Located along the South Central Coast, Mui Ne is one of the most stunning coastal destinations in Vietnam. A tiny Sahara desert with rolling red and white dunes, a blue ocean with long white beaches, luxury resorts with a bustling nightlife, and a variety of fresh seafood are waiting for you when you get to Mui Ne. Therefore, it’s worthy addition to your journey throughout Vietnam.
With 209 kilometers between Saigon and Mui Ne, there are multiple transportation options to get to your destination. Choose a sleeper bus, private car, train, or motorbike. Each of these options gives you different comfort, price, and experiences. I compiled a comprehensive guide highlighting the pros and cons of these transportation options in this article. Keep reading and choose which transportation suits you the most.
Sleeper/Seated Bus and Minibus
Sleeper and Seated Bus
Buses depart at all hours of the day, so it’s convenient to choose a departure time that best works for you. It takes five hours to get from Saigon to Mui Ne. Because of the long ride, the bus usually stops at a rest stop where you can have a meal, take a break, or use the restroom. There are two types of bus: sleeper bus and seated bus.
Vietnam is a long country stretching 3,260 kilometers, so it takes many hours to get to city to city. Therefore, sleeper buses are common in Vietnam. These buses have two floors and 40 beds. The passengers can rest, sleep, and have room to relax. However, these buses are designed for the Vietnamese, so the length of the bed is around 1.6 meters or 5.2 feet in height. If you are a tall and big Westerner, you may not be able to stretch out completely. The ticket price is around 6 USD.
A seated bus usually has 45 seats. Because it takes five hours to get to Mui Ne, it’s still acceptable to take this type of bus. The ticket price for a seated bus is cheaper than for sleeper buses. However, it is not as comfortable. It costs around 5 USD per ticket.
There are also two types of bus regarding the budget and purpose: open bus and high quality bus.
Open Bus
If you have a low budget and plan to travel throughout Vietnam from the South to the North by bus only, the open bus is a good option for you. When you buy an open ticket, you can choose many destinations. There are bus stations at big cities, so you can explore these cities and continue going to other cities only with one ticket.
The open bus is mainly for foreigner tourists, so you won’t see many local people there. However, it’s good to make friends on your long bus rides, as you will most likely continue to see these new friends along your Vietnam journey.
Pro Tip: If you buy an open ticket, you will save more money than only going to one or a few cities.
Kim Tours
Address: 38 Bui Vien street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone Number: +84 942 006 888
Website: Sleeper Bus Vietnam
TheSinh Tourist
Address: 246 – 248 De Tham street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone Number: +84 28 38367338
Website: TheSinh Tourist
High Quality Bus
The interior of a high quality bus is similar to the open bus, but the service is better. There are individual wet wipes and a bottle of water for each passenger. The staff is professional and takes care of the passengers.
Futabus
Address: 272 De Tham street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Eastern Bus Station, 292 Dinh Bo Linh street, ward 26, Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone Number: 1900 6067
Website: Futabus
Kumho Samco
Address: Eastern Bus Station, 292 Dinh Bo Linh street, ward 26, Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone Number: +84 28 35 112 112
Website: Kumho Samco
Minibus
The minibus is a new transportation launched recently. There are two types of minibus: five seats or nine seats. The minibus is well designed with a luxury interior, spacious and comfortable seats, a telephone charger socket for each seat, television, wifi, and a spacious luggage compartment. Due to having fewer passengers, travelers will be more comfortable than in a big bus. The minibuses also have pick up and drop off service at Tan Son Nhat airport which is a major plus.
Thinh Phat Limousine
Address: 99 Nguyen Xi street, Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone Number: 19006681
Private Car
Going by private car makes your trip more flexible. You can ask the driver to stop along the road if you want to take a photo, sightsee, or take a break. Pick up from the airport and drop off at your hotel in Mui Ne are available too. If you travel with your family or with a big group, a private car is also a good option. It is more private and comfortable for your group than other transportation options.
However, sitting down for five hours may make you tired as you can’t relax like in a sleeper bus. The price is way more expensive than public transportation, which is around 80 USD to 100 USD for a car with four to sixteen seats. You should ask for an English speaking driver. Even though the driver’s English may be basic, it helps a lot on your way.
Vietnam Budget Car Rental
Address: 117 -119 Ly Chinh Thang street, district 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone Number: +84 98 803 83 01
Email: support@vietnamtrustcarrental.com
Website: Vietnam Budget Car Rental
Chau Au Luxury
Address: 22 D3 Dinh Bo Linh street, ward 26, Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone Number: +84 28 3511 4471
Email: chauauluxury@gmail.com
Website: Chau Au Luxury
Train and Transit to Mui Ne
The train starts in northern Vietnam and ends in Saigon, so tourists can easily travel through Vietnam by train. There are four types of train ticket, including hard seat, soft seat, a room with four beds, and a room with six beds. The ticket price increases in succession. The more modern or normal train also has different prices. Go to this website to find the train which fits your budget and comfort. Remember to look for Binh Thuan and Phan Thiet stations that service Mui Ne.
Binh Thuan station is 42 kilometers away from Mui Ne. Many trains riding through the whole of Vietnam stop at this station because it is the main station. Depending on the train you choose, it takes from three and a half hours to four hours to get to Mui Ne. From Binh Thuan station, you need to find a taxi to reach Mui Ne and the price is around 550,000 VND.
Phan Thiet station is 30 kilometers away from Mui Ne, making it the more local station. There is only one local train operating to this station, SPT, which starts in Saigon and stops in Phan Thiet. The train takes three hours and 50 minutes for the whole route. After getting off the train, you can take bus number nine to get to Mui Ne. The bus starts at 5:30 AM and ends at 6 PM, and the ticket price is 35,000 VND per person. Besides the bus, taxi is another transportation option from the station, and it costs around 350,000 VND.
Motorbike along the Coastal Road
Are you an adventurous traveler and devoted to making a motorbike trip around Vietnam? This sounds cool! Start right away with your trip to Mui Ne. Make sure you have experience riding a motorbike before you start your journey. It may not be as comfortable as sitting in a car or bus, but the experience on the road is a journey you will never forget. Read my article a comprehensive guide to buying and renting motorbikes in Saigon to prepare and start the trip with your Vietnam motorbike.
There are two routes that you can choose to make your motorbike trip from Saigon to Mui Ne.
Route 1:
- Go straight ahead via National Route 1A and arrive at Phan Thiet city.
- Make a right turn and ride for 10 kilometers to get to Mui Ne.
Route 2:
- Ride to Cat Lai Ferry, get on the ferry to reach Dong Nai province.
- Ride to Long Thanh district and Ba Ria town.
- Ride to Ho Tram via Loc An. There is a roundabout with clear signs. Note that Loc An is the last place you will find gasoline. The next gas station is about 60 kilometers away.
- Ride along the coastal road, and you will pass Ho Tram, Binh Chau Hot Spring, and Binh Chau National Park.
- Arrive at La Gi town. Continue riding along the coastal road to Da Mom Chim and Ke Ga.
- Go straight ahead to Phan Thiet city and make a turn to Mui Ne.
Route 1 is easy to ride, you literally only follow one road, National Route 1A, for most of the time, and do not make many turns. However, this road is crowded with big vehicles and covered with dust. The scene along the road is mainly the same and you won’t find many beautiful landscapes.
Route 2 is 40 kilometers longer and more complicated than route 1. However, you will ride along the coastal road, one of the most beautiful roads in Vietnam. Some parts of the route are under two rows of green trees, some sections have the mountain on one side and the sea on the other side. The road is quiet and doesn’t have many vehicles. Therefore, you can breathe the fresh air, enjoy the beautiful landscape, and have the coolest experience along this route.
Now know the best ways to get from Saigon to Mui Ne. Find out more interesting things about Mui Ne by reading our articles and get ready for your trip to this beautiful coastal city.