Mui Ne, Vietnam & Dalat, Vietnam: Top 9 Things to Do and More
Mui Ne and Dalat are must-sees when you’re in southern Vietnam. They are appealing for different reasons. Mui Ne is a beach town that has diverse landscapes. You can go from the ocean to the sand dunes that resemble a desert within 15 minutes.
The one thing that surprised me about Mui Ne was that almost every sign was in Vietnamese and Russian. It appeared that Mui Ne is a popular destination for the Russians.
Dalat is a town that sits atop a mountain so it’s a bit cooler. It is also a relatively cleaner city with little touches that made it a cute destination, like a beautiful lake in its city center and flowers planted in the roundabouts. They’re also known as Vietnam’s wine country. You’ve probably seen Dalat wine if you’ve traveled in Vietnam. A major reason we came here is because Dalat has an airport, where we took a flight to Hanoi in the north of Vietnam.
I fell in love with Mui Ne because of its range of activities to include parasailing and ATV riding on the sand dunes. I wish we stayed longer than the 2 days, 3 nights we had here. I had a similar experience with Dalat and wished we stayed longer than 1 night. Bottom line, you can’t go wrong with spending more time in these two cities.
Accommodations in Mui Ne
What also made us feel connected to Mui Ne was our stay at Mui Ne Hills Hotel, a complex of hotels and a hostel where many fellow backpackers stayed. The restaurant on the complex catered to the younger crowd and they had social events every night. The hotel also books the popular Mui Ne excursions that include the red and white sand dunes, the fish market, and fairy stream. I definitely recommend a stay here, especially if you want a social atmosphere.
Accommodations in Dalat
We booked a cheap hotel called Nguyen Minh Guesthouse for the one night we had here. It exceeded our expectations. The hotel was a family-run business. It was clean and the breakfast was decent; the eggs were prepared well, hot baguettes were served, and homemade banana bread was the highlight. The host even prepared breakfast for us when we showed up past the hours breakfast was served, fully expecting her not to. The host also helped us book a shuttle to the airport. I highly recommend staying here as a budget accommodation.
We used Booking.com for our accommodations – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward! https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87
Top 5 Things to Do in Mui Ne
You can book a package through your hotel or any travel agency that includes the first four things listed below. Pro-Tip: you might be stopped at a police checkpoint on the road to any one of these destinations if you plan to go by scooter, so it’s best to go with an organized tour. Check out our video that captures the first four activities. If you plan on staying for more than one day, you can spend the rest of your time at the beach since the package tour takes one day.
1. Visit the White Sand Dunes
2. Visit the Fish Market
3. Visit the Fairy Stream
4. Visit the Red Sand Dunes
5. Chill at the beach and go parasailing, kite surfing, etc.
Top 4 Things to Do in Dalat
1. See the Crazy House – the Crazy House is just as it sounds. It’s a labyrinth of whimsical rooms, narrow corridors, bridges and balconies, ascending to a rooftop 5 or so stories up. It looks like something from The Hobbit and Harry Potter. You have to pay an entrance fee to get in. I recommend going at sunset so that you can see the setting sun and Dalat skyline from Crazy House’s highest rooftop.
2. Have a drink at the Maze Bar – this place is a must-see for those who like to drink and even those who abstain from it. It’s an unassuming bar at first that demands the purchase of a cocktail as entrance fee. At the back of the bar, you’ll encounter the bar’s hidden gem and what it is known for. There is a massive maze that extends back and up. I still don’t know if we actually reached the end of the maze.
3. Go to the Night Market – the night market is situated in the city center adjacent to the lake. It’s more like a flea market where I assume more locals than tourists buy their clothes. Nonetheless, you’ll find street vendors haggling you for the best price for their fresh strawberries (a Dalat specialty) among other things.
4. Tour the Vineyards and Vietnam’s Wine Country – we didn’t get to do this because we had limited time in Dalat; however, we wish we had visited the vineyards. The vineyards are situated in a bucolic, idyllic setting.
Our Key Takeaways and Tips
I’ll keep our key takeaways and tips sweet and short. If you’re in southern Vietnam, you must visit Mui Ne and Dalat. Also, make sure that you spend the right amount of time in these places, as they each have something special and unique to offer.