Located in central Vietnam, the small city of Hué was the country’s imperial capital under the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Many remarkable sites, such as its impressive imperial city, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, bear witness to the prestige and grandeur of the city at the time. Although destroyed by the French in the 19th century, Hué has been rebuilt over the decades and is now a must-see on any trip to Vietnam. While many travellers choose to stop here for a day from Danang or Hoi An, Hué deserves more time to explore this tranquil city on the poetic Perfume River.
Visit Hue in 2 days
In Hue, while most of the sites to visit are located inside the imperial citadel, other places of historical and architectural importance are dotted around the Perfume River and outside the city centre. During these 2 days, here are the places that allowed you to learn more about the history of Vietnam and made Hué a favourite stop on your trip.
Visiting the imperial city
- Opening times: 6.30am to 5.30pm in summer and 7am to 5.30pm in winter
- Entrance fee: 200,000 dongs per adult (around €7.20)
The Imperial City is located within the Hué citadel to the north of the Perfume River. Forming a square, it was built between 1804 and 1833 by the emperors of the Nguyen dynasty to consolidate the imperial power of Hué until 1945. Behind its broad ramparts is a second, smaller enclosure known as the Purple City (or Forbidden City). Each member of the imperial family had a palace built, as well as temples dedicated to the emperor’s cults and gardens for entertainment. The imperial city is surrounded by a wide moat, like an untouchable fortress.
To visit the imperial city of Hué, you first need to go to the imposing Ngo Môn Gate (Sun Gate) to the south of the citadel. The entrance ticket office is located next door along the moat. The main entrance was reserved for the emperor (closed since 1945) and the side entrances were once reserved for the military. Today, the left-hand entrance is used by visitors. The Ngo Mon Gate is topped by a belvedere from which the last Nguyen emperor announced his abdication in 1945.
From the imperial courtyard, you can admire the Palace of Supreme Harmony, also known as the Thai Hoa Palace (under renovation at the time of my visit), which used to host official ceremonies and events. The tour of the imperial city then proceeds in a clockwise direction, to the left, towards the To Mieu temple.
The To Mieu temple complex is entered through a magnificent gate guarded by stone dragons carved into the rock. The Hien Lam pavilion (pavilion of splendour), the tallest building in the city, stands in front of the nine dynastic urns, each referring to an emperor of the Nguyen dynasty. These urns, installed in 1836, each weigh nearly 2 tonnes. They symbolise the power and presence of the former Nguyen sovereigns, even in death. A wide esplanade then leads to the To Mieu temple, which houses the shrines of the nine sovereigns.
Further north, the Dien Tho residence was the palace reserved for the queen mothers of the dynasty’s emperors. Exhibitions on the daily life of the dynasty can be seen in the main pavilions. Another pavilion, adjacent to a water lily pond, serves as a small café.
Among the few buildings still standing in the Forbidden City is the Reading Room, which served as the royal library reserved for the emperor. The main façade features statues of the four emblematic animals of Vietnam: the tortoise (symbol of longevity), the phoenix (symbol of resurrection), the dragon (symbol of power) and the unicorn (symbol of prosperity). The reading room is located very close to the magnificent Thiêu Phuong gardens, which can be seen from covered passageways. The Royal Theatre is also one of the most intact buildings in the Purple City. Local dance and song performances are available at an additional cost.
Sailing on the Perfume River
The Song Huong River, also known as the Perfume River, takes its name from the thousands of aromatic plants upstream that used to give off a sweet, flowery fragrance when the flowers fell on the river. Today, industrialisation and urban construction mean that you can no longer smell the flowers, but the name has stuck. The Perfume River divides Hue into two parts, with the citadel to the north and the city centre to the south, and the royal tombs even further away. You can take a traditional dragon boat cruise along the Perfume River. Pretty mansions and old fishermen’s cottages line the river, as do must-see sites such as the Thien Mu pagoda.
Discover the Thien Mu pagoda
The Thien Mu pagoda (or Celestial Lady pagoda) lies 4km west of the city centre on the banks of the Perfume River, but can also be reached by road. While the pagoda dates back to 1601, the octagonal Thap Phuoc Duyen tower was built in 1844 during the reign of Emperor Thieu Tri of the Nguyen dynasty. Standing 21 metres high, it has 7 storeys in reference to the seven human appearances of Buddha.
Stroll through the local Dong Ba market
Right next to the Imperial Citadel, Dong Ba market is the place to go to stock up on local produce and crafts. It is the largest market in Hué. It was built during the reign of King Dong Khanh in 1887 to replace an old market called Qui Gia. Situated on the banks of the river, Dong Ba market is still visited by boat, and its location close to the citadel and the city centre makes it a popular spot for locals and tourists alike.
The ground floor is devoted to food. Stalls of all kinds line up in a hustle and bustle typical of Vietnamese markets. The upper floors are devoted to clothing. Many saleswomen will try to lure you into their department and sell you certain items. According to local sources, Dong Ba market is also home to the most beautiful traditional conical hats in Vietnam.
Visit Royal Antiquities Museum
Hué’s Museum of Royal Antiquities is one of the city’s very first museums, originally called the Khai Dinh Museum after Emperor Nguyen. It traces the life of the 13 Nguyen emperors through a collection of ceramics, coins and traditional dress. An annex to the museum features a collection of Cham cultural artefacts. The museum is open every day from 7.30am to 5.30pm. It is located in the An Dinh Palace and photography is not permitted inside. Admission is included in the ticket to the imperial city.
Visit the royal tombs
There are seven mausoleums of the rulers of the Nguyen dynasty in Hue. All are located away from the city and require a vehicle to reach. The mausoleums are vast complexes that symbolise the extent of an emperor’s power and blend perfectly with the natural environment.
The mausoleum of Minh Mang
The first mausoleum I visited was that of Emperor Minh Mang, the second of the Nguyen dynasty who reigned from 1820 to 1840. Considered the most majestic of Hué’s dynastic mausoleums, it was the emperor himself who drew up the plans for his tomb. However, it was built after his death by his son, Emperor Thieu Tri.
The Dai Hong Mon entrance gate leads to the mausoleum’s courtyard of honour. This gate was only used once, when the emperor’s coffin passed through in 1840, and has never been reopened since.
Minh Mang’s mausoleum covers an area of 18 hectares, surrounded by a vast wooded park. With its remarkable architecture, the pavilions form an elongated human body when seen from the air, and are arranged along a symmetrical axis. Rich in history and serene, the tomb of Minh Mang is a memorable visit to Hué.
Minh Mang’s mausoleum is open daily from 7am to 5pm. Admission costs 150,000 dong (around €6) and includes access to the tombs of Minh Mang, Tu Duc and Khai Dinh.
Khai Dinh Tomb
The second must-see mausoleum in Hué is the tomb of Khai Dinh, the penultimate Nguyen emperor whose reign lasted from 1916 to 1925. It took 11 years to complete this amazing edifice, whose architecture and many details are a blend of European and Asian styles.
After taking the first triple staircase, the upper courtyard gives access to the temple of the stele in homage to the virtues and merits of Emperor Khai Dinh. This stele was built by his son, Emperor Bao Dai, the thirteenth and last emperor of the Nguyen dynasty. The courtyard is lined with two rows of statues representing soldiers, guards, animals and mandarins.
The mausoleum of Khai Dinh breaks many traditional codes compared to other dynastic tombs. First of all, Khai Dinh’s tomb is the smallest of all, but it took the longest to build and cost the most. Finally, while the exact burial place of previous emperors is unknown, Emperor Khai Dinh chose to make public the location of his remains, which lie 18 metres below his bronze statue in the Khai Thanh Palace.
The Khai Dinh mausoleum is open every day from 7am to 5pm. Admission costs 150,000 dong (around 6 euros) and gives access to the tombs of Khai Dinh, Minh Mang and Tu Duc.
If you want to learn more about the Nguyen dynasty, there are other mausoleums around Hué to discover, such as the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc and the tomb of Emperor Gia Long (founder of the dynasty).
Discover local crafts at the incense village
Thuy Xuan is the largest incense village in Hue, famous for its production of multicoloured incense sticks for over seven centuries. It is located at 72 Huyền Trân Công Chúa, not far from the royal tombs of Tu Duc and Dong Khanh.
The incense sticks created by the artisans follow a meticulous process, focusing on the quality of local ingredients to create the vibrant colour and sweet, intoxicating fragrance. No chemicals are used: the stem comes from bamboo and the paste coating the stick is made from natural aromas. They are traditionally made by hand, a process that can sometimes be seen in one of the many roadside shops. Some even offer visitors the chance to make their own.
The scents range from floral jasmine to delicate lavender and woody cinnamon. The incense stalks are then gathered into bouquets and dried in vast fields before being sold. Incense sticks are a wonderful local souvenir to bring back from your trip to Vietnam. They are also widely used by the Vietnamese in places of worship.
Practical information for visiting Hue
How to get to Hue
Getting to Hué by train
Hué railway station is located to the south-west of the city. It is served by the line linking Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. The journey to Hanoi takes more than 12 hours (night trains are available), to Ho Chi Minh City more than 20 hours and to Danang around 3.5 hours. It is best to book long journeys several days in advance.
Getting to Hué by bus
Hué bus station is located a kilometre south-east of the city. It serves Vietnam’s main cities, including Hanoi (15 hours), Ho Chi Minh City (1 day’s journey), Danang (3 hours), Ninh Binh (12 hours) and Hoi An (3 hours).
Getting to Hue by plane
Phu Bai airport is 14km south of Hue. It serves Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with the national airlines Vietnam Airlines and VietJet. A taxi ride from the airport to the city centre costs around 250,000 dong (10 euros). The Mai Linh taxi company is the most reliable.
Danang international airport is a 2? hour drive from Hué. So you’ll need to get to Danang bus or train station first, then take the bus or train to Hue. The easiest way is to take a private shuttle (minibus) from the airport to Hué, which can be booked on 12go.asia or directly with your accommodation reception.
Getting to Hué by private transport
Whether from Danang, Hoi An or most towns in central Vietnam, you can book private transport (a 9 to 12-seater minibus or private vehicle) to Hué. The advantage is the quality of service and comfort, but the price is higher than other means of transport.
Getting around
Hué city centre is not very large and can easily be visited on foot. The Imperial Citadel can be reached in around twenty minutes from the south bank of the Perfume River. Many cruises are organised on the river and its tributaries, all the way to the royal tombs. A boat is another way of getting around, although hiring a scooter gives you more freedom to explore the area. You can also use Grab (the equivalent of Uber) to get around outside the city.
How long does it take to visit Hué?
Many travellers decide to visit Hue in one day from Hoi An or Danang. One day is enough to visit the imperial citadel, the Perfume River and the Thien Mu pagoda. But Hué has much more to offer, especially if you explore the surrounding area. A two-day visit would seem to be a good compromise for visiting Hué properly.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Hue is between January and April. Temperatures rise gently and showers are rare. May to August are the hottest months, with temperatures approaching 35°C. The period from September to December is characterised by heavy rain, which can cause flooding, and should therefore be avoided.
Where to stay?
Accommodation in Hue has a reputation for being very affordable. A night in a comfortable hotel costs around a dozen euros (including breakfast). Many hotels are located on the south bank of the Perfume River. In fact, this is the best place to stay in Hué, as it is right in the city centre, with many good places to eat, and only a 20-minute walk from the Imperial Citadel.
