Huế City Vietnam is a city in central area that was the last seat of Vietnam Nguyen Dynasty Feudalism  and the national capital from 1802-1945. This is the place witnessed many incidents of the nation and also get the special cultural exchanges. The following places should visit in Hue Vietnam will be listing out places you need to see when you are in Hue.

HUE IMPERIAL CITY

The Imperial City is also a Citadel, a walled fortress and a palace in the city of Huế, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Since King Gia Long shaped up the nation like what it is now, he chose the Middle to be the capital (Mostly to control 2 parts easier and avoid the supporters of the previous reign). The citadel was built for more than 10 years with thousands of workers were ordered to produce a wall and moat of 10 kilometers long surrounding the citadel. 

The citadel was oriented to face the Huong River to the east. Here ruled of the last Vietnamese Emperor until the mid-1900s. At the time, the Purple Forbidden City had many buildings and hundreds of rooms. It suffered from termite and cyclone damage, but was still very impressive. Many bullet holes left over from the war can be observed on the stone walls.

Living out of the Vietnam-American war with a time the Citadel got bombed and became combat place of Viet Cong and American-side soldiers, only 160 buildings survived and 10 major sites such as the Thái Hòa Palace and Cần Thanh temples, Thế Miếu, and Hiển Lâm Các. The city was made a UNESCO site in 1993. The buildings that still remain are being restored and preserved. The latest and so far the largest restoration project is planned to conclude in 2015 

Visiting the Hue Ancient Capital Citadel, the very first thing that get to your sight will be the Flag Tower of Hue which is in front of the Noon - Gate - the place the Kings could stand and talk to his people. All the palaces, temples inside this special place are listed to be the Most important Places should Visit in Hue. 

When you get a plan to visit this imperial capital, it will quickly kill 2 hours of you in this site as it is too big and too many things to be seen. When you travel with our Hue Package Tours, our  Hue Private tour guide will be flexible to your interest of this area.

THIEN MU PAGODA

 Sitting on the bank of the Perfume river and 03 kms away from the Citade, this is stop that most everybody would like to visit when they come to Hue. Thien Mu pagoda is not only an aged pagoda but also a place that you can get a good view of the Perfume river. The pagoda was born from 1601 and was said to be with seven stories tower and was the tallest religious building in Vietnam.

During the summer of 1963, Thien Mu Pagoda, like many in South Vietnam, became a hotbed of anti-government protest. South Vietnam's Buddhist majority had long been discontented with the rule of President Ngo Dinh Diem since his rise to power in 1955. Diem had shown strong favouritism towards Catholics and discrimination against Buddhists in the army, public service and distribution of government aid. Thien Mu pagoda became the center of Anti-Diem Policy movement.

In 1963, Monk Thich Quang Duc was driven to his self-immolation in Saigon  against the Diem regime. It was the first of a series of self-immolation by members of the Buddhist clergy, which brought the plight of Buddhists to the attention of the international community. His car now is kept inside the Pagoda to be one of the Places to Visit in Hue 

DONG BA MARKET

Like so many of the markets around the world, Hue Dong Ba Market is not a Must to visit as it is for their day-to-day food and merchandise needs–is a bustling, crowded affair with things for sale crammed into every available space.

However, the best to see place in this market is the part of FOOD where you can see various local food exhibited there. Hue is famous for its cuisine of "cakes" and many types of them you can try in the market? Double or not, it can be risky? But it will be not a problem with a local guide who really knows the place.

HUE PERFUME RIVER

The Perfume River runs across the city of Huế. In the autumn, flowers from orchards upriver from Huế fall into the water, giving the river a perfume-like aroma, hence the sobriquet.  

A journey in the Perfume river will normally takes place at night time when tourist can sit on a special boat with a live music band and singers. They will present a piece of the Intangible World Heritage Music of Hue: The Royal Music of: Nha Nhac and the local songs of Hue. This is also a common night activity for tourists when staying in Hue, Vietnam.

KING MINH MANG TOMB

Minh Mang tomb is a majestic tomb renowned for its architecture and sublime natural setting, surrounded by a forest. The tomb is in An Bang village, on the west bank of the Perfume River, about 12km from Hue and planned during Minh Mang’s reign (1820–1840) but built by his successor since he passed away in the middle of the project.

Visiting Minh Mang's tomb, after crossing the Three Gates on the eastern side of the wall, you will reach to the Court Yard. Three granite staircases lead from the courtyard to the square Stele Pavilion (Dinh Vuong).

Sung An Temple , which is dedicated to Minh Mang and his empress, is reached via three terraces and the rebuilt Hien Duc Gate. On the other side of the temple, three stone bridges span Trung Minh Ho (Lake of Impeccable Clarity). The central bridge was for the emperor’s use only. Minh Lau Pavilion (Pavilion of Light) stands on the top of three superimposed terraces that represent the ‘three powers’: the heavens, the earth and water. To the left is the Fresh Air Pavilion, to the right, the Angling Pavilion. From a stone bridge across crescent-shaped Tan Nguyet Lake (Lake of the New Moon), a monumental staircase with dragon banisters leads to Minh Mang’s sepulcher.

KING TU DUC TOMB

Emperor Tu Duc got the longest reign of any monarch of the Nguyen dynasty from 1848 to 83. Although he had over a hundred wives and concubines, he was unable to father a son (possibly he became sterile after contracting smallpox). 

Amenities for the living are unmatched at any other tomb in Vietnam. Here, the Emperor could boat on the lake and hunt small game on the tiny island in the lake's middle. He could recline at Xung Khiem Pavilion and recite or compose poetry in the company of his concubines. After trips on the lake, the boats would moor at Du Khiem Pavilion, from which the Emperor and his entourage could walk directly west into the palace area of the tomb

Interestingly, despite the grandeur of the site and the amount of time Tu Duc spent here, he was actually buried in a different, secret location somewhere in Hue. To keep the secret safe the 200 laborers who buried the king were all beheaded after they returned from the secret route. To this day, the real tomb of Tu Duc remains hidden for future generations to discover.

KING KHAI DINH TOMB

 Got to throne in 1916, Emperor Khai Dinh chose the slope of Chau Chu (Chau E) Mountain, 10km from Hue, to construct his “home in the other world”. It was started building in 1920 and completed 11 years later, by his successor – Emperor Bao Dai. In order to complete the tomb, the rulers had to raise national tax to 30%. By then Vietnam sovereignty was lost to French invaders and Western culture was prevailing all over the country. Consequently Khai Dinh tomb is the result of the intermingling of Oriental and Occidental, Roman and Gothic style, Hindu and Buddhist style, as well as ancient and modern features. It’s also known as Ung Lang

The most notable place in Khai Dinh Tomb is Thien Dinh Palace, which contains bronze statues and tablets of the King. Walls are densely decorated and inlaid with elaborate glass and porcelain designs. The most highlighted feature of this room is the intricate painting on the ceiling, illustrating nine dragons amidst fleeting clouds. Inside the tomb, there are two statues modelled the King: the one on the throne was sculptured in Paris in 1920 by Ducuing and Barbedienne.

KING GIA LONG TOMB

Gia Long tomb is a bit further away from Hue downtown area. One can go by boat along the perfume river about 18km and land at the wharf of the tomb. The land where the tomb was built to Huong Tho commune, Huong Tra district, Hue. This is the most distant tomb compared with other emperors’ tombs but it is the most scenic and impressive with regard to natural landscape. There is no complicated building nor extravagant palace. The tomb complex was fenced by mountains and hills.

Due to its distance from the main city tourist spots so that visiting Gia Long tomb will take at least 3 hours and if you would like to visit this tomb, we will need to customize your day trip in Hue accordingly.

HUE CONICAL HAT VILLAGES

In Hue, the conical hat is made a bit differently than other city, thinner and lighter and more artistic. Hue conical hat is also plaited with palm leaves but thinner and its stitches are tinier and more gentle. Especially, artisans weave typical images of Hue such as Thien Mu Pagoda, Trang Tien Bridge or even poems into the hat and make it distinct. As decorated with poems, Hue’s conical hat is also called Bai Tho conical hat.

Near the tomb of Tu Duc, make sure you stop by this roadside village and observe how locals make sandalwood and cinnamon incense as well as traditional Hue conical hats. Colourful stalks of incense are bunched together, and sample pieces are lit so that there is a pleasant aroma in the air. The visit to Hue conical hat village will surely be a memorial part for your journey to Hue.

 So set your time in Hue to be able to visit all of these places in your Hue Danang Hoian Package Tours? You can simply customize your Hue Danang Hoian Day Tours to see almost ALL of them! Hue is just simply a city rich in culture and history and also a World Heritage Site.

Have a great time to visit Hue, Vietnam!