Tours in and around Hue
The city of Hue served as the capital of Vietnam from 1802 during the reign of the Nguyễn Dynasty until 1945, and it contains many important historical sites such as the Royal Palace, pagodas, and tombs. The city is bisected by a wide river named the Perfume River.
During the Vietnam War, the city suffered heavily from bombings and large parts of it were destroyed.
Today, the streets in the city center are bustling, mostly packed with motorbikes, but also many rickshaws. Walking on many sidewalks is nearly impossible because residents park their motorbikes and cars on them, and restaurant and shop owners also take over parts of them. Pedestrians are frequently forced to step down onto the road. Crossing the street is a local art form; they simply walk with a raised hand between motorbikes and cars that do not stop at all, but rather veer or slow down slightly out of respect for the person crossing. It is hard to find a traffic light or a pedestrian crossing.
♦ Recommended tours in Hue (to book from Viator):
Along the river promenade, there are many food stalls, and vendors spread blankets on the ground displaying their goods: wallets, glasses, shoes, toys, and more.
Many tourist boats are available for visitors to cruise along the river and visit attractions along it.
In the city center, there are many hotels, with numerous tourists in the streets having access to many restaurants serving local as well as Western food, along with large pubs.
In the many temples, it is customary to light incense sticks in various scents. You can visit a place where incense sticks are produced and sold, and even try making them yourself.
Recommended hotels in Hue
Imperial Hue Hotel - An elegant and impressive 5-star hotel. Located in the city center near the river, offering views of the river and the old city. The hotel features a pool, gym, spa, 3 restaurants, and a bar with views of the entire city (see photo at the top of this page).
Indochine Palace - A 5-star hotel in a convenient central location. Every room has a balcony with views of the city, pool, or lake. The hotel has a swimming pool, gym, spa, 5 restaurants, and a bar.
Vinpearl Hotel Hue - A modern and impressive 5-star hotel in the city center, belonging to the prestigious "Vinpearl" chain.
The hotel features a swimming pool, gym, spa, restaurant, and bar.
Villa Hue Hotel - A 4-star hotel in a convenient central location, featuring spacious rooms and suites, a swimming pool, and a bar.
Attractions in Hue City
Imperial Palace:
This is a huge walled fortress containing many structures, such as the royal family's quarters—which were severely damaged during the Vietnam War—the Imperial City, temples, pagodas, rulers' tombs, a library, and a museum.
The site is very large and requires a lot of walking to get from place to place. You can rent a golf cart with a driver on-site to transport tourists between destinations. Many structures destroyed by bombings during the Vietnam War have been restored at the site.
At the various stops, explanations are provided about the function of each building and the lifestyle of the kings, their wives, children, servants, and officers who lived here. During that period, each king had many wives and, of course, many children.
Visiting a King's Tomb: Tu Duc Tomb
This king feared that his body would be harmed after his death, so he was buried secretly at the site by 6 soldiers who committed suicide after his burial, leaving no one knowing exactly where he was buried. There is a tomb at the site, but it is empty.
Thien Mu Pagoda
This ancient pagoda was built in 1601 on a hill overlooking the Perfume River. Together with the Imperial Palace, it serves as a symbol of Hue. The pagoda can be reached via a river cruise by boat from the city center. The pagoda is a 7-story tower that narrows as it goes up.
The complex also features beautiful gardens. According to legend, a woman who appeared in the evening and disappeared every morning told the residents—who suffered severely from recurring floods—to build the pagoda, and since its construction, the flooding ceased.
The site also features a memorial corner with a car and photos of a local monk who, in 1963, as an act of protest against the anti-Buddhist and anti-religious-freedom regime, drove to Saigon in this car and set himself on fire in the main street.
Short video about historical sites in Hue:
Local Market and Restaurants
It is also worth visiting the large local market across the river called Cho Dong Ba.
In this market, they sell everything under the sun: food, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, clothes, toys, and more. It is a bustling, crowded market with cramped seating areas for those wishing to eat at the market's restaurants/stalls.
Recommended Restaurants:
For those who prefer dining in a more spacious restaurant than the market stalls, here are two warm recommendations:
A large, popular, and inexpensive local restaurant called Quan Hanh, with a huge selection of diverse and authentic dishes.
Another restaurant serving typical Vietnamese food with beautiful gardens is Sweet Olive Garden:
Short video about a tour in Hue:
Trip from Hoi An to Hue
The road north from Hoi An to Hue passes through the mountain pass known as Hai Van Quan Pass. Along the way, you can see beautiful views of the sea, mountains, and Da Nang city. At the top of the pass, a strategically military location, there are remains of military outposts from the Vietnam War era; tourist vehicles passing through here stop to explore the site.
At the end of the mountain pass, you arrive at the fishing village of Lang Co, featuring sandy beaches suitable for bathing (though, like in much of Vietnam, the sea isn't particularly inviting for swimming—quite rough and grey). Not far from there, you can stop near a shallow bay with a small opening to the sea where oysters are cultivated both for food and for pearl farming.
Further along, there are many shops roadside selling a special aromatic oil used, among other things, as an insect repellent, cold reliever, sting soothing remedy, and more. Stopping at one of these shops lets you see the equipment where they heat plant leaves and flowers to distill the oil.
A short drive further down the road, it is worth stopping at a fishing village situated on the shores of a large freshwater lagoon named Dam Cau Hai, connected to the sea by a narrow opening. In their yards, residents repair fishing nets and prepare wooden poles driven into the water around which fishing nets are placed. A great opportunity to see how locals live and earn a living in the region.
