Hue Tour

HUE IMPERIAL CITY

In 1993, UNESCO recognized Hue Imperial City as a World Heritage. It’s understandable. It has historical, cultural and harmony values that not many other sites in Vietnam can match.

The site was built in 1805. For 143 years, this was the residence of the Nguyen Dynasty and was a witness of Vietnamese history in a special period. Serving as an administrative, military and residence site, Imperial City is solid, well-protected and in harmony with nature. Coming to Imperial City, you not only can admire the architectural features of a grand structure, but also can feel a sense of calmness, since the site is built in harmony with nature, with mountains and rivers on all sides.

HUE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED

In 1896, Hue High School for the Gifted was established. The school started as an education center to train talents for the government at the time. At first, students here were taught French, then Chinese and Vietnamese. The progressive curriculum attracted a number of talented students, among which is Ho Chi Minh, who studied here in 1908. The school is also where many other leaders of the new Vietnamese government, such as Vo Nguyen Giap and Tran Phu, studied.

Over 100 years, Hue High school for the gifted has been witness to many historical events. Its architecture, blending striking red color and harmonious structure, also invokes a solid feel of a well-preserved educational base.

AN HIEN GARDEN HOUSE

Nestled next to Perfume river, An Hien garden house is one of 7 garden houses in Hue, and the most famous. It has a history of more than 100 years, passing through ownership of many generations and has an area of nearly 5000m2.

Garden house, as a form of architecture, is designed to evoke feelings of calmness, solemnity, reverence and harmony with nature. The gate is long, allowing visitors to gradually come inside while being embraced by lines of trees on both sides. When you get inside, you can see a big pond in the middle, which adds a touch of freshness. The main house in the complex is used as a living room and for ancestor worship, and still contains well-preserved sets of chairs, tables, and decorative artifacts. Surrounding the house are many types of flowers and trees: wallflower, white plum flower, spider lily, orchids.

MINH MANG TOMB
Located on a hill and 12km away from Hue center, Minh Mang tomb is one of the biggest tombs that are carefully preserved in Hue.

Minh Mang king ruled the country from 1802. Though his leadership was not long, only more than 20 years, he played an important role in synthesizing and modernizing the administrative apparatus of the country. The mandarins under his role were chosen based on talent and education, marking his time as a time of meritocracy.

Minh Mang tomb was built in a way that shows harmony with nature. It is 18ha in size, containing 40 sub-structures, surrounded by rivers and mountains. Inside the complex, you can even visit a place where the king used to sit to look at the moon and contemplate about many things in life.

DONG BA MARKET

Dong Ba market is located on one of central, important streets in Hue.

Dong Ba market was built in 1887. When the French took over Hue city in 1885, the market was destroyed, but later rebuilt and renovated. Currently, it is the biggest market in the city. The market has 3 floors, an area of 47,600 m2, containing more than 2,700 lots of goods. There are about 1800 business households and more than 3000 small traders working in the market, selling all types of goods: fabrics, handicrafts, dry goods.

Dong Ba market is also a great place for foodies, since you can find many tasty types of Hue food here, such as: sour shrimp paste, spring rolls, lotus seeds, tapioca dumplings.

THIEN MU PAGODA
Thien Mu, Heaven Fairy Lady Pagoda, also known as Linh Mu, was built in the 17th century. With a great vantage point, next to perfume river, the site contains many cultural and spiritual values. It has a tower and a worship area, with architecture features reflecting a prime period in Buddhist history of Vietnam.

PERFUME RIVER

Perfume River, or sông Hương in Vietnamese, is a river that has been referred to in many songs and poems by many talented musicians and poets. The river originates from Truong Son mountain, and is a convergence of two other rivers. The river flows by the city and by many cultural and heritage sites of Hue, so when you are on a boat on the river, you can feel both the calmness of nature and the vibrancy of a culture that has been preserved well over many centuries.

There are many ways to explore the Perfume river, such as getting on a boat to explore the sunset, to listen to local music, or if you come to Hue at the right time, such as in Festival Hue, or in a local festival, you can experience Hue with other nuances and colors.

PHU CAM CONICAL HAT MAKING VILLAGE
Phu Cam conical hat village was set up in the 17th century, when conical hat artisans from the surrounding villages gathered here. Aside from the traditional, standard conical hat, artisans in Phu Cam make many other types: straw hats, flat palm hats with fringes. The hat making process is done carefully in all steps: choosing the right type and size of leaves, crafting a sturdy frame, as well as adding beautiful decorative features.

The image of the conical hat (non la) is symbolic for Vietnam itself but for Hue in particular, as it is part of the graces and traditions of this imperial city.

THUY XUAN INCENSE MAKING VILLAGE

Located 7km away from Hue center, Thuy Xuan incense village is the biggest incense village here.

In the past, the village was a hub that produced incense for the imperial city, mandarins. Now the village has expanded its scale and provides incense for many other areas.

When you come here, you can see incense of different colors, types and fragrances. There are cinnamon, lemongrass, and most prominent is agarwood with a lingering aroma. If you are more interested, you can experience making incense yourself.

The colorful image of Thuy Xuan incense village also attracts many photographers, especially in summer, when various colors of various incense brilliantly show their shades.