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Mui Ne White Sand Dunes (Bau Trang), Phan Thiet

Pale white sand dunes with tyre tracks and footprints rolling under a grey cloudy sky
Photo: Chris Blackhead, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
About 15,000 VND per person, scooter parking 5,000–10,000
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours
Dawn to dusk; best 5:00–7:30 and after 4 pm
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
2 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Jeep or quad bike on the dunes
About 300,000 VND for 20 minutes (small), 800,000 for 30 minutes (large)
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Sunrise jeep tour from Mui Ne
About 500,000–600,000 VND per jeep for up to 6, 4–4.5 hours
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Boat on the lotus lake
About 100,000 VND per person
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Where
Hoa Thang, by Bau Trang lake — ≈ 35 km from the Mui Ne resorts, ≈ 49 km from central Phan Thiet
When
Sunrise or after 4 pm; at midday the sand is scorching
Coordinates
11.06788, 108.42730YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

≈ 30 kmfrom Mui Ne and about 65 km from Phan Thiet, according to Vietnam Tourism
SourceVietnam Tourism (vietnam.travel)
≈ 35 kmby road from the Nguyen Dinh Chieu resorts, about 40 minutes by car
2 sourcesOSMOSRM route
70 hathe size of Bau Ba, the larger of Bau Trang's two lakes
SourceVinWonders (blog)
April–Maythe lotuses bloom on the lake; April to August is the best season overall
SourceMyTour
1867the poet Nguyen Thong named the lake 'White Lake' — Bạch Hồ
SourceVietnamese Wikipedia
Bau Ba and Bau Ong'Grandmother' and 'Grandfather' lakes — two halves of Bau Trang split by a sand dyke
SourceVietnamese Wikipedia
20–30 minis a standard jeep or quad bike rental on the dunes
2 sourcesVinWonders (blog)MyTour
≈ 24 kmto the Red Dunes, usually on the same jeep tour
SourceOSRM route

Entrance fee, jeep and ATV prices

There's no official price list. According to guides, entry is about 15,000 VND per person and scooter parking 5,000–10,000. Jeep tours usually include the entry fee.

The main attraction is a jeep or quad bike (ATV) on the dunes: about 300,000 VND for 20 minutes in a small vehicle and 800,000 for 30 minutes in a large one. A sandboard costs 15,000–20,000 VND, and a boat on the lotus lake about 100,000 per person. A sunrise jeep tour from Mui Ne runs about 500,000–600,000 VND per jeep for up to six. Prices are unofficial; pay in cash in dong.

What are the White Sand Dunes?

The White Sand Dunes (Đồi Cát Trắng) are a wide field of pale, almost white sand beside freshwater Bau Trang lake (Bàu Trắng) in Hoa Thang commune. They're often called 'Vietnam's little Sahara': the dunes run for kilometres, with a lotus lake below.

Bau Trang is really two lakes split by a sand dyke: Bau Ba ('Grandmother Lake', about 70 ha) and Bau Ong ('Grandfather Lake'). In 1867 the poet Nguyen Thong named it Bạch Hồ — 'White Lake'. Lotuses grow on Bau Ba and bloom in April and May.

What to see and do

  • Sunrise over the dunes — the reason to leave at 4:30.
  • A jeep or quad bike along the dune crests — 20–30 minutes.
  • Climb a high dune on foot — free, but hard work in loose sand.
  • Bau Trang lake and its lotuses, in bloom in April–May.
  • A boat ride on the lake among the lotuses.
  • Sandboarding down a dune.

How to get to the White Sand Dunes

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

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Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. A jeep tour from Mui Ne is easiest: pick-up at your hotel around 4:30, sunrise on the dunes, then the Red Dunes, the fishing village and Fairy Stream. Back by 9–10 am.
  2. From the Nguyen Dinh Chieu resorts it's about 35 km along the coast via Hon Rom — 40 minutes by Grab or taxi. Search for "Đồi Cát Trắng" or "Bàu Trắng".
  3. From the Water Tower in central Phan Thiet it's about 49 km, around an hour by car.
  4. From the Red Dunes it's about 24 km, 25–30 minutes — the two are usually combined.
  5. Ask your driver to wait: return taxis are hard to find out here.

How long do you need, and when to go?

Allow 1.5–2 hours on the dunes, or 4–4.5 hours for a full jeep tour with the other stops. Sunrise (5:00–7:30) is best: cool air, soft light and sand that isn't burning. In the afternoon, come after 4 pm. From 10 am to 3 pm it's very hot with no shade.

The best season is April to August, and April–May for lotuses in bloom. After heavy rain the sand is wet, but the dunes stay open.

White or Red Dunes?

White Dunesyou are here≈ 35 km from the Mui Ne resortsA large dune field by a lake≈ 15,000 VNDJeeps, quad bikes, boatsSunrise
Red Dunes≈ 11 km from the Mui Ne resortsSmall hills, 20–40 mFreeSledges, jeepsSunset

Are the White Sand Dunes worth it?

Yes, if you want a real 'desert': sand to the horizon, and sunrise over the dunes is one of the most striking sights in Mui Ne.

The YesGo take: it means a 4 am alarm, around 40 minutes each way, and quad bike prices are made up on the spot — haggle. By midday it's an oven, and engine noise spoils the quiet. If early starts aren't for you, the Red Dunes at sunset are an easy substitute.

Before you go: checklist

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Viewpoints around Phan Thiet: compare and choose

Viewpoints around Phan Thiet and Mui Ne rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Po Sah Inu Cham Towers3345 minAbout 10,000–15,000 VND34.0 km
Mui Ne Fishing Village2945 minFree21.4 km
Red Sand Dunes2945 minFree19.4 km
Ke Ga Lighthouse221 h 30 minboat ≈ 40,000–100,000 VND, climb ≈ 10,000–35,00063.1 km
White Sand Dunesyou are here212 hentry ≈ 15,000 VND; jeep or ATV ≈ 300,000–800,000—
Ta Cu Mountain193 hCable car about 250,000 VND64.6 km

Mui Ne jeep tour in a morning

The White Dunes at sunrise, then the Red Dunes, Mui Ne fishing village and Fairy Stream. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. White Sand Dunesyou are here2 h · entry ≈ 15,000 VND; jeep or ATV ≈ 300,000–800,000
  2. 336 min walk from the previous stopRed Sand Dunes45 min · free; sledge ≈ 50,000 VND
  3. 38 min walk from the previous stopMui Ne Fishing Village45 min · Free
  4. 48 min walk from the previous stopFairy Stream1 h · ≈ 15,000 VND, children ≈ 6,000

4 places · about 11 h 32 min with walks · 422 min on foot in total

Go · my route

How to do it right

  • The best shot is from a dune crest looking down at the lake just after sunrise.
  • Leave your shoes in the car — the sand is easy barefoot while it's cool.
  • Share one quad bike between two to save money.
  • Photograph the lotuses in April–May from the dyke between the lakes.
  • Same tour: the Red Dunes and Fairy Stream.

Questions

How do I get to the White Dunes from Mui Ne?

A sunrise jeep tour is easiest; on your own it's about 35 km from the Nguyen Dinh Chieu resorts, 40 minutes by Grab or taxi.

Is there an entrance fee for the White Sand Dunes?

About 15,000 VND per person (unofficial); jeep tours usually include it.

How much is a quad bike at the White Dunes?

About 300,000 VND for 20 minutes in a small vehicle and 800,000 for 30 minutes in a large one (unofficial).

When should I visit the White Dunes?

At sunrise (5:00–7:30) or after 4 pm; April to August is the best season.

How long do you need at the White Dunes?

1.5–2 hours on site; a jeep tour with the other stops takes 4–4.5 hours.

When do the lotuses bloom at Bau Trang?

In April and May.

White or Red Dunes — what's the difference?

The White Dunes are bigger, further and paid, with jeeps and quad bikes; the Red Dunes are small, free and near the resorts.

Are the White Sand Dunes worth visiting?

Yes, for sunrise over the 'desert'. If you'd rather not get up early, go to the Red Dunes for sunset.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Vietnam Tourism (vietnam.travel, the official portal) — distances from Mui Ne and Phan Thiet
  • Vietnamese Wikipedia — Bau Trang lake: Bau Ba and Bau Ong, the name Bạch Hồ, 1867, lotuses
  • VinWonders (blog) — size of Bau Ba, jeep and quad bike prices, sandboards and boats
  • MyTour, Foody — entry, parking, jeep and sandboard prices, best months (unofficial)
  • Vietnam Airlines travel guide — jeep tour length and price
  • OSM ('White Dunes' node) — coordinates; OSRM route — distances from Mui Ne, Phan Thiet and the Red Dunes
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 08.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThere's no official website. The 15,000 VND entry and parking come from an undated Foody listing and are marked unofficial. Jeeps and quad bikes: VinWonders and MyTour give 300,000 for 20 minutes and 800,000 for 30; English-language guides give 300,000–600,000 per quad bike; we use the VinWonders figures. The 500,000–600,000 VND per jeep tour is from Vietnam Airlines and guidebooks. Distances: Vietnam Tourism says 30 km from Mui Ne and 65 km from Phan Thiet, Wikipedia 62 km; OSRM routes give 35.1 km from the Nguyen Dinh Chieu resorts and 48.6 km from the Water Tower. Wikidata Q10742166 describes the lake — there's no separate item for the dunes.

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