The Cham people are descendants of the once great kingdom of Champa. Their present-day population of approximately 100,000 is centered around the city of Phan Rang, near the North Eastern border of Binh Thuan province. Cambodia has the largest concentration of Cham; with a population between 500 thousand and 1 million people.

The history of South East Asia is characterized by a number of autonomous, great Hindu Empires, located in Burma, Cambodia and Indonesia and Vietnam. The Khmer civilization known for its temples of Anchor is perhaps the most famous. The Champa Kingdom occupied Vietnam.

Mui Ne means "sheltered peninsula," and indeed, is used as a seasonal harbor by local fisherman.This area was previous occupied by the Cham Kingdom, as testified to by the Cham Towers overlooking Phan Thiet. The towers were built in the 8th century to worship Shiva, and are said to be among the oldest in Vietnam. Beside these three towers, there was once a temple, but it has been buried in the ground for more than 300 years. There is now a modern pagoda beside them. Inside the main tower is an altar, on which a couple of Liga-Yoni sit. In Binh Thuan Province (where Mui Ne is situated) in 1306, King Tran Nhan Tong agreed to the marriage of princess Huyen Chan to King Jaya Sinhavarman III of the Cham Kingdom. The area is rich in local lore and superstition, with many stories of ghosts, fairies, local gods, monsters, magic and miracles, both ancient and recent.

Mui Ne lies in the monsoon tropical zone, with 2 district seasons.

A Note on Safety & Mui Ne Conditions