Because Vietnam is such a dynamic mix of colour, energy, vibrancy, quirkiness, and style, and because it’s always a fascinating country to travel, I’ve opted to tell this story about five destinations over thirty-three days through a visual lens.
By doing this, I have endeavoured to showcase the eclectic diversity and beauty we experienced on our recent trip.
Whether you’ve been to Vietnam before or not, I hope you enjoy “getting to know” this special country a little better through my visual narrative. I’ve also added words where needed to provide context and background.
A pretty coastal retreat, Mui Ne is about a 4-hour drive north of HCMC. Because of this proximity, it is a very popular weekend and holiday getaway for Saigon natives.
What Mui Ne offers
The town’s coastline offers strikingly attractive bronze sands, warm blue-as-blue seas, picturesque scenery and great food.
Mui Ne’s main beach is also world-renowned for its kite-surfing culture. When we were there in July, the skyline was often dotted with dulating, colourful sails turning as if the breeze were tailor-made for them.
A couple of kilometres up the coast is a fishing village where hundreds of shrimp fishermen dock their boats to rest after a night’s fishing or to shelter from sweeping storms that hit the coast off the South China Sea from time to time. The sight of these vividly burnished boats bobbing prettily on the water is very picturesque.
And when the boats are a long way out at sea, their twinkling lights shine across the waters, reminding us land-based creatures of their eternal industriousness.
So, it’s no surprise that Mui Ne is also renowned for its seafood – there are plenty of shrimp and a great selection of fish and shellfish meals on restaurant menus.
Along with its great eats, Mui Ne offers plenty of memorable, photogenic and endearing everyday sights: stunning flora, fascinating fauna, delicious food, and all manner of interesting decor styles and colours to appeal to the senses.
The images below help capture the essence of a tranquil, relaxing 8 days in Mui Ne, a small beachside village in Central Vietnam
Some of the Food we imbibed in Mui Ne
More info:
MTR flew Sydney-Saigon via Vietnam Airlines – Highly Recommended.
MTR stayed at 4 Star Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa – Mui Ne – Highly Recommended
MTR travelled from HCMC International Airport to Mui Ne via a private transfer arranged by the resort. Approx NZ$150
In stark contrast to Mui Ne, Dalat is a misty, magical “alpine retreat” nestled in Vietnam’s dramatic Central Highlands.
Once a “bolt hole” for French settlers retreating into the mountains during searingly hot Vietnamese summers, Dalat, colloquially referred to as “the Paris of Vietnam”, is now a sophisticated culinary destination, world-renowned for its coffee beans and flower cultivation.
As if to prove its success in flower growing, the city boasts dainty planter boxes along its colonial cobbled streets and roads, with multi-coloured roses and other beautiful blooms popping up everywhere. And a visit to the famous flower fields and commercial flower gardens shows how huge this industry is in Vietnam.
And their coffee growing is also promoted very successfully, with every street in the city crowded with Cafes serving the best coffee choices I have ever encountered. Occasionally, you find a cafe that also sells fresh croissants and pastries to accompany your coffee drink of choice.
To add to the sense of being somewhere quite different, the breathtaking views from cafes across the misty highlands and pine forests would entice any visitor to return.
Again, the French influence is everywhere in Dalat. The architecture ranges from grand colonial villas to modest (and many) pied-à-terres. Some are renovated; others are still original.
Unfortunately, the city authorities have left it too late to renovate many of the original buildings that now sit neglected. Somehow, however, they add to the character and history of a small city populated with a largely affluent group of inner-city dwellers, a smaller cohort of expats and local hill tribe people – making the permanent population of this entirely interesting city around 250,000.
In Dalat, beyond its historic French influence and appeal, the geography is also a major attraction. Surrounded by mountainous plateaus stretching across western central Vietnam, it’s an especially alluring destination.
The mountains are often surrounded by wafts of light mist (especially in the early morning) that float around the treetops and across the top of the city valley. From an elevated position, the mist almost looks like a prop as it moves gently across the space.
The topography offers plenty of opportunities for trekking and walking.
Rain, sometimes torrential, was a nightly mainstay – only adding to the mystical, magical sense of the place. Pretty droopy raindrops sit on power lines as mist wraps around the trees, evoking a mystique and gentleness not often found in cities. This is a place I would definitely revisit.
The images below offer a collage of attractions and day-to-day life in 21st-century Dalat. An alluring city that mixes old-world charm with modern sensibilities.
Diners enjoying the local breakfast fare “Cloud Eggs”
“Cloud Eggs” are eggs whites whipped to a meringue then a quail’s egg inserted in the middle of the mixture baked in round dishes (as illustrated in the photo above)
Some of the beautiful blooms seen during daily life and some more structured flowers grown for commercial purposes in eye catching surroundings.
Pictured below are just some of the interesting, quirky, talented interior/exterior architectural designs and streetscapes spotted during our wanderings throughout Dalat
For more information on attractions in Dalat, click this link
For more details and information on our Favourite Eateries in Central Vietnam, please click this link
If you would like further information on this story or any other story published on this website, please get in touch with me directly at janeco@mytravelroom.co.nz
Tuy Hoa is a coastal destination in southern Central Vietnam. With sweeping beaches that offer golden sands and beautiful, clear blue waters fringing the South China Sea it wont be long before it becomes a well known tourist destination.
Today, it’s a more low-key, quieter option than other eastern central beaches and is especially appealing if you’re not into crowds and mass tourism.
We chose Tuy Hoa because we wanted an authentic, less-travelled beach destination. It offered that, along with tranquil landscapes, delicious food, and some cultural learning.
Staying at a resort about a 20-minute drive from the main city gave us the best of both worlds. A quiet boutique base with a well-appointed swimming pool and a restaurant (though meal options were limited). But with plenty of cheap transport choices on hand, we opted to use Grab as a nightly escape to the city for some really good food and a change of scenery. This gave us an unplanned, welcome opportunity to get to know this remote region.
The inner city of Tuy Hoa is reminiscent of many Vietnamese settlements. Somewhat worn around the edges, it wears its charming, whimsical, rustic French-Vietnamese roots like a slightly faded but comfy vintage dress.
The urban area blends historic homes with modern architecture. The inner-city streets are narrow, slightly rumpled, and atmospheric, evoking a different era. Trees and overgrown gardens, picket fences, and “Nha keo” cottages dominate the scene. A random,assorted range of shops and cafes dot the main road and street corners. Around the city’s perimeter, wide boulevards and lush tree-lined roads line the area, along with historic temples and modern sculpture showpieces, such as the muscular silver horses signifying “The Year of the Horse” in the 2026 lunar year.
After a hot, busy walk exploring the streets, we found, with some relief, a backpacker’s rooftop bar at sunset and watched, with a cold beer in hand, commuters below, heading home as the sun dropped behind Nahn Mountain, leaving its velvety orange and pink glow on our faces.
Closer to the paradisiacal main beach (Tuy Hoa Beach), large modern hotels face the sea. Between the beach and the road, there is the beautifully landscaped Sala “beach club,” fringed with many food options, and surrounding the enormous (around 30 metres by 10 metres) in-ground pool are open-air eateries and a bar.
Visitors can sit at a table with a sea view, palm trees swaying, with more dining options set under trees and around the pool. You can order drinks, meals & snacks. The service is superb, and prices are reasonable.
Children gleefully splash and swim in the glistening pool, joined by a few tentative adults. All are entertained by a DJ dressed to the nines in the latest fashion (high boots, short skirts, long hair, plenty of makeup), mixing beats and swaying to the sound until the sun drops and evening falls, when she abruptly stops and silence falls. Maybe a signal to parents that it’s time for children’s bedtime?
Guests from neighbouring hotels have use of the all facilities. Many arrived prepped in dressing gowns and slippers from their hotels. Visitors, like us, can dine or have a drink but cannot use the pool. But we just enjoyed the spectacle laid out in front of us. Watching families play and have fun in a beautiful swimming spot, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, was delightful .
As dusk arrived, the fairy lights and bulbs strung among the palms came to life, sparkling as they gave off an elegant glow.
Later on we enjoyed dinner at one of the best Japanese restaurants either of us had ever encountered. The food was sublime and the service the same. We returned the following night for the same again. (see: Central Vietnam – Best Food and Eateries)
The next day, we found a spot on the beach sheltered by a pretty sun umbrella, where we sat on chairs on the sand and watched groups of people congregating, flying kites, parasailing, playing tug-of-war, sitting together, dining, and chatting.
Lovely bamboo art was embedded in the sand, making for an unexpected, delicate display, and along the beach stood a smaller, more rustic beach bar for a younger crowd. The beach’s vastness allows no encroachment, and the lively vista was fun, entertaining, colourful, friendly, and tranquil.
Then a lazy stroll along the water’s edge gave us distant views of the delicately pretty coastline to the north, seen in an end-of-day golden haze, with undulating hillsides and small offshore islands, coloured by gentle mauve streaks, golden sands, and baby waves lapping gently on the shore. At the same time, a warm, fluffy breeze caressed our skin. Timelessness, and plenty of it, was the sense of the day.
Below is a gallery of beautiful decor, outdoor art, views, flora & fauna and quirky sights we discovered in Tuy Hoa.
MTR stayed at Sun Village Resort
MTR travelled by Grab car from Dalat-Tuy Hoa – 5 hours through the Central Highlands
English wasn’t commonly used in any of the Central Highlands areas we visited (apart from Saigon). Not understanding Vietnamese made the experience richer and more fulfilling. I am always intrigued by the ways humans manage to communicate without a common language. It is humbling and rewarding. And of course, you can always choose to download a translator app on your phone.
If you would like further information on this story or any other story published on this website, please get in touch with me directly at janeco@mytravelroom.co.nz
For more details and information on our Favourite Eateries in Central Vietnam, please click this link
