MUI NE

Laid-back beach bungalows & kite-surfing lessons

Worth It? For a weekend escape from Saigon, or trip-breaker if you’re heading north
What to Do See the sand dunes, learn to kite-surf, sit by the pool
Best Time to Go October to March
How Long? A day or two
Gateway Bus between Saigon and Nha Trang

Fact Golfer Tiger Woods owes his name, in a way, to nearby Phan Thiet. Stationed in Phan Thiet during the Vietnam war, Tiger’s father befriended a Southern Vietnamese officer (nicknamed ‘Tiger’), who later was killed. Tiger’s dad tributed ‘Tiger’ by later naming his son after him.

Four or five hours north of Saigon, Mui Ne lacks the clear conditions of Nha Trang’s turquoise water or the quiet of Phu Quoc’s remote beaches. But it has its moments. For one thing the infant resort (there was about nothing here 10 years ago) is much better than Vung Tau beach (a scrappier weekend getaway for Saigoners), and its beachfront resorts are good-value, with nicely landscaped gardens and often pools. Mui Ne has turned its windy conditions into a benefit by kick-starting a ‘kite surfing’ boom that brings many activity-seekers.