Mui Ne: Vietnam’s Rising Hub for Southeast Asian Watersports

Speedy Summary

• Mui Ne, a fishing village in southern Vietnam, has transformed into a watersports hotspot in recent years.
• The strong monsoon winds through the year attract surfers, kitesurfers, windsurfers, and sailors to its five-mile beach.
• Wealthy resorts and activity clubs have emerged alongside the customary fishing culture.
• The local fisherfolk worship Nam Hai (whale god), believing whales protect them during storms.This folk religion predates Buddhism’s arrival in Vietnam.
• Van Thuy Tu temple houses thousands of whale bones and Southeast Asia’s largest fin whale skeleton (65 feet), symbolizing their reverence for whales as guardian angels.
• Mui Ne gained global recognition after the 1995 solar eclipse attracted visitors to its scenic beach with dunes and reliable winds for watersports.
• Despite modern growth, traces of traditional life persist: bamboo boats painted with “eyes” representing protective spirits are still visible.

Photographs:
!DSC1210ukHR.jpg”>Scallop shells scattered by the South China Sea
!Read More