Mui Ne Sand Dunes - Explore the enchanting desert in the middle of the coastal city

Mui Ne Sand Dunes - also known as Flying Sand Hill, Red Sand Hill, Pink Hill - is one of the prominent destinations in Binh Thuan. The vast stretches of sand with rich colors and shapes not only create a spectacular landscape, but are also an ideal destination for exploration and adventure sports activities.

1. Mui Ne Sand Dunes - Romantic sunny and windy desert

Binh Thuan has many large sand dunes in the coastal areas of Phan Thiet city, Ham Thuan Nam district and La Gi district. The most prominent of these are the White Sand Dunes (Bau Trang) and Mui Ne Sand Dunes (Red Sand Dunes/Pink Sand Dunes/Flying Sand Dunes), each with its own unique characteristics and beauty:

• White Sand Dunes (Bau Trang): Located about 60km - 65km from the center of Phan Thiet, it stands out with its vast, pristine white sand dunes, so it is called a "mini desert". This place has two fresh water lakes Bau Ong - Bau Ba, which are cool and famous for activities such as driving ATVs and Jeeps to conquer sand dunes.

To explore the attractions of White Sand Hill, please see more in the article: White Sand Dunes (Bau Trang): Discovery Experience from A to Z

• Mui Ne Sand Dunes (Flying Sand Dunes/Pink Dunes/Red Sand Dunes): This is the destination mentioned in this article. Mui Ne Sand Dunes are located closer to the city center, impressive with their characteristic red-orange, pink-yellow colors and ability to constantly change shape.

Unique color of sand at Mui Ne Sand Dunes - Source: Internet

Geographical location of Mui Ne Sand Dunes:

Flying Sand Hill is located at DT716, Mui Ne ward, Phan Thiet city, a very convenient location to access:

• About 25 km to the East of Phan Thiet city center
• Only about 15 minutes drive from Mui Ne tourist center (resort area on Nguyen Dinh Chieu street)
• About 5 minutes drive from Hon Rom tourist area

Highlights of Mui Ne Sand Dunes (Flying Sand Dunes/Pink Sand Dunes/Red Sand Dunes):

• Various shapes: The shape of the sand dunes is never fixed. The sea breeze blows day and night, causing the sand slopes and sand patterns to constantly change, creating soft, curving lines that are always new every day, even every hour.
• Unique colors: The color of the sand here can change shades depending on the sunlight. When the sun is not too strong, the sand shines a brilliant yellow or orange. When the sun is high or at dusk, the entire sand hill turns a charming pink-red.
• Impressive view: Mui Ne Sand Dunes are located right next to the coast. From the top of the hill, you can observe the vast space of the sand dunes and the vast ocean, providing many impressive views.

The sand dunes constantly change shape depending on the wind - Source: Internet

Sunlight reflects on the sand in a magical orange-red color - Source: Internet 

The beautiful scenery of the harmony between the blue of the sea and the bright orange of the sand dunes - Source: Internet

Each layer of beautiful sand grain creates a vivid work of art - Source: Internet

Dawn is one of the most beautiful moments at Mui Ne Sand Dunes, when the sun gradually rises over the winding sand dunes.

2. Directions to Mui Ne sand dunes

Instructions for traveling from other provinces to Mui Ne

Mui Ne is about 200km from Ho Chi Minh City and about 1.500km from Hanoi. You can choose from many forms of transportation.

From Ho Chi Minh City and Southern provinces:

From Hanoi and Northern provinces:

The fastest and most convenient way to travel is book flight tickets to Tan Son Nhat airport (Ho Chi Minh City), then continue your journey by road to Mui Ne. For more information, please visit the website Book flights to Ho Chi Minh City from only 871,000 VND ($33.32) at Vietnam Airlines.

Directions from Phan Thiet city center to Mui Ne Sand Dunes

Once in the Phan Thiet area, getting to Mui Ne Sand Dunes is simple:

Note:

Many tourists often take overnight buses or limousines to save time. The buses usually arrive in Phan Thiet around 4:00 - 4:30 in the morning, before check-in time at hotel, resort.

To avoid long waiting, you can book a Jeep tour to see the sunrise at Mui Ne Sand Dunes right after getting off the bus. You can leave your luggage at the waiting point or ask the tour operator for support. After watching the sunrise and having fun at the sand dunes, you should have breakfast on the way back before checking in.

3. 4+ Exciting activities at Mui Ne sand dunes

Mui Ne Sand Dunes not only possess unique landscapes but also offer you many exciting activities and experiences.

Sandboarding

For only 20,000 - 30,000 VND ($0.77 - $1.15), you can rent a skateboard from the locals and freely try to conquer the gentle slopes or the high sand dunes. Each slide is an exciting experience, very suitable for groups of young, energetic people who love thrills.

Exciting sand sliding activity at Mui Ne Sand Dunes - Source: Internet

The exciting sand sliding activity helps visitors immerse themselves in nature in a completely new way - Source: Internet

This activity is attractive to both adults and children - Source: Internet

Jeep tour to visit sand dunes

Mui Ne Sand Dunes is a popular stop on Jeep tours to explore Mui Ne, especially sunset tours. Taking a tour is a convenient way to get to the sand dunes and combine visiting other tourist attractions such as Fairy Stream, Mui Ne Fishing Village, Bau Trang, etc. and take photos with colorful Jeeps.

Tours usually last 4 - 5 hours with flexible times for visitors to choose from, usually including time frames: from 4:30 am - 8:30 am, from 9:00 am - 0:00 pm and from 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm.

If you are traveling in a large group (4 - 6 people) or want to take photos with stylish cars, registering for a Jeep tour is a great choice.

Mui Ne Sand Dunes is a familiar stop on tours to explore Mui Ne by Jeep - Source: Internet

Off-road driving to the top of the hill

There are services to rent ATVs (4-wheeled motorbikes) or Jeeps to drive up the sand dunes to experience high speed and thrills.

Although ATV or Jeep rental services here are not as abundant as in Bau Trang area, Doi Cat Bay still offers a unique experience for those who want to conquer the red "little desert".

Note: The vehicles move quite fast and are bumpy. If you want to record video or take photos while moving, hold on tight and keep the device steady.

You can rent an ATV to freely explore and enjoy the excitement on each sand dune – Source: Internet

A photo full of personality on a powerful ATV, creating a cool moment amidst the vast sand dunes - Source: Internet

This thrilling game is a highlight not to be missed for those who love exploration - Source: Internet

Strolling along the beach, sightseeing

You can try the feeling of walking barefoot on the soft sand, feeling the change in temperature of the sand under your feet will be a very relaxing experience. In addition, do not forget to climb the high hills, look far away to admire the beautiful contrast between the "little desert" of red sand and the vast blue sea nearby.

The sunset scene dyes the whole space red, creating an unforgettable visual impression - Source: Internet

From the towering sand dunes, looking out into the distance is a breathtaking scene that makes everyone admire. - Source: Internet

The sand dunes curve like calm waves, taking you into a wild yet captivating landscape – Source: Internet

Take photos

With unique red-orange, pink-yellow sand dunes, combined with blue sky and vast sea, Mui Ne Sand Dunes offers the perfect setting for you to work with your camera lens. The sun, wind and sand here are so beautiful that you almost don't need to edit your photos much, just prepare outstanding outfits and freely pose, you will have impressive photos like you are in Morocco or Dubai.

Note:

• The ideal time frame to take beautiful photos is around 6:00 - 8:00 in the morning and 4:00 - 6:00 in the afternoon. At this time the sun is not too harsh, which will help your photo color look better.
• If you want to add a pop of color to your photo, you can wear a long dress, a veil, sunglasses, or choose accessories in bright colors to contrast with the sand background.

The vast golden sand hills are a great virtual living corner for tourists - Source: Internet

The wild and romantic scenery becomes a great photo shoot location for many couples - Source: Internet

Sunlight reflects on each sand dune, creating enchanting color variations - Source: Internet

4. 10+ Things to know when going to Mui Ne sand dunes

To make your trip to explore Mui Ne Sand Dunes more memorable, don't forget the useful experiences below:

Ideal time to visit

Seasonal timing:

With a hot and dry climate and little affected by the Northeast monsoon, you can visit Mui Ne Sand Dunes at any time of the year:

• April - May: These are the hottest months of the year. If you go during this time, you should prioritize visiting during early morning or late afternoon
• June - August: This time of year is beautiful, with clear skies, golden sunshine, and blue sea. It is considered the ideal time to travel to Mui Ne in general and the sand dunes in particular.
• September - December: The rainy season can affect the fun and photography activities. However, you can still visit this place.
• December - February of the following year: Mui Ne weather is quite cool, pleasant, less harsh sunlight, sand temperature is not too hot, very ideal to visit.

According to experienced people, from April to August, the clear sky is extremely suitable for sand sliding and taking pictures. Therefore, many tourists choose this time to come to Mui Ne Sand Dunes.

Time of day:

Early morning or late afternoon is the ideal time to fully enjoy the beauty of this place. At this time, the sunlight is not too harsh, and the color of the sand is more magical.

Dawn or dusk is a great time to admire the beauty of the sand dunes - Source: Internet

Reference costs at Mui Ne Sand Dunes

Admission: Visiting the Mui Ne Sand Dunes area (Flying Sand Dunes/Pink Sand Dunes/Red Sand Dunes) is currently completely free.

Other services:

• Sandboard rental: 20,000 - 30,000 VND ($0.77 - $1.15)/sheet, can slide many times
• ATV Rental: From 300,000 VND ($11.48)/trip/2 people
• Jeep with driver and up to the top of the sand hill: 500,000 - 800,000 VND ($19.13 - $30.60)/car for 2 - 6 people
• Jeep Tour: From about 500,000 VND ($19.13)/private car for a group of 2 - 6 people. This tour combines visiting many places such as Bau Trang, Doi Cat Bay, Lang Chai, Suoi Tien in about 4 - 5 hours
• Photoshoot costume rental: Some places may have rental services for nomadic style costumes, maxi dresses, etc. for around 150,000 - 200,000 VND ($5.74 - $7.65)/set.
• Food and drinks:Small stalls at the foot of the hill sell refreshments (fresh coconut, soft drinks), snacks (hot tofu, specialty cakes) at affordable prices, from only 10,000 VND ($0.38)/portion.

Prepare clothes and supplies

Clothes: You should choose comfortable, sweat-absorbent clothes. To have beautiful photos, you can wear bright, outstanding colors or flowing, flowing dresses.

Footwear: Wear slippers or sandals that are easy to remove.

Sun protection items: Bring sunscreen with a high SPF, along with sunglasses, a hat or a wide-brimmed cap to protect your skin and avoid harsh sunlight.

Other items:

• Drinks and snacks if you plan to stay long
• Tissues, wet wipes
• You can bring other clean clothes to change after playing (there is a simple changing area at the foot of the hill)

Some other helpful tips:

• Keep your phone and camera safe, Avoid changing camera lenses in the middle of sand dunes to avoid sand blowing in and damaging the device.
• Prepare cash with small denominations to conveniently pay for skateboard rentals, drinks, etc.
• Keep clean,Do not litter to protect the common landscape
• If you go on a Jeep tour, you should sit tight and hold on tight because the car moves quite fast and can be bumpy on some roads
• You can visit small cafes at the foot of the hill to rest, drink a cool glass of coconut water or enjoy a hot bowl of tofu.

You can choose brightly colored outfits, under the sunlight and golden sand, the photo will stand out even more - Source: Internet

6. Suggested tour schedule combined with Mui Ne sand dunes

Mui Ne Sand Dunes (Flying Sand Dunes/Pink Sand Dunes/Red Sand Dunes) are conveniently located, making it easy to combine a visit to other nearby attractions in one session or one day. You can refer to the following suggested itinerary:

Itinerary 1 - Sunset Tour

This is the most popular choice to fully enjoy the beauty of the sand dunes at sunset and explore the surrounding areas.

Departure time: Around 13:30 pm

Itinerary 2 - Early Sunrise Tour

This tour focuses on visiting Bau, combined with stopping by Mui Ne Sand Dunes on the way back.

Departure time: Approx. 4:30 am

With magical colors and shapes, along with exciting activities such as sandboarding, Jeep riding, Mui Ne Sand Dunes is a highlight not to be missed in the journey to explore Binh Thuan.

In addition, this sunny and windy land also contains many other interesting things waiting for you to discover, from clear blue beaches, magical Suoi Tien, peaceful Mui Ne fishing village, to majestic Ta Cu mountains and forests, etc. To plan your trip in more detail and not miss any attractive destinations, please refer to the following article:

• A - Z About Binh Thuan Tourism: Experience, Schedule, Places to Eat and Play 2025
• TOP 11 most beautiful beaches in Phan Thiet, enjoy the summer
• Mui Ne Beach - Blue Sea Travel Guide 2025 from A to Z
• Phan Thiet Sunset Slope - The hottest "trendy" spot in Dali!
• Phan Thiet Market: A bustling central market, full of seafood products