To purchase the bus tickets back to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) or anywhere else for that matter, one will have to:
- Mention the room number and the name of the hotel/guesthouse/hostel that one is staying in Mui Ne because the bus will pick you up from there
- Provide a contact number where they can call and inform you when the bus is about to leave. Since I have a local Vietnamese number, I gave the number to them. Read which telecommunications provider I used and my review here
The
BX. Mui Ne – BX. Mien Tay (TP.HCM) bus ticket costs 135,000 VND per person, leaving at 9.00am. Again, we
requested for seats A19 and A20 which are located at the very end of the bus, on the lower deck. We had the same seat numbers when travelling from
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) to Mui Ne. Read the story
here.
After that, we made our way back to the guesthouse for a satisfying dinner of Vietnamese curry and rice. The non-creamy curry had generous portions of diced chicken meat and vegetables (carrot, potato, long bean and lemongrass). It was delicious! The Malaysian version would have coconut milk added to it to make it creamy. With our stomachs full, we were too lazy and tired to venture out again, thus we retired for the night in our comfortable room.
FUTA (Phuong Trang) Express Bus ticket counter in Mui Ne, Vietnam
A satisfying dinner of Vietnamese curry and rice
FUTA (Phuong Trang) Express Double Decker Sleeper Bus to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
We woke up early in the morning to pack our belongings and proceeded to the café for check-out where we got our passports back. If you are unaware of
Vietnam’s foreign visitors check-in/check-out passport safekeeping law, read more info here.
At the café, we had a simple but delicious breakfast of Vietnamese mushroom omelette with bread. After that, we sat back, relaxed and waited for the bus to arrive. That was when my sister and I took the opportunity to observe our surroundings and soak up the positive vibes around us. At around 8.50am, I received a phone call instructing us to wait outside, by the roadside of the guesthouse. 15 minutes later, the bus arrived and we boarded the bus back to
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).
The bus made several short stops along the way to pick up some passengers who were on the same journey to
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). As before, we were given a complimentary bottle of drinking water, a thin blanket and a wet tissue each. This time however, my sister and I had an adorable travel companion who loves to smile each time we played peek-a-boo with him on the bus.
Various Vietnamese sauces and toothpicks
Vietnamese mushroom omelette with bread for breakfast
FUTA (Phuong Trang) BX. Mui Ne – BX. Mien Tay (TP.HCM) bus ticket costs 135,000 VND per person
School children walking to school in Mui Ne, Vietnam
Some of the school children wore helmets to school, how cute!
Our respective A19 and A20 seats on the FUTA (Phuong Trang) Express sleeper bus travelling from Mui Ne to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Our next door neighbour/passenger on the bus was fast asleep throughout the journey
Peek-a-boo!
This was our adorable travelling companion on the bus back to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Good Bye Mui Ne, Hello Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)!
As this was our second time travelling on the sleeper bus, there was nothing new for us to look out for except for the scenery that was laid before our eyes. Throughout the journey, we passed by rustic villages, old shophouses and dragon fruit plantations. Overall, it was a pleasant ride back to the bustling city.
The bus made a stop somewhere halfway the journey at a rest area for passengers to have a toilet break, grab a quick bite or have a quick lunch. There is a restaurant and several stalls selling drinks, snacks and takeaway food such as baguettes, buns, bread or even hot dishes such as fried rice, noodles or soups at reasonable prices.
The journey back to Saigon from Mui Ne took about 4 hours, and we arrived in the city at around 1.30pm. The bus dropped us off in front of the FUTA (Phuong Trang) bus terminal in District 1. From there, we made our way towards Eco Backpacker’s Hostel which is a stone's throw away from the terminal.
The designated rest stop located somewhere halfway the journey from Mui Ne - Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
FUTA (Phuong Trang) buses travelling from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) - Mui Ne also stop here for a break
The restaurant selling hot food/dishes such as fried rice, noodles and soups
One of the stalls at the rest stop selling drinks, snacks and takeaway food such as baguettes, buns and bread
A petrol station in Vietnam
Crossing a river somewhere in Vietnam
Grocery shops in the city outskirts of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
One of the bus stops along the way from Mui Ne to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
A dragon fruit plantation in Vietnam
City skyline of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in the background
Shophouses in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
FUTA (Phuong Trang) bus terminal in District 1, Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Up next: Check-in and my review of our standard double private ensuite room at Eco Backpacker’s Hostel, Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)
