1. Enjoy salt coffee
"When coming to Hue, you cannot miss trying salt coffee."
Until now, many people still cannot understand the true origin of this unique coffee preparation method. Coffee with salt may sound strange at first but it has a surprising effect. The salt flavor combined with the sweetness of cocoa and milk softens the bitterness of the coffee. International tourists consider this a must-try drink when in Hue if you are a coffee "worm".
Suggested address: 142 Dang Thai Than, Thuan Hoa, Hue city
Price: 15,000 VND/cup
2. Visit Hue Imperial Citadel
"If you are interested in and love Vietnamese history, visiting the Imperial Citadel is one of the most important things you should do in Hue." The Imperial Citadel is one of the evidences of the golden history of the Nguyen Dynasty that is present here.
Hue Imperial City, also known as Hue Citadel, was the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945 and belongs to the Hue Monuments Complex recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage.
The Imperial City of Hue is a vast complex that includes many temples, pagodas, royal quarters, tombs and the Forbidden Purple City – a private space reserved for the royal family and selected servants. You will need to set aside at least two hours if you plan to explore it all.
International tourists coming here all suggest hiring a tour guide to make the tour as complete and useful as possible.
3. Eat Hue beef noodle soup
Bun bo Hue has the ability to fascinate many tourists with its special flavor, only found in the imperial land. Many international visitors even say that this is a dish they can eat every day.
Two places to eat Hue beef noodle soup that foreigners pass on to each other are: Hue beef noodle soup Hanh and Hue beef noodle soup My Tam.
4. Explore the royal tombs
Visiting the tombs of the emperors is one of the most popular things to do in Hue. There are seven known royal tombs, although only three are visited by many tourists: Khai Dinh Tomb, Minh Mang Tomb and Tu Duc Tomb.
Tomb of King Minh Mang
Minh Mang Tomb is one of the seven largest known tombs in Hue. This is also a tomb with an architectural model of 40 large and small structures, located on the axis along the 700-meter-long Than Dao road from Dai Hong Mon at the outermost to the foot of the wall of the citadel behind the king's tomb.
King Minh Mang was the second emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, reigning from 1820 until his death in 1841. He was known for his opposition to French involvement in Vietnam, as well as his rigidity - influenced by Confucianism.
Tomb of King Khai Dinh
The Khai Dinh Tomb is considerably smaller than the Minh Mang Tomb but leaves an impression with its grandeur. Built into the mountainside, you will need to climb stairs with carved dragon balustrades, then cross a courtyard with stone guard statues to reach the inner sanctum of the tomb at the top of the obelisk.
Inside the mausoleum is a bronze statue of King Khai Dinh. He was the 12th emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty and the last to build a mausoleum in Hue. He was succeeded by King Bao Dai, the last reigning emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Besides, King Khai Dinh is known to have heavily taxed the people to finance the construction of this tomb.
Tomb of King Tu Duc
The Tomb of Tu Duc is described as the largest and most opulent of all the royal tombs. Tu Duc was the fourth emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty and had the longest reign. He ruled for 36 years, from 1847 until his death in 1883. Tu Duc is remembered for his adherence to Confucianism, his opposition to foreigners, and his reform.
5. Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
Thien Mu Pagoda is located on the banks of the Perfume River, 5 km west of Hue city center. With its charming scenery, Thien Mu is a must-see destination for tourists when visiting Hue.
6. Explore Dong Ba market
Dong Ba Market is the oldest market in Hue, with an area of about 16,000 m2and there are hundreds of stalls selling fresh meat, clothes, handicrafts and household items... You can spend a few minutes or a few hours at Dong Ba Market exploring the alleys and stalls.
7. Eat Hue Cakes
"Banh Hue" is the general name of famous delicious cakes that have been around since the feudal period in Hue. The types of cakes that cannot be missed when mentioned are: banh beo, banh ram, banh ep, banh nam, banh uot...
The ancient capital impresses with its vast culinary heritage, including countless types of Hue cakes of all kinds, both sweet and savory, from simple and rustic to sophisticated and luxurious. Most of the dishes here are not only meticulously prepared, delicate and delicious, but also contain the full flavor of this dreamy and beloved land.
8. Eat mussel rice and corn sweet soup at Con Hen
Com hen - a simple and rustic dish in Con Hen, has long been a familiar address for locals and tourists. This place not only has delicious com hen, but also mussel noodles, vermicelli noodles and desserts that are "memorable".
Con Hen is a small island in the middle of the Perfume River. In addition to the famous rice with mussels, Con Hen also has a delicious corn sweet soup that cannot be found anywhere else outside of Hue. People here grow corn almost all year round (except for the three months of flooding). The corn in this area is delicious and fatty because it benefits from the thick layer of alluvium on the fields after each flood.
9. Visit an abandoned water park
Thuy Tien Lake Park is not only known as an abandoned park in Hue but also a favorite tourist destination for those who love to explore, experience and admire the mysterious, magical beauty.
Thuy Tien Lake Water Park was built in 2000, and was officially completed in June 2004 with an area of 49.9 hectares. There are many unique constructions such as an aquarium, an ecosystem, a water music area... with a capacity of up to 2,500 seats. However, this park has been abandoned for a long time and has been transferred to the investment and management.
Since appearing in foreign newspapers, this tourist area has become a famous check-in spot in Hue and is sought after by many people.
10. Experience Hue royal cuisine
Hue royal cuisine is one of the most attractive things for tourists when traveling to the ancient capital. The dishes are not only delicious but also presented in the most sophisticated and elaborate form. In the past, these dishes were only used to offer the king and the royal family, but today, under the hands of artisans, anyone has the opportunity to enjoy them.
Hue royal cuisine is a meal with about 8 or 9 dishes, recreating the meal served to the royal members of the Nguyen Dynasty. The royal dishes mostly have local ingredients but through meticulous and elaborate preparation, they have achieved perfection in the art of presentation, pure flavor and health benefits.
One place recommended by foreign (and domestic) tourists is Kim Long restaurant, located in the Hue Ancient Houses area.
