Why you should race to Hue, Vietnam
When planning a trip to Vietnam, it’s very easy to get caught up in all the big-name destinations such as Hanoi, Hon An, Ha Long Bay…the list goes on.
BUT there’s another city in central Vietnam that we think deserves a spoon your itinerary, especially if you love a bit of history, exploring somewhere on a bike and, in our case, enjoying a glass of wine on a private boat for sunset.
Welcome to Hue
Now, Hue isn’t somewhere we’d recommend if you’re looking for beaches or a packed schedule of adventure activities. What makes this city interesting is its history. This was once the capital of Vietnam, home to emperors, royal palaces and an enormous Imperial City that you can still explore today.
You’ll find the pace slows down here, it’s not as crazy and loud as cities such as Hanoi, it has a sense or serenity and calmness.
How to get to Hue
We arrived on the night train which was incredibly simple. Prior to this, we were staying at Tam Cos, Nihn Bihn we got the night train at around 10pm and arrived in Hue ready for breakfast at around 8am.
When I booked our hotel in Hue, I knew I wanted it to be central but also not too far from the train station. Thankfully, it was literally just over the road from where we got off the train, and we managed to eat breakfast on arrival. There was even a cheeky glass of champagne consumed with the yummy breakfast selection and coffees. I’ll get into it later, but this hotel was incredible!
After Hue, we got a private transfer to Da Nang and flew to Cambodia, the transfer only took around 1hr 30 and we got to see some incredible views over the mountains.
A little history of Hue
Before we get into what we did and what we recommend, I think it’s worth understanding a little about Hue’s history because it makes exploring the city so much more interesting.
From 1802 until 1945, Hue was the imperial capital of Vietnam under the Nguyen dynasty, the country’s final royal dynasty. That’s 143 years of emporor’s, royal ceremonies, political decisions and life behind the walls of the Imperial City!
The dynasty began when Emperor Gia Long established Hue as the capital of unified Vietnam in 1802. Over the years, the city became an important centre for politics, religion and culture, with elaborate palaces, temples, gardens and royal tombs built in and around it. The Nguyen dynasty eventually came to an end in 1945, when Emperor Bao Dai abdicated.
But Hue’s history isn’t all about emperors and beautiful palaces. The city also has a very heavy wartime past, particularly during the Battle of Hue in 1968, which was one of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War.
Sadly, much of the Imperial City was badly damaged or destroyed during the fighting, and you can still see the bullet and shrapnel scars on some of the surviving walls today. It’s quite sobering to think about what happened here, especially when you’re standing in somewhere that was once so grand.
Some of the buildings have since been carefully restored or reconstructed.
Private tour of Hue
With so much history to discover in Hue, we booked a tour through our hotel (Azerai La Residence). This was a 4-hour private tour to see some of the most famous sights. The price was 1,875,000 VND per person which included an English speaking tour guide, entrance tickets and transportation (car and cyclo).
Visiting Khai Dinh Tomb
Khai Dinh Tomb is definitely one to include in your itinerary!
From the imposing stone staircase and statues outside, to the incredibly detailed mosaics inside, there’s SO much to look at.
Inside, the decoration is something else! The amount of colour and detail is incredible, the walls are covered in colourful mosaics made from tiny pieces of porcelain and glass, depicting everything from flowers to birds, including peacocks, cranes and phoenixes. The amount of detail is incredible!!
Our guide also explained how the tomb combines traditional Vietnamese architecture with European influences, which makes it quite different from other imperial buildings in Hue.
Exploring Hue’s Imperial Citadel
Once the heart of Vietnam’s royal capital, the Imperial Citadel is HUGE!
The royal enclosure alone covers an area equivalent to around 50 football pitches, so you can imagine just how much there is to explore.
There are beautiful gateways, huge courtyards and colourful traditional Vietnamese buildings everywhere you look. It’s quite something to imagine how grand it must have been when the emporor’s lived there.
Sadly, many buildings were damaged or destroyed during the wars, particularly in 1968, and you can still see bullet scars on some of the surviving walls. Others have been carefully restored, so there’s a real mixture of beauty and history as you walk around.
We also discovered Hue’s beautiful handmade Vietnamese conical hats, known as non la. There was a display showing the craftsmanship involved, and we came away with the most gorgeous handmade hats, with the most intricate embroidery. Just bear in mind, if you buy one…you will have to take it on the plane with you!! Maybe not on your head, but certainly in a bag.
A cyclo ride through Hue
After exploring the Imperial Citadel, we hopped into a traditional cyclo for our journey back to the hotel.
If you’ve never seen one, it’s basically a three-wheeled bicycle taxi, with you sitting at the front while somebody else does all the pedalling!
Not a bad way to get back to the hotel, especially when you’ve been walking around in the heat all day.
Exploring Dong Ba Market
The market was packed with stalls selling local food, clothing, souvenirs and enough fake designer handbags to open your own department store. Our guide was very good at pointing out the local delicacies and explaining what they are and the history behind them.
It’s a completely different side of Hue and worth a wander, even if you’re not planning to buy anything,.
A private sunset cruise on the Perfume River, wine & canapés? Yes please!
Now, if there’s one thing we love doing when we travel, it’s finding an experience that’s a little bit special. This might be a little bit pricey, BUT it was totally worth it! It was honestly so so special and romantic.
This wasn’t something we had planned for months, it was actually a last minute booking. I was in the elevator heading up to the room, and saw there was a poster advertising it. I then swiftly went down to reception, and hoped they still had availability that night…thankfully they did!
Azerai La Residence (our hotel), offer a selection of private river cruises, including afternoon tea, sunset drinks and dinner experiences. I thought the sunset cruise would be the most spacial.
The Perfume River runs right through Hue and has played an important role in the city’s history. Its unusual name is traditionally linked to the fragrant flowers and plants growing upstream, which are said to have given the water its scent.
Cycling around the city
If you know us at all yet, or read our other guides, you would know we always love exploring on bikes! This was no exception, we managed to get bikes from our hotel and explore the chilled city. Yes, at times the traffic is still a little scary, but overall it was very easy going and enjoyable. There was a great cycle path along the river which meant you could cycle for miles! We would even bike to restaurants or cafes and lock out bikes up outside, and then get back on them.
We cannot recommend enough exploring in new and different ways!
Overall, Hue was an incredible place and we would absolutely love to go back again!!!
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