6 Things To Do In Mui Ne, Vietnam
As a beach town along the South China Sea in Southeast, Mui Ne, Vietnam, makes for a great little trip away from the cities. It doesn't matter whether you're travelling through Vietnam from North to South or simply looking for a long weekend destination that differs from resort trips of Thailand or Bali. Mui Ne offers just enough in terms of sightseeing and activities to keep you occupied for those few days away from home.
Day 1
Sunbathe on the Beach
Despite being a holiday destination with around 10 kilometres of white sand, there are some caveats to the area. Mui Ne suffers from coastal erosion and, in parts, high tides erase the sand completely. You'll have to time your visit to the coastline carefully, or risk being swept away by the waves that come crashing in. In addition to this tidal limitation, comes the limitations given by the beachside hotels that have marked their areas sand private. So, unless you're staying in one of them, you'll have to search for a spot that is free a little further down the way.
Nevertheless, Mui Ne Beach is a 10-kilometre, palm tree lined beach where you can take in some vitamin D and relax to the sound of the water. Little cafe's line the beach, offerings fresh fruit smoothies and banh mi when you're needing a break from the sun, sea and sand.
For those of you with more of an incline towards water sports, you can also get involved in some jet-skiing, kitesurfing and more when the tides aren't too rough!
Joe's Cafe
Curb any hunger pangs with a visit to what soon became our regular go-to restaurant: Joe's Cafe. First impressions may not be what they seem, as when we first came across this beachside restaurant all we saw were grubby seats, dark interiors and only one or two other patrons sat inside. Not wanting to judge a book by its cover, we grabbed a table to check it out. Serving everything from salads and succulent burgers to Vietnamese fried rice, we loved everything thing we tried on the menu and couldn't get enough of their fresh fruit smoothies! Portions are extremely generous especially when it came to the burgers too. Come nightfall, live music fills the open plan restaurant and a friendly holiday vibe completely takes over the quiet setting you see during the day.
Do take the time to take a stroll through to the back of the cafe area. You'll find a dedicated sun lounge area that looks right onto the beach. Just be sure to avoid being too close to the edge as, at high tide, the waves come crashing over and will soak everything within a metre's vicinity.
Day 2
Although it would have been nice to explore the area ourselves and take a little more time at each of the sights available to be seen, we opted for a tour that would take us round the main sights for the ease of not having to waste time figuring out routes and transport ourselves. And at the price of 260,000VND (equating to around £9 / $11US) per person, we just couldn't resist the 'splurge'. Be prepared for an early start though, as you'll be waking up well before the crack of dawn if you choose to watch the sun rise. You'll have to book this tour the day before to ensure you secure your spot and preferred time of day.
Watch the sun rise at the White Sand Dunes
At the time, we were advised that the best time to visit the White Sand Dunes of Mui Ne would be in the morning, right as the sun is about to rise to really see the sand glisten. Travel arrangements were a little worrying, admittedly. We were crammed in the boot of a jeep along with 5 other tourists who looked just as perplexed as we felt about the whole arrangement. It was cramped, it was cold, it was dark, and it certainly didn't feel like the safest way to be travelling. The drive to the dunes took around 30-40 minutes from our hotel.
Whilst you can opt to hop into another jeep to explore the dunes and delve a little further into the area, we decided to try walking it instead. Either way, we're sure both options are worthwhile depending on which takes your fancy more.
We'd arrived a little late, and therefore felt the need to sprint to reach the viewpoint of the dunes before the sun started to rise over the horizon. Despite this, it was impossible not to notice how cool and soft the sand was! It felt like we were walking through flour as the sand slid between the toes.
Slide down the Red Sand Dunes
Admittedly, these were not as impressive as the White Sand Dunes. Though once again the sand was incredibly soft and of a beautiful burnt orange colour, the views and size of area were not of the same magnitude as the first. Here, you'll have the option to rent-a-slide and skid down the dunes for an Instagram-worthy Boomerang shot.
Once you've had enough of getting sand in just about every nook-and-cranny, hop across the road and you'll find little village shops with refreshments to keep you going on the journey.
Stumble through the Fishing Harbour
The nearby fishing harbour was a sight to behold. An intense area in more ways than one – namely through sight and smell. The waters were chocfull of little round fishing boats that villagers would hop in and out of as they went about their day, and the beach was covered in discarded shells and more as village women prepped any fish that were caught.
You'll have to watch your step as you make your way closer to the beach, as there wasn't one inch of sand that was clear of debris, and the whole area was teeming with people: tourists, villagers, and vendors selling the freshly caught seafood.
Feel the cool water of the Fairy Stream on your toes
Our final tour stop allowed for a quieter (and cleaner?) end to our visit. If you opt to do this, you will be asked to pay to venture into and through the stream, but this should not be more than 5,000VND (17p / 22 cents). You'll leave your shoes at the designated entrance to the stream and step into the gentle current that will guide you through various check points.
The water looks muddy from above, but once your feet are in the water you'll be pleasantly surprised by how warm and clear it actually is – paired with soft red sand. Though there isn't much to see, it's a lovely, quiet walk that will take you between sandstone cliffs. Just keep an eye out for rocks in the stream bed as you get further along, stubbed toes are never fun.
If, like us, you opt for the sunrise tour, you'll be back in the main area of Mui Ne by around 4/5pm, where you can spend the remainder of your day relaxing on the beach or heading off to your next destination!