Did you know that Hue was the former capital of Vietnam? From1802 to 1945, Hue was home of the last Nguyen dynasty, which was the last imperial government in Vietnam.
That explains why there are so many imperial structures in Hue! In fact, 14 of these historic monuments were designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Because there is no airport in Hue, the best way to get to Hue is by private transfer from Da Nang. The journey from Da Nang to Hue takes about 2 hours.
While you can do a day trip to Hue from Da Nang, I recommend staying a few nights in Hue to soak in the real atmosphere of this historic city.
If you’re looking for ideas on what to do in Hue, here is a list of all fabulous things your must do in Hue.
Table of Contents
Best Things to do in Hue
1. Imperial City of Hue in Hue Citadel
Hue Historic Citadel is a huge compound comprising Imperial City, Purple Forbidden City, Royal Canal, Museum of Hue, National University, Lake of the Serene Heart. The Citadel is one of the 14 monuments in UNESCO WHS list.
The Imperial City of Hue inside the Citadel was where the Emperors lived in the past. Beside serving as residence, the Imperial City was also used for administration, Royal ceremonies, ritual, factory and entertainment activities.
The best way to visit Hue Imperial Citadel with a guide is by joining Hue Discovery Tour, which is the tour that I joined during my trip to Hue.
Imperial City of Hue
Opening Hours: 8am – 5.30pm
Entrance Fee: VND 200.000/person (adult), VND 40.000/person (child)
Location: Kinh thành Huế
2. Thien Mu Pagoda
Thien Mu Pagoda is is a seven-storey octagonal pagoda built on a hill that sits on the banks of Perfume River. It is a popular pagoda in Hue and can be accessed via river or land.
Thien Mu is named after a celestial lady who appeared on the hill where the pagoda stands today, and told the locals that a Lord would come and build a Buddhist pagoda for the country’s prosperity. Upon hearing that, Lord Nguyen Hoang ordered the construction of the pagoda.
Around Thien Mu Pagoda, there are several smaller temples, a courtyard with lotus pond and a mini pagoda. Thien Mu Pagoda is one of the 14 monuments in UNESCO WHS list. And it’s one of the destinations in Hue Discovery Tour that I took.
Thien Mu Pagoda
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Entrance Fee: Free
Location: Chùa Thiên Mụ
3. Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh
Emperor Khai Dinh is the 12th Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. Fascinated by French architecture during his visit to the country, Emperor Khai Dinh wanted his tomb to incorporate Western architecture styles.
The construction started in 1920. However, Emperor Khai Dinh passed away in 1925. The Mausoleum was finally completed in 1931, and became the last Mausoleum of the Nguyen Dynasty. His successor and final Emperor, Bao Dai, did not build his own Mausoleum as he migrated to France.
Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh is one of the 14 monuments in UNESCO WHS list. And it’s one of the destinations in Hue Discovery Tour that I took.
Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh
Opening Hours: 7am – 5.30pm
Entrance Fee (include Mausoleums of Khai Dinh, Minh Mang, Tu Duc): VND 150.000/person (adult), VND 30.000/person (child)
Location: Lăng Khải Định
4. Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang
Emperor Minh Mang is the second Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty who reigned for 21 years, from 1820 to 1841. He is the son of Gia Long, the founding Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Construction of Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang began in 1840. However, the Emperor passed away in 1841. The Mausoleum eventually was completed in 1843 and was regarded as a masterpiece of Vietnamese Royal architecture.
The tomb has a heavy oriental influence and consists of 40 monuments which are arranged symmetrically along the Main Axis (Holy Axis) in the middle, and surrounded by Trung Minh Lakes on both sides.
Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang is one of the 14 monuments in UNESCO WHS list. And it’s one of the destinations in Hue Discovery Tour that I took.
Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang
Opening Hours: 7.30am – 5pm
Entrance Fee (include Mausoleums of Khai Dinh, Minh Mang, Tu Duc): VND 150.000/person (adult), VND 30.000/person (child)
Location: Lăng Minh Mạng
5. Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc
Emperor Tu Duc is the fourth Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty who had the longest reign of 36 years, from 1847 to 1883. He was the son of the third Emperor. Emperor Tu Duc didn’t have a son, and adopted his nephews as his sons.
Emperor Tu Duc planned and designed his own tomb long before his departure in 1883. Most of the tomb complex were completed in 1867.
His Mausoleum is the most popular and beautiful Mausoleum among all other Emperors in Nguyen Dynasty, featuring man-made lake called Luu Khiem Lake, Hoa Khiem Palace, Luong Khiem Temple, and Minh Khiem Ancient Theater. All the buildings in this complex has the word “Khiem” (means “Modest” in English).
Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc is one of the 14 monuments in UNESCO WHS list.
Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc
Opening Hours: 7am – 5.30pm
Entrance Fee (include Mausoleums of Khai Dinh, Minh Mang, Tu Duc): VND 150.000/person (adult), VND 30.000/person (child)
Location: Lăng Tự Đức
6. Dong Ba Market
Located about 1km west of Hue Imperial City is Dong Ba Market, the oldest and biggest market in Hue. Here, you can find a diverse range of goods, from local produce (such as vegetables, fruits, dry food, cooked food), fashion items (clothing, bag, hats, accessories), to retail items (ceramic wares, electronics, lanterns).
The market is open every day. At night, you will find bustling street dining scene right outside Dong Ba Market.
Dong Ba Market
Opening Hours: 5am – 10pm
Entrance Fee: Free
Location: Chợ Đông Ba
7. Thuy Xuan Incense Stick Village
When visiting Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc, remember to drop by Thuy Xuan Incense Stick Village which is just 800m away from the Mausoleum.
In the past, Thuy Xuan Village was well-known for producing high-quality incense for the ancient dynasties in the imperial capital of Hue.
Today, you will find many incense stalls decorated with colorful bundles of incense sticks along the street. They even have a stool for visitors who wish to take Instagrammable photos. At the stall, you can see how the locals make incense by hands.
The incense comes in various scents such as cinnamon, frangipani, star anise, lemongrass, sandalwood, and many others.
Thuy Xuan Incense Stick Village is one of the destinations in Hue Discovery Tour that I took.
Thuy Xuan Incense Stick Village
Opening Hours: Varies between each stores
Entrance Fee: Free
Location: Huyền Trân Công Chúa, Thủy Xuân
8. Dragon Boat Cruise along Perfume River
The Dragon Boat which cruises along Perfume River is a great alternative way to explore the city of Hue and to enjoy the quiet beauty of the river.
With Dragon Boat, you can easily visit landmarks that are located along the banks of the Perfume River, such as Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue Imperial City, Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang, Gia Long Tombs, Vong Canh Hill, and Con Hen islet.
You can book dragon boat for a number of hours to visit various places (from VND 300k/hour per boat), or you can book it just to get you from the pier to a single destination (from VND 400k onwards per boat).
If you’re short on time but would like to try the dragon boat ride, you can take the Hue Discovery Tour which includes a dragon boat ride to Thien Mu Pagoda on top of visiting the Citadel, the Mausoleums, and Incense Village.
Dragon Boat
Opening Hours: 8am to 9pm
Price: From VND 300k/hour per boat
Location: Bến thuyền Tòa Khâm – 49 Lê Lợi
9. Walk along Perfume River
The pedestrian walkway along Perfume River is a nice place to go on a stroll in the evening. The locals love to hang out by the river too!
There riverside along the Citadel side is more of a park. Locals go there to roller skate, play games, have a picnic, or just sit down with friends and chit-chat.
On the other hand, the riverside on the other side of Perfume River (also called Nguyen Dinh Chieu Walking Street) is a bustling spot with lots of restaurants and even street performances. If you love a lively evening scene, don’t miss this!
10. Hai Ba Trung Walking Street
Another great palce to spend your evening is the Hai Ba Trung Walking Street. It’s a new walking street (opened in March 2023), and it’s more crowded than the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Walking Street.
At Hai Ba Trung Walking Street, you can find a cinema, restaurants, massage parlors and street vendors. It’s opened on Fri, Sat, Sun.
11. Eat Bun Bo Hue
If you can only eat one thing in Hue, you should eat Bún Bò Huế . Bun bo hue is a Vietnamese noodle soup which originated from Hue.
This bowl of comfort food usually comes with sliced beef, pork, pork blood curd, meat ball, sometimes crab ball, vegetables and rice noodle. The flavor is savory with a hint of spiciness.
You can find bun bo hue almost everywhere in Hue! We loved the one at Bún bò O Ty. Our hotel also serves bun bo hue for breakfast.
12. Eat Hue Specialty Food
Other than bun bo hue, Hue also has many other specialty food you should try, such as:
- Banh Beo – savory rice cakes topped with shrimp, crispy pork, spring onion and sweet fish sauce
- Banh Nam – thin rectangular dumpling with minced pork, dried shrimp, chili and sweet fish sauce, wrapped with banana leaves.
- Banh Khoai – crispy pancake topped with shrimp, pork and beansprout. To eat this, lay some of the pancake, vegetables and sauce on a piece of rice paper and roll it.
- Nem Lui – pork patty skewers, to be rolled with vegetables and peanut sauce in rice paper
Another dish we love but it’s not Hue specialty food is Bun Thit Nuong – noodle topped with grilled pork, egg rolls and vegetables, to be drenched in sauce and stirred before eating (no soup).
We had some of these food at Cozy Restaurant and we really enjoyed our meal there. Highly recommended if you stay nearby the restaurant.
So, that concludes the best things you must do in Hue! If you have anything that you enjoy doing or seeing in Hue, please share it in the comment!
FAQ
It’s 100% worth visiting. The city is home to many historical landmarks from the last imperial dynasty. Besides, Hue also has some of the best food in Vietnam.
Disclosure: Our Hue Discovery Tour was gifted by Klook. All opinions are our own.
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