Mui Ne - A great escape from Saigon

The undeveloped beach around the headland from Mui Ne

View Photos (4) Image © 2008 Jonny Platt

Although I used to have an aversion to particularly resorty destinations, over the years I came to love Mui Ne for the escape it offered from Saigon. Although it could take six hours by bus or train to get there it was always worth the wait as you truely felt you had left the city, the noise and the bustle far behind.

The bus that left Saigon at 8 on a Friday night would get in between 1 and 2 am, and we would always head straight down to the beach to hear the waves crash, watch the stars and feel the stresses of the week melt away. Mui Ne is a great destination for all budgets; for volunteers like us there were budget rooms availible for less than $10, for families high quality resorts were availible for $50 and for those with more cash to flash there are also some high end hotels and resorts.

Over the years we visited we saw the strip along the bay develop more on every trip, yet as all the developments were low-rise and well spaced out it never once felt too crowded, retaining its peaceful, laid back feel. When on the beach most resorts would be hidden by the trees that lined the coast, so even then the beach didn't feel overcrowded.

I never took the opportunity to try watersports on the beach but ate more than my fair share of seafood, sipped plenty of cocktails and made sure every trip was as relaxing as the last. We'd often hire a motorbike - or bring ours from Saigon on the train - and explore up and down the coast, eating local banh xeo, heading up to the sanddunes or visiting the fishing village of Mui Ne. Despite visting so many times over the years it has never lost its charm - and I'm very pleased to say I will be back again in a months time.

Jonny Platt lived in Saigon, Vietnam for two years and is about to head back for more. In the meantime he plays with Vietnam Travel, a guide to exploring Vietnam.

Published on 10/15/08