Mui Ne, Vietnam: Red Sand Dunes

You haven't tried everything until you have tried sledding down a sand dune! Mui Ne is not only known for its amazing coast line, but also for its rich red sand dunes.

The sand and the water meet for an amazing view

Only a short ride by moped on the only road leading north out of town and you will find the well-known red sand dunes. Once there, it is only seconds until you have an entourage of little boys asking if they can "help" you go sledding.

The entourage

They are cute, and of course, you do need something to sled on, because last time I checked I forgot to bring a plastic sled. They work in teams and will offer to watch your moped, while the others carry the sled to the best location, which happens to be about a mile away!

Once you are there, if you still have any bit of breathe left, they will escort you on a tiny sheet of plastic, your sled, and ask you to hang on to a piece of rope. Before you know it they are behind you and push you down a pretty steep dune.


Note: Keep your mouth shut! Though you would like to scream an excited, "Wheeeee," remember, you are sliding down sand. Sand! And unless you want a mouth full of grit and grime, close the trap!

The kids will stay out there with you until you have had your fill. Frankly, hiking back up that dune a few times was all I needed for my vacation workout.

Wheeeee!

The trekking and sledding was certainly invigorating, and so was the face of the kid who was watching your moped. Now, the entire entourage, even the kid just following you around, wants to be paid. Each would like about $20, which would make your little sand sledding adventure about $200. Don't worry, they are happy with $20 altogether.

As we drove our moped back to the resort, I attempted to brush the sand off of my face, causing a nice exfoliation, bordering on peel. The best thing to do is the outdoor shower. Don't miss your ears... because the sand sure didn't.

Ah yes, the red sand... deeply embedded in every pore of my body!

Then smile, after all, you just rode down a 100 foot sand dune on a tiny sheet of plastic... and survived!

At the bottom of the dune, with a mouthful of sand!

Mui Ne: Where to Stay

If you haven't already booked your hotel, I would very happily suggest Bien Xanh, also known as the Blue Ocean Resort. It is an absolute retreat, with bungalows opening up directly to the ocean. You can watch the fishermen head out at day break and come in with their catch.


They also offer on-site laundry service, which was very convenient, especially when traveling light. Bien Xanh has a beautiful, crystal clear swimming pool with a swim-up bar. Perfect for those lazy afternoons. The breakfast is a full buffet of local fruits, custom-made omelets, tables of side items, and a barrage of fresh juices.

Relaxing in the gorgeous pool and...

reflecting!

There is also a great restaurant located beach side offering great snacks, both American and Vietnamese. So if you are craving that pepperoni pizza, but also want some pho, this is your place. I am starting to sound a bit like an advertisement. But actually, I was just really amazed with the quality and service at the resort.

There were also other resorts within walking distance. So if you want to change it up or meet your fellow tourists, most of the resorts do have nice, moderately priced, restaurants and bars.

Pho please!

Also, watch for the happy hour. In Mui Ne, they do it right with buy-one-get-one-free drinks, 3p.m. - 8p.m. at most lounges.

Mui Ne, Vietnam: Getting Away to the Beach

When you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of busy HCMC, hop a bus and visit Mui Ne Beach, where you will find beautiful blue ocean, red sand dunes, and friendly locals more than happy to show you around.

Enjoying the blue ocean view

Mui Ne is a coastal resort town in the Binh Thuan Province of southeastern Vietnam, located on an arm of the South China Sea. The town is close to the city of Phan Thiết, the home of fish sauce, so be sure to try every varietal of fish they offer. It is fresh and the sauce is incredible!

Colorful boats line the shoreline

By bus, Mui Ne is about six hours from HCMC, making one stop at a fuel station, allow for a quick restroom break, ice cream and cookies. If this won't keep your belly full, you are free to bring your own food and drink on the bus, but be sure to purchase it the night before, as the bus leaves around 6 a.m., before most stores are open.

The bus ride was around $35 per person, round trip. The tickets can be purchased at most travel agencies in HCMC. We simply walked in one near our hotel, and the next day we were off to Mui Ne.

Our bus was equipped with a/c, which was a big plus from those Cambodian bus rides! The seats reclined, but it is close quarters and like many buses, the multi-colored cloth seats end up in the persons lap behind you when you decide to recline, so keep that in mind.

Docking time in Mui Ne

Upon arriving to Mui Ne Beach, the bus will drop you off at a fairly inexpensive hotel with small bungalows and offer you the "lowest rates." If you have not made reservations and need a place, it did look clean and many backpackers decided to stay.

However, don't feel like you need to get roped in to the drop-off hotel. There are many great hotels in Mui Ne, offering beachfront bungalows, and a reasonable rate. So in my opinion, do your research and book online before you get there. You will get a better rate and a better location.

You will notice that there are no cabs in Mui Ne. This is because it is such a laid back beach lifestyle. You can simply flag down someone on a moped and offer them some money. They are more than happy to take you to your hotel. Just be ready to pile all your bags on the moped with you and hold on tight!



If you are interested in renting a moped, ask your driver. It was our experience that for about $10 a day, the driver rented out his personal moped and helmet, no credit card, no deposit, no hassle.

Phuket, Thailand

One of the amazing locations I recently visited was Phuket, Thailand. Phuket is a tiny island, tucked off the coast of Thailand, in the Andaman Sea. It is a lush island with beautiful scenery and amazing views. While in Phuket, you can experience the underwater life first hand, as there are snorkeling and dive tours offered everywhere. If you are not interested in taking the plunge, you can always take a deep sea fishing tour, where you can catch your dinner. If excursions aren't your cup of tea, you can simply lay on the beach and soak up the rays. The locals will be happy to bring you drinks, foods, and even fresh coconut oil for only a small cost.

Patong Beach
Patong Beach is the most popular beach for tourists. This is where you will find narrow streets lined with tiny shops selling everything from clothing, to knock-off purses, to statutes and figurines. Besides Bangkok's night markets, Patong Beach is probably the cheapest place to find your tourist treasures. Don't be surprised if there is no fitting room. It is not uncommon for the proprietor of the store to live in a small area in the back of the store. It is generally acceptable to try on clothes over your swimsuit, and the owner is always eager to make a sale. There is a multitude of figurines and statutes for sale. Most are made out of a black material. I have been told by the Thai salesmen that it is dolphin bone, stone, and wood. However, after careful inspection, I believe it is resin. They are nice statutes, carefully made, and hold up well through the travels.

One of the many shops on Patong

Knock-off Prada handbag

Food
There are countless restaurants along the strip in Patong Beach. I am not sure that one really is better than the other, but we found ourselves frequenting Restaurant No. 42, just off the beach, on several occasions. The people were very friendly and the papaya salad was unrivaled. You will be doing yourself a great injustice if you don't have the papaya salad at least once! We also found a quaint little restaurant that doubles as a parking lot during the day. When evening comes, they start rolling in the cooking area, table, chairs, and fresh fish on ice. Try everything you can, but remember to take your Tums, as Thai food all tends to be a little spicy, even when you order it not spicy.

Amazing Papaya Salad at Restaurant No. 42


Parking lot diner

Bartering
Bartering is a big part of the Thai shopping experience. The prices are marked up because the owner expects you to bargain. Generally, if you offer half the price, you can work out a deal of about 25 - 30% off. Additionally, the more you buy, the cheaper they get. So thinking of buying all of your souvineers at one store and at the same time.

Custom Suits
Thailand is also well-known for it custom made suits. You won't be able to walk down the street without someone insisting that you need a new suit, made by them of course. If you are in the market for suits, go with a plan. Take either a suit that you already own, or a picture of the exact suit you want. If not, you will have to pick from catalouges of patterns or mens magazines that are very old and out dated. Additionally, I would suggest that you do not attempt to design your own suit or dress, unless of course this is your profession. I attempted to design a simple dress and it was a dress disaster. The dress was way too short, so small that I could not zip it, and overall unattractive. I would not choose Narry's Tailors (aka Baaz). Though they boast a world wide reputation in the suit industry, we received poor service and poor quality, at a price that was far above the other local tailors. Beware of Narry's!

Second fitting for a custom suit

Mai Khao Beach
If you are looking for a more secluded and less touristy beach, try staying at the JW Marriott. This is an amazing hotel with impeccable service. It is located on the private Mai Khao Beach with pristine white sand beaches. The JW is one of the only 5-star hotels on the island, and you can tell. The staff takes care of your every need and then some... from the bathroom towels folded as an elephant, to the walkie talkies they use to make sure all the pool-goers drinks are full. The rooms are very large and beautifully decorated and even include an area for meditation. They have 10 restaurants and bars, as well as an on-site spa. This hotel runs about 3-4 times the amount of staying at a small hotel in Patong, but if you are looking for a peaceful and relaxing stay, it is well worth it.

Remarkable JW Marriott Pool


Beautiful private white sand beach

Pi Pi Island
While in Phuket, I would definitely recommend visiting Pi Pi Island. It is a short day trip, that offers you the opportunity to enjoy about an hour jet boat ride. Once there, you can explore Pi Pi Island (where The Island was filmed). Pi Pi Island actually consists of two islands, however most tours only go to Pi Pi Don, the larger of the two. If you like rock climbing, considering an extended stay at Pi Pi, because I hear the climbing is off the charts. Pi Pi Island was struck by the devastation of the tsunami but is mostly rebuilt to its original beauty. So keep in mind that visiting there also helps the locals with restoration.

Most tours offer a lunch included in the package. Our lunch was fantastic! On the way back to Phuket, you can stop at other small islands for a drink or just some time in the sun. Our tour guide took us by the area where bird's nests are cultivated for bird's nest soup. It was an amazing trip, but remember to take any medicine you may need, as there were no 7-Elevens on this trip. Our tour, including lunch, was about $30 a person. Tickets can be purchased at the kiosks along the beach for a cheaper rate. The tour lasted from 8am to 3pm.

The view from Pi Pi Island


All the tour boats


Bird's nest soup caves