The famous Red Sand Dunes (Doi Cat), are located in Mui Ne on the main coastal road at the intersection with the four lane (706) highway. The whole region is fairly sandy, with orange sand threatening to blow onto the coastal road in some spots. The red sand dunes that visitors visit are about 50ha (1/2km²) of open sand on a hillside with ten-meter undulations, staffed by dusty children with plastic slides who will offer instruction and assistance if you want to slide on the sand. Be careful of these children as they will offer to carry your bag for you as you go sliding, then steal your phone or wallet. There are so many boys that you won’t be able to tell who did it. The dunes also offer nice views of the coast to the north. In all, it’s worth a half-hour visit, especially if you have rented your own motorbike for the day. On the opposite side of the road are a series of small cafes where you can park your motorbike for a small fee if you ride there on your own. Most day tours sold by local tour operators include a stop at the dunes. A number of Mui Ne resorts are within walking distance of the red dunes (Sand Dunes Resort, Pandanus Resort, Nam Chau Resort, Malibu Resort and Blue Shell Resort). The trip by taxi from the middle of the Ham Tien resort strip would be about 150,000VND each way, and less by xe om. It is reachable by bicycle in 30-45 minutes, passing the Fairy Stream on the way.
There are also White Sand Dunes located 24km north of the red dunes. They are much larger than the red dunes, extending up to 20 kilometers along the coast, and vendors offer dune buggies for rent to drive around the dunes. There are also the omnipresent children with plastic sleds to rent, as well as ostriches to ride. The deep blue lake below the entrance to the dunes and the dark green lotus plants on the shore provide stark contrasts to the white sand glistening in the sun, offering photographers delightfully starkly contrasting colors. Plan 1-2 hours for a leisurely stroll including stops for photos.