ROMANTIC ANCIENT CAPITAL

The gentle Perfume River flows through and shapes the city of Hue.

Despite enduring the ups and downs and vicissitudes of history, Hue remains a captivating land with a gentle, peaceful, and romantic charm. The values ​​that Hue has preserved have been deservedly recognized with UNESCO's designation as Vietnam's first World Cultural Heritage site in 1993. And today, Hue is one of the most visited destinations on the Vietnamese tourism map, along with a new title: Festival City.

Looking from Ngo Mon Gate towards the Imperial Citadel; in the distance is the Thai Hoa Palace.

The city gate of Hue Imperial Citadel. Hue Imperial Citadel was built by King Gia Long starting in 1805.

The spectacular and colorful Hue Festival takes place every two years.

Thanh Toan tiled-roof bridge (in Thuy Thanh commune, Huong Thuy district, 8km southeast of Hue city) is a unique architectural structure that has been classified as a national historical monument.

Quiet and peaceful Hue

Casting nets on the river

Gentle Hue schoolgirl

Bao Vinh Old Town viewed from the river

Ngo Mon Gate in the sunset light

Truong Tien Bridge, the first bridge to cross the Perfume River, was built in 1897 and is a charming landmark of Hue.

Additional information:

- Hue City is located in Thua Thien Hue province, on the north-south national highway; 654km from Hanoi and 1,065km from Ho Chi Minh City.

- Transportation to Hue is very convenient with rail, road, and air. Buses and trains on the North-South route all stop in Hue. Vietnam Airlines, the national airline, has flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Hue (and vice versa), while Jetstar Pacific has flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue (and vice versa), but these are seasonal. Hue's bus station and train station are located in the city, and Phu Bai Airport is more than 10km from the city center.

Hue has many attractions: the Imperial Citadel and other historical sites within the citadel area, as well as the ancient streets of Bach Dang and Chi Lang, Buddhist architectural structures, gardens, traditional craft villages, and shopping at Dong Ba Market. Further afield, you can visit royal tombs such as the Gia Long, Minh Mang, and Tu Duc tombs, or enjoy scenic cruises along the Perfume River, visiting villages and lagoons – all very enjoyable.

- You can enjoy Hue folk songs on the Perfume River (along with sightseeing tours), and listen to royal court music at the Duyet Thi Duong theater in the Imperial Citadel.

Hue is also a land of culinary delights. You can explore dishes ranging from casual to upscale everywhere, from within the Citadel in the north to the Western Quarter south of the Perfume River. Popular local dishes include: beef noodle soup, clam rice, banh beo (and many other types of cakes), snakehead fish noodle soup…; royal cuisine and other dishes are abundant in luxury hotels. Hue's sweet soups are also a delightful culinary experience. Cafés are also everywhere, offering a variety of styles.

- There are also many local specialties that make great gifts, the most popular being sesame candy. In addition, there are other distinctive and typical items such as royal tea, Minh Mang wine, pickled eggplant, and fermented shrimp…

There are many hotels in Hue, concentrated in the Le Loi street area and the surrounding area in the Western Quarter (south bank of the Perfume River).

Text and photos: Ha Thanh

The Thanh