Hue Vietnam

Hue: Vietnam’s Imperial Capital, and Worth More Than a Day Trip

Hue sits on the Perfume River in central Vietnam, roughly equidistant between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Most travellers stop here for a day or two as part of a north-south journey. Two days is the minimum; three is better, especially if you want to explore the imperial tombs properly rather than rushing through the most famous one.

The city served as the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. It was heavily bombed during the Vietnam War — particularly during the 1968 Tet Offensive and its aftermath — and large portions of the citadel were destroyed. Restoration has been ongoing for decades, and the citadel today is partly reconstructed, partly ruined, and entirely worth visiting.

The Imperial Citadel

The citadel complex is a walled city within the city. Entry is through the Ngo Mon Gate, a multi-tiered structure with a viewing balcony used for royal ceremonies. Inside, the Forbidden Purple City is where the emperor and his immediate family lived — it’s largely gone now, reduced to foundations and a handful of restored structures, but the scale of what was here is still legible.

The Thai Hoa Palace (Throne Room) is the best-preserved main structure and has been carefully restored. Photography inside is permitted. Allow two to three hours for the main citadel. Admission is 200,000 VND for adults.

The Imperial Tombs

The Nguyen emperors built elaborate tomb complexes outside the city, each one distinct in style and character. The most visited are:

Khai Dinh Tomb (about 10km south) is the most visually striking: a steep hillside construction that mixes Vietnamese, French, and Chinese architectural elements in a way that shouldn’t work and somehow does. The interior is covered floor-to-ceiling in mosaics of porcelain and glass. It’s baroque in the extreme.

Tu Duc Tomb (7km south) is the opposite: a large, forested complex of pavilions, ponds, and gardens where the longest-reigning Nguyen emperor spent much of his time writing poetry and relaxing. It has a genuine tranquility that the other sites lack.

Each tomb costs 150,000–200,000 VND. You can hire a motorbike taxi (xe ôm) for a half-day tour of two or three tombs for around 200,000–300,000 VND total.

Food

Hue has a specific culinary identity within Vietnam. Bún bò Huế — thick rice noodles in a spicy lemongrass and beef broth, topped with sliced beef, pork knuckle, and herbs — is richer and more complex than pho and considerably less known internationally. Find it at street stalls in the morning from around 50,000–70,000 VND a bowl.

Bánh bèo (steamed rice cakes with shrimp and pork crackling), bánh khoái (crispy savoury pancakes with shrimp and pork), and com hen (clam rice) are all local specialities worth seeking out. Dong Ba Market near the river has good street food stalls and a decent produce section.

Where to Stay

The Pilgrimage Village on the outskirts is the premium option, with good spa facilities. In the city centre, La Residence Hotel sits in a beautifully restored French colonial building on the river. Budget options cluster around Pham Ngu Lao street and along the riverfront, with guesthouse rooms from around 300,000–500,000 VND.

Getting Around

Motorbike rental is the most practical way to visit the tombs and outlying sites — around 100,000–150,000 VND per day. Alternatively, the tourist boat along the Perfume River (stopping at Thien Mu Pagoda on the way) is scenic and takes about 90 minutes each direction.