What is the experience of traveling to Hue? You will get the answer after referring to all the information below. Surely at that time, you just want to pack your backpack and go explore this beautiful and impressive ancient capital.
Traveling to Hue is one of the most interesting trips of mine. Not only did I admire the ancient beauty of the ancient capital, I also enjoyed unique dishes imbued with the flavors of the Central region. Let’s refer to my Hue travel reviews to get the best experience for your upcoming vacation.
1. Introduction to Hue tourism – the ancient capital
Hue is a province in the central coastal region, bordering Laos, the East Sea, Quang Nam, Da Nang and Quang Tri. Hue is famous for its poetic, peaceful and gentle beauty. That charm makes anyone want to travel to Hue once in their life.
Coming to the ancient capital, visitors can admire the golden palaces, majestic tombs, and historical landscapes, all of which create the unique beauty of Hue.
Arrange a trip to the ancient capital of Hue to see with your own eyes and experience the tangible and intangible cultural heritages that carry many intellectual and spiritual values of the Vietnamese people.
2. When should you travel to Hue?
If you intend to travel to Hue, you need to find out which season is the best. In Hue, there are many scenic spots and delicious dishes that you should try. Therefore, if you travel to Hue in good weather, you will have an opportunity to explore the beautiful ancient capital without fear of being interrupted by sudden rains.
According to my experience traveling to Hue, the summer in Hue is hot, lasting from March to August. The rainy season in Hue often has storms and floods from October to January. The winter is cold, sometimes the temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius. Spring in Hue is the most pleasant season, from January to the end of March.
Therefore, with my experience traveling to Hue on your own, you should go to Hue in the spring to enjoy the cool air and be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery here most comfortably.
From January to March: The weather is cool, the trees are budding, the scenery is beautiful. Suitable for admiring the gentle beauty of Hue.
April: Hue Festival season. The atmosphere is lively and bustling, the streets are beautifully decorated. If you are a person who loves prosperity, you can travel to Hue at this time.
From May to July: At this time, the climate is cool and dry, which is also the best time to travel to Hue, especially in early August.
Especially if you plan to travel to Hue for 2 days, choosing the time is quite important. Good weather helps you conveniently visit the ancient capital of Hue at night.
3. Should you travel to Hue? What are the impressive features of Hue?
Hue tourism brings many emotions and impressions to visitors from all over. If anyone has come to Hue, they will surely miss this land and not want to leave. Many people have asked, what is so beautiful about Hue tourism that makes so many visitors want to come back? It is difficult to describe in words if you have not set foot in the ancient capital.
Hue has beautiful and unique architecture: The system of palaces and mausoleums in Hue bears the bold architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty with ancient, quiet and majestic features. Today, the architectural works, although having been renovated many times, still retain their Vietnamese identity and soul.
A green, clean and beautiful city: When traveling to Hue, visitors can easily see people participating in environmental protection campaigns, cleaning the streets, picking up trash on the Perfume River and encouraging visitors to travel by bicycle. These little things contribute to creating a “green – clean – bright” city in the eyes of tourists.
Hue people are friendly and gentle: People in Hue are especially very close and friendly. They always smile and enthusiastically help others at any time. If you come to Hue and do not know where the ancient capital of Hue is or how to get there, just ask the locals, they will be very happy to help you.
Impressed with the famous Hue royal court music: Hue royal court music is a cultural beauty, the quintessence of Vietnamese music and has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. When you come to Hue, try listening to this unique type of music.
4. What means of transport should you use to travel to Hue?
If you have a lot of time, you can combine Hue – Da Nang tourism or if not, choose a Hue tour. No matter what you choose, the way of transportation is similar. You can use the following means:
4.1. Airplane
This is the most convenient and fastest means of transport for tourists from other provinces to Hue tourist areas. Most domestic airlines currently have direct flights to Phu Bai airport, Hue.
The flight time from Hanoi to Hue is about 1 hour 15 minutes, from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue is about 1 hour 30 minutes. The round-trip ticket price from Hanoi to Hue is about 1,600,000 VND, the round-trip ticket price from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue is from 1,300,000 VND.
4.2. Passenger vans
If you live in neighboring localities, choosing a passenger van is quite suitable because the travel time is short and the cost is relatively low. If you live in remote provinces, you can choose a sleeper bus to travel.
From Hanoi to Hue, you can refer to the bus companies that run the Hanoi – Hue route, such as Hung Thanh, Camel, Duc Thinh… The Hanoi – Hue route takes about 12 – 14 hours with prices ranging from 250,000 – 300,000 VND.
From Ho Chi Minh City to Hue, it takes about 20 hours. The price of a bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue ranges from 450,000 – 600,000 VND. Some popular bus companies that run the HCM – Hue route include Hoang Long, Huong Ty, Minh Phuong…
4.3. Train
If you have a lot of time to travel to Hue and love sightseeing on the way, choose the train. Train tickets are not too expensive. Trains usually have hard seats, soft seats, sleepers and air-conditioned or non-air-conditioned compartments.
Ticket prices range from 400,000 – 900,000 VND depending on seat type and departure point. If you travel far in the hot season, you should choose trains SE3, SE1, buy air-conditioned sleeper tickets for comfort and to shorten travel time.
5. Means of transport in Hue
Traveling in Hue is also quite easy. You can choose the following means of transport for your trip to Hue:
Taxi: Taxi is a very popular vehicle, convenient for tourists, especially those traveling in groups or when the weather is not good. However, taxi fares are quite expensive, you should consider.
Motorbike: To proactively travel to Hue and explore local cuisine, you should rent a motorbike. The rental price is not too expensive, from 100,000 to 200,000 VND/day.
Xich lo: Coming to the ancient capital, you can also try the experience of traveling by cyclo to enjoy the fresh, peaceful air here. Prices range from 40,000 to 70,000 VND/trip depending on the schedule.
Car rental: If you want to combine many sightseeing spots, you can rent a tourist car. Car rental prices for 4-seat, 7-seat, and 16-seat cars range from 400,000 to 1,600,000 VND depending on the route.
6. Where to go when traveling to Hue? Famous tourist destinations in Hue.
There are many beautiful places in Hue for you to have fun and explore. Don’t miss the following most attractive places when you travel to Hue.
6.1 Hue Imperial City
Hue Imperial City, also known as Dai Noi, is the most famous tourist destination in Hue, associated with the history of the Nguyen Dynasty. Hue Imperial City includes the Forbidden City and the Royal Palace, built with unique royal architecture, preserving historical and cultural values. This place has also been recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage.
6.2 Huong River
Hue’s Huong River is like a soft silk strip stretching from Vi Da garden through Thien Mu pagoda, bearing an ancient and majestic beauty, adding to the ancient and romantic beauty of Hue.
When coming to Hue, you cannot miss visiting Huong River to enjoy Hue songs, take a boat to enjoy the beautiful scenery, watch Trang Tien bridge with its brilliant lights and the sunset of Hue, a dreamy land.
6.3 Gia Long Tomb
Gia Long Tomb, also known as Thien Tho Lang, is located on a mountain range quite far from the center. But this place is considered to have the most beautiful feng shui position in the complex of tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty kings. This Hue tourist destination attracts those who love peaceful, ancient beauty.
6.4 Dong Ba Market
Dong Ba Market is the largest and oldest market in Hue, located on the banks of the poetic Perfume River. This is one of the places that tourists visit and shop when traveling to Hue. The market sells many items from popular to high-end.
6.5 Hue Walking Street
The walking street includes Pham Ngu Lao, Chu Van An, Vo Thi Sau, stretching over 1km, operating on 3 weekends. With a large investment, Hue Walking Street is an ideal destination for high-quality entertainment activities, attracting many domestic and foreign tourists.
6.6 Bao Quoc Pagoda
Bao Quoc Pagoda is located on Bao Quoc Street, Duc Ward, Hue. The pagoda was built in the shape of the letter Khau, and is home to many tomb towers of the founders. This place is also famous for many mysterious stories about Ham Long well. Today, Bao Quoc Pagoda is visited by many tourists to admire and pray to Buddha for peace.
6.7 Thuan An Beach
Thuan An Beach Hue with its clear blue water, fine white sand and wild beauty captivates many tourists who have the opportunity to travel to Hue. The most ideal time to visit Thuan An Beach is early in the morning. You will see the bustling scene of fishermen’s boats full of fish and shrimp, and enjoy the fresh seafood they have just caught.
6.8 Thanh Tan Mineral Spring
The mineral spring area with temperatures up to 68 degrees Celsius, provides nutrients and energy for the body. Not only bathing in the mineral spring, visitors can also participate in adventure games and enjoy diverse cuisine here.
6.9 Thanh Toan covered bridge
Thanh Toan covered bridge is an architectural work with unique beauty in the style of “upper house, lower bridge”. The bridge was built for the purpose of convenient travel and to protect people from the rain and sun. Today, Thanh Toan covered bridge is an attractive tourist destination for many tourists when traveling to Hue.
6.10 Hai Van Quan
Hai Van Quan is located on the top of Hai Van Pass, known as “the most majestic pass in the world”. Traveling to Hue and especially to Hai Van Quan, visitors will be able to admire the beautiful scenery with majestic mountains and vast sea and sky here.
Looking down from above at the winding pass road as far as the eye can see, enjoying the cool sea breeze, everyone feels that life is so peaceful.
6.11 Bach Ma National Park
Bach Ma National Park in Hue is a famous eco-tourism destination with majestic natural landscapes. This is also a strip of primeval forest in Vietnam that spans the country with an extremely large area.
Bach Ma Park has a very diverse ecosystem with 2,147 species. Coming here, visitors can explore Vong Hai Dai, Do Quyen waterfall, dwarf village…
6.12 Cau Hai Lagoon
Cau Hai Lagoon is considered a natural masterpiece of Hue. This place is adorned with small islands lying quietly listening to the waves, with Bach Ma range looming in the distance.
Coming to Cau Hai Lagoon, visitors will be able to observe the local people’s fishing methods and enjoy delicious dishes made from caught shrimp and fish. You can both relax and participate in recreational activities such as fishing, boating, etc.
6.13 Rú Chá Forest
Rú Chá Forest is a primeval forest famous for its mysterious and poetic beauty. The forest is located about 15km from the center of Hue city. This is the only rare primeval mangrove forest remaining in the largest lagoon system in Southeast Asia – Tam Giang lagoon.
Coming here, visitors will be able to travel and admire the beautiful scenery on the river in the forest, visit the mangrove forest and check in many beautiful photos…
6.14 Canh Duong Beach
With a coastline of nearly 4km, Canh Duong Beach is blessed with poetic beauty by nature with long stretches of fine white sand, clear sea water all year round, and fresh, cool air.
That is why this place always attracts tourists to visit. Coming here, in addition to sightseeing, swimming, camping, fishing, etc., visitors can also enjoy many delicious seafood dishes.
6.15 Vong Canh Hill
Vong Canh Hill Hue is considered the most beautiful place to watch the sunset in Hue. Here, mountains, clouds, rivers and trees blend together to create a dreamy, romantic beauty. Tourists often come here to camp, sightsee, enjoy the fresh air to forget the worries of life.
6.16 Lang Co Bay
Lang Co Bay Hue is an ideal destination for those who love romantic and peaceful beauty. This place is known as one of the most beautiful bays on the planet with long stretches of fine white sand, clear, cool blue water.
Coming here, visitors can watch the sunrise over the beautiful Canh Duong beach, visit and explore Bach Ma mountain, admire the beauty of Lang Co bay and experience fishing, camping and fun activities.
7. What to eat when traveling to Hue? 10 specialties with a strong Hue flavor
What to eat when traveling to Hue is the question that travel enthusiasts search for the most. Hue cuisine has its own unique characteristics. The dishes are not too sweet or too spicy, rich in Central flavor and are processed very skillfully and delicately, making visitors remember forever after eating.
7.1 Bun bo Hue
Bun bo is a famous specialty of Hue. When traveling to Hue, you must definitely wake up early and eat a bowl of delicious, authentic bun bo here. The broth is carefully simmered from beef bones, onions, and other traditional spices to create a delicious, attractive flavor.
Bun bo Hue has large, soft noodles, served with a piece of sausage, a little blood, and fatty pig’s feet. Before eating, add a little fresh lemon, a few pieces of chili, and raw vegetables and mix well. The delicious taste of bun bo in Hue is unmatched anywhere else.
Good restaurant references:
My Tam Hue beef noodle restaurant (25,000 – 40,000 VND): 5 Tran Cao Van, Hue City
Ba Tuyet Hue beef noodle restaurant (25,000 – 35,000 VND): 47 Nguyen Cong Tru, Hue City
Mu Roi Hue beef noodle restaurant (25,000 – 35,000 VND): 40 Nguyen Chi Dieu, Hue City
7.2 Hue Banh Beo
A hot bowl of Banh Beo with sweet and fragrant filling and a bowl of slightly spicy dipping sauce. When eating, pour fish sauce over the Banh Beo bowl, enjoy the soft, chewy taste of the dough, the fragrant taste of fried onions, and the sweetness of the shrimp and meat filling.
References to good restaurants:
O Le Banh Shop: (20,000 – 40,000 VND): 104/17/9 Kim Long, Hue City
Chi Banh Shop (from 20,000 VND): 52 Le Viet Luong, Thuan Hoa, Hue City
7.3 Nam Pho Banh Canh
A bowl of delicious Nam Pho Banh Canh, mixed with rich shrimp and meat filling and green onions, drizzled with a little green chili fish sauce, who can refuse such a special dish when traveling to Hue.
References to good restaurants:
Nam Pho O Thu Banh Canh Restaurant (10,000 – 22,000 VND): 374 Chi Lang, Hue City
Nam Pho Thuy Banh Canh Restaurant (10,000 – 20,000 VND): No. 16 Pham Hong Thai, Hue City
Nam Pho Banh Canh Dong Ba Market (10,000 – 15,000 VND): Tran Hung Dao Street, Hue City
7.4 Hue Sweet Soup
Hue is famous for many types of sweet soup, each with its own delicious flavor such as lotus seed sweet soup, floating rice balls sweet soup, taro sweet soup, and roasted pork tapioca sweet soup. No need to go to big restaurants, just sit next to street vendors or small alleys, order a cup of sweet soup and you can enjoy the sophistication of Hue’s snacks.
References to good restaurants:
Ong Lac Sweet Soup Shop (8,000 – 10,000 VND): 36 Thanh Tinh, Hue City
Mo Ton Dich Sweet Soup (12,000 – 15,000 VND): 20 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hue City
7.5 Hue Pressed Cake
The cakes are still hot and placed on a small plastic plate. When eating, customers add Vietnamese coriander, papaya, cucumber, then roll them up and dip them in a bowl of sweet and sour fish sauce. The cake has the rich taste of fat, the sour and crunchy taste of pickled papaya, the rich taste of meat, eggs and the aroma of green onions, making it a perfect summer afternoon snack for tourists in Hue.
References to delicious restaurants:
Hue Mu Ny Pressed Cake (5,000 – 20,000 VND): No. 27 Le Hong Phong, Hue City
Coconut Tree Pressed Cake (3,000 – 15,000 VND): No. 73 Tung Thien Vuong, Hue City
Aunt Mai Pressed Cake (from 5,000 VND): Opposite Duy Tan Secondary School, Hue City
7.6 Nem lui Hue
Although nem lui is a familiar dish in many other localities, in Hue, nem lui has a very unique, delicious and rich flavor. Nem lui is served with rice paper, herbs, and dipped in broth. The dipping sauce is thick, including ground peanuts, pork liver, and minced pork.
References to good restaurants:
Nem lui Hue Phu Tai (20,000 – 50,000 VND): No. 2 – 4 Dien Bien Phu, Hue City
Nem lui Me Gia (15,000 – 25,000 VND): 25 Dao Duy Tu, Hue City
7.7 Hue Banh Bot Loc
Inside the leaf layer are soft cakes, the filling can be seen through. The cake dough layer when eaten feels chewy, sweet, mixed with the fatty taste of shrimp, meat, dipped with a little sweet and spicy fish sauce will definitely make tourists in Hue unable to put down their chopsticks.
References to delicious restaurants:
Ba Cu Restaurant (15,000 – 30,000 VND): 23/177 Phan Dinh Phung, Hue City
Thuy Banh Bot Loc (10,000 – 15,000 VND): 106 Pham Hong Thai, Hue City
O Giau Banh Bot Loc (from 15,000 VND): No. 109 Le Huan, Hue City
7.8 Banh ram it
The cake consists of two parts: the ram part and the it part. When serving on a plate, the chef will place the white cake on top and sprinkle some shrimp powder on top. The cake is dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce with a little fresh chili of Hue. You should try it when traveling to Hue.
References to delicious restaurants:
Me Le Restaurant (10,000 – 25,000 VND): 104/17/9 Kim Long, Hue City
Thuy Banh ram it (20,000 – 30,000 VND): 16 Pham Hong Thai, Hue City
7.9 Banh Nam
Banh Nam is a typical rustic dish of Hue. The cake has a delicious, soft, and rich shrimp flavor. The proper way to eat Banh Nam is to peel off the leaf layer on top of the cake, leave the leaf wrapping underneath, spread the cake flat on a plate, drizzle some sweet and sour sauce on top and use a spoon to scoop each piece.
References to good restaurants:
Ba Do (10,000 – 50,000 VND): No. 8 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, Hue City
Central Banh Nam To Hien Thanh (10,000 – 15,000 VND): No. 16 To Hien Thanh Street, Hue City
Dị Xinh Banh Nam (10,000 – 20,000 VND): No. 82 Le Thanh Ton Street, Hue City
7.10 Va tron
Va tron is a very popular dish in the rustic meals of Hue people. Boiled figs are then fried with onions and garlic, finally add shrimp and meat and stir-fry. When placing on the plate, the chef will sprinkle some sesame, roasted peanuts and Vietnamese coriander.
References to good restaurants:
Khong Gian Xua Restaurant (from 40,000 VND): 205 Dien Bien Phu, Hue City
Food court at Dong Ba market (15,000 – 20,000 VND): Tay Loc, Ben Ngu, An Cuu, Hue City
Summary
The above is the most detailed information and experience of traveling to Hue, Vietnam. Please refer to it and prepare for a fun trip there.
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