Mui Ne Phan Thiet Travel Guide

Thanks to the breathtaking landscape and favorable weather all year round, Mui Ne – Phan Thiet is a top-notch destination for visits seeking a beach holiday in Vietnam. Check out the following Mui Ne – Phan Thiet travel guide for essential information about this wonderful destination: weather & best time to visit, things to do, foods to eat, etc.

General Information

Located 200 km east of Ho Chi Minh City and 15 km east of Phan Thiet (capital of Binh Thuan province), Mui Ne Beach is one of the origins of beach and leisure tourism in southern Vietnam, that attracts tourists to Vietnam every year. A long sandy beach stretches for miles, clear and beautiful waters (but they are not turquoise blue like in the Caribbean) sparkle in the sun, coconut trees scattered along the coast serve as a green setting for dozens of hotels and resorts, lined up between the sea and a single trade route (Nguyen Dinh Chieu).

Phan Thiet, rather larger, is famous for its fish sauce, an ingredient in most Vietnamese dishes. It also has a beautiful beach. There is a wide range of accommodation and the restaurants offer a great selection of seafood at very affordable prices. There are golf courses, beautiful pagodas, spectacular red and white sand dunes, and a variety of water sports.

Climate and Best Time to Visit 

Phan Thiet and Mui Ne are influenced by the tropical monsoon climate. The rainy season is between April and October and the dry season is from November to March. This coastal city is also drought-prone due to its proximity to the Binh Thuan Desert, which makes this region the driest in Southeast Asia. Therefore, Mui Ne attracts visitors from all over the world enter to experience unique geological formations such as Fairy Stream and Mui Ne Sand Dunes.

Thanks to the average temperature being around 27°C between the months of November and April, travelers can enjoy various recreational activities in Mui Ne. The climate during these months is ideal for a beach vacation.

Mui Ne also receives very little rain compared to other cities in Vietnam, so it is strongly recommended that you wear comfortable clothes during your trip.

Getting to Mui Ne – Phan Thiet

By bus

Every day, many buses depart from Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces to Phan Thiet. The price varies depending on the route and supplier chosen.

• From/to Ho Chi Minh City: 204km. Duration: 4 hours
• From/to Vung Tau: 146km. Duration: 3 hours
• From/to Da Lat: 175km. Duration: 3 hours
• From/to Nha Trang: 245km. Duration: 5 hours
• From/to Buon Ma Thuot: 320km. Duration: 8 hours

By train

Traveling by train to Phan Thiet is an exceptional experience. You will have the chance to enjoy a 5* train from Saigon to Phan Thiet with high-quality service and shorter travel time. There are also trains from Nha Trang to Phan Thiet with a 5-hour drive.

Private car

Would you like to enjoy the scenery and not be stressed to travel to Mui Ne? Renting a private car with a driver is the best solution. This will allow you to stop along the way and you will have full freedom to plan your trip. Contact us for more information.

Getting around Mui Ne – Phan Thiet

Xe om

Xe Om or moto-taxi can be found throughout Mui Ne town, they are usually near downtown hotels, bars, and restaurants as well as main attractions like Van Thuy Tu Temple and Phan Thiet Central Market.

Taxi

The metered taxis are available outside hotels, resorts, and tourist sites, making them one of the most convenient ways to explore Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. Most taxi drivers speak English, but not very well.

In Phan Thiet and Mui Ne, taxi services include Mai Linh Taxi, Vinasun Taxi, Phan Thiet Taxi, and Sun Taxi, which are among the best-known options available.

Moto

The motor rental is also possible at the hotel. It will cost you around 100,000 to 150,000 VND to rent a motorbike for the day.

Jeep

Getting around by jeep is ideal if you want to visit the iconic red and white sand dunes of Mui Ne. An unmissable experience!

Accommodation in Mui Ne Phan Thiet

Hotels in MuiNe are quite varied and most of them are scattered along Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Huynh Thuc Khang streets towards Hon Rom. There are several hotel options in Mui Ne, making it easy to choose the one that best suits your needs, from high-end to budget.

There is a wide range of accommodation options in Mui Ne, from good-budget hostels and guesthouses to luxurious five-star resorts. Please refer to some of the hotels below:

• Anantara Mui Ne Resort
• Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa
• Cham Villas Resort
• Sailing Club Resort Mui Ne
• The Cliff Resort & Residences

Best places to visit in Mui Ne – Phan Thiet

Phan Thiet and Mui Ne are among the busiest coastal cities in Vietnam, but they remain relatively untouched by urban development, making them an ideal resting place compared to other bustling cities like Saigon and Hanoi for example.

Red Sand Dunes

The Red Sand Dunes are one of the most unique natural formations in Phan Thiet, where you can take wonderful photos and enjoy a variety of activities. Located 3 km north of MuiNe, they are characterized by red-brown sand with gentle slopes reminiscent of a miniature Middle Eastern desert.

At the top of the highest peak, you will be greeted by a magnificent view of the ocean at sunset. Sand sledding is a common (and fun) activity here, with plastic sleds available for around 10,000-20,000 VND.

White Sand Dunes

The White Sand Dunes, commonly known as Bau Trang, is a unique and attractive tourist spot in Mui Ne that should not be missed.

In the middle of the white sand dunes are two freshwater lakes where lotuses bloom. Driving around the white sand dunes by jeep at dawn or sunset is a wonderful experience.

Mui Ne Fishing Village

The fishing village of Mui Ne offers a splendid view of a vast coast lined with waving palm trees and colorful fishing boats moored in the water. Located at the end of the northern of Mui Ne Bay, be sure to visit the fishing harbor early in the morning when local fishermen sort through their catch of the day, such as crabs, shellfish, groupers, and rays.

Fairy Stream

The Fairy Stream is the best spot to take photos in Phan Thiet and Mui Ne, thanks to its stunning landscape of reds, whites, oranges and pinks. Clear water flows from Dinh Mountain of Ham Tien, one side of Fairy Stream features a mixture of white and red sand dunes, while the other is a vast field of green trees, blooming flowers, and coconut trees. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and bring an extra pair of shoes, as you will have to wade in the water during your trip to this fairy stream.

Prince’s Castle

The Prince’s Castle is actually a French house located at the top of Ong Hoang Hill, offering fantastic views of the coastline and countryside of Phan Thiet. Built by Duc De Montpensier in 1911, the structure spanned 536 square meters, but today it has only an old tower and several military bunkers remaining.

Po Shanu Towers

The Po Shanu Cham towers bring together three ancient worship towers dedicated to the Hindu deities as Shiva, Agni, and Nandi. Built during the time of the Champa Kingdom, these ruins are located on the top of Ong Hoang Hill, from where you will have a breathtaking view of Phan Thiet and the distant coast.

Beyond the towers, you may find a fortress once used by French and South Vietnamese troops. There is also a memorial honoring the revolutionaries who launched an attack on the fortress in 1947.

Ta Cu Mountain

The Ta Cu Mountain area spans 250,000 square meters of lush tropical forests, rare wildlife, limestone caves, and ornate Buddhist structures. An hour’s drive from Mui Ne town, the top of the mountain can be reached by a two-hour jungle trek or a 10-minute cable car ride.

The latter provides a magnificent view of the city of Thuan Nam, the sea of Ham Thuan An, and the Ke Ga lighthouse. At the top of Ta Cu mountain is the Linh Son Truong Tho pagoda, built in 1879. Its main attraction is a 49-meter-long statue of a reclining Buddha, the largest of its kind in Vietnam.

Phan Thiet Central Market

The central market of Phan Thiet is a must-step for travelers who wish to discover the daily life of the local population. The market is busiest at dawn, with huge crowds trading with vendors for an assortment of fresh fruits, spices, nuts, meats, dry foods, and household items.

Phan Thiet and Mui Ne are famous for their fresh and cheap seafood, so you’ll find just about everything here, from prawns, squid, and fish to snails, clams, and crabs. Phan Thiet Central Market is also a good place to taste authentic Vietnamese delicacies like banh xeo (crispy pancakes), mi quang (turmeric noodles), and goi cuon (fresh spring rolls).

Must-Try Dishes in Mui Ne – Phan Thiet

Banh trang cuon mam ruoc

This dish is made with rice cake, minced meat, green onions, eggs, mam ruoc (shrimp sauce), and other types of vegetables. All the ingredients are rolled up to create a delicious and attractive dish. This dish is usually sold in the evening.

Banh canh

Banh Canh from Phan Thiet is a common recipe and easy to prepare, but it is very nutritious for people of all ages. You can have bread dipped in the broth while enjoying this staple food of Phan Thiet, as it is considered an interesting way to get a sense of the quintessence it contains. A trip to Phan Thiet Beach will introduce you to the different kinds of thick noodle soups of this country, including fried fish cake soup and steamed fish cake soup.

Lau tha

Lau tha, a seafood hotpot, is a very popular dish in Phan Thiet City on the central coast, which is a must for visitors to the region. This delicacy is based on materials and flavors typical of the coastal region. Lau tha is made with fish, shrimp, pork, vegetables, green mango, banana flowers, rice paper cake, rice noodles, and fried egg. The fish is mixed with lemon, prawns, and pork which are all cut into small pieces and put into the soup. The fish sauce is flavored with peanuts and fried peppers, which gives the dish a sharp taste.

Sea Fruit Salad

Salad is considered a must-enjoy dish during your trip to Phan Thiet. The seafood salad is made from fresh fish and served with raw vegetables, noodles, and a special sauce.

Offering many places to visit, Mui Ne is an amazing place that should be on your bucket list. We have brought you the complete guide to Mui Ne Phan Thiet and we hope you find it useful. For more information, please feel free to contact us.