Vietnam has all of the things that make your trip to this country unforgettable and fabulous. The country has great mountains, ornate pagodas and temples, perfect beaches, outstandingly beautiful architecture, historical sites, cultural centers, distinctly delicious foods, and many things more to see, admire, enjoy, and learn about. Each region or area in the country has its specific attractions. In comparison to top Vietnam’s destinations including Hanoi – the capital of the country with thousands-of-year history, Ho Chi Minh City – the biggest city in the country, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc with their famous beaches, Hue may be less busy. The quiet, “sad” but romantic, peaceful, nostalgia, and graceful Hue City in Thua Thien – Hue Province attracts thousands of tourists every year thanks to the Hue Citadel, beautiful Perfume River, many interesting pagodas and temples, Bach Ma mountain, etc. Nguyen Binh – a famous Vietnamese poetic wrote about Hue as below:
“Ở đây có nước sông Hương
Có cây núi Ngự có đường Nam Giao
Bồng bồng sáu nhịp cầu cao
Thờ ơ bóng mát nơi nào cũng xanh
Thâm u một dải hoàng thành
Đình suông con én không đành bay đi”
(“Here there is the water of Perfume River
There are Ngu Mountain and Nam Giao Street
Bong Bong with 6 arches
Apathetic shade and green everywhere
The mysterious citadel
The swallow does not want to leave”)
Are you excited at traveling to the beautiful Hue to experience a lot of things? In this complete Hue travel guide, I would like to write as much as possible about Hue and hope it will give you all of the information you need to know while planning your trip to Hue, Vietnam.
I.Location
II. What is the best time to travel Hue?
III. How to go to Hue?
IV. How to go around Hue?
V. What to see in Hue?
VI. What and Where to eat in Hue?
VII. Where to stay in Hue?
VIII. How many days to spend in Hue?
IX. What and where to buy in Hue?
Table of Contents
I. Location
Hue is located 669 km north of Hanoi, 1049 km south of Ho Chi Minh City, 101 km north of Danang. Because Hue is located in the middle of the S-shaped country, you can choose to travel to Hue after visiting the North or the South of Vietnam.
II. What is the best time to travel Hue?
There are 4 seasons in Hue: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The temperature is at least 10 degrees Celcius in the winter. However, Hue people say that there are 2 seasons in this province: dry season and rainy season. In the rainy season is from May to November, there is light, medium, or heavy rain and sometimes flood. It is recommended to travel to Hue in the dry season. However, there is no problem if you go in the rainy season. It is not rainy every day during the season. Hue is still great and you can enjoy it when it does not rain.
From April to May, the weather is a mix of spring and summer, it is cool and comfortable so that you can have a great chance to enjoy Hue at its best. Every two year, Hue festival is organized at the end of April in order to glorify its rich heritage including historical, cultural, and natural heritage and promote Hue travel. You can also admire the beauty of Chinese parasol tree flowers.
In December, Hue is full of red phoenix flowers and it becomes colorful, “less sad” than itself. From May to August, the lotus flowers in the citadel blossom, Hue becomes more splendid and attractive with these beautiful flowers, sweet smell, and great foods from lotus seeds.
III. How to go to Hue?
1. By airplane
It takes about 30 minutes to fly from Ho Chi Minh City and about 1 hour to fly from Hanoi to Hue. A flight from Ho Chi Minh to Hue costs about 400,000 VND. A flight from Hanoi to Hue costs about 730,000 VND.
Phu Bai airport is located in Zone 8, Phu Bai Ward, Huong Thuy District, Thua Thien Hue Province, 15 km from the center of Hue City so it takes less than a half of hour to go to the center from the airport. You can take a taxi with the price of 250,000 VND.
2. By train
You can spend 18-22 hours on a train and pay around 400,000 VND for a soft seat in an air-conditioned room of the train. The first class train ticket costs up to 1,050,000 VND.
Pay 300,000 – 950,000 VND, sitting on the Hanoi – Hue train for 14 hours, you will reach to Hue.
Hue railway station is located at 2 Bui Thi Xuan Street, Phuong Duc Ward, Hue City, right in the center of the city so that you will take a few minutes to reach your hotel in the center or any top tourist attractions.
3. By bus
You can also take a bus (Phuong Trang, Tam Minh Phuong, Minh Duc, Hoang Long, Huong Ty) from Ho Chi Minh to Hue, the price is 380,000 – 650,000 VND. It takes 20 – 24 hours to drive from Ho Chi Minh to Hue.
A 12 -16-hour drive from Hanoi to Hue by bus (Hoang Long, Camel Travel, The Sinh Tourist) costs 250,000 – 350,000 VND.
If you go to Hue from Danang by bus, it takes only 2-3 hours, the cost is 80,000 – 180,000 VND.
IV. How to go around Hue?
1. By taxi
Good taxis in Hue include Dong Ba, Mai Linh, Phu Xuan, Thanh Cong. If your receptionist can help, ask her to call the taxi for you. Price is 11,500 – 16,000 VND/km.
2. By motorbike
Motorbike rental price is 100,000 – 120,000 VND/day, not including fuel.
3. By bicycle
Bicycle rental price is 20,000 – 30,000 VND/day. It is perfect to drive around Hue city by bicycle. You will have a chance to enjoy everything from the sights to local life easily.
4. Cyclo
Price for a cyclo including a driver is 15,000 – 20,000 VND/hour. Cyclo was a popular mean of transportation in Vietnam, including Hue in the past when motorized vehicles were not used. In the recent, cyclos are used mostly in tourism in the country. In Hue, you will have a chance to sit on nice purple cyclos, wear conical hats with purple chin straps, and enjoy the city.
You may have heard about scams in Vietnam, including cyclo scams. To avoid any problem and annoying, do book the cyclo via tour companies or be careful while dealing with freelance cyclo driver on the street.
5. By boat
Perfume River flows through the city peacefully. The price for 1-hour cruising the river by dragon boat is 250,000 – 350,000 VND. They also operate some boat tours on which tourists can visit some attractions on the river such as Thien Mu Pagoda, Hon Chen Temple, Minh Mang Tomb. The prices range from 350,000 to 1,700,000 VND. One of the most favorite things to do in Hue at night is cruising on Perfume River, listening to Hue royal court music, and eating on the boat. The price is 100,000 – 500,000 VND.
V. What to see in Hue?
Hue has tens of things to see. The highlights of this city include many heritage sites (Hue Imperial City – a must-see, tombs of Nguyen Kings, pagodas including the most beautiful Thien Hau pagoda, temples, beautiful sights (Perfume River, Ngu Mountain, Tam Giang Lagoon, Lap An Lagoon, Vong Canh Hill), Dong Ba market, Trang Tien Bridge, Lang Co Beach, Bach Ma National Park, Elephant Springs, etc.
1. Heritage sites:
The complex of Hue monuments is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So that a trip to Hue could not be complete without seeing these sites.
1.1. Hue Imperial City or the Citadel
Admission fee is 150,000 VND.
Open time: 7:00 – 18:00.
The 520-arc Hue Imperial City, which was the capital of Nguyen dynasty for 143 years (from 1802 to 1945), is a must-see tourist attraction in the city although much has been lost. The Citadel is large enough and there are still plenty of things to see in the Citadel and you can spend several hours inside easily. Impressive things in the Citadel perhaps Ngo Mon Gate which only was for the kings and has become the symbol the Citadel, Dai Trieu Nghi Courtyard and Thai Hoa Palace hosted many important ceremonies and state meetings, Trieu Mieu Temple used for ancestor worship. Other highlights include Thai Mieu Temple, Royal Theater, Co Ha Garden, Forbidden Purple City, Thai Binh Lau or Royal Reading Room, Dien Tho Palace, Tinh Minh, The To Mieu Temple, Hien Lam Pavillion, and 9 dynastic urns.
You can choose to walk around the Citadel or take an electric shuttle bus. The price depends on the kinds of buses (4-seat, 8-seat, 11-seat) and duration. The price for 1-hour electric shuttle bus around the Citadel, including a tour guide is 60,000 VND. Or you can also choose to ride on a cyclo and see inside the Citadel.
1.2. Royal tombs of Nguyen Kings
In Hue, there are 7 tombs of Nguyen Dynasty’s Kings which are must-see sites on any trip to the city. Each tomb has tens of monuments, constructions, and beautiful landscapes. Each tomb has its own artistic features in accordance with the character of the King: Tu Duc – Lyricism, Gia Long – Strength and serenity, Khai Dinh – Sophistication, Minh Mang – Solemnity, Tu Duc – Lyricism, Thieu Tri – Freedom, Duc Du Simplicity, and Dong Khanh – Delicacy. Most of the tombs were built during the lifetime of the Kings, the tombs are used as places for entertaining and relaxing. Khai Dinh Tomb, Minh Mang Tomb, Tu Duc Tomb, Gia Long Tomb are 4 most-visited thanks to their glamorous architectural features.
Khai Dinh Tomb
Entrance ticket: 100,000 VND.
Open time: 8:00 – 17:00
Location: Thuy Bang Commune, Hue City, about 10 km south of the city center.
Khai Dinh Tomb is different from all of the other tombs. While other royal tombs are expansive and respectful, Khai Dinh built his final resting place to be monumental in style and bombastic in execution. The tomb was built on the side of a mountain, and its inner sanctum is 127 steps up from street level. It is characterized by the oriental designs, brilliant interiors of ceramic chips and colored glass.
Tu Duc Tomb
Entrance ticket: 100,000 VND.
Open time: 7:30 – 17:30
Location: 17/69 Le Ngo Cat Street, Thuy Xuan Ward, Hue City, about 7 km south west of the city center.
Tu Duc Tomb is one of the most romantic and picturesque ones with lakes, hills, pavilions amidst the lushness of frangipani trees and grove of pines. The monument was built as a fairyland with extreme poetic straits, almost every poetic element was embedded there. The tomb is packed.
Minh Mang Tomb
Entrance ticket: 100,000 VND.
Open time: 7:00 – 19:00
Location: National Highway 49, Huong Tra District, Hue City, about 12 km far away from the city center.
Minh Mang Tomb offers a balance of nature and structures that is unmatched among tombs. The tomb has the whole area of 475 ha, surrounded by walls, ponds, and pine trees. Notable at the tomb are Dai Hong Mon gates, Hien Duc gate, Quang Minh Chinh Truc gate, the courtyard, the stone tablet, the worship yard, Sung An temple hall, lake Trung Minh, Minh Lau house, Tan Nguyet lake, Trung Dao Buu and finally the tomb of King Minh Mang. Entrance ticket to visit Gia Long tombs is 100,000 VND.
Gia Long Tomb
Entrance ticket: 40,000 VND.
Open time: 7:30 – 17:30
Location: Dinh Mon Village, Huong Tho Commune, Huong Tra District, Hue City, about 20 km far away from the city center.
Gia Long Tomb is divided into three main parts, in the middle stand the tombs of the King and Queen. The highlights of the tomb include the Honor court, Buu Thanh containing the symbol of happiness and longevity, and Minh Thanh Temple, and many statues.
Read more about
4 famous tombs in Hue, Vietnam
The combo of tickets for the Citadel, Minh Mang Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb costs 280,000 VND/person.
The combo of tickets for the Citadel, Minh Mang Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb, Tu Duc Tomb costs 360,000 VND/person.
2. Pagodas and Temples
Pagodas and temples are everywhere in the city of Hue. Some of the most famous pagodas include Thien Mu Pagoda, Tu Dam Pagoda, Bao Quoc Pagoda, Tu Hieu Pagoda, Huyen Khong Son Thuong Pagoda. The others include Truc Lam Bach Ma Monastery, Thien An Bach Ma Monastery, Hon Chen Temple.
2.1. Thien Mu Pagoda
Entrance fee: free.
Open time: 24/24.
Location: Kim Long Street, Huong Long Ward, Hue City; about 4 km from the city center
Located on a hill overlooking the Perfume River, Thien Mu Pagoda one of the oldest and prettiest religious buildings in Hue. It has been the symbol of Hue and could not be missed on any sightseeing tour in Hue due to its spiritual role, calm atmosphere unique architecture, and outstandingly beautiful landscape. Nghi Mon Gate, Tam Quang Gate that had four square columns imprinted with Chinese characters, Huong Nguyen Temple, Phuoc Duyen Tower, Dai Hung Palace, Dia Tang Palace, Quan Am Palace, Huong Nguyen Palace, Trai House, Guest House, flower garden and pine garden, and Priest Thich Don Hau’s tomb. The highlights include 21m-high octagonal tower, the big bronze bell weighing 2052kg and audible from 10km away. The pagoda is only 4 km far away from the city and it can be reached easily by bus, bicycle, cyclo, or boat.
2.2. Hon Chen Temple
Entrance fee: 40,000 VND.
Open time: 24/24.
Location: Ngoc Ho Village, Huong Ho Commune, Hue City; about 10 km upstream of the city center.
Located on the bank of the Perfume River by the side of Jade Cup mountain, a visit to Hon Chen Temple is unforgettable due to the picturesque landscape and unique architecture. The Temple is for worshiping Ponagar Goddess of Cham people and who have been transformed into an image of the Great Nother blessing the villagers by the Viet people. The festival takes place twice a year- in the second Lunar month for the Spring ritual ceremony, and in the seventh Lunar month for the more formal Autumn one. The Hon Chen Temple is the best to be visited by boat on Perfume River.
2.3. Tiger Arena
Entrance fee: free.
Open time: 7:30 – 17:00.
Location: 373 Bui Thi Xuan Street, Thuy Bieu Ward, Hue City; about 3 km far away from the city center.
Tiger Arena or Ho Quyen is a unique, yet rarely visited monument in Hue. a colosseum where tigers and elephants once fought each other to the death for entertaining the Kings, royal family, mandarins. Do not miss the Long Chau Mieu which is 400 m from the arena and is a cemetery where elephants that died in these spectacles were buried and worshiped. Although Ho Quyen cannot be compared to Western arenas, it is worth visiting to learn more about the city of Hue.
2.4. Nam Giao Esplanade
Entrance fee: free.
Open time: 7:30 – 12:00; 13:30 – 17:00.
Location: Truong An Ward, Hue City; about 5 km far away from the city center.
Dan Nam Esplanade is one of Hue’s most intriguing historical spots. At this place, the Nguyen Emperors conducted special religious ceremonies to reaffirm their right to rule in February of the lunar calendar. The area of the Esplanade is about 100,000 m2, covered with many green trees, most of which are pipe trees, good for relaxing. It is on the way from the city center to Khai Dinh Tomb so that you can give it a stop.
3. Natural Sites
3.1. Perfume River
In the autumn, flowers from orchards upriver from Hue fall into the water of Perfume River, giving the river a perfume-like aroma so that it was given such name. Perfume River spans approximately 80 km in length, flows from Truong Son Mountain through the center of Hue City and Bang Lang Fork. The couple of Perfume River – Ngu Binh Mountain has been the symbol of Hue beauty. As mentioned above, cruising along the river on dragon boats is one of the most favorite things to do in Hue.
3.2. Ngu Binh Mountain
Located about 4 km from Hue city, the 103-m-high Ngu Binh Mountain or Even Mount is a gift of Nature to Hue. From Vong Canh Hill, which is located on Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street, Thuy Bieu Ward, Hue City, 7 km from the city center and 5 km from the mountain, you can get a full view of the spectacular scenery of Perfume River and Ngu Binh Mountain as you can see in the photo below.
3.3. Tam Giang Lagoon
Location: the lagoon stretches over 68 km across 4 districts including Phong Dien District, Quang Dien District, Phu Vang District, Phu Loc District Huong Tra Town, Thua Thien – Hue Province; about 11 km north of the city center.
Tam Giang lagoon has 24 kilometers long and covers an area of 52 square kilometers. It is among Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater bodies. You may rent a motorbike and ride along 49B Road to see the beauty of the lagoon as well as the lovely villages, vast rice fields on the way. The rich and diverse ecosystem, pristine waters and well-preserved cultural heritage of local fishing communities, specialty foods, and especially the picturesque scenery make it a popular tourist attraction.
3.4. Lap An Lagoon
Location: within Lang Co Bay, Phu Loc District, Thua Thien – Hue Province; 65 km from the Hue city center.
The 800-hectare brackish water Lap An Lagoon is a remarkable, poetic, picturesque natural landscape where the ocean meets the mountain, white clouds float on high mountain on the blue sky background. The lagoon is the habitat for many aquatic animals and plants including oyster. You can spend your time there for not only sightseeing but also exploring the sea culture. Similar to Tam Giang Lagoon, Lap An Lagoon should not be missed by whom like nature and adventure.
3.5. Lang Co Beach
Location: Phu Loc District, Thua Thien – Hue Province; 62 km from the Hue city center.
With over 10 km of white sand, the vast blue waters, the mountains, and lines of coconut trees, Lang Co Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam. There are a few resorts in Lang Co Beach area and the prices are reasonable. High season is April to July, from late August to November rains are frequent, and from December to March it can get chilly.
3.6. Elephant Springs
Location: Phu Loc District, Thua Thien – Hue Province; 53 km from the Hue city center.
Elephant Springs is one of the most beautiful hidden treasures of Vietnam. Tourists and locals as a place to come and relax especially on hot days and enjoy some beer, food and fresh water. The highlights include large and small stones look like elephants playing in the clear streams.
To go to Vong Canh Hill, Tam Giang Lagoon, Lap An Lagoon, Lang Co Beach, and Elephant Spring, tourists may book private cars or rent motorbikes because they are not along the direct route.
3.7. Bach Ma National Park
Location: 32 km from the Hue city center.
Bach Ma National Park, which is an old French Hill station and also a protected area stretching out over some 40,000 unspoiled hectares, is a perfect destination for nature lovers. Coming here, you have a chance to immerse yourself into the world of exotic forests, exclusive mountain, waterfalls, rare wild animals including monkeys, birds, and fresh air, villages. The top of Bach Ma Moutain is a wonderful place to see the beauty of Hue at its best.
Many tour companies operate tours to Bach Ma National Park so that it is easy to book a tour and simply enjoy the park with your group and tour guide. You can also take a bus or ride a motorbike to the park if you are an adventurous person. The park offers great hiking trails, waterfalls, lodgings, camping.
4. Trang Tien Bridge
Location: Phu Hoi Ward, Hue City; right in the center of the city
Connecting the center of Hue city to the other side of the Perfume River and finished in 1899, Trang Tien Bridge is the most beautiful and attractive bridge in Hue and an iconic site of the city. The graceful arched bridges reflecting on the river with the graceful Ao Dai, the quiet boats under the bridge, the red phoenix flower of Hue have inspired numerous artists and poetics.
5. Dong Ba market
Location: 2 Tran Hung Dao Street, Phu Hoa Ward, Hue City; right in the center of the city
Open time: 3:00 – 18:00
Finished in 1899, Dong Ba market is the oldest of its kind in Hue. Spanning almost 16,000 square meters, the market houses hundreds of stalls selling household items, handicrafts, clothing, fresh produce (meat, fruits, seafood, vegetables), souvenirs at affordable prices. There are also numerous food stalls serving may Hue specialty foods.
For more information, Trang Tien Bridge, Dong Ba Market, and the Citadel are located in the center of the city so that you do not need to go far to see them.
Are you tired of reading about tourist attractions? Now it is time for eating. Hue cuisine is one of the richest cuisines in Vietnam. It is really a paradise of amazing foods which could not be found out of Hue.
VI. What and Where to eat in Hue?
Hue cuisine features Hue beef noodle soup – one of Top 100 Asian dishes recognized by Asian Record Organization, Vietnamese sweet soup, Baby clam rice, Soup cakes, Hue cakes including Khoai cake, Bloating-fern-shaped cake, Clear shrimp and pork dumplings, Flat rice flour dumpling stuffed with pork and wood ear. Hue is also famous for royal courts which usually served at royal restaurants or on the boat cruising Perfume River. There are many choices for you in Hue from luxury restaurants to street food stalls on the streets or in local markets.
1. Hue beef noodle soup
If you have been in other regions of Vietnam and may try some noodle soup dishes, you will find Hue beef noodle soup unique, totally different from the others of its kind. The clear, flavorful and fragrant broth is cooked from pork bones, fermented shrimp paste, and lemongrass. The rice noodles are cylinder-shaped, long and thicker than rice noodles for other kinds of Vietnamese rice noodle soups. The soup is topped with blood pudding, pork leg, beef, beef ball (Cha bo), etc. Fresh vegetables, herbs including bean sprouts, shredded morning glory, shredded banana blossoms could not be missed while eating this exotic food.
Best places to eat Hue beef noodle soup:
Madam Cam Hue beef noodle soup, 45 Le Loi Street, Hue City; Open time: 6:00 – 11:00; 16:00 – 22:00
Madam Phuong Hue beef noodle soup, 24 Nguyen Khuyen Street, Hue City; Open time: 9:00 – 21:00
2. Ba Doi soup cake
The soup cake at Madam Doi restaurants (30 years) is delicious thanks to the very clear and rich broth, special thick rice and tapioca noodles with a secret traditional recipe, Cinnamon pork patties, peeled boiled shrimp, boiled quail egg, chopped green onions, onion slices, and special chili paste.
Address:
40 Dao Duy Anh Street, Hue City;
69 Nguyen Trai Street, Hue City;
34 Ngo Gia Tu Street, Hue City;
Open time: 7:00 – 22:00
3. Nam Pho soup cake
Nam Pho soup cake has an orange glutinous broth, the rice noodles which are made by cutting steamed rice dough, ground shrimp and crab, chopped green onions. Nam Pho soup cake is usually sold at street food stalls on the streets or small restaurants in the afternoon and evening. One of the best places to eat Nam Pho soup cake is Thuy restaurant, 16 Pham Hong Thai Street, Hue City, it is open from 15:00 to 21:00.
4. Baby clam rice
Baby clams are the gift of the Nature in Baby Clam Islet (Con Hen, Hen Islet). Baby clam rice consists of rice topped with sweet-tasty, tender but tough boiled baby clams, crunchy peanuts, crispy fried pig skin, shredded cucumber, coriander, onion slices, sesame seeds.
Vietnamese sweet soup, Baby clam rice, Soup cakes, Hue cakes including Khoai cake, Bloating-fern-shaped cake, Clear shrimp and pork dumplings, Flat rice flour dumpling stuffed with pork and wood ear.
One of the best places to eat Baby clam rice in Hue:
Tam Phuc restaurant, Alley 7, Ung Binh, Hen Islet, Hue City
Open time: 7:00 – 22:00
Car and bus are not allowed to go through the small bridge which connects Hen Islet with the other side so that you must go to the island and this restaurant by motorbike, bicycle or walking.
5. Hue cakes
Bloating-fern-shaped cake is tiny steamed rice cake in tiny bowl, topped with toasted shrimp, crispy pig skin, chopped green onion oil, and served with sweet and sour fish sauce dip. Tapioca shrimp and pork dumplings and Flat rice flour dumpling stuffed with pork and wood ear are wrapped in banana leaves. To eat these cakes, unwrap them and dip in fish sauce dip. You can order a portion consisting of 3 cakes and beef roll, topped with fried pig skin, chopped green onion oil, served sweet and sour fish sauce. Khoai Cake is a crispy yellow crepe, filled with shrimp, beef, onion, bean sprouts, served with rice paper and assorted vegetables and herbs, a buttery and sweet-tasty special dip made from pig liver.
One of the best places to eat Hue cakes in Hue:
Banh Khoai Hanh restaurant, 11 Pho Duc Chinh Street, Hue City
Open time: 8:00 – 22:00
At this restaurant, you can order a combo of Hue cakes, Grilled pork patties, and Spring roll.
6. Vietnamese sweet soups
Vietnamese sweet soups are everywhere in Vietnam, each region has some characterized sweet soup recipes. In Hue, they have Corn sweet soup, Yellow yam sweet soup, Clear tapioca pearls in ginger syrup with coconut meat or roasted pork, Lotus seed and longan sweet soup, Lotus seed sweet soup, Hyacinth bean sweet soup, Kidney bean sweet soup, Hue purple yam sweet soup.
Best places to eat Hue cakes in Hue:
Mo Ton Dich sweet soup stall, in front of Thuong Bac Park, Hue City; Open time: 17:00 – 22:00
Che Hem, 1 Alley 29 Hung Vuong Street, Hue City; Open time: 10:15 – 21:00
All of the above eating places are local so that some of them are not for foreign tourists, except for Madam Cam restaurant and Banh Khoai Hanh restaurant where there are many foreigners and waiters speak English.
7. Royal meals
What do you think about wearing splendid royal clothes and have royal meals like kings, queens, princes, and princesses of Nguyen Dynasty in the past? Many restaurants in Hue serve royal meals usually include Peacock pork patties (Nem cong), Phoenix pork roll (Cha phuong), Soup (with lotus seed/with seafood), Grilled duck/chicken, Royal Vietnamese sweet soup, and many more, most of which are decorated skilfully.
Here are some good restaurants for foreign tourists where many Vietnamese and Hue specialty foods, especially the royal meals are served:
Ancient Hue Restaurant, 104/47 Kim Long Street, Hue City; Open time: 7:00 – 22:00.
Tinh Gia Vien Restaurant Hue, 7K/28 Le Thanh Ton Street, Hue City; Open time: 08:00 – 22:30.
Khong Gian Xua Restaurant, 205 Dien Bien Phu Street, Hue City; Open time: 7:00 – 23:00.
VII. Where to stay in Hue?
Choosing hotels in Hue depend on your budget. Although there are so many hotels in Hue at different prices, I can advise you some hotels where I have stayed and felt good with there services and reasonable prices. Especially the buffet breakfast in the morning is perfect, and the staffs are always friendly.
4-star Gold Hotel Hue, 28 Ba Trieu Street, Hue City.
4-star Cherish Hue Hotel, 57 Ben NgheStreet, Hue City.
VIII. How many days to spend in Hue?
Based on my experience, you should spend at least 2 days in Hue. Most of the tourists do the Hue Sightseeing Tour (half-day or full-day) by Car and/or Boat on which they are shown the Citadel, tombs, Thien Hau Pagoda, Hon Chen Temple, Dong Ba market on the first day. At night, you can do a boat tour on Perfume River to cruising the river, listen to Hue royal court music if you have not gone by boat during the day tour. On the next days, there are many choices from Bach Ma National Park tour ot Elephant Springs, lagoons. Relaxing at one of the resorts in Lang Co is also a good choice after one day seeing historical sites.
IX. What and where to buy in Hue?
1. Top things to buy in Hue?
There is no lack of things to buy in Hue. I would like to recommend to buy the followings which are unique in Hue:
1.1. Royal Tea
Royal Tea originated from the Nguyen Dynasty’s tea recipes. Different ingredients are put in the cup to bring the bitterness and a bit of sweetness, yummy flavor of the tea. One of the highlights of the tea is that it is very healthy, refreshing, able to treat high blood pressure, headaches. Hue Royal Tea contains up to 16 herbs including Artichoke, Mum, Sweet grass, Ginseng, Green Apples, Red Apples, Anise, Liquorice, Colocynth, Nenuphar (Water Lily), etc. The prices range from 150,000 to 1,000,000 VND/kg. The pack sizes are 250 grams, 500 grams, 1 kilogram. They also pack the tea in luxury and expensive wooden box. The tea can be bought at many shops, supermarket, Dong Ba market. Some good brands include Tra Dinh Vu Di, Dr. Tea, Duc Phuong, De Nhat Danh Tra
Where to buy Royal Tea in Hue?
Royal Tea, 24 Nguyen Hue, Hue City
Dr. Tea, 2/98 Nguyen Hue, Hue City
Duc Phuong, 103 Xuan Phu, Hue City
1.2. Lotus Seed
Although there are many lotus fields around the country, lotus seed in Hue is known as the best due to the sweet fragrance, buttery taste. In Hue, lotus seeds are harvested from Tinh Tam lake and small lakes in the Citadel. In comparison to the others of its kind, Hue lotus seeds are smaller and round. It is the best to use dried lotus seeds to cook savory soup, sweet soup, lotus seed rice, etc. You can buy the dried seeds at the price 300,000 – 500,000 VND/kg at Dong Ba market.
1.3. Peanut and sesame candy
The sticky, crunchy, and light sweet Peanut and sesame candy is a Hue specialty food which is made from sugar, rice flour, sesame, peanuts, ginger. I guess the candy will be a great gift for your friends and family. It is cheap, you can buy the candy at specialty food shops on the streets or in Dong Ba market. The price of a 250-gram package is about 25,000 VND. Some good Peanut and sesame candy brands in Hue are Nam Thuan, Song Hy, Thien Huong, Song Nhan, etc.
1.4. Cajeput oil
Hue people have stored a bottle of Cajeput oil at home to prevent coughing, running nose, sore throat, burns and aches which is good for children, pregnant women, and the elders. You can buy Cajeput oil bottle at Dong Ba market and many souvenir shops, one of the best is Cung Dinh Vy Da Store, 14 Thanh Tinh Street, Vy Da District, Hue City.
1.5. Handicraft Souvenirs
A vast choice of handicrafts, wooden frames, embroidery, lacquerware, lacquer paintings, etc., can turn to be the very interesting souvenirs, and some are unique in the royal land. Conical hat is an interesting, meaningful souvenir at a reasonable price, around 120,000 VND. There are many places including souvenir shops, markets to buy handicrafts, Dong Ba Lacquerware, 47 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hue City is a good one.
Where to go shopping?
Everything can be found at Dong Ba market, 2 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hue City.
Besides the above items, there is a wide range of great things to buy in Hue, you can go shopping and choose many good items. Below is a list of best places for shopping for gifts in Hue:
Dong Ba Lacquerware, 47 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hue City; The store specializes in beautiful lacquerware.
Nguyen Phuc Long store, 8 Hung Vuong Street, Hue City; The store specializes in painting, copper statues, poster.
Truong Tien Store, 51 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hue City; There is a wide variety of handicrafts and lacquer.
Huong Duong Store, 59 Phan Dang Luu Street, Hue City; They sell handicrafts, paintings, and many nice items.
In case you would like to go to supermarkets and go shopping in malls, you can come to:
Vincomn Plaza Hue, 50A Hung Vuong Street, Phu Nhuan Ward, Hue City.
Phong Phu Plaza, 172 Hung Vuong Street, Phu Nhuan Ward, Hue City.
If you have any question about traveling Hue, do not hesitate to leave comments. All of the questions will be answers. We will do our best to help you.
