Southern Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City - Mui Ne - Da Lat: 5 Days 4 Nights

This trip was supposed to be a relaxing getaway for two, but it turned out to be anything but.

Day 1: Travel from Thailand to Ho Chi Minh City and prepare for the onward journey to Da Lat.

Day 2: Arrival in Dalat and extended sightseeing.

Day 3: Departing Dalat for Mui Ne, the Land of Sea and Sand.

Day 4: Departing Mui Ne for Ho Chi Minh City, enjoying a leisurely stroll, capturing photos, and indulging in local cuisine.

Day 5: Return to Thailand

We flew with Airasia at around 13.40. After sleeping on the plane for about an hour, we arrived in Ho Chi Minh City.


Exiting the airport with our stylish bags in tow, we turned right and boarded the **109 bus**, each paying 10,000 dong for the ride.

(Bus 152 has no air conditioning and is cheaper, but it was going to rain at that time, so let's take the air-conditioned bus.) Tell the bus conductor that you are going to Pham Ngu Lao. When you arrive, he will come and tell you.

We then used Google Maps to locate the Phuong Trang bus booking office in Da Lat (the orange one that stands out). We booked the last bus, which departed around 23:40, for 210,000 VND per person.

Find a nearby hostel to store your luggage, shower, and possibly sleep. Aim for a place around 300,000 dong. Afterwards, embark on a long walk and enjoy some delicious food.

At 11:00 PM, we dragged our bodies and belongings to the waiting area for the van that would take us to the sleeper bus. We boarded the bus and slept all the way to Dalat. (The sleeper bus was quite cold with the air conditioning, and there was a faint smell. Be sure to bring warm clothes and something to cover your mouth.)

Day 2

We arrived in Dalat at 5 am and it was freezing! We asked someone nearby (mention the name of the hotel where you stayed) and they arranged for a car to take us to the hotel.

We booked our hotel through Agoda before we arrived. We stayed at Tulip2, which cost 1,050 baht per night (highly recommended, the hotel is beautiful, and there is a cute coffee shop across the street and a market across the street). We couldn't check in yet, but they had a shower room on the ground floor and offered luggage storage. So we took a shower, sipped coffee at the cafe in front of the hotel, and then explored Dalat.

- **Latanla Waterfall:** We took a Grab taxi from the hotel, which cost around 80,000 dong. Upon arrival, we purchased entrance tickets for 40,000 dong each and roller coaster tickets for 50,000 dong each (we only bought one-way tickets, intending to walk back up to take more photos, but let me tell you, our legs were exhausted). We took some relaxed photos at the waterfall and then rode the cable car down to the bottom. We took another elevator down and were greeted by a magnificent view. Along the way, we saw a group of people rock climbing, which made us want to climb too. It must be incredibly fun. However, the weather turned against us, and darkness began to set in. We quickly made our way back up and returned to our accommodation so we could finally unpack and settle into our room.

We really enjoyed this place. The roller coaster was amazing! The views were beautiful, and there were great spots to take photos. There were also places to relax and chill, and they sold snacks and drinks.

- Crazy House: Entrance fee is 50,000 VND per person. As the name suggests, it's a crazy house! You walk around in a daze, going up and down narrow, high, and low stairs. You'll be confused about which way to go, but there are plenty of photo opportunities. You can also see Da Lat from above. People who are afraid of heights might have shaky legs. When we came down, we sat in the garden and had some snacks. First, we had yogurt, which tasted like regular plain yogurt. It was okay, but the real treat was the coconut cookie. It was crispy, not too sweet, and had a nice coconut aroma. It was delicious.


- An Cafe: This beautiful cafe is located near our hotel. We spent a long time here sheltering from the rain. The Vietnamese drip coffee is incredibly strong, a must-try for coffee lovers.

- **Dalat Market:** A market that has everything from clothes, snacks, food, fruits, flowers, souvenirs, toys, and much more. In the evening, the market becomes very lively, with both sellers and buyers gathering together as if by chance. The weather is cool, so we can walk around and eat. After we are full, we can go back to the hotel and sleep.

Day 3

We departed from the hotel early in the morning and headed to Mui Ne (we had purchased tickets at the hotel upon arrival, but I don't recall the price. The bus stop was conveniently located near the hotel, just a short walk away). The journey took approximately four hours, with one rest stop along the way. The road conditions were somewhat challenging, and we dozed off and woke up intermittently until we reached Mui Ne.

The moment we arrived, we purchased a half-day Mui Ne jeep tour. Since there were only two of us, we opted for the jeep tour to avoid delaying others with our extensive photography. We then took a taxi to the Hoang Kim Golden Resort. At 1:30 PM, as scheduled, our jeep driver picked us up from the hotel.

Fairy Stream:

As you stroll along the stream, you'll encounter numerous sand dunes perfect for capturing stunning photographs. Feel free to choose your favorite spot and strike a pose!

- Fishing Village: This fishing village uses round boats that resemble basins to paddle out to a larger boat in the middle of the sea. You can stop by to take photos or buy seafood, but we just took photos and moved on.



White Sand Dune: An Unforgettable Adventure

The White Sand Dune, also known as ทะเลทรายขาว, offered an exhilarating experience. We embarked on an ATV ride, navigating the dunes with a skilled driver who pushed the limits, leaving us breathless with excitement. Despite the scorching heat, the beauty of the landscape captivated us, making us forget the discomfort. The sandboarding area provided an additional thrill, allowing us to slide down the slopes with exhilarating speed. The White Sand Dune stands out as a highlight of our trip, leaving a lasting impression with its stunning scenery and exhilarating activities.


- *Red Sand Dune:* The Red Sand Dune was very crowded, but we didn't need to take a car to get there; we could walk to the sand dunes. We originally planned to watch the sunset here, but there were too many clouds today, so we couldn't see it. We were a little disappointed.

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No worries, the Jeep driver stopped for us to take photos by the sea along the way, which was pretty cool. Then we went back to the hotel to sleep.


Day 4

We departed from Mui Ne and returned to Ho Chi Minh City at 10:00 AM. Initially, the ticket seller informed us that the bus would pick us up in front of our hotel. However, the driver missed our hotel. Fortunately, the hotel contacted the driver, and we took a taxi to catch up with the bus. The bus was a sleeper bus, similar to the one we took to Da Lat. We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City in the evening around 4:00 PM. We walked to the Dragon Palace II Hotel, where we had made a reservation. After checking in, we went out to explore Ho Chi Minh City briefly.

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- Ho Chi Minh City Hall: Known as Uncle Ho's Square, it is a popular gathering place for young people. They come here to take photos, stroll, enjoy bubble tea and coffee, and spend time with their partners. In the evenings, the fountain is turned on, and children have fun playing in the water.

- Cafe apartment: This building houses a multitude of cafes and tea shops, catering to a variety of tastes. In addition, there are clothing and souvenir shops to explore.

- Notre Dame Cathedral: Not far from Uncle Ho's Square, you will find Notre Dame Cathedral. It is quite crowded, so it is not easy to find a good angle for taking pictures.

- **Central Post Office**: Located directly across the street from Notre Dame Cathedral, this post office is still in operation. It features telephone booths and a gift shop selling postcards.

On our way back, we came across many beautiful corners.

Day 5

Woke up early and went out to find some street food to eat. We had a delicious canned fish banh mi (3 chefs). Then we stopped by a coffee shop on the corner of the street, but I can't remember the name of the shop anymore. Once we were full, we headed to the airport.

Ho Chi Minh City - Da Lat - Mui Ne Trip

Total Trip Expenses (excluding airfare) for 2 people:

  • Total cost: 7,000,000 VND (approximately 10,000 THB). This includes all expenses, as we often arrived at the hotel exhausted and woke up with no memory of the previous day. We even had around 300,000 VND left over.
  • Accommodation: We booked our accommodation through Agoda two days before our trip.

- Tulip2 Price 1,050 Baht

  • Hoang Kim Golden Resort 821 Baht

- Dragon Palace II costs 549 baht.

Finally,

We have many impressions that we would like to share with everyone, so we have written a very long post.

You can ask for more details or information at Majondai

We are very happy.

Thank you.

#ho chi minh city#mui ne#dalat#vietnam#travel#travel review#vietnam#vietnam
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