Mui Ne is a beautiful coastal city in the south of Vietnam. There are plenty of upscale accommodations to spoil yourself, but if you are a budget conscious traveler, check these guesthouses out for a more authentic and personal experience.
Diem Lien Guesthouse is one of the top rated guests houses in Mui Ne. The owners Diem, and you guessed it, Lien, will go out of their way to help you feel at home, as they are sharing part of their home with you. The rooms are very clean, have everything you need, and there is a wonderful garden with hammocks strewn between trees, and colorful flowers scattered around. Breakfast is not included in the price, however you can cook a meal for yourself in the open kitchen. If cooking is one of your worst skills, Diem and Lien will be happy to help you out, teach you some local recipes, and they will even take you to the local marketplace to help you bargain for some veggies and fresh seafood. Ham Tien beach is also only a few feet away!
At this guesthouse, for a small price, you will have an air-conditioned room that has a fridge, TV, kettle, and other amenities that will make your stay pleasant. And of course, an en-suite bathroom. The staff are also wonderful and will help you with booking tours and transport to other cities, motorbike rentals, water sport activities such as kite surfing, sailing and canoeing, and will even recommend places for you to enjoy some seaside delights. They actually offer a sunset tour to the red dunes for half a day at just USD$5.00 – such a bargain. A real bonus is that there is a delicious seafood restaurant right across the road called “Mot Nang,”and it has the freshest most extensive menu you will come across. A dish of 14 grilled prawns will only cost you USD$3.00.
Papaya Guest House & Gym is run by Svetlana and Peter, an extremely friendly Russian couple. This guest house stands out not only for the comfortable rooms and the friendliness of the hosts, but also the bar/restaurant, gym and open theater on the premises. The pizza served at the restaurant is handmade by Peter, and gets raving reviews every time. Lucky for you, the gym is included in the price so you can work off those pizza calories after stuffing yourself. After a long hard day at the beach, spend the evening watching movies in the open cinema and smoking some shisha. You won’t want to leave Papaya.
Quoc Dinh Guesthouse offers amazingly clean rooms right across the beach and will completely exceed your expectations. You get everything a typical guesthouse offers – cozy rooms that are cleaned daily, warm showers, laundry services, bike rentals, tours, friendly staff, and more. The location is also convenient, and you are nearby many convenience stores and eateries. Right outside are two great seafood restaurants as well. You will get coffee and fruits complimentary for breakfast and for an additional VND$15,000 (USD$0.60), you can get eggs and bread. The hosts Tay and her family are lovely, and they will even teach you how to ride a bike. Don’t try this during the day time though as traffic can be ruthless. Come night time, you’ll have the beach strip to yourself to practice. When you check out, you will even get some bananas to go with or a little handmade trinket as a memory to keep.
Phuong Nam Guesthouse looks like your typical American motel. There are plenty of rooms here for you to lodge in and each room is spacious, with all necessary amenities, a large en-suite bathroom and a terrace that overlooks the Mui Ne fishing village. It is located off an alleyway down the main Nguyen Dinh Chieu street of Mui Ne, right across the Mia Resort. You are allowed to walk through Mia Resort to use the beach, where you’ll find nice sun umbrellas, lounge chairs, and a clean and quiet beach strip. On top of having a great room that is cleaned every day, you can share the common kitchen with other guests and your hosts to cook some delicious local food. There is also a rooftop with a giant swing which is a perfect place to read a book in the evening. Surf Point Kite School is about a five-minute walk north from the location, and you are surrounded by plenty of great restaurants and bars in the area. This is as good as it gets for a budget traveler – cheap, comfortable and extremely convenient.
