Explore Bau Trang White Sand Dunes In Mui Ne Vietnam

Known as the “Little Sahara Desert” in Mui Ne Vietnam, Bau Trang is one of the only desert areas in Southeast Asia and has picturesque scenery of dunes and sand.

We had an excellent opportunity to visit this breathtaking landmark as our getaway from Ho Chi Minh city, and here is what you need to know before visiting Bau Trang sand dunes. 

Best time to visit Bau Trang

Mui Ne has a tropical climate, sunny and windy year-round, and summer is the best time to visit Bau Trang.

Visiting Mui Ne – Phan Thiet in the summer, you can enjoy the sunshine and the wind of this tropical land. Also, summer is when the lotus blooms, so the lake is pink, creating beautiful scenery.

The best time to visit Bau Trang is from early morning and late afternoon. For example:

• 5 am to 7 am
• 4 pm to 6 pm

Best places to stay in Mui Ne

We recommend staying in Ham Tien, Mui Ne as most of the nightlife activities are in this area.

We love our stay at Mui Ne Hills Bliss Hotel. Located on top of a 300 m high hill, this hotel features an outdoor pool, a gym, a restaurant, and a bar. The room is spacious, and the view is pretty and very relaxing. There are many food options and drink deals to fit all budgets.

We could also enjoy other facilities at Mui Ne Hills Backpacker, also in the same area. 

Notes: If you visit Mui Ne on weekends or holidays, you should book your rooms early to avoid rooms running out or increasing in prices. 

Things to do at Bau Trang Mui Ne

1. Experience the Jeep ride

One of the most popular services at Bau Trang is Jeep car. Because of the sandy terrain, Jeeps are an ideal choice for travelers. 

We loved watching the Jeep cars running up and down the dunes. It looked so incredible, just like in the Mad Max movie! 

2. Try the terrain bikes

Off-road motorcycles are great games for thrill-seekers.

Sitting on a terrain motorbike, crossing the vast sandy hills, you will feel the heat of Bau Trang sand dunes, enjoy the rare breeze and immerse in the natural space.

At first, the guide will show you how to control the “giant machines” to increase the throttle and brake so you won’t encounter unintended incidents.

The guide will select fairly flat locations during the test drive to help you familiarize yourself with the vehicle first. After that, you can conquer the area on your own.

Tips for terrain bikes

• If you have any questions during your test drive, ask immediately to avoid unexpected situations you can not handle.
• Do not drive too far or accelerate too fast. 
• You should ride a terrain bike alone, rather than carrying more people. It’s because terrain motorcycles are quite unfamiliar, and sandy terrain is quite difficult to drive.

3. Walk up the sand dunes

If you love challenging yourself and enjoying the vast scenery at a slow pace, walking up the dunes is an excellent experience. 

4. Wander along the lake

In the middle of Bau Trang is a beautiful lotus lake named Bau Sen.

After watching the sunrise on the top of the white dunes, we followed the track and walked to the lake. 

You can also rent a boat here. When the colorful lotus is blooming in the summer, it is also a time for visitors to go sailing in the middle of the lake and enjoy the romantic scenery.

After walking around the sandhill, you can rent a small boat, paddle out in the middle of the lake, admire the beauty, and enjoy cool breezes at the lake.

How to get to White sand dunes

Location

Bau Trang is about 65 km northeast of the center of Phan Thiet city. It’s located in Hong Lam hamlet, Hoa Thang commune, Bac Binh district, Binh Thuan province. 

How to get to Bau Trang

Getting to Mui Ne

For those who come from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, you have to get to Mui Ne or Phan Thiet first, then travel to Bau Trang. 

• You can take buses or trains to travel from Ho Chi Minh to Mui Ne. The travel time is approximately 5 hours.
• From Hanoi, we recommend flying from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi to Nha Trang, then take a bus to Mui Ne. 
• If you’re in Nha Trang, this one-day Mui Ne tour is an excellent way to explore Bau Trang and other landmarks in Mui Ne. 

Getting to Bau Trang

Because of its location, visitors often join tours to visit Bau Trang easily. However, if you’d like to travel to Bau Trang on your own, you can refer to one of two routes:

• From Hon Rom, you ride along the road to Mui Ne, through Mui Ne market to Hong Hill, and continue along the beach to Bau Trang. It takes about an hour to drive from Mui Ne to Bau Trang.
• From Phan Thiet city, you go along Highway 1A to Luong Son town. You’ll see a T-section, turn right and drive about 18km to reach Bau Trang.
  This 18km route is considered one of the most beautiful passes in Vietnam. You can enjoy the unique scenery with coconut trees, white sandy beaches, and clear blue sky.

Tips for visiting Bau Trang

• Bau Trang is like a small desert, and there are very few shops around. Therefore, you should pack some snacks and water.
• The water level of the lotus pond is very deep, so don’t swim!
• Because it can get very hot after 8 am, you should choose long-sleeved clothes, bring sunglasses and suncream.
• In addition to visiting the white sand dunes, you can combine your trip with Doi Hong, a famous and beautiful place near Bau Trang.