HCMC to Mui Ne by Expressway: Route, Exits and Travel Times

By the Car Rental Vietnam editorial team · Compiled from official sources and Vietnamese press · Updated: October 2026

Driving from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne is now almost all expressway: HCMC – Long Thanh – Dau Giay, then Phan Thiet – Dau Giay, leaving only about 15–40 km of ordinary road at the end. Since 1 July 2025, Phan Thiet and Mui Ne belong to the new Lam Dong province (formerly Binh Thuan). This guide explains which exit to take, how long to allow, how the car compares with the train and bus, and how to plan one or two days.

The route in brief

1. City to the HCMC – Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway: join at An Phu (Thu Duc) and drive to the junction with the Phan Thiet – Dau Giay expressway near Dau Giay.
2. Phan Thiet – Dau Giay expressway (99 km): follow it to its end at the Ba Bau interchange in the Ham Kiem area.
3. Last stretch: from Ba Bau to National Highway 1, then on to Phan Thiet, Mui Ne or the southern coast.

Our Mui Ne car rental service page lists vehicles and booking options; if you only need central Phan Thiet, see the Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet private car page.

Which exit: Phan Thiet, Mui Ne or Ke Ga?

Ba Bau is the end of the Phan Thiet – Dau Giay expressway and the exit for both Phan Thiet and Mui Ne. Beyond it the road becomes the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet expressway, with turn-offs for Da Lat and onwards towards Nha Trang, so don't overshoot if you are heading for the beach.

Bao Xay Dung reported the Ham Kiem – Tien Thanh road opening to traffic around 30 April 2024, and VnExpress said it cuts nearly 20 km off the trip to the southern beaches.

How long and how far?

Our site lists Phan Thiet at about 167 km from central Ho Chi Minh City, with the Ham Tien – Mui Ne resort strip roughly 10–20 km further, depending on where you stay. Vietnam's national tourism authority (VNAT) puts Mui Ne about four hours from the city by road. Our dispatchers usually suggest allowing:

• Central Phan Thiet: about 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
• Ham Tien – Mui Ne: about 3 to 4 hours.
• Weekends and holidays: extra time, especially leaving the city and coming back.

Rules on the Phan Thiet – Dau Giay expressway

• Speed: since 19 January 2026, up to 120 km/h, with minimums of 80 km/h in lane 1 and 60 km/h in lane 2; coaches over 29 seats and trucks over 7.5 tonnes may not use lane 1 (Tuoi Tre, citing the Vietnam Road Administration). Always follow the posted signs.
• Tolls: since 10 pm on 2 March 2026, the road is tolled electronically on a closed system (Dan Tri). Vehicles need an ETC tag with credit; see our electronic toll guide.
• Driving hours: according to VOV Giao thong, the amended road traffic law in force from 1 July 2026 drops the 10-hour daily cap but keeps the four-hour limit on continuous driving, so drivers need a break on a same-day return trip.

Rest stops

The Vietnam Road Administration (via VOV) lists rest stops in service on both the HCMC – Long Thanh – Dau Giay and Phan Thiet – Dau Giay expressways. The trade press described the Km 47.5 stop on Phan Thiet – Dau Giay as still being completed, so facilities may be limited. Our expressway rest stops guide keeps an updated list.

Car, train or bus?

The train timetable changes by season, so check Vietnam Railways' official site (dsvn.vn) before planning around it.

Sample one-day plan: Ke Ga or Mui Ne

A same-day return is possible but long; our price list counts about 400 km in total for a Mui Ne day trip.

1. Around 5:00–5:30: pickup in the city, breakfast at a rest stop.
2. Late morning: pick one direction. For Ke Ga, exit at Ba Bau and take the Ham Kiem – Tien Thanh road to the coast. For Mui Ne, go through Phan Thiet and along the coastal road.
3. Lunch: seafood and a rest.
4. Early afternoon: the dunes or the fishing village at Mui Ne, or a walk along the Ke Ga coast.
5. Around 15:00–16:00: head back, with a break on the way.

Photo: White sand dunes at Mui Ne by choi kwangmo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sample two-day plan

• Day 1: early start, check in at Mui Ne, red dunes and the fishing village in the afternoon, sunset.
• Day 2: early trip to the white sand dunes (a fair drive beyond Mui Ne), check out, then Ke Ga via the coastal road on the way back to the expressway.

Car Rental Vietnam tip: for larger groups or anyone who wants roomier reclining seats, a limousine van makes a three-hour-plus drive easier. See limousine rental from Saigon to Mui Ne and send us your passenger and suitcase numbers.

Best season

VNAT describes Mui Ne as semi-arid, one of Vietnam's driest coastlines, with the best time roughly November to April, when it is dry, sunny and windy. The rest of the year is the rainy season, so check the forecast. Weekends, summer holidays and Tet are busy; book early.

What the price is made of

The price depends on vehicle size, same-day or overnight, total distance (our price list works on about 380 km for a Phan Thiet day trip and 400 km for Mui Ne), waiting time, night driving and holidays. Our online quote states that it includes the driver's wage and road tolls; for overnight trips ask about the driver's accommodation, overtime and VAT invoices. See our price list.

Practical notes for international travellers

• Pickup: hotel lobby, or the airport with a name sign if you ask.
• Language: don't count on an English-speaking driver. Book via WhatsApp or Zalo and send a written itinerary with your resort's exact address.
• Luggage and child seats: share your suitcase count; child seats are not standard, so ask in advance.
• Payment and tipping: ask about payment methods when booking. Tipping is optional.

Checklist and common mistakes

• Mui Ne stretches for many kilometres; an exact resort address saves time.
• Don't drive past Ba Bau onto the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet expressway.
• Don't try to fit Ke Ga, Mui Ne and the white dunes into one day trip.
• Don't rely on "under three hours to Mui Ne" at every time of day.
• Bring sunscreen, a hat and water for the dunes.

Frequently asked questions

Want Mui Ne or Phan Thiet without worrying about exits, breaks or toll tags? Call +84 967 914 574, message us on WhatsApp or Zalo, or send your plan through our Mui Ne car hire with driver page.

Main sources: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (vietnam.travel); Vietnam Road Administration via Tuoi Tre and VOV; Dan Tri; Bao Xay Dung; VnExpress; VOV Giao thong; distance data on carrentalvietnam.vn.

You can also read Coach Hire for a Phan Thiet and Mui Ne Group Trip when planning your trip.