VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Hey all it's CJ

Just looking for any info regarding traveling in Vietnam. Looks to me the best way to get to Mui Ne is a flight into Ho Chi Minh… then what?

Are there transit options to Mui Ne and how far and expensive is that? are Car rentals needed?

How about good accommodation recommendations?

Best way to travel with gear? I just want my 10m and board? or do I need an 8m too?

Any heads up or pointers are appreciated. I'm looking at going for the month of January. Little bit of an adventure I guess. I'd also like to rent a motorcycle and tour a bit.

Thanks… Yew!

I haven't been to the Coast. I was in Saigon for a few days about 6 years ago.

A bus or even a cab from Saigon to the Coast is what I'd suggest you look into. Renting a motor bike sounds good, and if you are in the area for a month, maybe consider a week in another country. Thailand , Malaysia, Burma, etc.

As for Saigon, great place to visit. Consider spending a day or two in Saigon getting over the jet lag on arrival. The central market is in top ten of the world. If you need a suit, that is the place to access some of the best tailors in the world - get sized, return a week later for a fitting, and away you go with a custom suit for comparatively much less. Lots of French tones remain in the cuisine, which is excellent, as a remnant of the former colonial period. If you look, you can get good quality athletic gear. The only place to find English being spoken by locals is in the swank 5-star hotels downtown. I did not have time to visit the war museum, but by all accounts, it will be an experience.

Just been to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For rental I would not do it, and would not do scouter cabs for cheap. Did it for 2 entire days (Scouter cabs) and the driving is crazy.

No accident happen to me or hundreds of coworker, but I youtube "Driving in Saigon, or in Thailand, etc... Scouter... "Accident scouter Asia" ... Youll see how crazy traffic is... If there is a next time ill take a car cab for sure.

Sorry cant help much for Mui Ne, never been.

Paul, Greg Scott etc.. have been, hopefully they can help you out.
I agree with the above, spending 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City and check out main Vietnam war museum stuff, chi chi tunnel (or something like that), and you can even fire AK 47, 50 cal machine gun etc.... )

Well worth to explore Ho Chi Minh, kind of nice to see "the other side" of the war.

Do not swim in the Saigon river, you'll be sick like a dog.

Good point TB. Yes, my comments about a scooter were near the beach, not Saigon. I wouldn't drive in Saigon, and related, crossing any street in large city Viet Nam sent my heart racing. Hold a steady course and don't change pace (imagine viewing a large school of fish parting around a coral head, the volume of scooters are 'individual' fish and you are the coral head, and then there is the irregular but frequent large bus or truck within the school of fish that sends everything scattering!). (Apparently India is the world-pinnacle of traffic bewilderment.)

Thanks, good stuff.

Scott or Paul or Greg. You guys going this year? Love to chat about your experiences.

I would like to avoid resort style accommodation. Where have you guys stayed? any contacts?

What I've picked up so far is don't drive in Saigon, but it sounds cool there.

Over in Nam they call it the American War, not Vietnam War. Mui Ne is ok. It's a really different scene for sure. There is an Ocean Rodeo 'scene' at one of the schools (Mr Lee) and good beach front accommodations beside his school and across the road they are cheaper but still american money unfortunately. A Victoria kiter named Jamie goes they annually. He can tell you everything. The cross chop is pretty brutal on much of the main beach so it's better suited to straps on twintips and not surfboards. They built much cement rip rap upwind of the beach I found a lot of interference pattern on the water. If you go to the end of the main strip and then north there is a great wave beach. The locals all have round boats!! It's a good time and you get to eat lots of crazy animals. Just don't get robbed by the pretty ladies or get on a 'sleeper bus' ..they call it a sleeper bus for a reason

Does the "sleeper bus" stop at ever bus stop or do I have to look into that further?

Just kidding… not

More info please. Paul??? Scott??? (250) 880 0711

Sleeper bus was the only one with a bathroom, but it was locked! You might need it if you have been eating some hot strange food like crock. The seats on the sleeper bus are like beds, or coffins, and they don't incline up. The rumour is they gas the bus and rob everyone as they sleep. I didn't sleep as it was daytime. A really fascinating direct trip from Saigon to Mui Ne. Just book it once you are there. No stops. Once in Mui Ne you are dumped in the middle of the strip. If you bring a board negotiate the price of the board in advance and take charge and tell the driver you are not paying extra for it as you previously paid everything to the desk people. Everyone will try to upcharge for everything so you can pay and be a sucker and keep the peace or just refuse. You can put 2 kites in one kite bag for travel. I had an 8M and needed to buy a 10M Rise from Scotty B who had it there!

I've been staying in Mui Ne for the past 5 years all winter. Hope this does not turn into a wall of text but here goes.
Best way to Mui Ne from arriving is to ask a taxi driver (from the airport) to take you to Bui Vien. Its the backpackers district and there are loads of bus companies that run every hour. The trip is about 5-6 hours and costs $7 USD. If you're with a big kitebag they may want to charge you 100K dong for the extra luggage ($5 Usd). Get the sleeping bus (most are now) never been gassed, hahaha or robbed but did hit a truck on passing once and shattered the window all over my GF. Get a morning bus so you could arrive in daylight making it a bit easier. If you stay the night in Saigon to catch a morning bus, stay at New Pearl Hotel (across from Aleezboo near Bui Vien) All taxi drivers know this spot and its next door to all the bus stations. $25 USD per night and its clean, safe, near money changers, sim card retailers, good food and nightlife if you like.
Bring Canadian dollars not USD. All the money changers accept CAD.

Motorbikes can be rented. Here's a guy, Hieu is his name. 0987127081
Try to barter for $4-5 USD per day if you use it more than a few days. He'll ask for $7-10 in the beginning. You can alternatively buy a motorbike in Mui Ne for around $200 and sell it before you leave. This makes sense if you stay for longer than 6 weeks.

Warning! Although Mui Ne is a straight flat road, there are more accidents involving motorbikes than anywhere I've ever seen. Lots of people walking around with bandages and fatalities are not unheard of. Driving there needs to be learned and the Vietnamese don't look (EVER). They also love to pass you at high speed only to break hard and turn in front of you. The big busses have right of way so it seems. The ones on your side of the road heading for you are not going move over.

Taxi's are everywhere along the strip and easy to get around. No bartering needed. They use a meter except in Saigon where they may try to set a price.

Staying on the beach side is more expensive than across the road (10 meters away)
The area I'd suggest is right in the center of the strip near Sunshine Beach Resort. It has the majority of euorpean and english speaking travelers and you'll be walking distance to just about anything. You can get a clean room with aircon and wifi for $10 without too much hunting. Try Gio Bien guesthouse for $10 a night for the first couple days while you get familiar. (across the street from Sunshine beach resort and another 30 meters downwind). Or $25 a night at Xin Chao hotel which is the other direction behind the Ozone shop. Paul, Tien and Twanny are the owners and will be able to give you lots of direction.


Best place to kite is all the way down the beach (downwind) for reasons Greg mentioned about (cross chop). Waves are also a bit cleaner with better flat durations between breaks.
C2sky kiteschool just opened a new location last year on the best part of the beach right behind Seahorse Resort. Highly recommended. See you there if you decide to stay. They do charge for membership. $5 a day for short term and they have weekly, monthly and seasonal rates as well that are much cheaper. You'll be able to keep your gear there safely and their beach boys are awesome.

There are schools that do not charge but I don't have experience with them. Adi Kiteschool is one of them. Adi is from Vancouver and his place is filled with lots of amazing local talent.

This year is a good time to visit as the Russian Ruble has taken a nose dive and cut the tourism to nearly 1/3rd creating more competition and cheaper prices all around. It also means the beaches are WAY more quiet and lots of space for everyone.

There's lots of amazing off the grid kiting I can fill you in on if that interests you.

I'm there from Mid Nov. until Late May as usual.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Cheers,
Stephen

Stephen... Amazing Info!!!

Thanks so much. You pretty much just planned my trip for me. I'm really excited to explore a new zone but have been not really sure what I was getting into. This will definitely help me get to and stay where I need to be. Hopefully I'll see you there!! Thanks again.

No worries mate, Hope I didn't take any of the fun out of it.

Look me up when you arrive.