)

Following Vietnamese southward expansion, the ancient Cham Kingdom, which included Da Nang and Mui Ne, was gradually merged into Dai Viet from the 15th to 18th century.

Da Nang became a major trading port for European trade in the 19th century under the Nguyen dynasty due to its deep harbor and close proximity to Hue, which was the capital of Vietnam under the Nguyen Dynasty.

The Nguyen Dynasty built forts and citadels in Da Nang as it has a strategic military and defensive position. These are Dien Hai Citadel in the city center and Hai Van Gate along Hai Van pass.

While Da Nang was part of Dai Viet from the 15th century, Mui Ne was integrated into the country till the 17th century. In 1692, The Nguyễn lords conquered Panduranga (including Mui ne) and renamed it “Trấn Thuận Thành”.

Under Emperor Gia Long (1802-1820), Panduranga was kept Panduranga as a vassal state. Panduranga was fully incorporating its territory into Vietnam in 1832 under Emperor Minh Mang. It was a quiet coastal area with its natural harbor used by fishermen.

French Colonial Periods (1858–1954)

Da Nang was the first place where French-Spanish attacked Vietnam in 1858, marking the beginning of colonial history in Vietnam. The French called the city “Tourane”.

The French developed Da Nang into a Western-style urban city. They built European-style streets, train stations, roads, villas, and churches. Many French-style buildings still exist till today such as the famous pink-façaded Rooster Cathedral on the left bank of Han River.

They also built Ba Na Hills Resort in 1919, which has villas and served as a retreat to escape the heat of the coast.

Under the French colonial period, Mui Ne remained a largely underdeveloped and rural area in Binh Thuan province.

American-Vietnam War (1955-1975)

During the Vietnam-American War, Da Nang was the important air base of the US and South Vietnam. The city played a strategic role in military operations. Mui Ne was relatively untouched by major battles during the Vietnam War.

Today

Today, Da Nang is known for its rapid urban development, beautiful beaches, modern bridges, and lower cost of living.

It’s a popular destination for its luxury resort, beaches, and wide range of tourist amenities and proximity to world heritage sites like Hoi An ancient town and My Son sanctuary.

Mui Ne has transformed into a resort destination and a popular weekend gateway from Ho Chi Minh City. It’s known for sand dunes, surfing activities, and coastal culture rather than historical conflict.

Historical and Cultural Attractions

Da Nang is the best location for exploring historical and cultural attractions. The city itself has some interesting cultural sites, and you will be close to lots of historical attractions in Hoi An old town, the ruins of Cham Kingdom at My Son sanctuary, and royal sites in Hue.

The Marble Mountains is one of the must see cultural attractions in Da Nang. This is a cluster of five sacred limestone and marble hills with caves, ancient pagodas in Ngu Hanh Son district, just jew km south of the city center.

If you’re interested in the history of Cham people in Central Vietnam, you can visit the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture at the foot of Dragon temple, and visit My Son sanctuary, located around 1 hour drive from Da Nang.

Dragon Bridge is the symbol of Da Nang and is not to be missed attractions in the city. It connected two banks of the Han River, connecting Tran Hung Dao and Bach Dang street.

You can take a trip to Bana Hill, take a cable car ride to the top and visit the iconic Golden Bridge. The Linh Ung pagoda at the top of Son Tra peninsula is also a must-see attraction in the city.

Some common cultural attractions between Da Nang and Mui Ne are they both have ruins of Cham Kingdom, Buddhist temples, and colorful fishing villages.

Po Sah Inu Cham Towers and Mui Ne fishing village are located within a short a few minutes drive from the central area of Mui Ne. You can consider visiting Ta Cu mountain where you can find the massive lying Buddhae statue and take a cable car ride to the top.

Natural attractions & Outdoor activities

The main outdoor activities in the coastal cities of Da Nang and Mui Ne are the beaches and water activities. Additionally, each city has other interesting natural attractions.

Mui Ne is known for its White Sand Dunes and Red Sand Dunes, where adventure activities such as ATV rides. These places are best to visit at sunrise and sunset. It’s also a great spot for photos.

The Fairy Stream is also a major natural attraction in Mui Ne. You can walk barefoot along the stream, enjoy the refreshing atmosphere, and colorful sand from the surrounding mountains.

In Danang, you can check out Son Tra peninsula, located 10-15 minutes from the city. You can hike, cycle, and enjoy the refreshing atmosphere. You can spot some rare yellow monkeys in this area and enjoy stunning views of the city.

If you want more opportunities for snorkeling and diving, you can take boat trips to Cham island, located near Hoi An side, south of Da Nang.

Cost of Living

Both Mui Ne and Da Nang have lower cost of living compared to other bigger cities in Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

In my experience, they have similar prices for accommodations, food, and drinks. Da Nang is a larger and more developed city, so you can have access to a wider range of services.

Da Nang vs Mui Ne Weather

Mui Ne, located closer to Ho Chi Minh City in South Vietnam, has warm weather throughout the year. Da Nang is also generally warm, though its winters can be slightly chilly.

Both cities have two distant seasons, the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season in Da Nang is from September to December, in Mui Ne it is from May to October. The dry season in Da Nang is from January to August, in Mui Ne it is from November to April.

Both cities are located along the coast, so they often experience storms in their rainy season. The storm and flooding season in Da Nang is generally from September to December, so if you want to enjoy outdoor activities, avoid visiting these months.

Mui Ne has strong winds all year round, which is an ideal destination for kitesurfing and windsurfing, especially in the dry season, from November to April. The city also experiences flash flooding in the rainy season.

Getting Around

You can easily get around both Da Nang and Mui Ne by traditional taxi, motorbike taxi, and riding share services such as Grab taxi and Grab Bike.

Grab is similar to Uber and is a popular app in Southeast Asian countries. Da Nang is the more developed city, it has more Grab options. In both cities, it’s easy to request a GrabBike in the city center, but services are limited or unavailable in remote and rural areas.

Grab is useful for a short distance, and you might be able to request a long distance ride from the city center to the countryside area, but make sure that you have transport back. If the driver accepts your request, you can ask him to wait and take you back to the city.

You can hire private drivers or rent a scooter to get around. Renting a scooter is a cheap way to explore and gives you more freedom to see things at your own pace. Make sure that you know how to ride and have a valid license.

In Da Nang city center, both the Han River banks and the beachfront area are easy to explore on foot. Mui Ne is even more compact, making it easy to get around on foot. The main area of Mui Ne is around Nguyen Dinh Chieu street and Huynh Thuc Khang street.