Mui Ne, Vietnam: What to Expect From The Lodge's Winter Kite Trip

From November to April, while the lagoon in Portugal goes quiet for the winter, the wind moves to Southeast Asia.

Mui Ne, on Vietnam's south-central coast, gets the northeast monsoon for those months: steady wind, warm water, a long sandy beach, and a town full of good, cheap food. It's where we take the Lodge crew for a ten-night kite and wing trip.

Here's what the trip looks like, who it suits, and the honest case for choosing a winter week in Vietnam.

Why Mui Ne

The kite scene in Mui Ne has existed for twenty years. It's not a discovery, and that's part of the appeal: the logistics are proven. What makes it worth a long flight is the combination:

• Reliable northeast monsoon wind from November to April, typically 15 to 25 knots
• Warm, tropical water all season: board shorts and a rash vest, no wetsuit
• Flat water close to shore in the right conditions, which makes it a great place to progress on the foil
• A wide, sandy beach with plenty of space to launch and ride
• Vietnamese food, which is a reason to travel in itself
• Red sand dunes, fishing villages and a completely different culture on your no-wind day

Who the trip is for

All levels, with a small group of six to ten riders and a Lodge guide on the beach every day.

If you already ride upwind, you'll spend the trip riding and progressing: transitions, first jumps, or getting comfortable on the foil in warm water. If you're newer to the sport, the daily sessions are guided, and the conditions are far friendlier than a winter in Europe. Tell us your level when you ask about the trip and we'll be honest about what your week would look like.

Never kited at all? A camp at the lagoon in Portugal first is the better order. You'll get more out of Vietnam once the basics are in place.

The rhythm of the day

The wind in Mui Ne tends to build through the day, so mornings are slow. Breakfast at the resort, a coffee on the beach, a look at the wind. Sessions happen when the wind is on, with a guide to help with launches, spot choice and gear.

Evenings are the big difference from a camp at The Lodge. Mui Ne is a real town with real restaurants, so dinner moves around: a beach restaurant one night, a local market another. It's a holiday with kiting at the centre and Vietnam around it, not a training camp.

What's included

• 10 nights in a beachfront resort in Mui Ne
• Daily kite and wing foil sessions with a guide
• Equipment rental included: kites, wings, boards, foils, harnesses
• Airport transfers
• Daily breakfast
• A cultural excursion and local experiences on a lighter-wind day

Not included: international flights, lunches and most dinners (so you can explore the town), travel insurance, and personal extras.

Dates and prices for the current season are on the Vietnam trip page. Groups are kept small, so if you're interested, get in touch early rather than late.

Getting there

You fly into Ho Chi Minh City. From Europe that's usually a direct flight or one stop via a Gulf or Asian hub. Mui Ne is a few hours by road from the airport, and the transfer is organised for the group's arrival day so nobody has to work it out alone at midnight.

Visa rules depend on your passport and change from year to year. We'll send current guidance in the info pack when you ask about the trip, and we'll confirm what applies to you before you book.

Honest reasons not to come

• You're nervous about long-haul flights and jet lag. It's a long way, and the first two days are slow.
• You don't do heat. Vietnam in the dry season is warm and humid, all day.
• You want a five-star, everything-arranged resort week. This is a small group, a beachfront resort, and a lot of freedom.
• You'd rather have Lodge dinners every night. Most evenings here are out in town.

Good reasons to come

• You want to ride in warm water in the middle of the European winter
• You'd like a kite week with a real culture around it, not just a beach
• You want a small group and a guide who knows your level
• You're curious about the foil and want flat, warm water to learn it in

If that sounds like your kind of winter, the trip page has the details, and a message to us gets you the full info pack with flights, gear list and visa notes.

See also: all Lodge trips · wing foil camps in Portugal