Hue Day Tour - Old Capital & Land of History
Places To Visit in Hue
Updated Feb, 2020
I never liked history in school when I had to learn and revise those years and dynasty names and all. But as a story when you read as a story and see the actual places it's very fascinating.
I felt the same way about Hue. The Citadel, Pagodas, Tombs everything in one city you can visit.
Practically you can not cover everything in one day. there are many things to explore in this city.
It's difficult to cover the entire city in one day. It will be very tiring. So my best suggestion is to spend at least 3 days in Hue. Trust me I know.
I started my day at around 8 in the morning. Booked a day tour from my hostel FA Backpackers Hostel which includes the tombs, citadel, dragon boat ride & buffet lunch. Frankly, I booked the tour only for the lunch :P
Planning your trip to Vietnam??
Check out the following posts
1. Things You Need To Know Before Visiting Vietnam
2. Vietnam Travel Guide
Imperial City of Hue or Hue Citadel
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Hue Citadel is a mix of history and culture from the ancient era. Most of the parts of the city destroyed during the Vietnam War. But you will be amazed by the ruins also.
Hue Citadel ticket price is 150K Dong. I would suggest taking the combined ticket for all of the monuments. Also, the ticket is valid for 2 days.
If you love history and architecture then you need to spend the entire day in the Citadel. The story is fascinating.
You can hire a guide there, normally if you book a day tour guide will be included.
If you are going by yourself, I would suggest not to take a guide. You can take the audio guide from the entrance.
There is a section inside citadel where you can dress up as traditional Vietnamese and take pictures.
Thien Mu Pagoda
Thien Mu Pagoda is the tallest pagoda in Vietnam. You can take a boat ride from Hue city center to the Pagoda. The sightseeing is very beautiful as the pagoda situated at the bank of the Perfume River.
From outside it looks like only a tall pagoda, but inside there is a garden, the main hall, and a small museum. The museum is the house of Austin motor car which was driven by The Burning Monk.
The Pagoda opens at 7:30 am. and closes at 5:00 pm. There is no ticket to visit this pagoda.
There are 5 bells in the premises. It is said these bells are the symbols of 5 elements of the universe.
The temple also has a statue of a large marble turtle. Legends say that is a symbol of longevity.
You can book a tour online from TripAdvisor or Koolk.
My tour cost 150K Dong and booked from my hostel. It will be cheaper if you book from your hostel or local tourist offices.
The tour inclusions - Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, Minh Mang, Tu Duc, and Khai Dinh Tombs, Buffet Lunch, Tour Guide, Dragon Boat ride in Perfume River, AC Bus, Water, Incenses making Village, Old garden village.
After visiting Citadel, we went to Thien Mu Pagoda via a dragon boat. Then we had lunch. In the afternoon the tombs.
Royal Tombs of the Emperors
One of the top things to see in Hue are one or more of the tombs. In total there are 7 tombs scattered around Hue’s countryside.
The most popular tombs to visit are Minh Mang, Tu Duc, and Khai Dinh.
Each tomb has its own architecture and history, very different from each other. Most of the tombs were designed and built during each Emperor’s lifetime. You will be amazed to see the architectural excellence of the ancient era.
Hue Abandoned Water Park (Ho Thuy Tien Lake)
If you like photography, videography, or flying drones then this the place for you. Ho Thuy Tien is a small lake were abandoned water park sites.
There is a big Dragon in the middle of the lake that gives an awesome place to shoot Instagram worthy photos.
A huge amount of money invested in building this park. So the ticket price was a bit high when it was opened.
Which was not affordable for local people and gradually it losses its business.
Finally, in 2004 the park was abandoned.
Sometimes the security denied entry due to safety but many still get though and it has become well-popular for both locals and visitors to Hue.
Dong Ba Market
Dong Ba Market is the largest market in Central Vietnam and if you want to explore local life and local food, this is the perfect spot.
Starting from jewelry to food, typical souvenirs, clothing and more you can find in this market.
The food courts are big and you can have delicious local food. If you like clothing then you must explore the second floor.
Perfume River
One of the best things in the evening is roaming alongside the Perfume River beside hitting the bars.
There is a big "I Love Hue" sign, you can take pictures with it. Or take a long walk in the park.
The Bridge lit up with colorful lights and looks amazing.
Boat tours are available where you can jump off and explore other areas of Hue sailing around the river.
Alternative Things to do in Hue
Hue has an interesting history. The Hue Citadel is like the Forbidden City in China. The city built just for the Emperor and his entourage.
Hue was the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty for more than 100 years. Hue is often still referred to as “Vietnam's Imperial City.”
Not only the historical significance of the city, the beautiful landscape, and breathtaking monuments, local market, abandoned water park, everywhere you see in Hue there is something new to learn and explore.