Buzz
This season of youth demands a trip to Phan Thiet - Phan Rang for 4 nights and 3 days with your closest friends. Explore the detailed itinerary below.
Experience the wonders of Phan Thiet - Phan Rang with a budget-friendly package of only 4.5 million dong per person.
When is the Best Time to Visit?
- For Phan Thiet, consider visiting between December and February, or June and July for cooler weather. April and May tend to be hotter.
- For Ninh Thuan, opt for the dry season from December to August. September to November brings rainy weather.
Transportation?
Since neither of these provinces has an airport, the journey involves multiple modes of transportation. The itinerary is as follows:
- Fly from Hanoi to Saigon, take a coach from Saigon to Mui Ne, another coach from Mui Ne to Ninh Thuan, yet another coach from Ninh Thuan to Nha Trang, and finally, fly from Nha Trang back to Hanoi.
- Book round-trip flights from Hanoi to Saigon and Nha Trang to Hanoi with Bamboo Airways for 790K dong. We land at Tan Son Nhat Airport at 8 a.m. and take a taxi to 273 Pham Ngu Lao Street (about 7km from the airport) to catch the coach to Mui Ne.
- Travel from Saigon to Mui Ne (approximately 200km): Hạnh Cafe coach service, priced at 120K dong per person for a sleeper berth. Departure is from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It's advisable to book a hotel along Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street for convenience as the coach passes through this area. This coach service is quite reliable.
- Travel from Mui Ne to Ninh Thuan (approximately 130km): Hạnh Cafe coach service, priced at 130K dong per person for a sleeper berth. Departure is from 1 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. As this is still part of the Saigon - Nha Trang route, it's recommended to purchase tickets in advance (payment in advance) to secure a seat. Note that the coach only drops you off at the intersection, so you'll need to take a taxi to your hotel.
- Travel from Ninh Thuan to Nha Trang Airport (approximately 100km): We took a 16-seater van from Đức Lộc, priced at 80K dong per person with hotel drop-off, taking about 1.5 hours. This van operates every hour, which is convenient, but only stops at the Mỹ Ka intersection (Cam Ranh), so we had to take a 200K dong taxi from there to the airport. Phone number: 0902525009.
Where to Stay?
- Mui Ne: It's advisable to book accommodation along Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, preferably a beachfront hotel. We booked at two places:
Meraki Oasis Hotel (150 Nguyen Dinh Chieu): The hottest hotel in Mui Ne among Instagrammers. Fully equipped rooms, sea view, beautiful swimming pool, and surroundings decorated in Santorini style for endless photo opportunities. Deluxe Twin room rate - 780K dong for 2 persons per night.
Rạng Garden Beach Side (128A Nguyen Dinh Chieu): This hotel features a swimming pool, sea view, and a reasonable rate of 532K dong for 4 persons per night. Since we stayed only from evening till night, it seemed quite decent.
- Phan Rang: Phu Quynh Hotel (186 Ngo Gia Tu), centrally located, about 500m from the night market, very convenient. Rate: 350K dong for 4 persons per night.
What Fun Activities to Do?
Here's our 4-day, 3-night itinerary for exploring Phan Thiet - Phan Rang:
DAY 1: HANOI – SAIGON – MUI NE
- Fly from Hanoi to Saigon from 6-8 a.m., then catch a coach from Saigon to Mui Ne, arriving at the hotel around 2:30 p.m. Since there's been quite a bit of traveling, we spent the afternoon and evening around the hotel, taking Instagram-worthy photos and relaxing.
DAY 2: WHITE SAND DUNES – COASTAL ROAD – GOLDEN STREAM CARRIAGES – FISHING VILLAGE – ONG DIA ROCKS
On Day 2, we booked a tour to visit various attractions in Mui Ne. Note: it's best to go in the morning for a cooler experience. Early morning on the sand dunes is particularly enjoyable.
- Depart at 5 a.m. from the hotel to the White Sand Dunes. At the dunes, we rented a yellow Jeep for 800K dong for 4 people to drive around the sand hills. Here, you can enjoy sandboarding and take photos.
- Next, we continued on to the most beautiful coastal road in Vietnam and encountered the miraculous yellow water-selling carts. Finally, we passed through a fishing village to admire it from above, wrapping up the journey around 10 a.m.
- We rested and took photos in the afternoon, then checked into another hotel for a nap. In the evening, we headed to Ong Dia Rocks (about 6km away). Here, we enjoyed delicious coconut ice cream and relaxed in the breeze.
DAY 3: VINEYARDS – HANG RAI – VINH HY – DONG CUU – WINDMILL FIELDS
On Day 3, we booked a taxi (priced at 900K dong) to visit all the destinations from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Just follow our route, it's very convenient. Contact Mr. Trung at 0817578022.
- Thai An Vineyards: In the Thai An area, there are many vineyards, but you must visit the Thai An Vineyard to truly immerse yourself in the experience. There's no entrance fee here, you only pay for the grapes. You can buy fresh or dried grapes as gifts for friends and family. The grape juice is also delicious. The owner is very hospitable and always happy to take photos with guests.
- Hang Rai: This place is like a miniature version of Quy Nhon, quite beautiful, perfect for taking photos. You need to buy a 20K dong ticket for the electric car.
- Vinh Hy: Here, we privately booked a boat for a sea excursion. Sharing a boat costs 70K dong per person but depends on each other. On the boat trip, you can visit Út Thành's seafood house for fresh and delicious seafood. After lunch, relax and change into swimwear for beach fun.
- Binh Tien Coastal Road: From Vinh Hy Bay to Dong Cuu, our driver took us along this beautiful coastal road, offering stunning photo opportunities from high vantage points.
- Dong Cuu Suoi Tien: Entrance fee is 30K dong per person, perfect for photography enthusiasts. It's best to visit in the late afternoon after 4 p.m. to see the shepherds bringing the sheep back.
- Dam Nai Windmill Fields: It's my first time seeing windmill fields, surrounded by lush green rice fields and fresh air. The windmill fields are divided into two sides, one with rice fields and the other with forests. If you prefer capturing the green rice fields, follow our route, but if you want a deeper brown tone, like many others, head towards the forest side.
DAY 4: SALT FIELDS – RETURN TO HANOI
- On the last day, we planned to visit Dam Vua Salt Fields (10km from the center). People often review the Ca Na Salt Fields, which are about 40km away, quite far. But that day, we ended up bargaining with the driver, and the price was 250K for round trip. However, when we reached Dam Vua Salt Fields, they were closed. We tried to visit Phuong Cuu Salt Fields nearby but couldn't get in either. In the end, we paid 300K just to see the salt fields from a distance. Since the COVID pandemic, they don't allow entry anymore, so make sure to research thoroughly before going.
- We went to eat around the city center, then around 2 p.m., we headed to Nha Trang Airport to return, concluding our trip.
WHERE TO EAT DELICIOUS AND AFFORDABLE FOOD?
- Mui Ne: Besides the seafood stalls along Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, there's not much to eat in Mui Ne, you have to go into Phan Thiet city for more options. We had delicious and affordable seafood at Bibo Seafood Stall. Additionally, we also ate at Meraki Hostel, the food was decent but slightly expensive for the quality.
- Ninh Thuan: In the central area, there are plenty of options for you to choose from.
+ Khanh Ky Chicken Rice (61 Tran Quang Dieu), priced at 38K per piece, rice at 11K per small plate, and delicious shrimp vegetable soup.
+ Night market: There are a few skewered dishes, and beef wrapped in betel leaves.
+ Rice cakes, savory pancakes (131 Tran Quang Dieu)
+ Fish cake noodle soup at Ba Bon (75 Ngo Gia Tu)
+ Beef noodle soup (185 Tran Nhan Tong)
+ Ut Thanh Seafood House (Vinh Hy)
The total cost of the trip is around 4.5 million dong per person. What I loved most about this trip was the most beautiful coastal road in Vietnam when exploring Phan Thiet and the flavorful food at both places. The dishes are rich in flavor, satisfying, and delicious every meal. Note that this trip involves a lot of traveling, so if you have more time, I recommend going for a 5-day, 4-night exploration of Phan Thiet - Phan Rang for a more relaxed experience.
By Dao Pham Dieu Van
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourJuly 2, 2021
