“Trekking to Mui Doi is considered an opportunity for me to escape from my busy life and enjoy a peaceful time amidst wild nature and the ocean.” That is the reason why Mr. Nguyen Van Ngo (33 years old, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province), a freelance photographer with a passion for traveling and experiencing, is determined to conquer the easternmost point on the mainland of Vietnam.
Trekking Mui Doi is included in the list of experiences for many young people who love to travel. An exciting journey, going through all kinds of terrain, brings to those who love to experience the excitement and the feeling of overcoming their own limits. In particular, the feeling of touching the granite tip engraved with the yellow inscription "Mui Doi - Hon Doi (Hon Dau), the easternmost point on the mainland, coordinates 12˚39'0" north latitude - 109˚28'0" east longitude" and sitting and watching the beautiful sunrise at the place that welcomes the first sunlight in Vietnam.
Nature has bestowed a charming natural landscape and poetic sea and sky.
Footprints in the sand
Departing from Dam Mon in the morning, Mr. Ngo and his group began their trip by going through a road with sand dunes, which was quite difficult to move. In the dry, hot summer weather, walking on the desert sand without a tree and the wind standing still was also a big challenge.
Although he had been on many trips to conquer dangerous landscapes before, Mr. Ngo still encountered difficulties in his journey. “Trekking nearly 5 km on the desert sand under the scorching heat is a challenge both physically and mentally. Harsh conditions like the desert sand can be a bit more exhausting than climbing mountains, but it also brings a memorable experience,” Mr. Ngo confided.
It took about three hours for the group to overcome the towering sand dunes one after another and the feeling of exhaustion due to the hot sand sticking to their feet, causing burns. However, the experience was to enjoy the wild beauty of the desert with white sand and vast blue sky all around. The thorny challenges and harsh climate were the memories that Mr. Ngo remembered most during his trip. Along the way, he always brought his camera with him so that he could take photos to preserve the memories.
Journey to conquer the hot sand desert terrain.
After conquering the hot desert sand terrain, the group continued to challenge themselves by wading through streams, crossing forests and squeezing through narrow paths. As a nature lover and trail runner, this forest trail was very familiar to the photographer. Still sandy terrain, plus narrow, steep dirt and rocky roads that took a lot of energy. However, in return, Mr. Ngo felt overwhelmed when he could fully admire the poetic, breathtakingly beautiful natural scenery. Here, the mountains, forests, sea and sky seemed to blend together in a blue color, helping the tourist group forget all their fatigue.
After completing the 8km challenge, the scene that opens before your eyes is a beautiful natural picture with the poetic, pristine beach of Bai Rang. This place has blue water and long stretches of white sand.
Immerse yourself in the clear blue water, enjoy the sea breeze and lie on the long stretch of white sand.
It was already dusk, the group started to set up camp for the night. Enjoying fresh seafood dishes by the campfire, immersing in the fresh air, breathing in the breeze carrying the faint salty scent of the ocean, looking up at the black sky full of sparkling stars... no dust or noisy vehicles, just us and nature, all creating unforgettable memories.
Camping under the stars is an unforgettable experience.
Follow the sunshine
To reach Mui Doi in time for the sunrise, Mr. Ngo had to wake up at four o’clock and set off very early when it was still dark. The challenge of catching the sunrise continued with the journey to conquer rocky roads. The distance from Bai Rang to Mui Doi was only a few hundred meters – not too far but still took a lot of time for this journey.
Mr. Ngo recounted: “After 30 minutes of climbing, jumping, and crawling, we finally reached the 'top' of the Easternmost point. To get here, everyone had to climb a rope ladder more than 2 meters high, it looked quite precarious but everything was fine.”
Standing on the beach watching the boats bobbing offshore at sunrise.
Welcoming the new day with the bright morning sunlight, covering each rock with golden light, the poetic beach scene at the first sunrise spot on the S-shaped land becomes even more magical and attractive. Standing on the beach watching the boats bobbing offshore, all appear a picture of a peaceful, simple life that is hard to find in the bustling, bustling city every day.
Mui Doi is an attractive destination that any backpacker desires to conquer once in their life.
Giving advice to young people who are also looking to learn about the journey to conquer the easternmost point of the country, the photographer added: “Mui Doi is a wild area where access to amenities and services may be limited. When trekking and traveling to places like Mui Doi, you will have to adapt to simple and basic living conditions such as sleeping in a camp, no electricity, very little clean water for personal needs. The evenings are quite windy and hot in the camping area, you should bring mosquito repellent and a personal mini fan.”
