Boasting lush, green mountains, mouth-watering cuisine and a unique culture, Vietnam is an exotic travel destination that cannot be ignored. A rising star in the Asian tourism market, Vietnam is a land of contrasts with pristine beaches, rolling hills and a desert making Vietnam a must-visit destination.
A four hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City lies the resort town of Mui Ne. Once a sleepy fishing village whose only visitors where a few adventurous travellers who camped along its undisturbed beach, today Mui Ne is a popular tourist destination that is home to many a luxury Beach Resort Mui Ne. Beyond the breathtaking 16 kilometre-long stretch of beach lies the alluring Mui Ne sand dunes that stand majestically overlooking Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa. Situated 10 kilometres to the north of the famous resort strip and spanning 2 square-kilometres, the Mui Ne desert has impressive dunes that measure up to 10 meters in depth.
Take a guided tour of the dunes and explore the famous White Dunes, also known as Bau Trang, and watch the sunrise over the Mui Ne. As the day progresses seek refuge under the pine trees that line the White Lake with a cool drink purchased from one of many stalls situated here and admire the view from the top of some of the larger dunes in the desert that is reputed to be the driest spot in Southeast Asia. Visit the smaller Red Dunes with its characteristic reddish-brown sand and find visitors sliding along the slopes of dunes on rented sleds while photography-enthusiasts trek towards the best location to capture the surrounding natural beauty while up above kite flyers enjoy a birds-eye view of the dunes and the horizon. Avoid the blazing warm afternoons that the region is known for, and take an early morning or late afternoon guided tour of the region with a stop at the nearby fishing village, Fairy Springs that runs through the dunes and the 50 metre Lotus Lake that is the region’s only water source.
Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
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