261: Beauty Creek, whose reputation differs from reality

The biggest difference between Mui Ne's west and east coasts is that most hotels on the west beach have a private beach section, with dedicated lifeguards on duty.

The guesthouses and budget hotels on the east beach do not have private beaches, and most people have to cross a road to get to the beach.

However, the east coast is home to Mui Ne's most traditional fishing village; no matter how bustling the foreign presence in Mui Ne, the fishermen in the village still maintain their centuries-old traditional fishing life.

Li Qinghe and Vu Linh Huong are both the type with money and leisure; when they go out to play, they naturally wouldn't shortchange themselves, so they chose the west coast, where the accommodation standards and conditions are more superior.

When they first decided to take a self-driving tour to Mui Ne and Nha Trang, they didn't do much research.

After settling into the villa, the two first went to the hotel restaurant for lunch.

The number of tourists staying at this hotel today was quite high; most of them seemed to be Asians, but listening closely, many of them were Koreans.

Hearing the accents of these Koreans, Li Qinghe couldn't help but recall the chance encounter in Hoi An; perhaps decades later, there would still be a Korean old lady reminiscing about that soul-stirring experience from her youth.

Besides the most numerous Koreans, there were also some Dragon Country People and Russians.

It is said that Mui Ne first developed because Russians discovered its beauty, and as large numbers of elderly Russians came here to spend the winter, they gradually promoted Mui Ne into an international tourist destination.

It's just that not too many Russians come now, perhaps due to the economy or other reasons.

There were also some Indians mixed in among the tourists.

Since the exchanges between Vietnam's high-ranking officials and military and India have become increasingly frequent, the number of Indians traveling to Vietnam has also grown.

Cultivated by the clean and hygienic Ganges River water, Indians, with their strong stomachs, don't have to worry about not adapting to any food in Vietnam.

Therefore, they are the most relaxed and uninhibited group among all tourists who visit Vietnam when it comes to eating.

Because of the Mui Ne Fishing Village on Mui Ne's east coast, the seafood in Mui Ne is very fresh.

Li Qinghe and Vu Linh Huong's lunch consisted of a table full of seafood.

Sea crabs, sea shrimp, conchs, razor clams, scallops.

All of it was freshly caught seafood, and even cooked in the simplest way, the taste was excellent.

It wasn't until after lunch that Li Qinghe and Vu Linh Huong slowly leaned together to search for Mui Ne travel guides.

Although Vu Linh Huong is Vietnamese, she had never been to Mui Ne.

She had only heard that the scenery was good.

So the two sat together, searching for various guides.

First, they clarified the four most worthwhile places to visit in Mui Ne: Mui Ne Fishing Village, Red Sand Dunes, White Sand Dunes, and Fairy Stream.

Of these four places, Mui Ne Fishing Village and White Sand Dunes are recommended for morning visits.

The Red Sand Dunes are recommended for evening visits because it won't be as hot then, and the sand won't be too hot for the feet; only Fairy Stream can be visited at any time.

The Red Sand Dunes and White Sand Dunes are Mui Ne's two deserts; the White Sand Dunes cover an area of about five square kilometers, while the Red Sand Dunes are even smaller.

These are also the only two small deserts in Vietnam.

Li Qinghe finally discussed with Vu Linh Huong and decided that Fairy Stream is not too far from the Red Sand Dunes, so these two attractions can be combined.

As for White Sand Dunes and Mui Ne Fishing Village, they would visit those tomorrow morning; since they drove themselves, they wouldn't need to temporarily rent a car locally like other tourists.

It took over three hours from Saigon to Mui Ne. Although Vu Linh Huong didn't drive much, she had been in the car for over three hours, plus she had been quite active last night.

So the two decided to take an afternoon nap back at the villa while the weather was hot.

That way, they could go out and start playing once the sun was less scorching.

Each villa at the Sea Cliff Resort has a private swimming pool, allowing guests to enjoy the sea view while soaking in the cool pool water right from their courtyard.

In such hot weather, no one could refuse the cool pool water, so Vu Linh Huong first changed into a bikini and pulled Li Qinghe, who had changed into his swim trunks, into the pool for a soak.

As they soaked and drank freshly squeezed avocado milkshakes, the scorching heat from the sun almost instantly dissipated.

After a refreshing afternoon nap, it was already past 4 PM.

Vu Linh Huong changed into an outfit suitable for playing; she wore a blue shirt, which she playfully tied into a bow at the front.

Below, she paired it with white hot pants, her long, straight legs on display, and white slippers on her feet, creating a fresh and relaxed urban beauty.

Vu Linh Huong

According to their midday plan, Li Qinghe first drove the car towards Fairy Stream.

Although Fairy Stream has a very beautiful name, in reality, it is just a small stream winding through red clay hills and a tropical rainforest.

It is said that the source of the stream upstream is a waterfall, but it has not been developed due to its distance.

Red rock layers and clay

The buildings around Fairy Stream are very simple; the attraction's workhouses are sheds made of corrugated iron and steel frames.

The entrance fee is 10,000 vietnamese dong (2.6 dragon coin) per person, and before descending to the stream, each person also has to pay 5,000 vietnamese dong (1.3 dragon coin) to store their shoes.

Because the water in this small stream is super shallow, and the streambed is made of red rock layers and fine sand, the soft fine sand and flat rock layers are not slippery, so walking barefoot here is most comfortable.

Fairy Stream

Vu Linh Huong and Li Qinghe both walked barefoot into the streambed, where the water just barely covered their insteps.

"Qinghe, hurry up, the water here is so cool!" Vu Linh Huong joyfully rushed into the stream.

The afternoon sun was no longer as scorching as midday; walking in the cool stream water, Vu Linh Huong also let down her guard, acting no different from an ordinary girl.

Overall, Fairy Stream is a semi-artificial, semi-natural attraction; the scenery is not as beautiful as the name suggests, but it is still a somewhat unique place.

For people who live in cities all year round, such attractions can help them get closer to nature and effectively relax their minds.

But for those who are used to it, this place is not as good as a small stream in their hometown's back mountain; it just depends on individual needs.

The section of the stream that has been cleared by the attraction for tourists to walk is about two kilometers long.

The round trip takes about half an hour.

If you want to immerse yourself in playing in the water, it can take about an hour and a half.

On both sides of the stream, there are also some coffee shops, stores, and small zoos attracting tourists of all ages to spend money here.

Li Qinghe went and bought two iced coffees, 30,000 vietnamese dong each, which was a reasonable price.

Li Qinghe heard some tourists nearby discussing that before the pandemic, prices in Mui Ne were very expensive.

After several years of closure, all those owners who ripped off customers couldn't sustain their businesses and left.

Mui Ne's prices have returned to their original affordable range.

Such a bizarre and convoluted change truly shows that every action has its consequence, all determined by fate.

Although the scenery at Fairy Stream is a bit unremarkable, it is very suitable for couples and families with children to visit.

This is because the water here is relatively shallow, making it a bit safer.

Li Qinghe took Vu Linh Huong to play at Fairy Stream for a while, then drove directly to the nearby Red Sand Dunes.