Mui Ne is a popular beach destination in southern Vietnam, located only 3-4 hours drive from Ho Chi Minh city. In today’s article, I will share with you my opinion about where to stay in Mui Ne and the best areas for tourists and first-timers.
Mui Ne is known for its warm weather all year around, stunning white and red sand dunes, fairy streams, beautiful beaches, good surfing conditions, and delicious dragon fruits.
From HCMC, you can take various forms of transport to get to Mui Ne. You can take a private car, especially if you travel with a group of friends or family.
The cheapest option is taking the bus. Buses in Vietnam generally will stop along the road to pick up and drop off people and parcels. It usually takes you to the bus station, from where you have to take a taxi to get to your final destination.
There are limousine bus options, which I think is the most comfortable option between private car and taking the bus. It has a good seat, a few passengers, and usually drops you off right at your hotel.
You can take the train, but the train only stops at Phan Thiet Train Station, which is 20km away from Mui Ne. You need to take a Grab taxi to get to the hotel in Mui Ne.
Where to stay in Mui Ne?
Ham Tien ward, in my opinion, is the best overall area to stay in Mui Ne, especially for first-timers. This area is home to Nguyen Dinh Chieu street and Huynh Thuc Khang street, which are the tourist strips of Mui Ne. It is packed with seafront restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Ham Tien is a good base to explore the most popular attractions in Mui Ne such as sand dunes, fishing villages, and fairy streams.
Phu Hai ward, located just west of Ham Tien ward, also offers numerous accommodations such as beach resorts and apartments. It is also a good choice for staying in Mui Ne.
If you want more local vibe or more budget accommodations, you can consider staying in Phan Thiet city center or Tien Thanh beach.
The downside of staying in Phan Thiet city is that it is further away from the tourist center of Mui Ne. They might be a good location if you have bike rental. These areas are close to attractions like Ta Cu mountain and Ke Ga lighthouse.
My top picks hotel in Mui Ne:
- Luxury: The Anam
- Mid-range: Bamboo Village Beach Resort
- Budget: Lac House
I personally prefer staying along Nguyen Dinh Chieu/ Huynh Thuc Khang street in Ham Tien. It is the middle of the action, so I’ll have easy access to all tourist amenities and attractions.
During my visit to Mui Ne, I stayed at the budget-friendly May Bungalow. My room was on the 2nd floor and has a balcony and views of the swimming pool.
The guest house has all basic facilities for a comfortable stay. There are ceiling fans and air conditioning. I think it is a good base for its price. If you want more quality facilities and have more budget, you can look for somewhere else nearby.
May Bungalow has a nice dining area overlooking the garden and the pool. They have nice smoothie bowls and fresh fruit juice. Dong Vui food court is right next door, where you can try reasonable prices and delicious dishes. The Pineapples beach bar and Hana Beach are also a short distance away.
To get to a more central location with more seafood restaurants and cafes, you can take a Short Grab bike. Just a reminder that food and drink in lower parts of Nguyen Dinh Chieu street are usually more expensive compared to other parts of town.
The Best areas to stay in Mui Ne for tourists
1. Ham Tien ward, best area for first-time visitors
Ham Tien ward is the best location in Mui Ne for first-timers to book their accommodations. This area is the tourist center of Mui Ne and is conveniently located very close to famous sights such as the white sand dunes, red sand dunes, fairy stream, and Mui Ne fishing village.
This area is home to the 16km long bay, Mui Ne Bay. There are two main roads in Ham Tien ward, which include Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Huynh Thuc Khang Road. Most resorts, restaurants, bars, and shops of the area are located on these roads.
The beach section along Nguyen Dinh Chieu street is more popular and busy than the beach section along Huynh Thuc Khang street. You can find more budget-friendly places to stay and a more local vibe along the Huynh Thuc Khang area.
1.1. Along Nguyen Dinh Chieu street
Nguyen Dinh Chieu is around 10km long beach stretching from the intersection of Nguyen Thong and Pham Thanh Tung street to the intersection of Huynh Thuc Khang and Ho Quang Canh Street.
Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street runs parallel to Ham Tien Beach, with the distance to the beach ranging from 50 m to 230 m. Many of Mui Ne’s 5-star resorts and popular seafood restaurants and cafes are located on two sides of Nguyen Dinh Chieu street.
If you want to stay right on the beach, you can choose a resort on the beachfront side. Otherwise, hotels across the road from the beachfront are cheaper, and the beach is still within easy walking distance.
Most of the beachfront is blocked by private properties such as resorts and restaurants, but there are a couple of public access from the main road. There is public access to the beach next to Anantara Mui Ne Resort, and Blue Ocean Resort.
The lower parts of Nguyen Dinh Chieu street is the cluster of mid-range and budget beachfront resorts. This beach area is home to a dozen surfing and kitesurfing schools, such as Mui Ne Surf School, Vietnam Kiteboarding School, C2Sky KiteSurfing, PaBa Kite School.
The beach and wind condition of Ham Tien Beach is more suitable for windsurfing and kitesurfing rather than swimming because of the waves and currents. You can rent surf and kite equipment at these shops, or you can take a lesson with them.
The central part of Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, from number 106 to 124, is the cluster of sea view restaurants and cafes. There are also no beachfront resorts on this part of the street. You can find many options for fresh seafood dishes and trendy cafes with sea views and for Instagram photos.
At the northern end of Nguyen Dinh Chiey street is Bai Da Ong Dia, which is a popular check in spot for local tourists. The beach section has rocks, sand, and colorful traditional round boats.
The local market, Ham Tien Market, is located at the southern end of Nguyen Dinh Chieu street. This is a wet market where you can see local life, and buy fresh vegetables, fruits, seafood, and souvenirs.
I personally think that accommodations, dining and drinking along Nguyen Dinh Chieu is more expensive than the one around Huynh Thuc Khang due to its central location.
Best places to stay in Ham Tien along Nguyen Dinh Chieu street:
The Anam (luxury)
Anam is one of the most beautiful places to stay in Mui Ne. You can experience the luxury 5 star resort in a central location and quality facilities. They have multiple swimming pools, direct access to the beach, a fitness center, a spa center, and buffet breakfasts.
Bamboo Village Beach Resort (mid-range)
This 4-star beachfront resort is centrally located on 38 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, featuring a private beach area and 2 swimming pools. The beach has plenty of beach chairs and umbrellas for guests staying at the resort. The rooms here are spacious and comfortable.
Saigon Mui Ne Resort (mid-range)
This 4-star resort is located in the northern part of Ham Beach Beach. It has a private beach and a lovely swimming pool for a relaxing stay. You can find many shops and restaurants nearby.
Lac House (budget)
If you’re on a budget, looking for a private room to stay, this hotel is a good option. It also has a central location, so you’ll be close to restaurants and shops. You can take a short Grab Bike to the sandy beach for all the beach activities.
1.2. Along Huynh Thuc Khang street
Huynh Thuc Khang street is addition of Nguyen Dinh Chieu street. This 5km street, stretching from the area around Ham Tien market to Mui Ne Market. The area is home to some popular sights such as Fairy Stream, Mui Ne Fishing Village, and the Red Sand Dunes.
Huynh Thuc Khang street area has a quieter, more local atmosphere than the Nguyen Dinh Chieu area. Food, accommodations, and drinks are also generally cheaper.
This area is home to some nice beachfront cafes such as Pineapple Mũi Né, Hanna Beach, Mango Beach, and Luna Beach. These places have beautiful decorations surrounded by palm trees, bean bags, tables, chairs, and a nice atmosphere.
They’re very popular at sunset, when people come to see the sun go down, and take photos. At Pineapple, you don’t need to pay an entrance fee, but at private beach entertainment areas like Hana Beach, there is a 150k entrance fee, which includes a drink with the use of 2 slides, a mini zoo and pool.
Huynh Thuc Khang Street is also lined with resorts, local restaurants, beautify shops, massage places. Dong Vui Food Court is my favorite place to dine in this area. It has a variety of dishes and drinks with reasonable prices.
Similar to the beach section along Nguyen Dinh Chieu street, most parts of the beach along Huynh Thuc Khang street are blocked by private resorts, so you’ll likely need to access the beach through beachfront cafés, bars, or resorts.
In terms of sightseeing, some of the Mui Ne’s most popular attractions such as Fairy Stream, Mui Ne Fishing Village, and the Red Sand Dunes are located in and near the Huynh Thuc Hang street area. These places are often included in the sunset and sunrise jeep tour, along with the White Sand Dunes.
The Fairy Stream is a unique natural walk in Vietnam. I don’t think you can find any place like that in the country. You can spend 30-90 minutes walking barefoot along the stream that runs through bright red and white sand cliffs that look like a mini canyon.
The surrounding landscape has sand dunes, rock formations, and greenery, creating a fairytale look. I feel like doing a meditation walk. There are souvenir shops and nice cafes along the way.
Mui Ne Fishing Village is located around the middle part of Huynh thuc Khang street. This is where you can see locals go fishing on their traditional round boat, and trade their fresh catch right at the beach. It’s a good spot for photos and to experience authentic local life.
This area is also close to The Red Sand Dunes, which are known for their reddish-gold sand and beautiful sunrise and sunset views. It’s easy to reach by motorbike, taxi, or jeep tour.
Best places to stay in Ham Tien along Huynh Thuc Khang street:
Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne (luxury)
This is a large 5-star resort complex with a massive outdoor swimming pool. The hotel is located at the far end of Ham Tien Beach, which offers a quieter atmosphere for relaxing and unwind. It’s a family-friendly resort with lots of entertainment options for kids.
Le’ VIVA Resort Mui Ne (mid-range)
This 4-star resort has beautiful ground, 2 swimming pools, lots of palm trees, and direct access to the beach. They have clean rooms, an onsite restaurant, and within a short distance to the popular Dong Vui foodcourt.
MAY Bungalow (budget)
I stayed at this hotel and had a good experience with spacious rooms and a balcony with views of the pool. The owner is friendly, and helped me organise a tour to White Sand Dunes, a taxi to Ta Cu Mountain and a bus to Da Lat. It’s overall a good base for budget travelers, in a relatively central area.
2. Phu Hai, good area between Phan Thiet City & Mui Ne
Phu Hai (Phú Hài in Vietnamese) is an area located between Ham Tien and Phan Thiet city center. The area is home to several good resorts and hotels, mainly located on Nguyen Thong street, at the beginning of Nguyen Dinh Chieu street.
This area has a more local atmosphere than the Nguyen Dinh Chieu street area. You’ll also be close to some local attractions such as Po Sah Inu Cham Towers, Fish Sauce Museum, Bãi đá Ông Địa, and Sea Links Golf Country Club.
The Po Sah Inu Cham Towers are one of the most important historical sites in Central Vietnam. It’s an ancient Hindu temple tower built around the 8th-9th century by the Champa civilization.
The towers have classic Cham architecture with red bricks without visible mortar, Hindu symbols and carvings decoration. This style is similar to other Cham sites like My Son Sanctuary.
Within the complex, you can walk to Victory Statue, and Ong Hoang Castle, which are the War memorial and the old French bunkers that have nice views of the ocean.
Phu Hai ward is close to Phan Thiet City, so it’s convenient for exploring more local cultural and historical attractions of the area. You can visit Dục Thanh School where Ho Chi Minh (known as Nguyen Tat Thanh at the time) used to be a teacher before he went abroad in in early 20th century. The Van Thuy Tu Temple is also a good stop to see the big whale bones.
Some good places to stay in Mui Ne in Phu Hai:
3. Mui Ne Beach
Mui Ne Bay is around 7km long, located east of Ham Tien ward and Mui Ne fishing village. It is not the tourist center of Mui Ne, but you can find some resorts, guest houses, and homestays. It’s a good base for those who want to relax and unwind away from all the hustle and bustle.
The area spans from Hom Rom fishing village to Muine Bay Resort. The beach road DT716 (or Xuan Thuy Road) is a great stop for taking photos with the open jeep and the sea in the background.
This area is close to some popular points of interest such as the red sand dunes and the white sand dunes. These are unique attractions in Vietnam and sometimes nicknamed the “Sahara of Vietnam.”
The White Sand Dunes (often called Bàu Trắng) are the largest and most spectacular dunes in Vietnam with vast rolling hills of white sand surrounding a freshwater lake. At these sand dunes, you can try some thrilling activities such as riding ATVs across the dunes, sandboarding, and taking photos.
The most popular times to visit the White Sand Dunes are either at sunrise and sunset. If you can wake up early, I recommend taking sunrise tours to enjoy the fresh air in the morning.
Mui Ne Bay is quite isolated compared to the Nguyen Dinh Chieu area, not much around this part, so it’s best to rent a scooter to get around.
The area is home to some popular resorts such as Muine Bay resort and Pandanus Resort. They all offer free shuttle buses to Ham Tien for more shopping, dining options.
Best hotels in Mui Ne Bay:
4. Phan Thiet City Center, budget-friendly base near Mui Ne
Phan Thiet City center is located 20 minutes drive away from Mui Ne. Not many tourists stay in the city center, but you can find some budget accommodations here, and some local attractions such as Duc Thanh School, Van Thuy Tu Temple, Phan Thiet Harbor.
This area is home to Phan Thiet train station, which has trains to other major cities in Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City. If you want to stay close to the train station, the city center is a good choice. It’s also a good spot to experience local life.
Phan Thiet City Center is around 1 hour drive away from Ta Cu mountain. This is a good spiritual and hiking destination in the region. Located 649 meters above sea level, this mountain is known for its beautiful jungle scenery, cable car ride, and one of the largest reclining Buddha statues in Vietnam.
Best hotels in Phan Thiet City Center:
You can watch my video about areas in Mui Ne here:
See more:
- How many days in Mui Ne is enough?
- Best Months to Visit Mui Ne
- Mui Ne Best things to do & Travel Guide for first-timers
There you have it, the best location to stay in Mui Ne for visitors. They include Ham Tien ward, Phu Hai ward, Phan Thiet City, and Mui Ne Ward.
Ham Tien ward is is most popular area to stay in Mui Ne, especially for first-timers. It is packed with hotels, resorts, bungalows, restaurants, cafes, and shops. It also has a central location to visit major sights like the sand dunes, ferry streams, and the fishing village.