I had two of my best surfs so far in Vietnam over Christmas on the back beach at Mui Ne also known as Malibu Beach.
The surf on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve had three foot sets with some good rides, both lefts and rights. It was slightly bigger down the south end of Malibu Beach near the No Mad kitesurfing camp, but it was glassier down further near the resorts, which was particularly good. Boxing Day was reportedly excellent as well.
December has swung the wind from the South to the North bringing the wind-swell onto the east-facing Malibu beach. The front beach at Mui Ne has very little surf this time of year. The website, forecasts.swellwatch.com, demonstrates really well where the wind and swell are coming from. For another tip to find secret spots to surf in Vietnam look at Google Earth.
It’s best to go around sunrise before the wind picks up at 10am when it starts to get blown out.
I got my hands on a motorbike with a board rack, which was a great score, so I could cruise along the beach and choose the best peak. Otherwise I recommend you get a taxi or a xe om (motorbike taxi) and hold your board under your arm. If you get in and out of Malibu Beach before 10 in the morning the wind is not going to be too much of a problem for carrying the board on the bike.
To get to Malibu Beach from the main resort strip, just head up to the fishing port and turn left at the roundabout at Mui Ne Town, then follow your nose.
I took my own board (borrowed actually) from Saigon on a Phuong Trang bus from De Tham Street. It’s an eight footer and truly if it was another inch longer it wouldn’t have fitted in the luggage compartment, so be mindful of that if you’ve got a longer board – you might need a bus with roof racks on top. It can be handy to have some octopus straps as well.
Surfing at Malibu Beach is nothing like Uluwatu in Bali or Nias in Sumatra or other legendary surf spots. It’s just a beach break but it’s much better than Vung Tau and I suspect more consistent this time of year. But it hasn’t been a good season for wind so far – leaving all the kite surfing schools in Mui Ne feeling a bit down.
It may not be Uluwatu but it’s definitely frontier Asia surfing with waves, coconut palm trees and fishermen in basket boats just beyond the break, which makes for an epic adventure.