The old imperial capital of Vietnam from the 18th century until early in the 20th was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. There are many things to see in and around Hue, so you will want to spend two or three days, at a minimum, exploring the sights. If you visit in the spring or fall, when the whether is cool and dry, you may want to rent a bicycle since most of the sights are not far from the city and the terrain is relatively flat.
Hue is a city that you'll want to spend some time just wandering around in. However, here's a list of the "don't miss" sights:
The Citadel
Hue's own version of China's forbidden city, the citadel was home to the Nguyen emperors of Vietnam from the turn of the 18th century until 1945. Much of it was destroyed during the war, but enough remains to make it well worth a visit.
Thien Mu Pagoda
This Buddhist temple dates from the turn of the 17th century. Its seven story pagoda has become something of a symbol of Hue and Vietnam.
Royal Tombs
Scattered around the countryside south and west of Hue are the tombs of the Ngueyn emperors. Better preserved than the citadel, you absolutely have to see some of these places to believe them.
I'ts highly recommended to either get to Hue, or leave, via car through the Hai Van Pass to the south, to Danang.
Planes Hue's airport provides only domestic service by Vietnam Airlines, to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Trains Hue is on the main north-south line connecting Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh city. Express trains from Danang take about 3 1/2 hours, and the view by train is almost as spectacular as the drive.
Like much of Vietnam, hotels in Hue tend towards the functional. My picks shown here are comfortable and have the added bonus of a riverside location.
All of the hotels below may be booked on-line through our travel partners. Click on the hotel names to see the hotel details and rates from available partners.
Century Riverside Hue Hotel La Residence Hotel & Spa Saigon Morin Hotel
There's a lot to see both in and around Hue, some of which are difficult to get to on your own. If you want to make sure you see all the city has to offer, you may wish to book a tour in advance through an online agency such as Viator or Exotissimo. Viator offers a full range of full day and half day tours, excursions and even airport transfers in many of Southeast Asia's popular tourist destinations.
Hue's climate is quite temperate with cool wet winters and warm dry summers. The best time to visit is around March or April, when the weather warms up a bit and the rains have yet to start.
Historical Weather Patterns for Hue Temperatures climb steadily from January onwards and do become rather hot from June to August.
Average Monthly Highs & Lows (°C) The rains start in September and are quite heavy through December.
The main reason to visit Hue is the citadel of the old capitol, along with the royal tombs scattered around the countryside. The citadel was begun in 1804 and served as Vietnam's capital until around 1945. The first thing you'll see on approaching it is the big flag tower (Cot Co). The photo above was taken from the Ngo Mon Gate, the main entrance to the citadel. All visitors must enter by this gate, and pay the 55,000 Dong (Imperial Tombs
Spread out in the countryside near Hue, generally along the banks of the Perfume river, are the tombs on the Nguyen rulers who made Hue the capitol of Vietnam from 1802 to about 1945. There are six in all. We visited three. The tombs are in many different styles, but share many common characteristics.
Tomb of Gia Long The tomb of the founder of Nguyen Dynasty is the furthest from town, and rarely visited.
Aside from the citadel, another “must see” sight in Hue is the Thien Mu Pagoda. If the weather is fine and you've opted to rent a bicycle, you can ride along the river about 4km to get there. Another good way to get there is to rent a boat to take you up the river. There are boats for hire at the big hotels on the river -- the Century Riverside and the Huong Gian.
Long An palace museum in the outer precincts of the citadel in Hue The museum now occupying Long An palace is definitely a sight not to be missed. Not that the collection is all that spectacular, but the building itself gives you the best idea of what it must have been like to be a king, or emperor as the case may be. You can stand just in front of the small throne, and look down through the forest of columns supporting the roof, out into the courtyard of trees and the odd cannon.
The tomb of Minh Mang is the grandest of the three. It's also the only one on the "left" bank of the Perfume river. A short drive from the tomb of Khai Dinh will bring you to a landing where you can hire a boat to take you across for a few dollars. However, if you've got the time, consider combining a boat trip to Thien Mu pagoda with travel on to the tomb of Minh Mang.
Colonial Influences
If the tomb of Tu Duc is "the sublime" then the tomb of Khai Dinh is the ridiculous. Unlike many of the other tombs, this one is built into the side of a hill (yes, it's a tomb with a view), and is, essentially, all of one piece. It's more European that the other tombs, having been built towards the end of the Nguyen period when the French were beginning to dominate the country.
A Summer Palace for the Afterlife
The Tomb of Tu Duc is probably the "one to see" if you only have limited time. It is the closest to Hue of the larger, more impressive tombs. The tomb is an enormous walled enclosure, practically a palace in its own right. In fact, the guidebooks and plaques on the walls will tell you that the emperor spent a lot of time here during the tomb's three years of construction.
