Resort strip
First-timersAlong the beach, with restaurants and guesthouses.
Mui Ne town guide
Things To Do In Mui Ne
Red and white sand dunes beside the sea, a stream you walk up barefoot, basket boats in a fishing village, and the best kitesurfing wind in Vietnam.
12
Hostels in the city
8.0
Average, from 5,644 reviews
Nov–Apr
Kitesurf season
2
Colours of dunes
4–5 h
From Ho Chi Minh City
Dunes and wind
Mui Ne is a long strip of resorts and guesthouses on the coast near Phan Thiet, facing a bay of fishing boats. Behind it lie sand dunes, red ones near the village and vast white ones further north.
From November to April, steady winds make it the kitesurfing capital of Vietnam.
Two or three days is right.
Where to stay
Mui Ne is a long strip of resorts, guesthouses and restaurants along the coast road east of Phan Thiet. The western end is closer to Phan Thiet and the busier beaches; the eastern end, towards the fishing village and dunes, is where the kitesurf schools and backpacker places cluster.
Eastern end
KitesurfersKite schools and backpacker places towards the fishing village.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 4 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Mui Ne
The sand dunes are Mui Ne's signature. The Red Sand Dunes, close to the village, are best at sunset and free to walk. The White Sand Dunes, about 45 minutes east, are larger and more dramatic; sunrise jeep tours combine them with the red dunes, and quad bikes can be rented there.
The Fairy Stream is a shallow stream you walk barefoot along, between red and white sandstone formations. Mui Ne's fishing village, in the bay, is busy in the early morning when round basket boats bring in the catch.
Mui Ne is one of Asia's best kitesurfing spots: from November to April, steady afternoon winds blow along the beach, and schools teach beginners. Windsurfing and surfing are also possible.
Ta Cu Mountain, about an hour and a half away, has a large reclining Buddha reached by cable car.
Free things
Free things to do in Mui Ne
The Red Sand Dunes and the beach are free, and sunset from the dunes is the best free thing in Mui Ne.
The fishing village and harbour are free to watch in the early morning. The Fairy Stream charges a small fee.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Mui Ne
Mui Ne's seafood restaurants along the coast road keep the catch in tanks and grill it to order, priced by weight; agree the price first. Scallops grilled with spring onion and peanuts are a local favourite.
Phan Thiet is famous for its fish sauce, and for banh can and banh xeo street snacks.
A meal is €2 to €6, more for seafood.
Nightlife
Going out in Mui Ne
Mui Ne is relaxed at night, with a few beach bars and kitesurf-crowd bars along the coast road that host occasional parties.
A beer is €1 to €2.50.
Getting around
Getting around Mui Ne
Mui Ne is in Lam Dong province, on the coast east of Phan Thiet. From Ho Chi Minh City, buses and limousine vans take about four to five hours on the expressway, and trains run from Saigon station to Phan Thiet in about four hours, then a short Grab ride.
The coast road is long, so rent a scooter or bicycle, or use Grab. Jeep tours to the White Sand Dunes leave before dawn.
Buses also run to Da Lat, about four hours, and Nha Trang.
Costs
What Mui Ne costs
Mui Ne is cheap. Dorms start around €6 and a careful day is €18 to €30.
A sunrise jeep tour of the dunes is around €10 to €20 shared. Kitesurfing lessons are the big cost, often €150 to €400 for a beginner course of several hours. The White Sand Dunes charge entry, and quad bikes extra.
The currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND); prices here are euro equivalents, at roughly 30,000 VND to the euro. There are ATMs along the coast road.
Safety
Staying safe in Mui Ne
Mui Ne is safe. At the White Sand Dunes, quad bikes are prone to accidents; go slowly and agree the price and time first.
The sea can be rough in the windy season, and kitesurfers should stay within school areas.
Bag snatching occasionally happens on the coast road at night; keep valuables away from the roadside.
Emergency: 113 police, 115 ambulance, 114 fire.
Day trips from Mui Ne
White dunes at sunrise, a barefoot stream and a mountain Buddha.
White Sand Dunes
Larger dunes and a lake, best at sunrise.
Fairy Stream
A barefoot walk between red and white sandstone.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Kitesurfing season runs from November to April.
November to April
Kitesurf season
Mui Ne
Steady wind.
January or February
Tet
Mui Ne
The lunar new year.
Hostels
Where to stay in Mui Ne
The top-rated places to stay in Mui Ne right now, live from Hostelworld.
When to go
November to April for wind and dry weather.
Jan
Kitesurf
Feb
Kitesurf
Mar
Kitesurf
Apr
Kitesurf
May
Calm
Jun
Wet
Jul
Wet
Aug
Wet
Sep
Wet
Oct
Wet
Nov
Wind returns
Dec
Kitesurf
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. Among the driest places in Vietnam.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are in dong locally; these are euro equivalents. Excludes kitesurfing.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Mui Ne travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
When is kitesurf season?
November to April, with steady afternoon winds. Schools teach beginners.
Red or white dunes?
Both: the red dunes are close and free, best at sunset; the white dunes are larger and best at sunrise on a jeep tour.
How do I get there?
By bus or limousine van from Ho Chi Minh City, four to five hours, or by train to Phan Thiet, then a short Grab ride.
How many days do you need?
Two or three, more if learning to kitesurf.
When is the best time to visit?
November to April, the dry and windy season.
Is it good for swimming?
Calmer from May to October; in the windy season the sea is choppy.
What should I eat?
Grilled seafood, especially scallops with spring onion and peanuts.
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