Mũi Né

VIETNAM'S HID DEN GEM

Home to one of Vietnam’s most family-friendly resorts, this under the radar destination is the perfect choice for savvy holidaymakers

Opening image: Vietnamese lady with Ao Dai Vietnam traditional dress

TRADITIONAL

LIFE IN VIETNAM

Chances are you haven’t heard of Mui Ne, but that’s part of its charm. Around three to four hours’ drive east of Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon) and 20 minutes’ from the city of Phan in the country’s south, the resort town has gorgeous beaches and offers an authentic glimpse into traditional life in Vietnam. Rise early to see fishermen unloading their morning catch at the bustling harbourfront markets, before they settle in for a game of cards. The area is known for its basket-like round fishing boats, called Thung Chai, which became popular in a bid to avoid taxes on boats. Feast on grilled prawns, fish, clams, lobsters and crabs they’ve hauled in on the terrace of a seafood restaurant, before going for a dip at the palm-tree lined beach, or engage in a more active pursuit like kite boarding, wind surfing or jet-skiing.

Images: Fishing boats in marina at Phat Thiet, Vietnamese woman in conical hat, Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne

Just a few kilometres west of Mui Ne on Bai Nai Hill, the ruins known as Po Sah Inu Towers have been compared to Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat. Built by the Cham people in the 8th century, the relics are a legacy of the Kingdom of Champa, an ancient Indochinese culture that was once prominent throughout the region.

Mui Ne is also known for its red and white sand dunes — one of the few desert landscapes in Asia — which are a popular place to go sandboarding and quad biking. You can book tours to visit the dunes, as well as the pretty Fairy Stream, which winds its way through the impressive clay and limestone rock formations in an area known as the Red Canyon. Take your shoes off and wade through the ankle-deep water until you reach the small waterfall at the end, before returning and grabbing a drink and a snack from one of the vendors who have set up shop there.

Images: Hiking the Red Canyon, Quad biking on the sand dunes, Po Sah Inu Towers, Kite boarding

MUI NE

ATTRACTIONS

Images: Race down the waterslides at Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne, Foosball fun in the E-Zone, Duckpin Bowling, An aerial view of Centara Mirage Resort, Kiddie heaven, A two-bedroom villa at Centara Mirage Resort

WHERE

TO STAY

With an awesome water park with racing slides coming out of the side of a sailing ship, a huge tiered pool, lazy rivers, playgrounds and ziplines, Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne is the ultimate family-friendly resort. Built into the hillside, the beachfront property has 984 rooms, including pool access rooms, one and two-bedroom pool villas and two and three-bedroom residences, set amidst tropical gardens, with a theme of ‘Explorer’s Playground’. Dine at Jack Sparrow’s Cocina tuk tuk food truck or Long John Silver’s Cocina, sip a cocktail at the Fantasia Pool Bar or watch the sunset while listening to Spanish acoustic music at the El Salon Bar. You can also dine on local and western dishes at the buffet-style Mundo Restaurant, and Thai cuisine at Centara’s signature Suan Bua Restaurant. There’s also a café on the ground floor of the Observation Tower, while guests staying in higher room categories have the opportunity to convene in the Familia Lounge, which offers breakfast and snacks throughout the day.

The whole family can get into the fun at the Ezone and bowling alley, before indulging in a spot of karaoke. Plus there’s Spa Cenvaree, where you can indulge in Thai massages, foot massages, body scrubs, wraps, masks, facials and nail treatments.

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