Mũi Né is a seaside cape located in Phan Thiết city, a famous tourist center in Bình Thuận province. The name "Mũi Né" originates from fishermen. "Mũi" refers to the land protruding into the sea; "Né" means a place to avoid storms. In 2018, Mũi Né was recognized as a national tourist area. It is well-known for its long sandy beaches and beautiful sand dunes.
When is Mũi Né Beautiful?
Visitors can come to Mũi Né year-round, as each season brings a different beauty to this "sea paradise." From April to August is the best time to visit, with clear and cool seawater.
From August to December, it is suitable for those who enjoy windsurfing and adventure sports. In December, it may rain, so visitors should bring an umbrella when going outdoors.
How to Get There
From Ho Chi Minh City, travelers can easily reach Mũi Né by motorbike, bus, or train.
Backpackers often take the coastal route. From Ho Chi Minh City, you can go towards the Cát Lái ferry, then to Long Thành, reaching Bà Rịa town, and continue towards Hồ Tràm through Lộc An, then follow the coastal road to Phan Thiết. The total distance is about 230 km.
If you don’t ride a motorbike, you can go to the Eastern Bus Station to buy tickets to Phan Thiết, with a travel time of about 5 hours and ticket prices around 130,000 VND per person, depending on the bus company.
Visitors can also take the SPT1/SPT4 train from Saigon Station. Ticket prices are 110,000 VND per person, departing in the morning.
From Hanoi, visitors can fly to Ho Chi Minh City and then travel to Phan Thiết or fly to Cam Ranh, Nha Trang, and then take a bus to Mũi Né (about 200 km).
Since April 29, 2023, the Dầu Giây - Phan Thiết expressway has been operational, reducing travel time from Ho Chi Minh City to about 2 hours by car. It is expected that by the end of 2023, Phan Thiết Airport will be put into operation in phase 1.
What to Do
Mũi Né is not only a "paradise of entertainment" with its beautiful long coastline but also famous for its many historical sites and rich Cham culture. Here are the 10 most famous destinations in Mũi Né, Phan Thiết.
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Hòn Rơm Hòn Rơm is a small, still-untouched mountain located in Long Sơn hamlet, Mũi Né ward, Phan Thiết city. Visitors should go to Hòn Rơm in the early morning or evening to enjoy the sunrise and sunset. This is also an ideal camping spot for bonfires at night or stargazing. The beach area at Hòn Rơm features gentle waves, no underwater rocks, and clear water; you can ask for directions to Hòn Rơm 1, Hòn Rơm 2, or Thùy Trang beach to swim.
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Red Sand Dunes Near Hòn Rơm is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Mũi Né – the Red Sand Dunes. Besides the long undulating sand, the color of the sand itself attracts visitors, with some areas displaying up to 18 different colors at times. At the sand dunes, you can rent a sled, costing about 20,000 VND each.
At the foot of the sand dune, there are vendors selling quick snacks like coconut, bánh bột lọc, and tofu.
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Hòn Ghềnh Hòn Ghềnh, also known as Hòn Lao, is located about one kilometer from Mũi Né and remains quite pristine. To get to Hòn Ghềnh, you can hire a fishing boat (200,000 VND for a boat of 10 people) or use the shuttle service from resorts or hotels.
In the morning, visitors can go fishing and then snorkel to view coral, while the evening offers splendid sunset views over the ocean.
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Bàu Trắng – Bàu Sen Bàu Trắng and Bàu Sen are two natural freshwater lakes lying amidst vast white sand dunes. Visiting Bàu Trắng in summer, visitors can see thousands of blooming lotus flowers against the white sandy backdrop.
Bàu Trắng sand dune is likened to a "mini Sahara desert" in Vietnam due to its vast, pristine scenery. Here, visitors can rent all-terrain vehicles or jeeps to drive around Bàu Trắng, priced at around 600,000 VND for 20 minutes.
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Fairy Stream (Suối Tiên) The Fairy Stream in Mũi Né is referred to by visitors as a "paradise." Here, there is a small stream located next to Hòn Rơm. Beside the stream are naturally formed red and white limestone hills with unique shapes eroded over time.
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Mũi Né Fishing Village Mũi Né Fishing Village is about 3 km from the town center. At the entrance to the fishing village, there are hundreds of colorful fishing boats anchored. Not far away is a small market with a peaceful lifestyle.
Although the fishing village stretches only about 100 meters along the coast, it is where visitors can truly experience the lives of fishermen. If you come to the fishing village early in the morning, you can purchase fresh seafood as the boats return to shore.
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Dục Thanh School This historical site is a must-visit when in Mũi Né, Phan Thiết. The school was established in 1907 by patriotic intellectuals in response to the Duy Tân movement in Central Vietnam. Dục Thanh School was also where President Hồ Chí Minh taught before moving to Saigon. Today, the Dục Thanh area retains almost all of its relics from nearly a century ago.
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Vạn Thủy Tú Shrine Located on Ngư Ông street, Vạn Thủy Tú Shrine is an ancient relic (1762) noted for its solemn, ancient beauty. It also symbolizes the fishermen’s worship of the Whale God in Bình Thuận. The shrine houses the largest whale skeleton in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
This skeleton is 22 meters long and weighs 65 tons. Each year, the shrine holds various solemn ceremonies on lunar calendar days, including 20/2 (Spring Worship), 20/4 (Fishing Prayer), 20/6 (Main Season), 20/7 (Long-distance Rowing), and 23/8 (End of Season). During these ceremonies, activities like traditional singing and boat racing take place.
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Mũi Né Bay This is an attractive destination if you enjoy swimming and outdoor activities. Along Mũi Né Bay, you will find beautiful beaches with long stretches of white sand. If you want to find secluded, pristine beaches, you can rent a boat to Hòn Lao Island. This remote island near Mũi Né Bay sees fewer visitors.
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Poshanư Towers Located 7 km northeast of Phan Thiết city center, Poshanư Towers are remnants of the ancient Champa Kingdom. The towers feature the Hòa Lai architectural style, showcasing ancient Champa artistic techniques.
If you have time, you should also visit Hòn Bà Island, Kê Gà Lighthouse, Tà Cú Mountain, Cổ Thạch Stone Beach, Hang Pagoda, Gành Son, Cù Lao Câu, and Phú Quý Island...
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Làng Chài Xưa Fish Sauce Museum This is the first and only fish sauce museum in Vietnam, depicting the 300-year history of Phan Thiết fishing village, from the Champa period, Nguyễn kings, through French colonialism to the 1940s and 1960s. The entrance fee is 100,000 VND for adults, while children under 1 meter height are free.
Local Specialties
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Seafood Salad Mũi Né is famous for seafood salads, particularly fish salad and snail salad. Fish salad is made from fresh fish like mackerel, mantis shrimp, or snakehead fish and is served with fresh herbs, noodles, and a special dipping sauce. Snail salad primarily consists of thinly sliced snail meat, pork, vegetables, roasted peanuts, and fried onions, all mixed together and served with sweet and sour fish sauce.
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Various Dish Preparation The specialty of Mũi Né's sand dunes is the "dông" (a type of lizard). The meat is white like chicken but sweeter, richer, and more tender. Typical dishes made from dông include grilled dông, sautéed dông, dông steamed, dông wrapped in rice paper, dông porridge, and dông cooked with pickled vegetables.
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Huỳnh Đế Crab This is a specialty of Tuy Phong, Bình Thuận. The crab meat is sweet, chewy, and fragrant; the shell is crispy and soft, easily broken with teeth. Huỳnh Đế crab from Tuy Phong is available year-round, but the best time is around December of the lunar calendar. The crab is often grilled or steamed and served with salt and pepper, but it is best in porridge.
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Sticky Rice Paper Rolls and Fish Sauce Rice Paper These are popular snacks in Bình Thuận in general. You can find them in numerous roadside stalls and at the intersection of Thủ Khoa Huân and Trần Hưng Đạo, available only in the afternoon and evening.
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Lẩu Thả (Mixed Hotpot) Lẩu thả is a specialty in Phan Thiết, sought after by many travelers. The main ingredients are mackerel leaves, Spanish mackerel, anchovy, snakehead fish, red tilapia, etc., cleaned, filleted, and sliced thinly. The accompanying vegetables for lẩu thả are also finely shredded. Lẩu thả is eaten with a dipping sauce made from a mixture of sour tamarind; chili, garlic, roasted peanuts, and ripe banana (many places use fermented soybeans) blended and mixed with pure fish sauce.
Hotels and Resorts
Tourism is rapidly developing in Mũi Né, leading to a diverse range of accommodation options. Visitors can choose from budget homestays to high-end hotels and resorts. Homestays are usually situated away from the beach and primarily serve young travelers and international guests looking for unique experiences, with an average price of 500,000 VND per night.
Guesthouses are often found tucked away in alleys, mainly along Huỳnh Thúc Kháng street extending towards Hòn Rơm. There are numerous hotels in Mũi Né, primarily along Nguyễn Đình Chiểu street, with prices averaging between 700,000 VND to 1 million VND per night.
If visiting Mũi Né for relaxation, travelers should consider resorts. This type of accommodation is very diverse, ranging from budget to luxury. Visitors can choose based on their needs and budget.
The resorts in Mũi Né have been established for quite some time. Recently, several new resorts have opened, including The Anam Mũi Né, the newest 5-star resort launched in early 2023, with over 120 rooms. Other options include Anantara Mui Ne, with 89 rooms, or other resorts such as Pandanus Resort, Muine Bay Resort, The Cliff Resort & Residences...
These resorts offer modern amenities, beachfront locations, spa and wellness centers, private beaches, water sports areas, outdoor BBQ gardens, convenience stores, and children’s play areas... From here, visitors can enjoy complete views of Mũi Né Bay.
Notes
The waves are not too high but can be stronger than usual, so it’s best to find calm beaches with safety signs for swimming.
In the evenings at Hòn Rơm tourist area, there is a night market offering many grilled seafood dishes at very reasonable prices.
Mũi Né also sees many foreign guests in the evenings, mostly from Russia and South Korea. Some hotels only allow foreign guests to rent vehicles, so don’t be surprised by this.
