Mui Ne photos

A kite surfer takes to the air, Mui Ne

A view up the beach, Mui Ne

Fishing boats in Mui Ne Village

The sand dunes, Mui Ne

Sunset on the beach

Mui Ne holds a lot of memories for me as it is the perfect escape from Saigon when the traffic and the noise all gets too much - if only it was just a little bit closer!

A beautiful beach with an ever-growing strip of resorts lining the coast, Mui Ne strikes a good balance between having sufficient entertainments to justify a long weekend and being overcrowded. The hotels lie between the sea and the road, with many restaurants lining the opposite side of the road.

Fortunately the majority of the resorts are low rise and well covered by plenty of lush green foilage - most have tried hard to create attractive gardens around their bungalows, and the result is that from the beach there is not too much evidence of the booming growth in hotels - it still manages to look secluded and peaceful, without a concrete block in sight.

It has a wide range of restaurants, with the local shacks providing some of the freshest, cheapest and tastiest seafood you will find in Vietnam, as well as many high-class restaurants selling top notch Italian, European, Indian and Thai cuisines.

There's plenty of bars too, and hot competition means you can often find two cocktails for $2 around sunset - a perfect way to end a gorgeous day. Some, like Jibes and Wax bar, are well connected with the watersports community and often run big beach parties on Saturday nights. The quality of music being played seems to be on the up too and it is one of the few places I have seen expats shrug off their cool and have a good dance.

There are watersports a plenty as Mui Ne has consistently good winds, and it has become the kite surfing capital of Vietnam. There's plenty of windsurfing too, and for the less adventurous of us it means plenty of visual entertainment as you watch people flying 20-30 ft into the air while sipping a cool cocktail and enjoying the breeze.

No trip to Mui Ne is complete without a trip to the sanddunes, where young children with exceptional English skills encourage you to slide down the dunes at great speed on plastic mats - its great fun but don't forget to tip the kids - the fishing village of Mui Ne is very deprived.

There's also a sandstone 'canyon' at the back of the dunes to explore, a 'fairy stream' to discover and some wild, secluded beaches if you drive up past Mui Ne to the headland, where you can see the fisherman braving the waves in their corracles.

Hotels in Mui Ne

Top Range

• The Princess D'Annam Resort & Spa - Rent your own villa with a private pool in this luxury boutique resort and spa. Villas from $267 - $1190 per night; needless to say I haven't stayed here but the photos do look fantastic. More Info
• L'Anmien Mui Ne Resort + Spa - Another 5 star resort by the sea, L'Amnien offers all the facilities you'd expect at a luxury hotel. Rooms from $233 per night. More Info
• Novotel Coralia Ocean Dunes Phan Thiet - The Ocean Dunes is an international standard hotel that has been serving Phan Thiet for many years now. With its own on-site golf course it is ideal for golfing couples, with the beach, spa and pool on hand for those who'd rather relax. Rooms from $101. More Info
• Coco Beach Resort - An old favourite with an extremely friendly management team, Coco Beach was one of the first resorts in Mui Ne and consistently gets good reviews. Bungalows from $105. More Info
• Pandanus Resort - With 10 hectares of tropical gardens, family suites and a private beach. Rooms from $87 per night. More Info

Mid Range

• Allez Boo Resort, Mui Ne - A newcomer for this season, Allez Boo is better known for the bar/hotel of the same name in Saigon. Not had the chance to visit yet but the design of the rooms look great. Rooms from $78. More Info
• The Sailing Club, Mui Ne - I love this place. Fantastic food, great ambiance, lovely garden and beautifully designed rooms and pool. Exceptional value. Rooms from $78. More Info
• Saigon Mui Ne Resort - Run by SaigonTourist, the Saigon Mui Ne resort has a nice pool and many bungalows spread out amongst shady trees. Rooms from $62 per night. More Info
• The Beach Resort - A nice place with cool rooms to the southern end of the strip. Rooms from $62. More Info

Budget

Most budget options in Mui Ne can't be booked online, but here are a selection of places we have either stayed or been recommended along with their phone numbers:
• Ngoc Bich - Nice place with friendly owners and lively bar. Rooms from $12. Tel: (062) 847 032
• Small Garden - Clean bamboo bungalows. Rooms from $10. Tel:(062) 847 012
• Hiep Hoa - Cool, clean rooms close to the beach. Rooms from $15. Tel: (062) 847 262
• Hai Yen - Nice backpacker vibe. Rooms $10 or less. Tel: (062) 847 243

All prices quoted are a guide only - rates can change at peak times

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