Streams, Dunes, and Canyons

On our last full day in Mui Ne, we chartered a jeep tour of the surrounding area through one of the local travel agencies. As with most things in Vietnam, the tour was cheap and only set up back $10 each for a five hour excursion. We debated renting motorbikes and venturing out on our own, but since I tend to get lost easily, we thought having someone else drive was probably better for my sanity (as well as our marriage). Our first stop was fairy stream.

Fairy stream winds its way through the surrounding bamboo forests, boulders and dunes. The only way to really view the stream is by walking through it. Once you arrive, local children will offer to accompany you along the way, hoping for a dollar tip in return. For the most part, the stream is about ankle-deep and easy enough to navigate through.

After splashing our way through the stream, we continued our exploration with stops at the local fishing harbor as well as the infamous white sand dunes. We totally got suckered into renting an ATV to ride while we were there. Matt enjoyed it, I did not.

With our ears still ringing from the sound of my screams (seriously, that ATV looked like it was going to topple over at any moment), we drove back towards Mui Ne. Along the way, we paused for photos at Red Canyon as well as the red sand dunes. 

 

 

And with that, our vacation in Mui Ne had come to an end. All that was left to do was eat some more vermicelli!

Mui Ne Bay

The beautiful town of Mui Ne is only 140 miles from Ho Chi Minh City yet it was close to a five hour drive thanks to the poor road conditions and heavy motorbike traffic. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the picturesque grounds of Anantara Resort.

We spent the next few days swimming in the ocean, lounging by the pool, and getting pampered at the spa. We also took advantage of the amazing fresh seafood which could be found all throughout Mui Ne. One of our favorite meals came from the decidedly modest (and cheap!) Lâm Tòng restaurant. Here you can eat with sand between your toes while listening to the sound of water lapping the shore just steps away from your table.

Mui Ne is a beautiful, sleepy town where you can immerse yourself in the daily lives of a Vietnamese fishing village while also relaxing and recharging.