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25 Best Things To Do In Hue (Vietnam)

Hue is one of the most charming towns in Vietnam and is located on the banks of the beautifully named Perfume River. This part of Vietnam has a long and illustrious history as it used to be one of the main royal capitals of the country. As such, history lovers will find a huge amount to enjoy here, from the rambling ancient architecture to the engaging museums that will fill you in on all the details. Many people come here in particular to check out the ancient tombs of former emperors which are dotted all over the city and provide you with a fascinating insight into Hue in the days of old.

As this is a riverfront town, you will also be able to spend time enjoying the cool breezes and the pretty vistas as you stroll along the riverside walkway, and if you want to get out of the town center than you will also be spoiled for choice. There are a number of fascinating day trip locations close to the city, which means that can happily spend a week in Hue and still not see and do everything that this pretty part of Vietnam has to offer.

Here are the best things to do in Hue …

1. Visit the Tombs of the Ancient Emperors

One of the big draws in Hue is the tombs of the Ancient Emperors and this is the main reason why so many visitors travel here every year.

Anyone with an interest in ancient architecture and history needs to visit the tombs which were built in honor of famous emperors of Hue.

The tombs mostly date from the 19th and 20th centuries and are carved to tell the stories of Buddhist legends.

Some of the main tombs not to miss include the Tomb of Tu Duc, the Tomb of Minh Mang and the Tomb of Khai Dinh.

If you are not sure which tombs to visit on a trip here then you can take a dedicated guided tour.

Included in : Hue Full-Day City Group Tour Including Lunch

2. Visit the Tu Hieu Pagoda

Tu Hieu Pagoda is one of the most famous in all of Hue and dates from 1843. This pagoda was also the home of eunuchs during the times of the Ancient Citadel in Hue and nowadays some 70 monks live here.

When you visit you can enjoy two towering temples and also listen to the monks chanting throughout the day as part of their religious rituals.

3. Walk along the Perfume River

The Perfume River is one of the most famous waterways in Vietnam and Hue is the perfect place to take it all in.

There is a delightful waterfront promenade along the banks of the river and this makes a great place to come for a scenic walk in the evenings.

You can also take to the water yourself if you want to get a closer look at the river and rent a paddleboat or opt for an elegant dinner cruise.

This tour includes a dragon boat trip on the Perfume River: Hue Full-Day City Group Tour Including Lunch

4. Sample the food

Hue is often said to have some of the best food in Vietnam and with that in mind you need to make sure that you sample all the delights on a trip here.

As Hue was once one of the most important royal cities in Vietnam, it was also one of the premium producers of famed Imperial Banquets.

Many restaurants all over town still serve these in the traditional style and you can sit down and enjoy a meal that unfolds over multiple courses.

If you are looking for a sweet treat in the city then make sure to check out the local candy which is made of sesame seeds.

Suggested tour : Hue: 5-Hour Street Food Tour by Motorbike

5. Explore Huyen Tran Princess Temple

The Huyen Tan Princess Temple consists of a large complex which is covered with lakes of lotus flowers.

The monastery of Emperor Tran Nhan Tong is also located here and you will also be able to stroll in picturesque orchard gardens when you visit.

Other highlights include a library which holds important documents relating to previous kings and historical figures during the Tran Dynasty.

6. Visit the Imperial Citadel

The Imperial Citadel in Hue would have been the previous center of the government and is made up of a vast complex.

When you walk around you can admire the moats, carved gates and royal pavilions, and there are also a clutch of engaging museums on the grounds.

If you like Vietnamese costumes, textiles and art then make sure not to skip the main galleries here.

7. Have a blind massage

If you want to support the local community and also relax and unwind at the same time, then you need to make an appointment at the Institute of the Blind.

Here you will find a number of blind massage staff who will give you a massage and all the proceeds go to helping those who live at the institute find employment.

At the end of the massage you will also get to spend time in the onsite herbal steam room.

8. Admire the Thien Mu Pagoda

Another famous pagoda in Hue is the Thien Mu Pagoda.

This temple sits overlooking the Perfume River and is known for its gold and silver images of the Buddha.

The pagoda is so well known in Vietnam that it is also the official symbol of Hue and you can take in beautiful views over the city from this spot.

Other highlights to look out for inside include a huge bells that was cast in 1710 as well as a stone turtle which dates from the 17th century and holds a marble stele.

9. Visit Phu Bai Airport

Phu Bai Airport is actually no longer a working airport but a museum dedicated to Vietnamese war history.

The airport would have operated as an American garrison during the Vietnam War and you can tour around the complex and even walk on the old, deserted airstrip here.

As well as the former runway, you will also find other historical relics such as bunkers and outbuildings that would have been used by the American military.

10. Soak in the Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs

If you want to get outside Hue then head to the Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs which is around 30 kilometers from the city center.

Here you will find one of the most famous hot springs resorts in Vietnam and there are a number of outdoor tubs available here.

You can also enjoy designated therapy rooms where you can get a soothing massage or other spa treatments.

There are also other quirky activities on offer here such as a high wire and a zip line, or you can play water games in the aqua park.

11. Visit the Royal Theatre

The Royal Theatre was constructed in 1826 and the National Conservatory of Music was then built on these foundations.

You can come here to watch a performance of traditional Vietnamese dance and music, or you can visit to tour the spacious galleries.

The exhibitions are made up of traditional masks as well as local Vietnamese musical instruments.

The performances are held according to a rotating schedule and usually last around 45 minutes.

12. Cycle around the city

Hue is often said to be one of the nicest cities in Vietnam to cycle around.

You will find far less traffic here than in other parts of the country and you can also cycle along the lush banks of the Huong River and visit all the key attractions for which Hue is famous.

You can either just rent a bike and go it alone, or you can also join a dedicated cycling tour with a guide that will take you around Hue or out into the surrounding countryside.

13. Take a photo at the Hue Sign

Anyone looking for a modern side of Hue needs to head to one of its newest attractions with is known as the Hue Sign.

Visitors flock to this spot in the city which is located in February 3 Park and includes a colorful illuminated sign that says ‘I Love Hue’. This installation is known as a premium place in the city for a photo opportunity and you can also enjoy the leafy park at the same time.

14. Shop at the Hope Center

The Hope Center is a project that has been set up to help disabled and disadvantaged residents in Hue find employment.

The center makes a number of garments and you will find amazing local handicraft items.

Some pieces to look out for include cloth which is woven by hand by A Luoi women and you will also find other items like bags, purses, scarves and even traditional jewelry for sale.

15. Journey to Bach Ma National Park

Bach Ma National Park is located at 1,450 meters above sea level and encompasses some of the prettiest scenery in all of Hue.

On a visit here you will find towering waterfalls as well as pretty hiking trails and there are several crumbling French villas to observe along the way.

The park is part of the wider Annamite Range and this part of Vietnam is known for its lush landscapes.

You can also combine a trip here with a stop off at the Cau Hai Village.

There is also the option to stay overnight here at the camp ground of you can just spend the day swimming in limpid pools and taking in the flora and fauna.

16. Visit the Ho Quyen Tiger Fighting Arena

The Tiger Fighting Arena is situated around three kilometers outside of the center of Hue proper and was erected in 1832. As such, it was built during the time of the Minh Mang Dynasty and would have been the venue for dramatic fights between tigers and elephants.

Nowadays you won’t find any more fights here (luckily!) as these were stopped in the 1900s but you can still take in this great monument to history and if you look closely there are even claw marks pocking the crumbling walls.

17. Admire Hon Chen Temple

Hon Chen Temple is dedicated to Po Nagar who is the Goddess of the Cham population who would have been based in Ngoc Ho Village in the days of old.

The shrine sits in on top of a craggy cliff in Ngoc Ho Village and was restored several times, first in 1832 and then again in 1886. The temple now has several antiques of interest such as a number of ancient vases, some Chinese calligraphy and ornate animal carvings.

If you come here on the third and seventh lunar month of the year then you will also find local music and dance performances.

18. Take a trip to Elephant Springs

Located between Hue and neighboring Da Nang, Elephant Springs is a top spot for anyone who wants to visit a famous springs in the area without the crowds.

Elephants Springs is far less visited by tourists than other springs around Hue and this attraction got it name thanks to the boulders that surround the waters and are said to resemble elephants playing.

There is also a carved elephant stone which has water squirting from its trunk and the pools here are cool but also make a great place to come if you want to relax in the middle of the jungle.

19. Take a Huda Brewery Tour

If you want to get a drink in Hue then consider signing up for a Huda Brewery Tour.

Located close to Phu Bai Airport, you can come here and see how Danish technology is being used to make a variety of delicious local brews.

You can tour the factory and learn about the history of the Huda brand and you will also get the chance to sample some of the different beverages available.

20. Shop at Dong Ba Market

Dong Ba Market is one of the premium shopping spots in Hue if you are looking for a dose of authenticity in the city.

Here you will find a flea market as well as a number of toothsome local food stalls.

This spot was made famous when celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain came here and filmed an episode of his show ‘No Reservations’. Bourdain sampled the Bun Bo here but you will find a huge number of other dishes including noodle soups and spring rolls.

21. Sunbathe on Thuan An Beach

Around 14 kilometers outside of Hue is Thuan An Beach, so if you fancy some sea and sun then this is the spot for you.

Part of the Phu Van District, Thuan An Beach consists of a long strip of fluffy sand and many locals claim that this is one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam.

Activities here include swimming and sunbathing and the main season here runs from May to September when temperatures in Hue rise.

22. Visit the Royal Antiquities Museum

If you like antiquities then head for the Royal Antiquities Museum where you will find a wide variety of different pieces that date from the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945. As you walk around the different galleries you will be able to enjoy traditional furniture as well as textiles, jewelry and other antiques that used to belong to the royal family.

There are seven different zones inside the museum and you should make sure to check out the ornate beams which are carved with sculptures of dragons.

23. Walk across the Thanh Toan Bridge

Thanh Toan Bridge is the most famous bridge in Hue and is said to date back some 200 years.

The bridge spans the Nhu Y River and is made up of a wooden platform which is topped with a tiled roof.

The bridge only stretches for 17 meters but it also has a shrine located inside which is dedicated to the patron of the structure.

You will find the bridge around 10 kilometers to the north of the city and this is a great place to come to see a more authentic side of Hue as this is also a residential neighborhood.

24. Visit the Healing the Wounded Heart Shop

The Healing the Wounded Heart Shop is the place to come in Hue if you want to pick up some gifts or souvenirs while also helping the local community.

The shop sells a range of handicrafts which were made by disabled artisans in Hue and many of these use recycled materials such as soda cans.

All the profits of any items you buy are then funneled back into the local community and used to fund heart surgery for local impoverished children.

25. Have dinner at Ancient Hue Royal Cuisine and Gallery

One of the best known restaurants in Hue is Ancient Hue Royal Cuisine and Gallery which serves delicious food and is located inside an ancient housing complex.

The food is a mix of local and international faer and although it is a little pricier than other restaurants in the city it is more than worth it if you are in the mood for some upscale dining.

They also serve cold beer so this is a great place to unwind after a day of sightseeing.

25 Best Things To Do In Hue (Vietnam):

Visit the Tombs of the Ancient Emperors
Visit the Tu Hieu Pagoda
Walk along the Perfume River
Sample the food
Explore Huyen Tran Princess Temple
Visit the Imperial Citadel
Have a blind massage
Admire the Thien Mu Pagoda
Visit Phu Bai Airport
Soak in the Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs
Visit the Royal Theatre
Cycle around the city
Take a photo at the Hue Sign
Shop at the Hope Center
Journey to Bach Ma National Park
Visit the Ho Quyen Tiger Fighting Arena
Admire Hon Chen Temple
Take a trip to Elephant Springs
Take a Huda Brewery Tour
Shop at Dong Ba Market
Sunbathe on Thuan An Beach
Visit the Royal Antiquities Museum
Walk across the Thanh Toan Bridge
Visit the Healing the Wounded Heart Shop
Have dinner at Ancient Hue Royal Cuisine and Gallery

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Destinations
Things to do
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The history

Hue has been the capital of unified Vietnam since 1802 after Nguyen Anh ascended the throne to open the Nguyen Dynasty, which was the last feudal dynasty in Vietnamese history. Hue ended its mission to be the Vietnamese capital in 1945 when the last emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, Bao Dai abdicated. Since then, the capital of Vietnam was once again chosen as Hanoi ; Hue became the ancient capital. In 1993, The complex of Hue Monuments was recognized by UNESCO as a cultural heritage of the world.

Hue City – the capital of Thua Thien Hue province, is a city in the middle of Vietnam, located adjacent to the beautiful city of Da Nang , separated by the majestic Hai Van Pass. This is one of the cities with the oldest cultural history and is a place to preserve many famous places and historical sites in the world.

Discovering Hue , Da Nang and Hoi An is an indispensable “combo” of tourists coming to central Vietnam.

Hue tourist map

Anyway, a detailed map will help you explore a new land more easily, so we would like to introduce you to Hue tourist map , with this map you can easily explore the ancient capital. Don’t forget to download the map for offline use or print out if necessary.

Hue weather

Located between the South and the North, Hue weather is characteristic of both regions. Hue has all four seasons, but the most obvious is dry and rainy seasons. The dry season lasts from March to August, it is quite bright and hot. From August to November is the rainy season. Especially from October onwards, there are prolonged rains and storms, the weather at this time is quite cold. Spring lasts from January to the end of February, at this time the temperature is still not very high, but thanks to the rays of the spring, Hue becomes warmer and brighter.

According to the Hue tourism experiences, you should come to this beautiful city at the time of the season: summer-autumn and autumn-winter (January – July), when the weather in Hue is most pleasant.

In addition to the above two times, you can also visit Hue in late April, the time for the Hue Festival. On this occasion, you will have the opportunity to explore the unique cultural features of Hue city by experiencing various exciting activities.

How to get to Hue?

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From Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to Hue

From Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi , you can easily go to Hue in the following ways:

1. By plane

Hue has Phu Bai airport. Currently, there are many airlines serving flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to Hue, such as Vietnam Airlines, VietjetAir and Jetstar. Ticket prices range from 400.000 VND to 900.000 VND.

If you want to save money, you can take a bus to Hue. Today there are many reputable, high-quality sleeper bed buses running from all over the provinces to Hue, such as Hoang Long, Phuong Trang, and TheSinhTourist.

In Hanoi, you can take a bus to Hue at Giap Bat station, Nuoc Ngam bus station, or Luong Yen bus station, with fares from 300.000 VND/ way.

In Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), you buy tickets at Eastern bus station, with fares from 450.000 VND/ way.

3. By train

Traveling by train to Hue is also an exciting experience you should try. Although not more convenient than the above ways, in return, you will admire the beautiful natural scenery of Vietnam on both sides of the road. SE2, SE4, SE6, SE8, TN2 are trains that usually transport passengers to Hue and many other provinces. You can buy train tickets to Hue for about 400.000 VND/ way. If you want to experience better services such as beds, soft chairs, the cost will be higher.

From Da Nang To Hue

This is the way most often used by tourists, you can easily get to Hue from Da Nang by bus, we recommend HAV Limousine (add 445 Hai Phong, Da Nang), the fare is 140.000 VND, travel time is 2,5 hours.

How to go around Hue City?

Transportation in the inner city is probably one of the things you must pay attention to when coming to Hue. You can take a taxi, rent a motorbike or travel by cyclo.

1. Take a taxi

If you do not want to drive yourself, you can choose a taxi. Some reputable taxi companies recommended by many tourists are Mai Linh, Dong Ba, Thanh Cong, and Phu Xuan. However, the price of a taxi is quite high.

2. Take a cyclo

Like Hanoi and Hoi An, Hue still has many cyclo drivers in operation. Cyclo prices are relatively low, from 150.000 VND – 200.000 VND for a sightseeing trip. Note, most of Hue’s cyclo drivers are individual drivers, so you should negotiate the price before boarding.

3. Rent a motorbike

A motorbike is probably the best option for exploring around Hue city. As a famous tourist destination, the motorbike rental service in Hue is also very diverse. The rental price is from 100.000 VND to 120.000 VND for one.

Some famous motorbike rental areas in Hue:

Le Loi Street, Western Quarter opposite Huong Giang Hotel
Hung Vuong street, the intersection of Hung Vuong and Nguyen Tri Phuong
Pham Ngu Lao Street
Small and medium hotels in Hue also offer motorbike rental

Another unique way that not all tourist destinations have is traveling by boat. The boats only run on the Perfume River to listen to Hue folk songs. Besides, some routes take you to other famous tourist destinations such as Thien Mu Pagoda, Hon Chen Palace, and Minh Mang Tomb.

Getting around Hue by cyclo is an interesting option

Where to stay in Hue?

As a prominent tourist city in Vietnam, the accommodation service is also extremely developed. Depending on the budget as well as individual needs, you can choose for yourself the appropriate type of rest.

Hotels in Hue

The most considered choice is the hotel because of its affordable price, from 250.000 VND/ room/ night. Most of the hotels in Hue have a convenient location near many famous tourist destinations.

Homestays in Hue

If you want to save money, homestay is the ideal choice. With a room rate of 150.000 VND/ night, you can still stay in a beautiful and lovely space right in the heart of Hue city.

Resorts in Hue

If the purpose of your trip is to relax in the beautiful nature, to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, then the resorts in Lang Co Bay are a perfect suggestion. However, the room rates at these resorts are relatively high.

Here are some recommendations for accommodation in Hue, which are excerpted from the Vietnam travel guide book .

Hue's best accommodations - Vietnamnomad

The most attractive destinations in Hue

Whether you are a lover of nature, mountains, or great architecture, the ancient capital always meets your expectations. We divide the list of destinations into two parts: Imperial Citadel of Hue and attractive destinations in Hue .

The Imperial Citadel of Hue

The Imperial City of Hue (Hoang Thanh Hue) is the place that you must explore first. This was the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty for 143 years, which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. With a total area of 520 hectares, the Imperial City of Hue is divided into two parts: one is mandarins and commoners, the other is the living and working place of the emperor. Here are some important monuments inside Hue Imperial City.

Entrance fee: 150.000 VND

1. The Flag Tower

The Flag Tower - The Imperial City of Hue

The Flag Tower is located in front of the Ngo Mon Gate, consisting of 3 floors stacked in order from big to small, built entirely of bricks. Along with the ups and downs of Hue Citadel, the Flag Tower also witnessed many important milestones of the country. In the Nguyen Dynasty, it was used to signal in all occasions. Today, the Flag Tower is considered a symbol of the ancient capital of Hue.

2. Ngo Mon Gate

Ngo Mon is the main gate of the Imperial City, it was built during the reign of King Minh Mang, which only reserved for the King and ambassadors from other countries. Ngo Mon was not only the place where King Bao Dai proclaimed his abdication (in 1945) but also was the place for many other important ceremonies. Coming to Ngo Mon, you will once again recall the residence of the feudal court, living in a space imbued with the majestic history of Vietnam.

3. Thai Hoa Palace

Thai Hoa Palace - The Imperial City of Hue

Thai Hoa Palace is considered as the heart of the Imperial City because it was where the seat of the throne – a symbol of the power of the Nguyen Dynasty put in. It was also the venue for important ceremonies such as coronation, the king’s birthday, and envoys.

4. The Mieu

The To Mieu is often called The Mieu, located in the southwest of the Imperial Citadel, which was the place to worship the Nguyen Kings, women in the court (including the Queens) were not allowed to attend these ceremonies.

5. Hung Mieu

Hung To Mieu, also known as Hung Mieu, is a temple to worship the parents of King Gia Long (the King who established the Nguyen Dynasty) – Mr. Nguyen Phuc Luan (or Nguyen Phuc Con) and Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoan, which is located in the southwest of the Imperial Citadel (about 50 meters from The Mieu to the North).

6. Others relics

Others relics - The Imperial City of Hue

Long An Palace

Long An Palace was built in 1845, used as a resting place for the Emperors. This is an architectural work of art that combines architecture and elegant art decoration. Long An Palace is now Hue Imperial Antiques, preserving royal artifacts. Come here; you will have a closer look at the golden life in the past.

Phung Tien Palace

Phung Tien Palace is a temple located near Chuong Duc Gate, in front of Cung Dien Tho which was built by King Gia Long and King Minh Mang to worship Nguyen Kings. Unlike The Mieu, this palace also worshipped Nguyen Kings and Queens, but women in the court were allowed to come here.

Hien Lam Cac

Hien Lam Cac was built in 1821 and completed in 1822 during the reign of King Minh Mang, which is the tallest building in the Imperial Citadel. This is considered a memorial to remember the merits of the Nguyen Kings and the great ministers of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Attractive destinations in Hue

In the downtown area, besides the Imperial City, there are still many famous tourist destinations. Let’s explore each in turn.

1. Thien Mu Pagoda

Besides the Imperial City, Hue is also known as a land with many sacred temples, Thien Mu Pagoda is one of them. Thien Mu Pagoda is located on Ha Khe hill, right on Kinh Long street, about 5 km from the center of Hue city. The temple with ancient beauty, reflecting on the poetic Huong River, creates a very lyrical picture. Visiting Thien Mu, besides enjoying the scenery, you also have the opportunity to hear people retell the legendary stories about the history of temple building, and stories of love.

2. Seven royal tombs

After the Imperial City of Hue, the tombs of the Nguyen Kings are places you should not miss. Currently, Hue has a total of 7 tombs: Tu Duc Tomb, Minh Mang Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb, Gia Long Tomb, Duc Duc Tomb, Thieu Tri Tomb and Dong Khanh Tomb. Each building has its own architecture with intricate carvings. But of which Khai Dinh Tomb (image) and Tu Duc Tomb are the most prominent.

Khai Dinh Tomb

Khai Dinh Tomb or Ung Lang is the resting place of the 12th King of the Nguyen Dynasty, which is located in the Hue Monuments complex and was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1993.

Khai Dinh Tomb was built on September 4, 1920, by Le Van Ba, the pre-Admiral of the Army, who spent 11 years to complete it. Khai Dinh Tomb was built extremely featurely with the total length of such construction from 1920 to 1923. The entire tomb architecture was influenced by many schools such as Hinduism (tower-shaped pillar gate), Buddhism (stupa-shaped pillar), Roman Gothic architecture (octagonal columns, wide high arches).

The main work is harmoniously combined but still unique and separate. King Khai Dinh has traveled to many places to learn about new architectures and brought them in to build his tomb.

This famous tomb area was built with materials such as iron, steel, cement, and especially Ardoise tile, which were imported from France. All interior details in the three-nave in the palace, most of which was decorated with reliefs made of beautiful porcelain and glass pieces imported from Asian countries such as China, Korea, Japan.

Visiting the tomb of Khai Dinh, besides admiring the unique features of architecture and art of the Nguyen Dynasty, you also hear more historical stories, and immerse yourself in the cultural and historical space.

Address: Khai Dinh, Huong Thuy District.

Entrance fee: 100.000 VND

Tu Duc Tomb

If you only have time to visit a tomb in Hue, come to Tu Duc Tomb, which is 7 km from the center of Hue city. Come here; you will feel like you have just traveled back in time to the 19th century because this architectural complex of nearly 475 hectares is preserved intact.

Among 13 Kings of the Nguyen Dynasty, King Tu Duc was the most profound man in the Oriental educational background, and especially enjoyed poetry. When he died in 1883, the King left 600 essays, 4.000 Chinese poems, and about 100 Nom poems.

Tomb of Tu Duc, also known as Khiem Lang, was built when the King was still alive. This was where King Tu Duc rested, recited poetry, and enjoyed tea when he was tired, so the whole scene of Tu Duc Tomb is like a large park with nearly 50 buildings both in the impregnated area and the tomb. The architecture intertwines harmoniously with the lake, the mountains, and nature.

Tomb of Tu Duc was completed in 1867. With charming scenery, it is considered one of the most beautiful architectural works of the Nguyen Dynasty. Every day, Hue Traditional Art Theater organizes Ca Hue (Hue royal music) performance at Xung Nghiem Ta, part of Tu Duc Tomb. So come here, you not only admire this amazing work, but you also experience listening to Hue royal music.

Address: Thuong Ba village, Hue

3. Perfume River – Trang Tien Bridge

Perfume River (Huong River) is one of the five most attractive destinations in Vietnam voted by the Vietnam Record Organization. The poetic Huong River is considered as the symbol of Hue. Coming here, you can enjoy the peaceful scenery by boat. Especially at night, you can listen to the folk songs of Hue and watch the shimmering city light.

When you come to the Perfume River, do not forget to take photos at Trang Tien Bridge – also a symbol of the city and pride of the people. The bridge was built over 200 years ago and has become a panoramic view of the romantic city. The most wonderful time of Trang Tien Bridge is in the summer when the brilliant phoenix flowers bloom next to the bridge.

4. Dong Ba Market

From Trang Tien Bridge, you walk 100 meters to the busiest market in Hue. The market sells a full range of goods, from food to everyday appliances. You can walk around the market, choose to buy some souvenirs such as conical hats, jewelry of Ke Mon village, and enjoy the specialties of this land.

5. The Beaches

Hue has long been famous for its beautiful beaches, especially Lang Co Beach, which is one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in Vietnam .

Lang Co Bay

Traveling Hue does not forget to visit Lang Co Bay – one of the most beautiful bays of the world. Situated between the ancient capital of Hue and the prosperous city of Da Nang, embraced by the stunning Hai Van Pass, Lang Co is truly a tourist paradise with pristine natural beauty. Lang Co Bay is also one of the rare places with mountains, rivers, seas, islands, and lagoons. Many luxurious resorts here will give you a dream vacation, away from busy streets.

Thuan An beach

Thuan An is an ideal place for those who want to escape the heat of summer. The beach is about 12 km in length, famous for its gentle waves and fresh air. Coming to Thuan An beach, you can immerse yourself in the pure blue water or admire the surrounding scenery on the white sand. Catching the sunrise and watching the sunset in Thuan An beach are experiences you should not miss in Hue.

Canh Duong Beach

Canh Duong Beach is located in Canh Duong village, Loc Vinh commune, Phu Loc district, about 50km from Hue city center. Unlike Thuan An, this beach is so vast, suitable for camping overnight and holding barbecue parties with the freshest seafood here. If you intend to travel to Hue for a long time, you should try once to visit Canh Duong Beach.

Hue is a land with many beautiful lagoons such as Tam Giang lagoon, Chuon lagoon and Lap An lagoon, each lagoon here has its own characteristics.

Tam Giang Lagoon

Tam Giang is the confluence of O Lau river, Bo river, and Huong river before flowing into the East Sea. Therefore, Tam Giang Lagoon is a symbol of the ecological environment in Hue.

Tam Giang Lagoon is the largest mangrove area in Southeast Asia, the water surface is 248.7 km2 wide, starting from O Lau estuary to Huong river mouth. Tam Giang lagoon has many aquatic animals, most of which are in Thuan An and O Lau, Bo, and Thuy Tu estuaries. Currently, 163 species of fish have been identified, many rare species such as sea bass, eel.

Chuon Lagoon

Chuon Lagoon in Phu Vang district has an area of over 100ha, located nearly 15 km to the East of Hue city center. It is a part of Tam Giang lagoon system with a fresh and peaceful atmosphere. The nature of Chuon lagoon is more beautiful in the early mornings and afternoons with colorful arrays.

Lap An Lagoon

Right next to Lang Co Bay is Lap An lagoon. Lap An lagoon, also known as An Cu lagoon, is surrounded by the great Bach Ma mountain range and the blue Lang Co beach. Coming here, you will not only be fascinated by the tranquility of mountains and rivers, but you will also enjoy the beautiful water diversion as in Nha Trang .

7. Others attractions

In addition to palaces, tombs, and lagoons, Hue is full of other interesting things waiting for you, maybe an abandoned water park, a majestic mountain and a famous poet’s village.

Thien An Hill – Thuy Tien Lake

Thuy Tien Lake is a place visited by many tourists, especially young recently. It is located near Thien An hill which is covered with a pine forest. Thuy Tien Lake is essentially an abandoned park. The entire campus is engulfed in desolation, covered with moss.

But the abandoned mystery of Ho Thuy Tien attracts many young people to visit and take photos.

Thuy Xuan Incense Village

Thuy Xuan Incense Village has located about 7 km from the city center. It is the largest incense village of Hue. People here live by making incense, providing incense to the whole city. Currently, this place has become one of the tourist attractions.

Visiting this village, you will have the opportunity to admire the colorful incense sticks. The craftsmen neatly arrange the incenses into bunches, radiating like beautiful flowers. Besides, you are also facilitated by people to learn and directly participate in making incense.

Phuoc Tich pottery village

Like Hoi An with Thanh Ha pottery village, Hue also has Phuoc Tich ceramic village. Phuoc Tich pottery village is located about 45 km north of the Hue center. It is famous for its many beautiful traditional ceramic products. Today, Phuoc Tich ceramic products have been present in the lives of the people of the homeland and the regions of the land of Thuan Hoa. The special thing that makes this village attractive and famous is thanks to its unique architectural art from sculpting and carving on wooden frames.

Bach Ma National Park

If you like conquering nature, Bach Ma National Park is the place for you. On the way to Bach Ma National Park, you will see Hai Vong Dai – the highest point, where you can capture the whole surrounding bay. When exploring deep inside Bach Ma National Park, you can also witness the spectacular Ngu Ho stream pouring from above or Do Quyen waterfall filled with flowers.

Located at the foot of the Bach Ma mountain range, Truoi lake also brings the dreamy beauty typical of Hue. Truoi Lake is primarily an irrigation work, but thanks to the mountains, Truoi Lake has become a place to avoid the sun in the summer.

Near Truoi lake is Truc Lam Bach Ma Zen Monastery, of Truc Lam Yen Tu sect. Visitors who want to visit the monastery must take a ferry to go there, then taking 172 steps to reach the three-door gate. It is like a small challenge, but in return, waiting for you will be the scene of a peaceful lake surrounded by enchanting mountains.

Must-try dishes in Hue

Not only famous by the ancient poetic beauty but also makes visitors admired by the rich cuisine. Here are some must-try dishes in Hue.

As a famous specialty of Hue, but the Com Hen (mussels rice) and Bun Hen (mussels noodle) are incredibly inexpensive. Sweet and fresh mussels meat is fried and flavoured served with a cup of mussel soup, raw vegetables, pork rind, and shrimp sauce. It is not hard to find these dishes in Hue because they are sold in many restaurants or food vendors.

But for the right taste, you should try it on Nho Restaurant at 28 Pham Hong Thai, or the second address in Con Hen, Vi Da Ward.

2. Bun Bo Hue

Although Bun Bo Hue (Hue beef noodle) is not too strange in other provinces, Hue beef noodle has an entirely different taste. Hue beef noodle is listed in the 50 most delicious dishes in the world. A bowl of beef noodle soup must have a piece of soft pork leg, a few slices of fresh beef served with spicy soup. Don’t forget to eat with a plate of delicious fresh vegetables.

Some suggestions for you to enjoy Bun Bo Hue:

O Phuong, address: 24 Nguyen Khuyen, Phu Nhuan Ward
Bun Bo Cam, address 38 Tran Cao Van, Phu Hoi Ward
O Hoa, address: 162 Mai Thuc Loan, Thuan Thanh Ward

3. Hue Cakes

Some types of cakes such as Banh Beo, Banh Nam, Banh Loc, Banh Khoai are simple, but they look so attractive. You can eat these cakes at any time like a snack or a main course and mixing them as you like. These cakes are sold on many food stalls, but you should try it at Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, Le Huan Street, the food court in Dong Ba Market, and Tay Loc Market, which are very cheap (under 1 USD).

4. Banh Canh

In the list of certain dishes to try when coming to Hue, it is impossible not to mention Banh Canh Nam Pho (Nam Pho spicy noodle soup). You will be impressed with the special bowl of red-orange soup with crab pies. Despite being popular, this soup dish is made meticulously and very carefully. To enjoy the perfect taste, eat while it is still hot, add some pepper and chilli. Each strand of soft soup noodles combined with the sweetness of the crab rolls creates a great delicacy.

Some suggestions for you:

Thuy, address: 16 Pham Hong Thai, Vinh Ninh Ward
Banh Canh Nam Pho, address: 54 Nguyen Cong Tru, Phu Hoi Ward

You would think that Che (sweet soup) is everywhere in Vietnam, but Che Hue (Hue sweet soup) is entirely different. Hue has up to 36 types of sweet soup; each has its own delicious and attractive flavour, all are delicately processed. Some of the most famous Hue sweet soups you must try are sweet corn soup, and rice ball sweet soup.

Hue sweet soup is not famous for its sophisticated, delicious but also very cheap. It’s costs only from 7.000 – 15.000 VND/ cup, which is sold in every corner of Hue, especially in the Dong Ba market.

Annual festivals and cultural experiences in Hue

The unique feature of Hue culture is a harmonious combination between folklore and royal culture. Several typical festivals have contributed to creating a distinctive and unique feature of Thua Thien Hue tourism.

1. Hon Chen Temple Festival

The festival takes place twice a year in February and July. Hon Chen Palace Festival is held on Ngoc Tran Mountain and Hai Cat village in Huong Tra District. The festival of worshiping Thien Y A Na, the Holy Mother, who created the land and taught people how to cultivate.

It is a folk festival in Hue with many unique rituals creating a sacred religious atmosphere amid romantic and charming natural scenery, so it attracts thousands of visitors to attend.

2. Wrestling festival of Sinh village

Sinh Village is located on the south bank of Huong River in Huong Phu District. Every year, on 10 January of the lunar calendar, the furnaces in the region sobbing to the wrestling festival of Sinh village to compete for a prize.

This festival takes place in a very crowded hustle and bustle. Thousands of young men and women from different districts in Hue flock here to watch the competition.

The wrestling festival of Sinh village has been a good tradition of Hue people for many centuries.

3. Hue Festival

Hue Festival is a major national cultural tourism festival to strengthen cultural relations with other countries participating in the festival through the introduction of Vietnamese cultural identity.

As one of the major festivals, the Hue Festival has many unique cultural programs that are held in large spaces both inside and outside the city in order to revive the cultural values of Hue.

Many special programs must be mentioned such as Royal Night, Ao Dai Festival, Sea Festival, and Kite Flying. Hue Festival is also one of the reasons making Hue become a favorite destination for many domestic and foreign tourists.

unique cultural experiences you must try in Hue

1. Listen to Hue folk songs on Perfume River

If you have not heard of Hue folk songs on Perfume River, likely, you have never been to Hue. Hue folk songs is a unique art form of Hue people, preserved and developed over hundreds of years. Therefore, visitors to Hue, besides visiting the temples and tombs of Hue, everyone wants to once rest on the side of a dragon boat to listen to the deep and sweet Hue folks songs sung on the Huong River.

2. Enjoy Hue royal refined music

Hue royal refined music- Intangible Cultural Heritage is a scientific form of music that UNESCO was named in the List of intangible masterpieces and oral traditions of humanity on November 7, 2003.

Hue royal refined music has a history dating back to the 13th century, the monarchs of Vietnam attach great importance to and develop it as a symbol of the kingship of the reign and prosperity of the Dynasty. Hue royal refined music’s way of performing is very tight, highly aesthetic, which can reflect the ideas and philosophical conceptions of the contemporary monarchy.

Hue is developing Hue royal refined music to attract domestic and international visitors. So if you have the opportunity to visit Hue, please visit the ancient theater Duyet Thi Duong. This is the venue for Hue Royal Music performance for visitors to enjoy.

Mesmerizing floating lanterns on Perfume River in the early days of May.

Above is the detailed Hue travel guide. Hopefully, you will have the most memorable experience in this beautiful city.

Meet in Hue!

Mui ne, phan thiet, ha long bay.

View prices for your travel dates

Hue Thuong is an excellent choice for travellers visiting Hue, offering a budget friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.

For those interested in checking out popular landmarks while visiting Hue, Hue Thuong is located a short distance from Huyen Tran Princess Temple (0.1 mi) and Hue Royal Palace (0.7 mi).

The rooms offer air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a kitchenette, and getting online is possible, as free wifi is available, allowing you to rest and refresh with ease.

Hue Thuong features a concierge, room service, and a coffee shop. Guests arriving by vehicle have access to free parking.

Hue has plenty of Asian restaurants. So when you’re here, be sure to check out popular spots like Les Jardins de La Carambole, Elegant Restaurant, and Serene Cuisine Restaurant, which are serving up some great dishes.

There is no shortage of things to do in the area: explore popular history museums such as Hue Cultural Museum and Hue War Museum.

Enjoy your stay in Hue!

Reviews We perform checks on reviews. Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . Learn more about our review moderation.

Excellent 29
Very Good 17
All languages ( 53 )
English ( 32 )
French ( 8 )
Vietnamese ( 4 )

" Get one of the bigger rooms if you have a lot of luggage "

" Check offered room so you get what you want. The street can be a bit busy in the morning. "

" Not at the front if you like to sleep! "

" If you can afford a family room - go for it. They are considerably bigger than double rooms and well worth the extra cost. "

" If you're a bit tall and/or wide, go for the family rooms / twin rooms as the "double" beds are tiny! "

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

HUE THUONG - Updated 2024 Prices, Reviews, and Photos (Vietnam)

View prices for your travel dates

Hue Thuong is an excellent choice for travellers visiting Hue, offering a budget friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.

For those interested in checking out popular landmarks while visiting Hue, Hue Thuong is located a short distance from Huyen Tran Princess Temple (0.1 km) and Hue Royal Palace (1.1 km).

The rooms offer air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a kitchenette, and getting online is possible, as free wifi is available, allowing you to rest and refresh with ease.

Hue Thuong features room service, a concierge, and shops. Guests arriving by vehicle have access to free parking.

There is no shortage of things to do in the area: explore popular art galleries such as Green Bamboo Art Gallery, Truc Chi Garden, and Gakka Gallery.

Enjoy your stay in Hue!

Excellent 29
Very Good 17
All languages ( 53 )
English ( 32 )
French ( 8 )
Vietnamese ( 4 )

" Get one of the bigger rooms if you have a lot of luggage "

" Check offered room so you get what you want. The street can be a bit busy in the morning. "

" Not at the front if you like to sleep! "

" If you can afford a family room - go for it. They are considerably bigger than double rooms and well worth the extra cost. "

" If you're a bit tall and/or wide, go for the family rooms / twin rooms as the "double" beds are tiny! "

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

Hue Thuong - UPDATED Prices, Reviews & Photos

View prices for your travel dates

Hue Thuong is an excellent choice for travellers visiting Hue, offering a budget friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.

For those interested in checking out popular landmarks while visiting Hue, Hue Thuong is located a short distance from Huyen Tran Princess Temple (0.1 mi) and Hue Royal Palace (0.7 mi).

The rooms offer air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a kitchenette, and getting online is possible, as free wifi is available, allowing you to rest and refresh with ease.

Hue Thuong features a concierge, room service, and a coffee shop. Guests arriving by vehicle have access to free parking.

There is no shortage of things to do in the area: explore popular history museums such as Hue Cultural Museum and Hue War Museum.

Enjoy your stay in Hue!

Reviews We perform checks on reviews. Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . Learn more about our review moderation.

Excellent 29
Very Good 17
All languages ( 53 )
English ( 32 )
French ( 8 )
Vietnamese ( 4 )

" Get one of the bigger rooms if you have a lot of luggage "

" Check offered room so you get what you want. The street can be a bit busy in the morning. "

" Not at the front if you like to sleep! "

" If you can afford a family room - go for it. They are considerably bigger than double rooms and well worth the extra cost. "

" If you're a bit tall and/or wide, go for the family rooms / twin rooms as the "double" beds are tiny! "

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

HUE THUONG (AU$22) 2024 Prices & Reviews

View prices for your travel dates

Hue Thuong is an excellent choice for travellers visiting Hue, offering a budget friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.

For those interested in checking out popular landmarks while visiting Hue, Hue Thuong is located a short distance from Huyen Tran Princess Temple (0.1 mi) and Hue Royal Palace (0.7 mi).

The rooms offer air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a kitchenette, and getting online is possible, as free wifi is available, allowing you to rest and refresh with ease.

Hue Thuong features a concierge, room service, and a coffee shop. Guests arriving by vehicle have access to free parking.

There is no shortage of things to do in the area: explore popular history museums such as Hue Cultural Museum and Hue War Museum.

Enjoy your stay in Hue!

Excellent 29
Very Good 17
All languages ( 53 )
English ( 32 )
French ( 8 )
Vietnamese ( 4 )

" Get one of the bigger rooms if you have a lot of luggage "

" Check offered room so you get what you want. The street can be a bit busy in the morning. "

" Not at the front if you like to sleep! "

" If you can afford a family room - go for it. They are considerably bigger than double rooms and well worth the extra cost. "

" If you're a bit tall and/or wide, go for the family rooms / twin rooms as the "double" beds are tiny! "

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

HUE THUONG: See 32 Hotel Reviews, Price Comparison and 51 Photos (Vietnam) - Tripadvisor

Hue Travel: Ultimate Guide to Hue, Vietnam

Hue is the former imperial capital of Vietnam . Located in central Vietnam, the ancient city of Hue was home of the emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th Century. Hue is famous for its spectacular royal tombs of the emperors and for Hue Citadel which is Royal Palace of the Imperial City.

Hue has almost everything, from scenic beaches, majestic scenery of mountains to the ancient architecture and unique cultural traditions that have been there for generations. Trip to Hue will bring you an extremely memorable experience.

Hue Attractions

Hue imperial city (the citadel).

The Imperial City or the Citadel is a walled palace in Hue. Hue Citadel was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1993. The large complex of buildings features hundreds ruins of ancient palaces, temples and monuments from the times when Hue was the royal capital of Vietnam's Nguyen Dynasty.

Thien Mu Pagoda

Thien Mu Pagoda , also known as Linh Mu Pagoda, is a historic temple located 4 kilometers from the center of Hue. This seven-story pagoda sits on the hill on the northern bank of the Perfume River. This is the destination attractive not only for Buddhists but for anyone looking for the place to enjoy charming natural scenery and calm one’s mind.

Tombs of Hue

Some of the most famous tourist destinations in Hue, that attract a large number of tourists every year, are the tombs of the Nguyen kings. The most important tombs of Hue that you should visit are Tomb of Tu Duc, Tomb of Minh Mang and Tomb of Khai Dinh.

Tomb of Tu Duc

Tomb of Tu Duc is located on Van Nien Hill in Duong Xuan Thuong village, 5 km south of Hue. This imperial tomb is the most impressive of the royal mausoleums in Hue as its unique architecture is in the harmony with natural scenery. The tomb was built for the Emperor Tu Duc who was the longest-reigning monarch of Nguyen Dynasty. Tomb of Tu Duc looks like as a large park with a magnificent scenery.

Tomb of Minh Mang

Tomb of Minh Mang , also known as Hieu Lang, is one of the most famous mausoleums of emperors in Hue. The royal tomb is located on the western bank of the Perfume River, about 12 km south of Hue City. In the complex of the Royal Tomb of King Minh Mang you can find various palaces, temples, pavilions and other structures fitting well with the ponds and surrounding landscape.

Tomb of Khai Dinh

Tomb of Khai Dinh , also known as Ung Lang, is located at the foot of the mountain Chau Chu, 9 kilometers south of Hue. The tomb was built for the 12th Emperor of the Nguyen dynasty - Khai Dinh. Tomb of Khai Dinh is an unusual imperial tomb as its architecture is a good combination of modern European and classical Vietnamese architecture.

Hue Natural Attractions

In addition to the ancient historical and cultural sights of Hue, there are also many fascinating natural attractions in Hue such as Lang Co Beach, Thuan An Beach, Canh Duong Beach, Thac Nhi Lake, romantic Perfume River, Tam Giang Lagoon, Thua Thien Village and many others. Getting out from the city to explore the nature of Hue province can make an extremely wonderful journey.

The complete list of Hue must-see tourist attractions can be found here: Top Tourist Attractions in Hue .

Update ticket prices for top tourist attractions in Hue can be found here: Price of Tickets to Complex of Hue Monuments .

Traveling to Hue

There are many ways that can be used for traveling to Hue . Some of the most popular means of transportation for getting to the imperial city are briefly described below.

Flights to Hue

Flying is the most time-saving way for getting to Hue. The city has its own Phu Bai International Airport (HUI) , which is located about 13 km from Hue City center. However, currently only 3 airlines (Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific) are operating at Hue Airport serving passengers on two domestic routes: from Hanoi (6 daily flights) and Ho Chi Minh City (18 daily flights). It takes only about 1 hour 30 minutes to fly to Hue from these cities.

From Hue Airport to City Center

Taxi : Taking a taxi is a convenient way to travel from Phu Bai Airport to the city center. You can find taxis parked outside the airport. The price varies depending on the company and type of the car, but taxi fare from Hue Airport to city center should be about 200,000 VND. It takes about 15-20 minutes to reach the city.

Bus : Bus is the main mean of public transport for locals traveling from Phu Bai Airport to the center of Hue City. Two public bus routes connect the airport with the city: No. 2 and No. 11. The earliest bus departs at about 6:00 and the latest leaves about 22:00. Bus ticket costs only 5,000 VND per person and it takes about 30-60 minutes to reach Hue center.

Airport Transfer : Private transfer is a good option if you are travelling in a group. Private transfer from Phu Bai Airport to anywhere in Hue City costs about 300,000 VND for 4-seat car.

Other options: For more Information about how go from Hue Airport to city center check How to get from Phu Bai Airport (HUI) to Hue City .

Flights to Da Nang

Alternatively, you can fly to Da Nang International Airport (DAD) and then transfer from Da Nang to Hue. Many tourists choose to travel this way because Da Nang Airport receives a larger number of flights from various destinations and it is convenient to explore two central cities that are only 100 km apart.

Flights from Bangkok

Da Nang Airport is the nearest to Hue international airport that receives direct flights from Bangkok , making the trip to Hue from Thailand really easy. Low cost carrier AirAsia serves this route as well as Bangkok Airways and Vietnam Airlines. Flight deals for this route can be found here:

Flights from Bangkok to Da Nang

Train to Hue

Travelling by train is also a popular option for getting to Hue because it’s relatively cheap and safe and to take a train. Train is also a suitable choice if you want to admire the natural scenery and beautiful landscapes along the route. Hue Railway Station is located right in the city center.

Train tickets from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to Hue normally cost from 500,000 VND per person. If you want more comfort and better service, choose a more expensive seat type.

Traveling by train to Hue takes about 14-15 hours if departing from Hanoi and more than 18 hours when departing from Ho Chi Minh City .

The train schedule from Hanoi to Hue :

SE1: Hanoi 19:30 - Hue 8:48
SE3: Hanoi 22:00 - Hue 10:20
SE5: Hanoi 09:00 - Hue 22:42
SE7: Hanoi 06:00 - Hue 19:00
TN1: Hanoi 13:10 - Hue 03:39

The train schedule from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue :

SE2: Saigon 19:30 - Hue 15:23
SE4: Saigon 22:00 - Hue 16:39
SE6: Saigon 22:00 - Hue 05:31
SE8: Saigon 06:00 - Hue 01:28
TN2: Saigon 13:10 - Hue 12:06

Bus is probably the most appropriate choice for traveling to Hue because of its convenience and affordable price. But you should also consider carefully before taking a long distance bus as the journey takes long and it’s far from being comfortable, especially for taller people. There are many buses to Hue from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and the travel time is usually by 2-3 hours shorter than taking a train.

Other transportation

Find various transportation options on the most popular routes :

From Hanoi to Hue

From Hoi An to Hue

For other routes to/from Hue , use this search form.

From Da Nang to Hue

Train : Train is good choice for traveling from Da Nang to Hue. The distance between Da Nang Railway Station and Hue Railway Station is about 110 km. There are 6 daily trains from Da Nang to Hue, and the average travel time is about 2.5-3 hours. Train tickets can be booked online here: Train from Da Nang to Hue .

Taxi : Taking a taxi from Da Nang to Hue is very convenient for group travels, but the price is quite high as normally the transfer between two cities costs from 1,000,000 VND to 1,800,000 VND, depending on the number of seats and the route. In Da Nang, there are several taxi companies and some of the most reliable ones are Mai Linh Taxi, Vinasun, Tien Sa.

Motorbike : This is the most economical way to travel as motorbike rental prices are only 80,000-150,000 VND per day. However, riding motorbike is somewhat dangerous. Traveling from Da Nang to Hue by motorbike through Hai Van Pass is the best way to enjoy this magnificent scenery.

Tour : You can easily take a day trip from Da Nang to Hue to visit the famous landmarks and must-sees in Hue. You can join this Hue City Tour from Da Nang and visit the historical sites in Hue City in a day.

An overview of various ways of traveling from Da Nang to Hue can be found here: Best Way to Travel from Da Nang to Hue .

Hue to Hoi An

Hoi An is a popular town in central Vietnam. Traveling between Hue and Hoi An is also easy as there are plenty of transportation options to choose from. If you are planning to travel from Hue to Hoi An or vice versa , for detailed information check: Best Way to Travel from Hue to Hoi An .

How to get around Hue City

Boat : It's a very popular transport in Hue City. You can take a dragon boat to sail along the Perfume River to visit the most important attractions of Hue.

Cyclo : Riding a cyclo, a three-wheeled cycle taxi, is the authentic way to discover Hue which became a popular way to get around the city. You can take a leisurely stroll around this beautiful ancient city. The price of the ride is about 80,000-100,000 VND per 30 minutes

Bus : Public bus is popular and easy way to around the city. Currently, Hue public bus system has 14 regular routes that let you roam even far away from the city.

Walk : If you want to explore Hue on your own, then just walking around the city is another good option. You can easily take a half day walk in Hue Imperial Citadel to learn about Hue History and Vietnamese Royal Culture.

Motorbike : For those who love adventures, motorbike is an extremely convenient transportation for getting around Hue. You can rent a motorbike for only 100,000-150,000 VND per day.

Other options: Getting around Hue is pretty easy and it doesn't cost that much either. For more transportation options check: How to get around Hue City .

Where to stay in Hue

In terms of the areas of Hue that are convenient to stay, you basically have few choices. Detailed information about choosing accommodation in Hue can be found here: Where to Stay in Hue .

The most popular area for tourists to stay in Hue is the city center , on the southern bank of Perfume River between Nguyen Cong Tru and Huong Vuong streets. There are plenty of hotels, hostels and homestays available.

Some of the best rated Hue hotels are listed below.

Budget Hotels

The Chill - Homestay In Hue

Serene Shining Hotel

Hue Four Seasons Hotel

Mid-Range Hotels

The Scarlett Boutique Hotel

La Paix Hue

Hue Serene Palace Hotel

Luxury Hotels

Azerai La Residence, Hue

Vinpearl Hotel Hue

Indochine Palace

There are also many luxury resorts with offering top-level service outside the city. Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa , Vedana Lagoon Resort & Spa , Ana Mandara Hue Beach Resort are the popular names that are ready to offer you dream vacation nearby Hue beach. However, room rates at these resorts are relatively higher than at the hotels in the city.

What to eat in Hue

Hue is not only impressive by its nostalgic beauty of historical sites but also by Hue cuisine that lets you enjoy countless delicious specialties. You can experience the authentic taste of Hue by joining Hue Street Food Walking Tour .

Some of the most popular Hue cuisine specialties :

Nem Lui Hue : Hue lemongrass skewers with grilled pork sausage or meatball served with freshly-cooked vegetables, dipped in the special sauce.

Bun Bo Hue : Beef Noodle which is present in all cities in Vietnam. However, only in Hue can you feel the soul of this dish. A bowl of Bun Bo Hue usually has a piece of pork leg, small pork blood and a few slices of thinly sliced beef with the typical aromatic flavor of fish sauce, and spiciness of chili pepper. The price for each bowl is only about 15,000-25,000 VND.

Mussel Rice : This dish is made from white rice served with mussels, peanuts, fried pork, and raw vegetables that are mixed together to create a distinct flavor. Mussel rice is quite cheap as one bowl costs only about 10,000-15,000 VND.

Banh Nam, Banh Beo : These are 2 types of cake that you should not miss when coming to Hue. The price of each type of cake is only 1,000 VND per piece.

Banh Bot Loc : This is a transparent chewy dumpling made from tapioca flour and filled with minced fatty pork or bacon and shrimp. Although Banh Bot Loc is extremely popular, you will definitely not forget the delicious taste of this dumpling after trying it in Hue.

Hue Pancake : Hue pancake is called Banh khoai and is made from rice flour batter with turmeric and topped with shrimp, pork slices, bean sprouts and spring onions.

The complete Hue food guide can be found here: Hue Food Specialties .

Souvenirs from Hue

Hue has many interesting things you can buy as souvenirs to bring back home to your family or friends.

Conical hats : Hue hats is one of the symbol of the ancient capital and it is a meaningful gift.

Sesame candies : Sesame is considered as one of the cultural symbols in Hue. Hue sesame candies are made up of bean flour, malt, and rice cakes.

Melaleuca oil : This oil is very famous in Hue with its effective use in preventing cough and cold for children, pregnant women and adults.

Ginger jam : Ginger jam is one of the nutritious delicacies that Hue people often use as a dessert.

Best time to travel to Hue

The weather in Hue is divided into 2 distinct seasons: rainy season and dry season.

In particular, the rainy season starts from September to February with typical rains and frequent storms. During the end of the year, the temperature can be as low as 9 degrees. If you will travel to Hue during the rainy season, you will get a chance "to taste" something called "Hue rain" that many people come to experience. That is the feeling when sitting in a coffee shop in front of Hue Citadel, sipping hot aromatic coffee and watching the rain falling down with indescribable feelings.

The dry season is from March to August, with bright sunny days and temperatures reaching even as high as 40 degrees. During this season rains are quite rare so you can easily visit the historical sites of Hue and mountainous areas as well as refresh in the cool blue sea.

Each season in Hue can give you different unique experiences.

Festival Season

If you are a fan of festivals, you should visit Hue during one of city’s festivals such as Royal Palace Night, Ao Dai Festival, Street Festival, Food Festival, that are taking place from the middle of April to the beginning of May. At this time of the year, you will discover the unique festive culture of Hue.

1. Buy cheaper Vietnamese SIM Card online

2. Pick up SIM Card at the airport on arrival

Ho Chi Minh City (SGN Airport)

Hanoi (HAN Airport)

Da Nang (DAD Airport)

Nha Trang (CXR Airport)

How to Spend 2 Days in Hue: Itinerary For Culture Lovers

Table of Contents

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Hue is a gorgeous city in central Vietnam between Hanoi and Hoi An. I spent 2 days in Hue after arriving via the Hai Van Pass. It’s a beautiful place that’s safe for solo travel in Vietnam with lots of temples and historic sights. Hue is a fantastic addition to your Vietnam itinerary due to the city’s historical importance. The main attractions are the Imperial City and the tomb, which are less morbid than they sound and more like temples or palaces by our standards. Since there are so many I’d recommend splitting them up across two days. I also made a trip to the Abandoned Waterpark, a quirky addition to any Southeast Asia bucket list . I’ll cover this on day two…

HUE ESSENTIALS Copy of Lonely Planet Vietnam Getting there: bus / train ( 12GoAsia ) Getting around: scooter / Grab taxi / tour Staying connected: E-sim data plan Accommodation: Booking.com // Hostelworld Tours & activities: GetYourGuide , Viator

How to get around Hue

The attractions in Hue are based across the countryside so getting around is something to consider. Your options are:

Hiring a scooter from 100,000 VND ($5) a day.
Taking a day tour. Your accommodation and all the tourism offices in town will offer day tours by car or you can book one in advance .
Freestyle like we did! We used the Grab app to call very affordable bikes to take us between attractions, and hailed metered taxis in areas where this wasn’t possible.

Day 1 in Hue itinerary

The imperial city.

Otherwise known as the Citadel, this is without a doubt one of the most impressive places in Central Vietnam and one you shouldn’t miss during 2 days in Hue. When I passed through Hue for a day in 2015 it was basically the only thing I did! The Citadel was the centre of the last imperial dynasty of Vietnam which only ended in 1945. Since then, the Hue Citadel has seen two wars and been virtually destroyed and rebuilt. You can spend a good few hours exploring the various temples, gates and courtyards, some of which are insanely detailed and colourful. Entrance price: 150,000 VND.

After a morning at the Citadel, stop for some lunch. I’d recommend Nook Eatery which I’ll mention again in the foodie section towards the end of this post. Afterwards, head to…

The Royal Temple of Tu Duc

This peaceful temple site made me feel like I was back in Beijing. Colourful temples towered about elegant lilypad ponds swimming with Koi Karp.

Emperor Tu Duc built this mausoleum in advance of his death, something I always find a bit morbid! The most interesting and shocking fact I learnt was that all 200 of the men who helped bury Emperor Tu Duc were beheaded to keep the location safe from grave robbers. Not only did Tu Duc have 104 wives, but the forced labour involved in building his tomb also caused an uprising that was suppressed. It sounds like he was an extremely powerful (and evil!) man… Entrance price: 100,000 VND.

Tu Hieu Pagoda

Just a seven-minute drive from Tu Duc is this much quieter and smaller temple site. It isn’t nearly as grand but it’s a nice contrast – entrance was free and we were the only people there! Around 70 monks live at this pagoda nestled within the surrounding pine forest. They chant several times a day so you might be lucky and catch them mid ritual. If you’re visiting Tu Duc, definitely stop by.

Catch a sunset

For your evenings in Hue, start with a sunset by the river! If you’re feeling fancy, watch it with a cocktail from the rooftop bar at the Imperial Hotel . Grab dinner at the Night Market between 5pm and 11pm.

Day 2 in Hue

For your second day in Hue, head out on an unusual adventure if you’re up for it…

The Abandoned Waterpark at Ho Thuy Thien Lake

The craziest thing we did during 2 days in Hue was bribe a security guard, hop on the back of a scooter and trek through the forest to get to the Abandoned Waterpark which we’d read so much about! Is it for you? Unless you’re up for a challenge, probably not! It’s not exactly the famous temples and tombs that most people come to Hue for. However, it was different and quirky so I loved it. Read my guide to the Hue Abandoned Waterpark .

For the afternoon, get back on the tomb scene starting with…

The Tomb of Khai Dinh

The most interesting thing about Khai Dinh? The outside it’s entirely made from grey stone but once you get inside it’s SO colourful and detailed! You’d never expect it from the outside. Khai Dinh was the 12th emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty meaning it’s one of the newest tombs at just under 100 years old.

The stone soldiers and elephants in the outside grounds are a reason to visit – as are the views from the top over the green countryside and mountains! I think this was my favourite tomb in Hue due to the colourful interior. Like many of the Hue tombs, the people of the time paid for the construction. Taxes were raised to 30% whilst it was being built, something people were unhappy about as Khai Dinh was so unpopular. Vietnam was under French rule and people described him as a puppet to the French. Entrance: 100,000 VND.

Minh Mang Tomb

From Khai Dinh, you’re not far from this impressive site. It reminded me of the previous day’s visit to Tu Duc with its relaxing lake and lilypads. In the 40 acres of walled grounds comprising Emperor Minh Mang’s final resting place, there are 44 structures dedicated to him. Entrance: 100,000 VND.

The Temple of Literature & Linh Mu Pagoda

You’re probably feeling templed-out by this stage but if you have energy left, I’d recommend a trip to these two sites on the Perfume Riverbank!

The Temple of Literature is surrounded by bright yellow flowers and features 32 giant stone scripts displaying the names of students who passed National Examinations under the Nguyen Dynasty. Just a few minutes around the corners is the Linh Mu Pagoda also known as the Palace of the Celestial Lady. It’s seven stories tall and was built in the 1600s in the memory of a local lady who foretold a prophecy of it being erected on that very hill. Entrance to both temples: free!

A really special way to travel between the main city and these two riverbank temples is by dragon boat. They run regularly and you can haggle on tickets – we got them down to 100,000 VND for a 30-minute journey.

Where to stay in Hue

During our 2 days in Hue we stayed at Hue Ecolodge which is absolutely beautiful. It’s a totally peaceful and secluded spot with leafy walkways between the rooms (which are more like private cabins) and a stunning pool area. The breakfast buffet is to die for!

Hue Ecolodge is based a distance outside town but there’s a free return shuttle each evening should you fancy dining out.

What to eat in Hue?

Bun Bo Hue – this tasty noodle soup was invented in Hue and differs from pho in its use of flat noodles and tangy, lemongrass broth.

Hue Pancakes – these crispy fried pancakes are folded over and filled with pork, prawns, eggs, shallots and bean sprouts. Really tasty!

Where to eat in Hue

There are a lot of tasty places to eat in Hue as well as some popular Vietnamese dishes that were invented in the region. Look out for…

My favourite foodie find in all of Hue was this adorable cafe. Nook Cafe & Bar is full of character from the moment you see the lantern and bike-laden exterior. It only gets cuter inside with elephant print tablecloths and kitch wall art. The food is well presented and very tasty with options ranging from burgers to Vietnamese street food. Most mains are around 100,000 VND.

Nina’s Cafe

Around the corner from Nook is Nina’s Cafe , another cute cafe/restaurant. Here I ate bun thit nuong , one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes (pork with noodles, salad and spring rolls) for 70,000 VND. There are other Asian and Western options too, plus veggie options.

An Instagrammable cafe not to miss

We glanced these teacup style tables from outside and knew we had to get up close! The One Cafe and Bakery on Hùng Vương serves coffees, teas, matcha lattes and giant fruity concoctions, plus it’s an icy-cold place to escape Vietnam’s heat.

Getting to Hue

Many backpackers arrive in Hue by bus which is a cheap and easy option during a Southeast Asia backpacking itinerary . If you’re coming from the north, it’s an overnight journey from Hanoi which arrives in Hue early in the morning. From the south, it’s a three-hour journey from Hoi An. Tickets are cheap and can be booked online or at any tour agency. For a more beautiful journey to or from Hoi An, consider taking the train . Our journey only cost $5 and included a stretch on this stunning coastline.

Use 12go to book trains and buses in Asia .

For an even MORE beautiful journey, think about taking the Hai Van Pass . This stretch of amazing coastline runs between Hue and Hoi An and can be driven by scooter or Jeep either independently or as part of a day tour . Read about our day in my Hai Van Pass travel guide .

I hope my blog’s given you a better idea of how to spend your time in Hue, and where to sleep, eat and drink. If you need any more help, drop me a comment below.

Thanks for reading my 2 day Hue guide

My Hoi An blogs:

How to spend 1-5 days in Hoi An
The best Hoi An cafes
Where to eat vegetarian food in Hoi An
A trip to Tam Thanh Mural Village
A complete street food guide to Hoi An
Co-working cafes for digital nomads in Hoi An

For more Vietnam inspo, I got you covered…

Northern Vietnam posts:

The ultimate Northern Vietnam itinerary
Complete 3 day Hanoi itinerary
Hanoi food guide
The best cafes in Hanoi
The hidden gems in Hanoi
Area guide to Truc Bach, Hanoi
Area guide to Ngoc Ha, Hanoi
Hanoi egg coffee guide
How to spend 3 days in Sapa
Ha Long Bay guide and tour review
Ninh Binh from Hanoi day trip

Saigon posts:

The ultimate Saigon itinerary for 4 days
The best places to eat in Saigon
Mekong Delta day trip from Saigon

Thanks for reading!

See you next time for more adventures,

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Vietnam quick links Getting around by air – it’s easy to get between cities by flight. I use Skyscanner to find the best-value flights, using the ‘search by month’ tool to find the cheapest dates. You can also use the ‘to anywhere’ feature if you’re flexible on where you’re going. Stay connected with E-sim data plans that don’t require delivery or collection; just span the QR code. In my opinion, Lonely Planet offer the best guidebooks. Get the latest Lonely Planet Vietnam . For Vietnam buses and trains , I use 12GoAsia . The search feature allows you to compare prices and durations. I use Booking.com for accommodation. They have the best range of hotels and self-catering apartments, plus you can filter by review score and price to find the best-rated budget places. For hostels, I use Hostelworld . To save money on accommodation, I use Trusted Housesitters , a website that connects homeowners going away and travellers who can sit their homes & pets. For activities, I use GetYourGuide as they have a huge range of affordable tours. Need travel insurance ? I use True Traveller (for UK & Europe residents) since it’s affordable but covers everything you’d need including various activities, valuables and pre-existing conditions. Unlike some companies, they insure you if you’re already travelling / don’t yet have your flight home booked. Get a quote . For travel insurance for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing . Check out my resources page for more travel discounts and tips!

Rose is a solo traveller from the UK who has been on the road since 2015. She wants to show other women that solo travel isn't scary and doesn't have to be expensive! Rose has lived in Mexico, Canada and all over Asia, seeking out food, bubble tea and street art wherever she goes!

2 thoughts on “ How to Spend 2 Days in Hue: Itinerary For Culture Lovers ”

What a detailed and comprehensive list of things to do in Hue. Thank you so much, Rose, I’m glad I stumbled upon your blog. 🙂 My fiancé and I are heading there in December for our honeymoon. I’m so excited!

Hi there, I love your option of taking the Jeep to Hue. Was the freestyle option of taking Grab and Taxi’s the best way to get around Hue for the day?

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Traveling to Hue for the First Time (Tips & Tricks)

The imperial capital of Hue has been the capital of a unified Vietnam since 1802 after Nguyen Anh ascended the throne opening the Nguyen Dynasty, the last feudal dynasty in Vietnamese history. Hue ended its mission as the capital of Vietnam in 1945 when the last Nguyen emperor Bao Dai abdicated. Since then, the capital of Vietnam was once again chosen as Hanoi, the ancient capital of Hue became the ancient capital. Hue is a city located on the East coast, a central city located between two big cities, Hanoi and Saigon. The two neighboring provinces of Hue are Quang Tri and Da Nang. Hai Van pass connects Hue with Da Nang and the weathered boundary of the two regions. Together with Pho, you can summarize your Hue travel experiences with information about Hue hotels and motels, places to eat, delicious dishes in Hue, tourist attractions in Hue for your reference.

Table of Contents

The History of Hue

Anyone who has been to Vietnam once must have known that the climate in Vietnam is very different. While in the South it is usually tropical, in the North it is temperate. The climate in Hue is usually hot, humid and it is a combination of the northern climate and the southern coastal region. Hue is one of the regions with many cultural heritages. Up to now, there is no other area with a large number of relics but these relics still retain their original shape as in this ancient capital.

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On the northern bank of the Perfume River is a relic of castles built in a defensive style forming an arc of 11km long. This valuable work includes more than 100 works of architecture, which has truly reflected the king’s life of the Nguyen Dynasty. Among the hills on the southern bank of the Perfume River are very beautiful tombs of Nguyen Kings. Among the most famous are the four tombs, each known with a name that matches the personality of each king and the architectural style of each. These are the majestic Gia Long Mausoleum, the majestic Minh Mang Duc tomb, and Magni Khai Dinh Tomb.

Hue is also an important center of Buddhism. In Hue and surrounding areas still exist, dozens of pagodas were built over 300 years ago and hundreds of temples and pagodas were built at the beginning of the century. In addition, Hue is also considered the origin of royal music and is home to many famous traditional dishes and fine craftsmanship.

It is the only city in the country that still retains the look of a medieval city and intact monarchy architecture. Hue has become a large and invaluable museum. Therefore, the government has ranked the monuments in the ancient capital of Hue as an extremely valuable asset and in December 1993 Hue was ranked by UNESCO as a world cultural monument.

When should travel to Hue?

If the climate of the country is divided into two seasons: dry and rainy, Hue has only two other seasons, namely the rainy season and the low rainy season. The rainy season lasts from September to the end of December, the less rainy season lasts from the end of December to around April. For the rest of the months, Hue weather is quite sunny because Hue is also in the abundant heat radiation and heat high. Tourists come to Hue at different times. If domestic tourists usually come to Hue from around early May to late September, foreign tourists come to Hue from October to the end of April. The most ideal weather in Hue is usually in November. Highlights Hue’s colorful culinary picture lows.

Around March every year, Hue weather is still relatively cool now, it rarely rains, so you can go to Hue on this occasion, especially families with children and the elderly.
On the occasion of April 30, Hue often organizes festival festivals with many unique cultural activities, in addition to this occasion there is also an international fireworks festival in Da Nang, you can schedule travel. Hue calendar combined with Da Nang tourism.

Guide to Hue

By private vehicles, by motorcycle.

By Public transport

Currently, from Hanoi, there are only 2 units, VietjetAir and Vietnam Airlines, operating flights to Hue, with Jetstar from Saigon in the afternoon, flight fare depending on time will be about 2,000,000 VND – 2,500,000 VND round trip from Hanoi and around 1,500,000 VND-2,000,000 VND with the afternoon from Saigon. Phu Bai Airport is about 40km from Hue city center, you can use the bus service to take passengers from the airport to the city center for about 50,000 VND / 1 person.

From the two ends of Hanoi and Saigon Station, there are 5 daily Thong Nhat trains departing for Hue according to the train timetable as below, depending on your plan, you choose the train time accordingly.

SE1 and SE2 trains: [Hanoi 19:30 – Hue 8:48] [Saigon 19:30 – Hue 15:23]
SE3 and SE4 trains: [Hanoi 22:00 – Hue 10:27] [Saigon 22:00 – Hue 16:39]
SE5 and SE6 trains: [Hanoi 9:00 – Hue 22:42] [Saigon 22:00 – Hue 5:31]
SE7 and SE8 trains: [Hanoi 6:00 – Hue 7:00 pm] [Saigon 6:00 – Hue 1:28]
Train TN1 and TN2: [Hanoi 13:10 – Hue 3:39] [Saigon 13.10 – Hue 12:06]

In addition to the Thong Nhat trains, from Hanoi, there is the SE19 train to Da Nang, which departs from Hanoi Station at 8:00 am and arrives at Hue at around 10:00 am.

Find ways to get Hue easier with Bookaway!

By High-quality Passenger car

From Hanoi and Saigon, there are many high-quality bed buses every day to Hue, open tour buses to Hue, travel time is about 13 hours (from Hanoi) or 25 hours (from Saigon).

Transportation in Hue

Cyclo in Hue is convenient because of its wide and high roof. When needed, it can carry goods or turn on the roof to transport passengers politely and safely. Nowadays, cyclo traffic service is the most attractive and suitable in the city. Using a cyclo vehicle, you can take a built-in roll around this ancient and beautiful city.

By Bicycle / Motorbike

With the advantage of being a tourist city, you can easily find an affordable bike or motorbike. The places for renting bicycles and motorbikes are concentrated on Hung Vuong Street, the distance from Truong Tien Bridge to Hung Vuong intersection with Nguyen Tri Phuong. The second area is Le Loi Street, West Quarter opposite Huong Giang Hotel, streets like Pham Ngu Lao, Chu Van An all have car rentals.

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Sun Taxi: 0234 3989 898

Staying in Hue

If you want to find a quiet, isolated place to have moments of rest when coming to Hue, you will need to leave the central area. Some resorts are built near Thuan An and Lang Co beaches or Thanh Tan hot mineral springs area. If you stay here, you will often determine not to go anywhere because the long-distance travel, going back and forth many times is not really convenient and expensive.

Hotels in Hue

Hue now has about 600 accommodation establishments with nearly 10,000 rooms, 17,000 beds, so there is almost no room fire in Hue.

For the majority of you traveling, often the need only needs a relatively reasonable place to stay because the whole time of the day is actually on the street, with this need, 2-star hotels are quite good and suitable because the price is relatively reasonable (usually only about 300,000 VND). If you want a little bit more quality (can usually be a nicer location, more complete room amenities) you can choose from 3-star hotels.

If you come to Hue in the summer, the weather is especially sunny and quite hot, most of you will want to be indulged in cool water for entertainment now. If you do not choose hotels, resorts near the sea (but far from the center) you can choose hotels with swimming pools in Hue. After a day of hanging out, going to the hotel and swimming is not a bad idea.

Finally, if you have economic conditions, why not try to stay and experience the services of 4-star hotels, 5-star hotels in Hue? Although the cost is high, it is sure that what you get will make you extremely satisfied.

Homestay in Hue

Meeting the needs of young people, those who love to travel but do not have a large budget, the form of accommodation at a local house was born, meeting the needs of beautiful space, good service, but the price is still reasonable. Unlike the traditional form of homestay, which requires sharing with the host, the new homestay style allows tourists to enjoy private space. Most of the homestay today are apartments separate from the owner. In particular, these locations are often beautifully decorated. Normally, a standard homestay will have a beautiful small garden whereby tourists will feel familiar, close, like at home.

Sightseeing in Hue

Referring to Hue, people remember the gentle girl in purple robes and remember the city with a deep, idyllic but memorable beauty. Traveling to Hue, you will admire the ancient beauty of high-value historical sites located in Hue Citadel Complexes such as Hue Citadel, Tomb of Minh Mang, Gia Long Mausoleum, Thien Mu Pagoda, Van Temple, and School of Quoc Ho,… Let’s see the tourist destinations that cannot be missed when coming to Hue.

Tourist places in Hue

The complex of relics of the ancient capital, hue capital.

Cửu Vị Thần Công

Hue Imperial Citadel

Tử Cấm Thành

Museum of Royal Fine Arts

Museum of Royal Fine Arts is a museum at No. 3, Le Truc, Hue City. The main building of the museum is made of wood, has 128 precious wooden pillars, on the pillars are carvings of the four spirits: Long – Lân – Quy – Phụng and more than 1000 poems in Chinese characters. This building is the Long An Palace built in 1845 under the reign of Emperor Hien to the Nguyen Dynasty, the reign of Thieu Tri. Currently, the museum displays more than 300 artifacts made of gold, china, porcelain, and Hue traditional art, costumes of the Nguyen Dynasty, giving visitors an overview of Hue royal life.

Ho Tinh Tam

Tinh Tam Lake is one of the famous landscapes of the capital city, now in the territory of Thuan Thanh ward, Hue city. In the past, the lake was a section of the Kim Long River that was reconstructed, the original name was Ky Te pond. In the 3rd Minh Mang year (1822), the Nguyen dynasty mobilized up to 8,000 soldiers to participate in the renovation of the lake, turning it into a royal residence. After completion, the lake was named Tinh Tam.

Tinh Tam Lake has a rectangular area, with a circumference of nearly 1500m (354 staff of 6 meters). There are three islands on the lake, Bong Lai, Phuong Truong and Doanh Chau. Bong Lai Island, in the south of the lake, in the middle of the lake is Bong Doanh Palace, 3 rooms with 2 wings, matching roof, Hoang Luu ly tile roofing. Electricity was built on the south side, surrounded by a brick railing, in front there was Bong Doanh gate, then Bong Doanh Bridge connects the island with the southern lakeshore. To the East of Bong Doanh Palace, there is the Thuy dynasty Thanh Tam, facing east. In the west, there is Trung Luyen floor, facing west. To the north is the Hong Cu estuary and a bridge of the same name.

On Phuong Truong Island, in the middle is Nam Huan guard, facing south, 2 floors, the roof is covered with royal tile. In the south, there are Bich Tao Gate and Bich Tao Bridge. In the north of the island, there is the Tinh Tam floor, built in the north. In the east, there is Hao Nhien (changed to Nature in 1848), facing east. To the west, there is a Duong Tinh patio facing west. Between the two islands, there is Tu Dat communal house located in the middle of a system of corridors with tiled roofs of 44 rooms, connecting to Bich Tao bridge in the south and Hong Cu bridge in the north.

In the middle of Tinh Tam lake, there is Kim Oanh dyke connecting the east bank to the west bank. To the east of the dike, there is Luc Lieu bridge, 3 rooms with tiled roofs. To the south, the dyke is attached to a 56-room long corridor, in the middle is Bach Tan Bridge. To the south of the bridge, there is a barn Thanh Tuoc for the king’s boat. At the western end of the corridor is the Khuc Ta house, which is connected to another weightlifting house, Khuc Ta-Ha Phong through a small hallway erected above the water. South of this weightlifting house is Doanh Chau Island.

On the corners of Bong Lai, Phuong Truong, there are stone stacks to create imitation paints. Particularly, Doanh Chau Island is shaped like a large floating island on the lake surface. Everywhere around Bong Lai, Phuong Truong, Kim Oanh Dike, and along the lake banks are planted with willow and strange flowers. There is only one type of white lotus planted in the lake.

Tinh Tam Lake is separated from the outside by a rather high brick wall ring. Four doors have four doors: Ha Huan in the south, Dong Hy in the north, Xuan Quang in the east, and Thu Nguyet in the west.

With sophisticated architecture, but very in harmony with nature, Tinh Tam Lake is considered a typical achievement of Vietnamese landscape architecture art in the nineteenth century. The beautiful scenery of the lake created a source of inspiration and became the subject of many famous poems and poems of Nguyen kings such as Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, Tu Duc,… The most prominent is still the poem Tinh Ho Ha Hung in a series of poems praising the 20 beautiful landscapes of the Kinh land of King Thieu Tri. At the same time, this poem, along with the scenery of Tinh Tam lake, was painted in a mirror painting to hang in the palaces.

Since the late nineteenth century, due to the lack of care conditions, the architecture in the Tinh Tam lake area was gradually damaged or destroyed. In 1946, the brick wall ring surrounding the lake was demolished to construct a lower wall ring. In 1960, on the old foundation of Bong Doanh, there was a small octagonal house built to commemorate. During this restoration, a concrete bridge was built to connect Bong Lai Island with the Kim Oanh dyke,…

Phu Van Lau

Hon Chen Palace

Ngoc Tran Mountain was formerly called Huong Uyen Son, after it was renamed Ngoc Tran (meaning jade cup), people used to call it Hon Chen because it was neat and plump like a cup. Therefore, people used to call the shrine of the Holy Mother located in the middle of the mountain is Hon Chen Palace – in the area of Hai Cat village, Huong Tho ward, Huong Tra town.

Hon Chen Palace is a relic cluster consisting of about 10 different large and small structures located in the middle of Ngoc Tran mountain, facing the Huong River, hidden under tall trees. The premises of the entire relic cluster are not very large, the main architectural work is Minh Kinh Dai located in the middle; on the right are the houses of Quan Cu, Trinh Cat Vien, and Thanh Pagoda; on the left is Ngu Hanh Palace, the altar of mandarins, caves of Mr. Ho and Ngoai Canh am. Near the bank of the river, there is also Thuy Phu am. In addition, within that area, there are many altars, many small houses scattered here.

Hon Chen Palace is not only a historical relic but also a scenic spot, a unique cultural attraction that attracts thousands of visitors, especially on the occasion of the festival in March and July of the lunar calendar every year.

Thien Mu Pagoda

Thien Mu Pagoda, also known as Linh Mu Pagoda, is an ancient pagoda located on Ha Khe Hill, on the left bank of the Huong River, about 5 km west of Hue city center (Vietnam). Thien Mu pagoda was officially founded in Tan Suu year (1601), the reign of Tien Nguyen Hoang – the first Nguyen Lord in Dang Trong.

Legend has it that when Lord Nguyen Hoang came to be the retainer of Thuan Hoa and the governor of Quang Nam, he examined the terrain here to prepare for the plot to expand the business and build the mountain. While wandering the horse’s hooves along the Huong River upstream, he caught a small hill rising by the meandering blue water, so the ground was like a dragon looking back. This hill had the name Ha Khe hill.

Local people said that here at night, an old lady in red and green pants appeared on the hill, telling everyone: “Then there will be a true god who will come to set up a temple to gather spirit and make it durable lizard, for the mighty South country”. Therefore, this place is also called Thien Mu Son.

The great thought of Lord Nguyen Hoang seemed to be in tune with the will of the people. Nguyen Hoang was very happy, in 1601 built a temple on a hill, facing the Perfume River, and named it “Thien Mu”.

Tomb System in Hue

Tomb of gia long.

Gia Long Mausoleum also known as Thien Tho Lang started to be built in 1814 and was completed in 1820. The tomb is a complex of many mausoleums in the royal family. This entire mausoleum is a group of mountains with 42 hills, large and small mountains, of which Dai Thien Tho is the largest mountain chosen as the predecessor of the mausoleum and is the name of the whole group.

Minh Mang Tomb

Minh Mang mausoleum is also called Hieu mausoleum built by King Thieu Tri from 1840 to 1843 to bury his father Minh Mang. The mausoleum is located on Cam Khe mountain, near Bang Lang junction, which is the confluence of two streams Huu Trach and Ta Trach forming Huong River, 12 km far from Hue.

Mausoleum of Thieu Tri

Thieu Tri mausoleum, also known as Xuong Lang, is located in Cu Chanh village, Thuy Bang commune, Huong Thuy town. Built by King Tu Duc in 1847 to bury King Thieu Tri. Compared with the tombs of predecessors and successors, Thieu Tri’s tomb has its characteristics. This is the only mausoleum facing the Northwest, a direction rarely used in the architecture of palaces and tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Tomb of Tu Duc

The tomb of Tu Duc was built by King Tu Duc himself when he was still in office, is a complex of architectural works, including the burial place of King Tu Duc located in a narrow valley of Duong Xuan Thuong village, Cu Chanh general, now it is Thuong Ba village, Thuy Xuan ward, Hue city. At the time of construction, the mausoleum was named Van Nien Co. After the Chay Voi rebellion, Tu Duc renamed it Khiem Cung. After Tu Duc’s death, the mausoleum was renamed Khiem Lang. The mausoleum has sophisticated architecture, charming landscape, and is one of the most beautiful tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty king.

Tomb of Dong Khanh

Dong Khanh mausoleum, also known as Tu Lang, is located in the middle of the countryside of Cu Si village, Duong Xuan commune in the past (now Thuong Hai village, Thuy Xuan ward, Hue city). Formerly, Dien Truy Tu was built by King Dong Khanh to worship his father, Kien Thai Vuong. When Dong Khanh got sick and suddenly died. King Thanh Thai (1889-1907) succeeded in the context of the country facing many difficulties and a depleted economy, so he could not build a formal mausoleum for Dong Khanh.

Tomb of Duc Duc

The Tomb of Duc Duc with the name of An Lang is located in Tay Nhat village, An Cuu village, formerly in Huong Thuy district, now in An Cuu ward, Hue city, less than 2 km from the city center; is the burial place of the three kings of the Nguyen Dynasty: Duc Duc, Thanh Thai, and Duy Tan. Duc Duc ascended to the throne in 1883 for 3 days when he was deposed and died. Later, his son, King Thanh Thai (ascended the throne in 1889), built a mausoleum to worship his father, named An Lang. In 1954, when King Thanh Thai died, the body was returned to the present site in the An Lang area and was worshiped at Long An temple. In 1987, the remains of King Duy Tan were buried next to Thanh Thai mausoleum.

Khai Dinh Mausoleum

Khai Dinh’s mausoleum, also known as Ung Lang, is located on the slopes of Chau Chu mountain (also known as Chau E) outside the Hue capital city is the tomb of King Khai Dinh, the 12th king of the Nguyen dynasty. The mausoleum was built in 1920 right after Khai Dinh was crowned. About the architecture of Khai Dinh Mausoleum, later people often set out the traditional architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty because of the unusual mix of East-West and Kim Co architecture, with unique ceramic mosaic artworks.

Tourist places in Hue City

Truong tien bridge.

Truong Tien Bridge, also known as Trang Tien Bridge, is a 402.60 m long bridge, consisting of 6 spans of brow-shaped steel beams, with a span of 67 m each. The width of the bridge is 6m, designed according to Gothic architecture, spanning the Perfume River. The northern bridgehead belongs to Phu Hoa ward, the southern bridgehead belongs to Phu Hoi ward; right in the middle of Hue city.

Huong River

The Perfume River has two sources. The Ta Trach source comes from the Truong Son mountain range flowing northwest through 55 majestic waterfalls, the Huu Trach source is shorter after crossing 14 dangerous waterfalls and reaching Bang Lang junction (Tuan confluence) merging with Ta Trach into the romantic Perfume River. The Huong River is 30km long (if only from Bang Lang to Thuan An estuary), the slope of the water flow is not much different from the sea surface, so the river water flows slowly. The watercolor of the Perfume River becomes greener when it crosses the foot of Ngoc Tran Mountain – Hon Chen Palace, creating a deep abyss.

The Perfume River is beautiful from the source, meandering between mountains and forests, tree hills, bringing the aroma of tropical herbs. The river slowly passed through the green, tree-shaded villages of Kim Long, Nguyet Bieu, Vi Da, Dong Ba, Gia Hoi, Cho Dinh, Nam Pho, Bao Vinh, mingling with the scent of Hue flowers. The clear blue river shimmered like jade under the sun, the Hue boats swept up and down, along with the barbaric, thoughtful, deep melody in the middle of the night. Traveling by boat to see the poetic Huong Giang, listening to the dances and folk songs of Hue in the quiet night sky is the eternal joy of many classes of tourists,…

Ngu Binh Mountain

Ngu Binh Mountain (also known as Bang Son) is 105m high, majestic and balanced. The two sides of Bang Son have two small mountains called Ta Turn Son and Huu On Son. The Nguyen Dynasty, when building the imperial capital of Hue, chose this mountain as a precursor to a massive and solid defense system and renamed it Ngu Binh.

Along with the Perfume River, Ngu Binh Mountain is the second invaluable gift of nature, blending, to create the charming beauty of Hue. For a long time, this beautiful mountain together with the green Perfume River has become a symbol of Hue nature. People used to call Hue the land of Huong river – Ngu mountain, Huong Ngu region.

Dong Ba Market

Dong Ba Market is the largest market in Hue. The market is one of the symbols of the ancient capital, with a history of more than 100 years of construction and development. The market stretches from the foot of Truong Tien Bridge to Gia Hoi bridge with a total area of 47,614 m².

Hue Pedestrian Street

Opened at the end of September 2017, the pedestrian street of Hue includes Chu Van An, Pham Ngu Lao, Vo Thi Sau Streets and operates from 18:00 on 3 weekends. At this pedestrian street, you can enjoy a variety of Hue local dishes, watch street music performances or simply sip a drink with your friends.

Hue Garden House

Hue is not only famous for its charming natural scenery but also especially attractive with the depth of cultural and spiritual beauty embedded in each architectural feature. Along with the mausoleum of thought. Ancient Imperial City, the peaceful and peaceful garden houses here make the “garden city” of Hue.

Built according to the law of “translation” and “feng shui”, Hue garden houses are a collection of an architectural system arranged in the North-South direction. Although the width is different, each house has the same overall architecture, including gate, lane, screen, rockery, shallow pool, yard, house. The gate is often built with bricks, the entrance to the alley is often planted with shady or carefully trimmed tea. The screens are also often built of bricks. After the screen was a shallow pool with rocky rocks, a large yard, and then came to the house. Around the house, there are a lot of trees and flowers all year round.

In that garden house, it is impossible not to mention the old temple house. The communal house is usually made of wood, they are elaborated with many carvings, in the linkage of the house structure, instead of crucifixion is a sophisticated dreaming technique. The communal house has many forms: one room with two wings, three rooms with two wings, five compartments and two lean-tos, a chest house,… a chest is a brief way of saying a pillar, a house with a system of wooden trusses built up according to the most specifications concentration. No matter how big, the school is also completely structured with pegs, wooden mortars for easy assembly and dismantling. The house is displayed in a collapsed mahogany, tea cabinet, hanging diaphragm, matching sentences, and furniture are arranged in harmony with each other, giving the communal house a separate spirit.

Looking at the landscape of a Hue garden house, one easily recognizes the owner’s soul and lifestyle. Hue garden houses show the harmony between human life and plants, spiritual and material life, all complement each other to create a balance in life.

Phu Cam Church

Phu Cam Cathedral is the cathedral of the Hue Archdiocese, located on Phuoc Qua hill, in Phuoc Vinh Ward, Hue city. This is one of the largest, most famous, and oldest churches in Hue. The church today is built in the style of modern architecture, designed by architect Ngo Viet Thu.

Architecturally, the church building ground is in the form of a cross, the tip towards the south, the north end. According to modern construction techniques, the church has a structure, but the decoration is still according to classical Western art. The supports are cast close to the wall, running gradually forward, soft. The four corners of each corner have three pillars extending outward, forming a large enough space to embrace the sanctuary and the altar.

The church’s heart is large, can accommodate 2,500 people attending the ceremony. There are two rows of colored mirror doors located in the upper part of the heart of the church providing light for the interior. The sanctuary is a circle with levels going up, to the top is a circle but smaller with a monolithic marble altar.

An Cuu River

An Cuu is the name of a small river, a tributary of the Perfume River, in the South of Hue Citadel. The river has many names such as Loi Nong, Phu Cam, Dai Giang, Ha Tu, and Cong Quan. The popular name in Hue is An Cuu River. The entire river is about 30km long, starting to take water from the Huong River from the end of Da Vien islet, flowing through Hue City, Huong Thuy district, and then pouring into Ha Trung Lagoon. Since the Nguyen lords chose Kim Long, and then Phu Xuan was the capital of Dang Trong, the two sides of the An Cuu river were the places of residence, garden houses of mandarins and aristocrats. However, at this time the river was still small, many sections were shallow and narrow. In Gia Long year 13 (1814), after surveying the situation and consulting the elders in Thanh Thuy commune, the king was allowed to open up the An Cuu River and build the Than Phu dam below to get water for irrigation pepper and saline washing for thousands of acres of fields in this area. In the 2nd Minh Mang year (1821), An Cuu River was renamed to Loi Nong River. The stele engraved with this name remains. In the 16th Minh Mang year (1835) when Cuu Dinh was cast, the image and name of the river were engraved in Chuong Dinh.

Beautiful temples in Hue

Tu dam pagoda.

Tu Dam Pagoda is a famous ancient temple in Hue; Currently located at 1 Su Lieu Quan street, Truong An ward, Hue city. The pagoda was painted by Zen master Minh Hoang – Tu Dung around the end of the seventeenth century, and then named An Ton (or Tong) pagoda, which means “taking the transmission of the mind as the thread”.

Tu Hieu Pagoda

Tu Hieu Pagoda or Tu Hieu Court is the name of a temple in Duong Xuan Thuong III village, Thuy Xuan ward, Hue city. The pagoda is one of the ancient temples and is a cultural and historical place of Hue’s ancient capital. Tu Hieu Pagoda is hidden in a pine forest in a hilly area of Thuy Xuan ward. The temple campus is about 8 acres wide, the front has a winding water slotting and a romantic landscape.

In front of the temple gate, there is a 3-story tower built in 1896 to be used as a place to store the spectacles according to the decree of the king. The gate of the pagoda was built in the style of a rolling arch, two floors with a roof, and right in front of the paved road to enter the main hall is a semi-circular lake with lotus planting and ornamental fish farming. The structure of the pagoda is in the style of three houses with two wings, the former is the Buddha shrine itself, the second is Quang Hieu Duong. In the back house, there is the worshiping ceremony of the capitalist Le Van Duyet with his wooden horse and sword.

The two sides of the temple courtyard have two steles to record the history of the temple’s construction. The pagoda was built in the form of a word (口), the main hall of three houses, two wings, in front of worshiping Buddha, and behind to worship the Patriarch. The backyard is Quang Hieu street, in the middle of the sanctuary, the left is to worship the Buddhist spirit at home, the right to worship the Thai bishops,… The left backyard is Ta Lac Thien (the monk’s house) and on the right is Huu Ai Nhat (guest house).

Tomb of Thai Giam of the Nguyen Dynasty in the temple grounds

Around Tu Hieu pagoda, there are also many tombs of concubines of Nguyen lords. Due to its beautiful and quiet location, not far from Hue city, this place is a place of outdoor entertainment for Hue youth on holidays and holidays. Tu Hieu Pagoda is one of the ancient temples welcoming domestic and foreign tourists, the largest in the ancient capital of Hue.

Bao Quoc Temple

Bao Quoc Pagoda is located on Ham Long hill on the old land called Thuy Loi village, close to Lich Doi hamlet. From here, looking down to the east is Dien Bien Phu Street (the road leading to Nam Giao flock), and looking north is the train station. The pagoda was founded by the Venerable Master Giac Phong, a native of Guangdong, China, in the late 17th century under the reign of King Le Du Tong and named Ham Long Tu. Then Vo Vuong Nguyen Phuc Khoat bestowed the quartet of Bao Quoc Tu in 1747. There are still gilded yellow plates and willows from that time. During the Tay Son period, the pagoda was used as a factory.

Thien Lam Pagoda

Thien Lam Pagoda was established in 1960 by Venerable Ho Nhan Nhan. Because in 1958, the Church nominated him from Tam Bao to the abbot of Tang Quang Pagoda; After a short time, he realized that the solitary practice of meditating, Tam y Nhat fetching his life by alms was not suitable here, so in 1960 he went to Thuong II village, Thuy Xuan commune, and built a small hermitage in Quang Te hill (now Thuong II Hamlet, Thuy Xuan Commune, Hue City) to practice.

Thien Lam pagoda (also known as “Standing Buddha – Reclining Buddha”) was built in 1960 by monk Ho Nhan with its original shape just a small cup. Up to now, the pagoda is a complex of many architectural works such as statues, tomb towers, Buddha towers, monks’ houses,… in many different positions.’

Different from any of the Buddhist temples of Tonkin with the three-door gate leading to the Zen garden, Thien Lam pagoda opens its door to welcome them with the Nam Tong Buddhist-style welcome gate, gentle but impressive. Entering the pagoda, at the end of the campus on the left is a tall, majestic and elegant white stupa in the sky. The stupa has 2 parts: the lower floor is the main hall; The upper floor adorns the relics of the Buddha Shakyamuni and the monks. It is a Buddhist temple in Nam Tong, but still clear in the space and architectural works of the temple. Not carrying on the thickness as the Bac Tong pagodas on the land of Hue, the pagoda “Standing Buddha – Reclining Buddha” evokes a feeling of “strange”, gentle and calm radiating from what the temple has.

Dieu De Temple

Dieu De Pagoda is located on the bank of Ho Thanh River, Hue people call it the Gia Hoi river, or Dong Ba river, now 100B Bach Dang street, near Gia Hoi bridge. Dieu De Pagoda has an important place in the history of Buddhism in Hue. The pagoda was originally the residence of King Thieu Tri before taking the throne, so it had a very beautiful landscape, spacious garden, and green trees. In 1844 the king was embellished and ordained as the National Self. The pagoda has become a famous place on the land.

Vong Canh Hill

Vong Canh Hill is a 43m high hill in the southwest of Hue city, the foothill bordering the Perfume river. It is located in the mausoleum of the Nguyen kings and opposite the Hon Chen palace established in ancient times by the opposing faction. Around seven hundred meters from Vong Canh hill are Dong Khanh mausoleum, Tu Duc mausoleum, Thieu Tri Mausoleum, Hieu Dong mausoleum (Minh Mang King Wife), Xuong Tho mausoleum (Tu Du’s wife, Thieu Tri’s wife). Tomb of Madame Thanh Cung (wife of King Dong Khanh), Tomb of Mrs. Tu Cung (wife of King Khai Dinh), Tomb of Prince Canh (son of King Gia Long),…

Standing on Vong Canh Hill, one has a panoramic view of many ancient relics and wonderful scenes in a large natural space around, especially the poetic beauty of lyrical. Huong river. The hill sits in the middle of the softest, most tender, and attractive bend of this famous, amorous, and sexy river. This is where rivers and mountains come together to create a magnificent painting space. The meaning of the place Vong Canh is like that.

Thanh Tan Mineral Spring

Discovered in 1928 by French scientists, Thanh Tan mineral spring was quickly researched and applied as a beverage to restore human health. In 1983, this water source was allowed by the Ministry of Health to be exploited as bottled drinking water. However, by the end of 2000, Thanh Tan mineral spring tourist resort became popular and known to many people. Thanh Tan mineral spring tourist area built on an area of 50 hectares. Next to the towering mountains are the adjacent created hills. The green of the mountains and trees has created a relaxing and pleasant feeling from the first minute. Thanh Tan mineral water is located thousands of meters underground, containing Calcium Sulfate and Silicium,… very good for the body. Therefore, this is a suitable destination for many tourists in the chilly weather, changing seasons.

Thanh Tan mineral water tourist area also has a spacious playground for campfire or entertainment at night. After many hours of a soaking, hungry stomach, you will be more delicious with a plate of perch raised with mineral water, deep-fried in lovely tents beside a fragrant lotus lake.

Phuoc Tich Ancient Village

Phuoc Tich ancient village is located on the border between Thua Thien Hue and Quang Tri provinces. According to history books, Phuoc Tich was founded in 1470 under Le Thanh Tong and is surrounded almost entirely by the legendary O Lau river, the river’s water is always blue, making this place almost an island. More than 500 years of existence, experiencing wars of fire and destruction of nature. Phuoc Tich still preserves almost intact the pristine beauty of Vietnamese village life with charming and peaceful landscapes, banyan trees, water wharf, communal yard.

Tam Giang Lagoon

Tam Giang is the confluence of three rivers O Lau, Bo River, and Huong River before pouring into the East Sea. Therefore, Tam Giang lagoon is “symbolic” of the ecological environment of Thua Thien – Hue in the past and present. Not a single tourist comes here, to ignore this famous place.

This is the largest wetland in Southeast Asia, the water surface is 248.7 km2 wide, from the mouth of the O Lau River in the north to the mouth of the Huong River in the south. The lagoon has had many aquatic animals for many generations, most of them in Thuan An estuary, O Lau river mouth, Bo river, Thuy Tu lagoon. Cau Hai. At present, there are 163 fish species, many rare and precious species such as sea bass and eel have been identified. Depending on the season, some fish species migrate into the lagoon to breed such as sardines, sea anchovies,… In contrast, mullet, grouper, and rabbitfish living in the lagoon migrate to the sea to spawn. All year round, fishermen catch on the lagoon about 23 species of fish with high economic value, including thick fish, goby fish, goby fish, barramundi, snapper, fish,…

The surface of the lagoon has natural vegetation, so water birds gather here, forming large bird sanctuaries at O Lau estuary, Dai Giang river mouth, and Sam lagoon. Through monitoring, 34 migratory bird species, 36 settlement bird species, especially 21 bird species are on the list of strictly protected European communities and one species listed in the Vietnam Red Book.

The lagoon facing the East Sea stretches for more than 68 km, separated from the sea only by a narrow strip of sand, through the two estuaries of Thuan An and Tu Hien. Therefore, it can self-clean the water environment and is always rushed inside by the East Sea waves, becoming a large “lung” to regulate the ecological environment for the entire Thua Thien Hue province naturally and regularly.

Dam Thuy Tu

Thuy Tu lagoon is one of three lagoons that make up the Tam Giang lagoon. Thuy Tu lagoon includes An Truyen lagoon, Thanh Lam (Sam), Ha Trung, and Thuy Tu. Thuy Tu lagoon stretches from Thuan An bridge to Con Trai over a length of 33km. The lagoon width varies from 0.5km (Thuy Tu lagoon) to 5.5km (An Truyen lagoon), on average 1.8km, the lagoon depth varies from 1 – 1.5m to 3 – 5m depending on the area. but the most common is 1.5 – 2m. The water surface area of the lagoon is up to 60km. This is a place with many beautiful scenes and famous products.

Dam Chuon is part of the system of Dam Thuy Tu. In particular, the nature of the Chuon lagoon is more wonderful in the early morning and the afternoon with colorful colors.

Dragonfly Lagoon

Dam Chuon in Phu Vang district covers an area of more than 100 hectares, located nearly 15 kilometers east of Hue city center. This is a part of the Tam Giang lagoon system with a fresh and peaceful atmosphere.

Thuan An Beach

Tile Bridge Thanh Toan

Thanh Toan tile bridge is a wooden arch bridge with a tile roof over a ditch of Thanh Thuy Chanh village, in Thuy Thanh commune, Huong Thuy Town, Thua Thien – Hue province, about 8 km southeast of Hue city. This is a wooden bridge that is classified as rare and has the highest artistic value among ancient bridges in Vietnam.

The Thanh Toan tile bridge is built in the way of “the upper house and the overseas” (above the house, under the bridge). The bridge is 43 meters long (18.75 meters), 14 meters wide (5.82 meters), divided into 7 sections, the two sides of the bridge have two rows of wooden platforms and balustrades for sitting back. The bridge is covered with a roof and tile. The first bridge built more than two centuries ago has been repeatedly damaged by storms, floods, and wars. However, after the damaged times, the commune people all repair, embellish and preserve them together.

Thien An Hill – Lake Thuy Tien

Thien An is a place of many pine-growing hills southwest of Hue city, near the tomb of King Khai Dinh. On the top of the hill, there is Thien An Monastery, around the hill area, there is Thuy Tien lake and Ba Vanh tomb, still imprinted with an old suspect. With peaceful scenery, fresh space, Thien An and Thuy Tien are quite interesting weekend getaways. Currently, this area is the entertainment center of Thua Thien Hue.

“Dăm” Stone Waterfall

“Dăm” Stone Waterfall is a small waterfall in Duong Hoa, Huong Thuy town. You can organize with family and friends to come here to have fun, take a cool bath on holidays. From the center of Hue city, there are two roads to the waterfall: one is along the road through the Ta Trach lake project; the second is going in the direction of Tuan Bridge, passing Tan Ba pier. Starting in the direction of Week Bridge, we will easily buy fresh food or some local agricultural products at the countryside market. Meet the bar during tea season, do not forget to visit some roadside orchards, enjoy the scenery while buying this specialty to bring refreshments.

The road to the waterfall is quite unspoiled, so it is very suitable for those who love adventure by motorbike, especially young people. Want to conquer the height, catch the watershed, be very prepared to not slip when walking along the cliffs; You can also have fun in the cool lake below the waterfall. The romantic one goes to pick wildflowers, look for ripe sim,… On the way to the waterfall, there is a small house of Forest Ranger Huong Thuy. The staff members will be the “locals” that provide much useful information about the people and creatures of this area. If you have difficulty in walking, looking for water,… do not hesitate to ask for help.

Huyen Khong Son Thuong

Huyen Khong Son Thuong, located in Cham village, Huong Ho ward, is a famous pagoda, a scenic spot of the ancient capital of Hue. The pagoda belongs to the Theravada Buddhist sect, was founded by Venerable Gioi Duc in 1989. The temple is located in the middle of a green, cool, year-round pine forest, birds chirping. Huyen Khong Son Thuong is located halfway up the mountain with a strange and fanciful beauty. The pagoda does not have a large Tam Quan gate, but the gate is just as ordinary as the gate of a Hue garden house. The temple campus is a green garden with small streams blooming with purple water lilies, precious orchids, porcelain trees, cedars, cypresses,… hundreds of years old, peaceful space.

Truoi Lake with an area of about 400 hectares, a reservoir capacity of up to 60 million cubic meters of water, is the largest irrigation project in Thua Thien – Hue province, to irrigate the fields of Loc Hoa and Loc Dien communes. Phu Loc district. Previously, the area of the lake was a very small Truoi dam to prevent water 50 meters high was built by Thua Thien – Hue province in 1996.

Truoi Lake tourist area is located at the foot of the majestic Bach Ma Range. Coming to Truoi Lake, visitors will see clear blue water surrounded by green mountains, charming landscapes.

Truc Lam Bach Ma Zen Monastery

Belonging to the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect, Truc Lam Bach Ma is the first Zen monastery in the Central region, located at Bach Ma mountain, Truoi lake area, Loc Hoa commune, Phu Loc district, Thua Thien Hue province. At the height of 1450m, the temperature is usually from 19-21 oC, Bach Ma is considered one of the ideal climates. Truc Lam Bach Ma Monastery appeared in the heart of Truoi Lake like a flower, resting its head on the mountain of Bach Ma forest stretching to attract the eyes.

About 30 km from Hue city to the South, to Truoi land, go to Truoi Dam, cross the steep slope on the back of the hill, and a vivid water-ink picture appears. On the other side of the water, at the foot of the sacred mountain, the pavilion, the main hall, the road, the road, the staff, the bell floor, the relic tower shines down on the water mirror of Truoi lake, far away are clouds swirling around The top of the mountain creates a fantastical, pure and peaceful space.

Passing the immense river bed of Truoi lake, about fifty minutes, by small canoes, you will arrive at Truc Lam Bach Ma Monastery. Step up from the 172 steps of the three steps are the three relics of Truc Lam Bach Ma Zen Monastery. Built-in harmony in a whole body of Buddhist architecture and Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen Monastery, Truc Lam Bach Ma also has the very shrine of Buddha sitting under the bodhi tree, behind the main hall is the area. The street is dedicated to the ancestor Dat Ma of the Truc Lam sect. Truc Lam Bach Ma Zen Monastery is a scenic complex in the charming mountainous area that has become a tourist destination for tourists coming to Hue.

Bach Ma National Park

Bach Ma National Park, 60km south of Hue, at an altitude of 1,450m, is a famous resort in Vietnam. On the top of a majestic mountain in 4 green seasons with waterfalls, forest streams, is a temperate climate like SaPa, Tam Dao, Da Lat,… Bach Ma mountain is also a gathering place for many kinds of precious animals and plants. rare in the tropics.

Bach Ma Mountain is famous for its streams and many spectacular waterfalls. Do Quyen waterfall is 400m high, 20m wide. On summer days, on both sides of the waterfall, Do Quyen flowers bloom like two giant carpets of silk flowers. In the center of the resort, there is a Silver waterfall 10m high, 40m wide like a white curtain swaying in the wind.

Standing on the top of Bach Ma mountain, you can get a glimpse of the splendid panoramic view of Hai Van Pass, Tuy Van Mountain, Cau Hai Lagoon, and the shimmering electricity of Hue city at night.

Canh Duong Beach

Canh Duong is one of the beautiful beaches in Thua Thien Hue, about 60 km south of Hue city. Canh Duong beach is 8 km long, 200 m wide, arc-shaped, between the foot of May Tay and the foot of May Dong, the coast has a gentle slope, smooth white sand, clear blue seawater, and relatively windtight. conducive to the organization of various types of tourism and sports.

Lang Co beach is about 8km long, located along National Highway 1A, next to Hai Van pass and 24km from Bach Ma National Park. This is a beach with a gentle coastline, white sand, medium and large waves, the tide rises and falls according to the semi-diurnal tidal regime with a low difference (only about 0.7-0.8m), very suitable for this type. tourism image of swimming, relaxation, scuba diving, and has been identified as an ideal resort for decades. Located adjacent to Lang Co beach is Hai Van mountain – Hai Van Quan, a famous landscape of Vietnam. Along the foothills of Hai Van mountain, Lang Co beach has coral reefs, lobsters, and much high-value seafood. In that area, there is Son Cha Island (a small island), which preserves many kinds of wild fauna and flora.

Behind the beach is Lap An lagoon and Bach Ma mountain range. All of these factors give Lang Co great potential for developing many types of tourism services: resort, scuba diving, wildlife – flora and fauna, aquaculture,…

Lap An lagoon (An Cu lagoon) is located near the National Highway 1A, the section passing Lang Co town, Phu Loc district on the road connecting Da Nang to Hue. The lagoon is located in a quiet beautiful position at the foot of Phu Gia pass with a radius of 15 km2. Surrounding the lagoon is the majestic Bach Ma mountain range, in front of the lagoon is Lang Co Bay.

Cau Hai Lagoon

Cau Hai lagoon is the largest lagoon in the lagoon system of Tam Giang, with a circumference of more than 100km, located in the South – in the territory of Phu Loc district, Thua Thien Hue. To get here, you can go two ways: one is from the intersection of Phu Bai airport, follow Phu Bai – Truong Ha street towards the sea, meet NH 49B, turn right about 30km, is Tu Hien gate, that’s where capture the most beautiful Cau Hai lagoon, or follow National Highway 1A from Hue to Da Nang, to Cau Hai station area will see immediately on the left is Cau Hai lagoon. About 8km more, you will meet NH 49B again to turn left to the Tu Hien entrance.

Suoi Mo or many people still call Mo waterfall is an interesting tourist destination located in Lang Co town, Phu Loc district, about 65km from Hue city. Suoi Mo welcomes visitors with a king fresh and cool primeval forest. This is an interesting place for families who want to escape the central sun during hot days.

Hai Van Quan

In the past, Hai Van Quan was a key strategic location of Thuan Hoa – Phu Xuan – Hue in terms of military and road traffic, which was the southern gate of this land. Hai Van Quan is located at the top of a pass over a mountain range that runs across the sea from the Truong Son range. The top of Hai Van pass is 496m above sea level; 77.3km south of Hue and 28.7km north of Da Nang.

In the first “Du Chi” of our country compiled by Nguyen Trai in 1435, the author mentioned the place “Ai Van”, as a weakness on the road from Thuan Hoa to Quang Nam. And now, together with Lang Co – Bach Ma – Canh Duong, Hai Van Quan is attracting domestic and foreign tourists to visit and enjoy the majestic beauty of mountains and sea.

Mo Waterfall

Kazan Falls

Pâr Le Stream

Vietnam-Laos Border Landmark

Delicious dishes in Hue

It can be said that Hue people come to cuisine, not in a simple biological sense, but to enjoy it with both smell, sight, and hearing. Speaking as writer Nguyen Tuan when he was born, Hue people like to eat with their eyes. But even though they mobilize all their senses for nutrient absorption, the Hue people only need to “eat the fragrance for flowers”, as they often talk about themselves. That serenity can be seen on the tiny duck cake that is almost melting at the tip of the tongue, the thin rice cake leaves, the Nam Pho cake bowl arranged like colorful pictures and Con Hen corn tea. cool, but the aroma follows the dream,… Hue dishes, whether it is a delicacy or a simple folk, make someone taste so delicious once they “suck it up”, to and then forever attached to that unforgettable taste. It seems that through the skillful hands of the woman, the food has been blown into Hue’s soul and a little spirituality.

Hue especially preserves more than 1000 dishes cooked in the Hue style, including the benevolent dishes of the Nguyen Dynasty kings. The menu of dwellers has over a few dozen dishes of the delicacy of delicacy, which are carefully prepared and organized. The folk dishes are very popular among the masses with a rich menu of hundreds of dishes, cleverly prepared by Hue housewives with excellent cooking techniques, attractive flavors, and attractive colors, attaching importance to quality over quality; the art of presenting the dishes is very beautiful, the art of enjoying is exquisite. In addition, if anyone has ever enjoyed a Hue vegetarian meal (dishes made from plants), surely will never forget the pure taste of Hue dishes.

Rice with mussels is a specialty of Hue cuisine. Rice with mussel is presented in the form of cold rice mixed with mussels sauteed in oil and spices, mussel sauce, fish sauce, cabbage, greasy, grilled rice paper, crispy fried noodles, colored chili, whole-grain peanuts, cooked cooking oil, pepper, refined flavors (monosodium glutamate, MSG) and salt.

The mussel rice dish originated as a familiar dish of the people of the fishing village,… from the locality, it was called the sampan people. They live all year round on boats, floating on the river branches with low income, not much income. Fishing nets that can be found in the river like shrimp and fish,… are high-end food, often sold, while inexpensive mid-range like snails, mussels,… make the most of daily meals. Clams are almost always treatable. If you w ant to eat delicious mussel rice, you can go to Han Mac Tu street or to Con Hen, Vi Da to enjoy.

Bun Bo Hue is one of the specialties of Hue, although it is available everywhere. In Hue, this dish is simply called “beef noodle soup”. Other localities called “Hue beef vermicelli” indicate the origin of this dish. The main ingredients of the dish are vermicelli, beef, pork, and a distinctive red broth. In the broth of vermicelli, Hue people often add a little fish sauce, contributing to the unique flavor of Hue beef vermicelli pot. After the beef bone is cooked until cooked, people often add little pork pies or pureed beef rolls. Beef can be thinly sliced, dipped in boiling broth before being placed in a bowl of vermicelli (called raw beef). People often add a little chili powder and spices to the bowl of vermicelli and eat raw vegetables including bean sprouts, herbs, lettuce, baby vegetables, chopped banana corn.

Noodles are not available anywhere, but the appearance of the bun is different in each region. Hue noodles are bigger than other places. There are two types of vermicelli, the vermicelli is usually rolled into small cubes when hungry, but dipping it with garlic lemon chili sauce is great. And the vermicelli used to make pork rolls or crab vermicelli is usually larger.

Along the two sides of the road in Hue, you will immediately meet the very popular but also very delicious noodles, very crowded,… A bowl of vermicelli or vermicelli that attracts customers is thanks to the sweet and fragrant water. The vermicelli pot, a very thin flexible aluminum pot and very cleverly milled by Hue matters, looks like an old copper pot but has a deep and wide mouth. The pot is scrubbed very carefully so it is always bright white and looks very good on the eyes. Eat a bowl of steaming vermicelli, the clear white strands that stand out on it are pink-grown balls (pellets from raw rolls and crab meat), softly simmered hooves, with a hint of white stalks. The price and the green color of raw vegetables, take a little rich fat leopard juice with a little seasoning of the lemon chili fish sauce, you will find it extremely interesting, both spicy, hot, pungent, and hear the sweetness of the vermicelli juice. Of meat running slowly into the esophagus, you will certainly not forget this flavor. There was a time when eating vermicelli brought me to tears at that time to feel how deep the taste of Hue was.

Besides the shops, fixed shops on almost all the streets of Hue city, every morning you walk the streets of Hue you will see Hue girls about eighteen and twenty, shoulder to shoulder. One bun went in groups, the smoke floated away, laughing happily. That was a Hue girl selling vermicelli to customers all over the city. Each person has each look and each flavor, but all Hue and Hue are from vermicelli, from aluminum pots, from fast and smooth gait, and no matter how difficult you are, you will be satisfied when Enjoy a very popular noodle bowl, very cheap, but sometimes very delicious.

If you want to enjoy authentic Hue beef noodles, you should go to the area of Chi Lang Street intersecting with Nguyen Du. There are some famous beef noodle shops here such as O Lieu beef noodle soup, Mu Drop beef noodle soup, Ba Phung beef noodle soup,…

The Typical Cakes of Hue

The Banh Beo consists of three main parts: the cake made from rice flour, the filling to sprinkle on the cake made with pureed shrimp, and the sauce, a mixture where fish sauce is the main ingredient and often poured directly into the cake without dipping. . The auxiliary ingredients of the Banh Beo are usually onion fat, crushed roasted peanuts. Depending on the locality, there are different ways to add or remove this cake, for example, in Saigon, they often leave green beans, sour food, and serve them with molded cakes, small cakes, and filtered flour cakes.

In the Central region, Banh Beo is often divided into two types: Quang Nam Banh Beo and Hue Banh Beo. Quang Nam water fern cake is usually big, thick, served with a paste made of dough including meat, minced shrimp, chives, when eaten with a little scallion, minced chili. Hue Banh Beo is a little different, the cake is thinner, has dried shrimp powder, when eaten with crispy pork skin.

Banh Bot Loc

Tapioca cake is a type of cake from tapioca, filtered for starch, then boiled a small amount of flour, stuffed thoroughly, and made cakes. The filling is usually made of shrimp mixed with spices, can be made with lean pork, or a mixture of shrimp – pork. After being squeezed into the cake, the cake is wrapped in banana leaves (or may not be wrapped) and steamed. This is a popular dish in the North Central provinces and especially Hue.

Banh Nam is a type of cake and typical traditional cuisine of Hue, along with Banh Beo, banh mi. This is a cake made from rice flour that is both delicious and healthy (the elderly, children, and sick people can eat it). full moon day, the first day. In particular, there are rice cakes filled with toad meat, for stunted and malnourished children, as delicious and attractive as shrimp cakes.

Banh Ram It

In Hue, there is a kind of cake that combines two different types of cakes, which are crispy and sticky, but not greasy because it is dipped with sweet and sour fish sauce, which is a little ram. It seems that ramen cake and little cake are two kinds of cakes that do not mix with each other, but through the talented hands of a Hue woman, little ramen has become a folk dish of Hue known to tourists from near and far.

The little ram has two distinct parts: the ram and the little cake. Although the cooking method is different, both parts are made from sticky rice. Sticky rice cakes must be delicious, white, and sticky rice. The glutinous rice is pureed into a powder, mixed with salt, and warm water slowly little by little. Use your hand to knead the dough until it forms a smooth, soft, but not flaky mass, and squeeze it into small balls the size of two fingers. Shrimps whole, chopped bacon, seasoned with sugar, delicious fish sauce, pepper, minced purple onion, add a little oil or fat, simmer for 15 minutes. Rub some cooking oil into your hands, press each dough into a flat shape, take a spoon to scoop the prawns and put them in the middle, and then round them up. Put the cake sparingly in the tray, steam for about 10 minutes after the water boils. The cake is soft and white. Take out the rice cake to cool, cover with banana leaves to prevent the cake from drying, but remember not to cover it to make it sour. Different from cakes, when battering with ramen dough a little less water to make the dough a bit hard. The ramie does not need to be filled, the cake is fried in a greasy pan until it is crispy and dark yellow. Take out the cake and leave it on the absorbent paper to drain the oil. Place a little cake on top of the ram, use the ballast to thin it out, and squeeze it into the ram.

When presenting the plate, the Hue people usually put the little white cake on top and then add a layer of burnt yellow shrimp powder that looks so attractive. The unique feature of the little ram cake is dotted with sweet and sour fish sauce, specially prepared, not too salty, or too sweet, adding the spicy taste of Hue chili slices. The combination of the crispy taste of the ram with the aroma, the softness of the cake, and the sweet and savory taste of the fish sauce has satisfied many diners.

Banh Khoai is poured with ground rice flour blended with water and egg yolk, then added pepper, onion, fish sauce, salt, peeled shrimp, sliced grilled beef (or bird), chopped fat, and raw meat bean sprouts. The cake mold is made of round cast iron, the size of two child’s hands with handles. When customers are eating, the restaurant will set the mold on the bakery. Scoop a scoop of egg powder into the grease hot mold. The sound of the dough and the fat is seductive, the flour is ripe, then pick up a piece of roast beef, a small slice of fat, a few shrimp, put in half of the cake, use chopsticks to turn the rest upside downturn the cake into a semicircle, turn the cake to both sides, then place the plate.

The cake is delicious partly thanks to the broth, a sauce that only good chefs can make. This is the heirloom secret, determining the quality, creating the premium taste of the cake. Hue broth is carefully processed with dozens of ingredients such as semolina, pork liver, sesame (sesame), roasted peanuts,… Thuong Tu restaurant has existed for nearly three or four decades and has become a culinary culture. Hue, captivating tourists, is familiar with the Co Do like mussel rice, the bell of Thien Mu pagoda, the boat of the Perfume River.

Banh Uot Thit Nuong Kim Long

The wet cake is a type of rice paper made with rice flour mixed with filter flour, coated thinner, and used immediately (should be called wet cake, not dried like rice paper). Grilled meat is usually thinly sliced bacon, marinated with pepper, onions, fish sauce, five flavors, and sesame (sesame). After a few hours, the meat is marinated and grilled on a red charcoal stove until it is fully cooked and aromatic. Take this barbecue sandwiched with herbs, bean sprouts, lettuce as a filling to roll wet cake (This dish is almost similar to the style of noodle roll in Hanoi, but in Hanoi is rolled with beef).

The delicious and attractive Kim Long barbecue wet cake is thanks to its special dipping sauce, which is processed by the owners from pure fish sauce, sugar, lemon, garlic, chili,… as a secret passed down generations. Thanks to the unique flavor of the sauce that Kim Long’s popular dish is known to many tourists, it adds a highlight to the colorful culinary picture of Hue.

With such a unique taste, if you have the opportunity to come to Hue, on the way to visit Linh Mu Pagoda by car or boat, do not forget to stop by Kim Long to enjoy this dish rich in the flavor of this homeland.

Bun Thit Nuong

Hue grilled pork noodles served with cucumber, pickles, raw vegetables, roasted peanuts, scallions,… All are put in a bowl and poured broth. Looking at the bowl of vermicelli you will be conquered immediately by many colors, when you eat, you can feel a lot of flavors at the same time such as the gentle sweetness, the greasy taste of peanuts, sesame, the fresh and sour taste of vegetables, or spicy chili,… A harmonious combination of color and flavor.

Coming to Hue without eating spring rolls is very regrettable. The attraction of this famous Hue dish probably comes from a piece of spring rolls that are marinated with a special recipe and then after baking over fragrant embers and broth is made from dozens of originals. Various ingredients such as cooking oil, pork liver, rice powder, sugar, fish sauce, cinnamon chi, anise, and coconut milk. Golden grilled spring rolls with raw vegetables, star fruit, bean sprouts, pineapples, thin sliced green banana slices, and broth are nothing more delicious.

Vegetarian Dishes in Hue

According to incomplete statistics, there are 125 vegetarian dishes in Hue, which shows the richness and diversity of the cuisine of this Kinh land. Hue cuisine has many different styles, divided into many categories such as Royal cuisine, folk cuisine,… In which there is a quite special culinary style here that is Vegetarian Cuisine. The reason that vegetarian cuisine is very developed in Hue is that it is the cultural center of Buddhism in the country.

Hue people believe that vegetarianism is benign and calm, so everyone wants to be vegetarian to maintain their freshness mentally. At first, vegetarianism was limited to the Buddhist temples or families, but today it is no longer the “heritage” of the temple, it has spread to folklore and become. a tourism product. In the process of economic integration and development, Hue has many changes, but the vegetarian custom is still circulated and widely popular among most Hue residents.

Banh Canh Hue

Banh Canh Hue is cooked in flour with fish and pork skin, or with minced meat and pellets,… The process is simple and quick: the broth is boiled in a pot, the dough is finished rolling around a round aluminum tube. cutting board. Use a knife to cut into small pieces, and fall into a pot of hot water. When the dough is just cooked, take it out in a bowl, make a broth with chopped pork, fish and onions, add seasoning and eat it hot.

Nam Pho village, Phu Thuong commune, Phu Vang, about 6km from the center of Hue city, has a profession of selling traditional soup porridge. Although it is also a Banh Canh porridge, it’s completely different from the new generation of Banh Canh. Therefore, if you do not know, it is easy for tourists to get confused,… Starting from Nam Pho, going to Vy Da, going to Dong Ba market, going to Thanh Noi,… The Banh Canh line also sold banh mi, little cake, Banh Nam, etc., which are Hue specialty cakes. Nam Pho is a traditional soup made from rice flour (in the past there was no flour), only crushed shrimp to mix eggs. The soup bowl is flat, the broth is clear and thick, and fragrant,…

Types of tea Hue

Hue is not only attracted by the serene beauty and moss of the temples and mausoleums but when coming here, visitors are also attracted by the richest and most diverse culinary treasure of Vietnam. In which, Hue tea is considered the “heart” dish of many tourists when coming to the ancient capital.

Across the alleys in Hue city, walking a few hundred steps, you found a teabag. And although it is a bag of unnamed seaweed tea, the delicacy, and ingenuity of the smooth, smooth taro teacups, soft filter powder, fragrant corn teacups with a sweet and young sweet taste,… generic by the name of Hue tea that we eat anywhere else.

There will never be enough stomach to taste all the delicious flavors in the Hue tea menu. Because if only the royal tea has up to 36 types, each has its flavor. If you like sweet and fragrant flavors, you can choose lotus seed tea, green bean tea, and if you like fruit, pineapple green tea, pomegranate tea, mulberry tea, and chamomile tea are great choices.

You can enjoy typical tea dishes of Hue at Dong Ba Market, Alley Tea Shop (Hung Vuong Street), with filtered powdered tea wrapped with roasted meat can be eaten at Mo Ton Dich (Thuong Bac Park, Dinh Tien Hoang – Tran Hung Dao intersection, the shop only sells from 4:00 pm), corn tea can be enjoyed at Con Hen.

Chè bột lọc heo quay

Powdered tea is in the form of small round pellets, made of flour, when boiled, the powder is from opaque white to clear white, served with sugar water and this is a tea that is always eaten cold or warm. eat cold. Roast meat filter tea is made from pieces of roasted pork, cut square with small dice (including pork skin, meat) covered with glutinous powder, and then poured into sugar to boil into tea. This tea has both a sweet and salty taste, so it is not greasy to eat.

In Hue, there is a delicious Con Hen corn tea that is not available anywhere. This land has an alluvial ground of several tens of hectares, where people grow corn almost all year round. Corn in Con Hen is delicious because it is grown on a thick alluvial layer that is deposited through each flood.

Chè Hạt Sen

Is a highly refined tea, processed from lotus seeds in Tinh Tam lake. Lotus tea cooked in Hue style is steamed, then cooked with white sugar or clear rock sugar until it boils gently. The sweetness of the sugar is enough to penetrate the lotus seeds and go out to the kitchen. To have a delicious teapot, the cook has to keep watch for the fire to burn just right, stirring, mixing gently, time is just enough for the lotus seeds “not old, not young”. When cooking, lotus seeds will lose their natural aroma. Young cooking, the lotus scent will not radiate.

Chè Khoai Tía

This dish is favored by many guests for its color and taste. The tea is cooked from purple taro, then cooked with coconut water, and let it simmer until it matches. Add the sugar just enough, but not to lose the coconut flavor. Tea is fragrant and sweet.

These are also types of tea originating in Hue for a long time. The tea is cooked softly but still has the beans intact. Soft tea adds crushed roasted peanuts and coconut water. Coconut milk is added later to increase the fat taste of tea, roasted peanuts with a subtle aroma.

Banh Chung Nhat Le

This is a famous dish in Hue and originated from Nhat Le Street in Noi City, where dozens of bakeries are gathered. The cake is fragrant, delicious, and delicious due to the delicate combination of bean paste, meat (fat and lean) with glutinous rice, and spices such as pepper, or onions.

Five-color cake (Bánh In)

Five-color cake, also known as “Banh In”, this family has many types: bamboo shoot cake, glutinous rice cake, fluorescent flour cake, green bean cake, lotus cake,… each cake has the same type of flour as its name suggests. it. The cake is wrapped in mirror paper of all colors but has specific regulations, for example, the green color is hopefully green bean cake, the yellow color is a glutinous cake,… and pressed, the face of the cake is difficult to carve. Tho, Phuc, Loc shapes and wrapped in five-color paper. This is a type of cake to use on Tet, for worshiping and hospitality. Due to its low value, many people prefer it.

Currently, in Hue, there are two famous bakery shops: Hong Phuc shop on Phan Dang Luu Street, Ba Bon shop on Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, especially on the full moon day, the first day of Bao Thanh bakery on Tran Hung street. Dao also sells this kind of cake.

Hue specialties bought as gifts

Hue sour shrimp.

Sour shrimp in the right “tune” must be made from very fresh brackish shrimp, especially the shrimp brought up from Cau Hai. Choose shrimp that are even and relatively large. Shrimps are head off, washed, soaked for a while in alcohol. Then take out and drain, mix well with the additives: galangal, garlic, red pepper, young bamboo shoots, sticky rice, delicious fish sauce. In the additives, galangal plays the most important role, so it must be used more than all. Thinly sliced garlic, sliced chili, long and thin-sliced, separately, and sliced bamboo shoots. Shrimp is best incubated in a ceramic jar. When ripe, bring it together with a little honey. Can add a little galangal and then put it into glass jars or plastic jars. So in a jar of sour shrimp, we see all the colors: white, yellow, pink, red; All kinds of flavors: sweet, fatty, nutty, spicy, sour, bitter, hot, and cool, meaning both positive and negative. All blended to create a seductive fragrance. The incubation process lasts from 7-10 days, but must be kept in a clean, cool room. If more sophisticated, one can bury it in the ground to keep a constant temperature for the fermentation process. The more stable the temperature, the more fragrant and sweet the shrimp are.

Sesame is a marshmallow, made from malt mixed with peanut oil (oil from peanuts), with sesame covered around the candy, cut into small squares (cellophane bags) wrapped in a box. Sesame candy is one of the specialties that has become a cultural symbol of Hue.

Festival in Hue

Thua Thien Hue is a land with cultural traditions, although not as old as in the North, but also has more than 700 years of history. Since the Nguyen Lord placed the capital here until the end of the Nguyen Dynasty (1945), it can be said that Hue is the gathering place of great cultural activists, a meeting place of East and West ideological flows. antique needle. Hue culture has traditionally poured in from the North, according to the people who settled in the new land. Here still exist the Cham people with Indian culture. And later Western culture also had the opportunity to penetrate the Nguyen Lords. The traditional festivals are maintained and developed from those cultural sources.

Festivals of all kinds are a need for cultural activities of Thua Thien Hue People has become a tradition. An overview of the festival and the festival participation of the residents of this region, we will see that the festival in Thua Thien Hue is not as rich as the North, but also quite diverse, there are two types of festivals: bow festival family and folk festivals. The royal festival reflected the ritual activities of the Nguyen Dynasty, mostly focusing on “ceremony” rather than “festival”. Folk festivals include a variety of types, including some typical festivals as follows: Hue Nam Festival (Hon Chen Palace), also known as the procession of the goddess Thien YA Na according to people’s beliefs. In the old Cham Pa, the festival commemorates the births of traditional professions, the festival commemorates the ancestors of the village. During ceremonial occasions, many useful cultural activities such as boat racing, tug of war, wrestling,… are also organized and attract a lot of viewers.

Some tourism schedules of Hue

Tour: hue – da nang – hoi an.

The itinerary will be arranged from the starting date in Hue, depending on where you live, you actively plan to get to Hue on time. This schedule is suitable for renting a motorbike in Hue to run by many places. You can cut the schedule to better fit your plan.

Day 1: Discover the Imperial Citadel of Hue

Wake up around the hotel to find out if there are any vermicelli, make a bowl for breakfast, make a cup of coffee and start exploring Hue. From the hotel, rent a cyclo pass through Truong Tien bridge to Hue imperial city.

Buy a ticket to explore the inner city, because the area is quite large, it may take a few hours or an entire morning to fully explore the citadel. After finishing, go out to find some famous restaurants to enjoy delicious food in Hue. Near the royal citadel, there is Lac Thien restaurant, which is quite famous for Thuong Tu’s delicious cake.

Early in the afternoon, from the center of Hue city, you rent a motorbike to go to Thien Mu pagoda, the road running along the Perfume River is very cool and beautiful. Spend about 1 hour to visit and take pictures at the pagoda, from here running another ten kilometers, you will reach Huyen Khong Son Thuong, a temple located on the mountain with a very beautiful landscape. From Huyen Khong, Son Thuong comes back to Hue to go through some garden houses, if you are interested, you can visit.

In the evening, go back to the center of Hue city, enjoy the typical cakes of Hue. If you go on weekends, you can walk around the night market, drink beer, and listen to music.

Day 2 : Tam Giang Lagoon – Phu Cam Church – Thanh Toan Ngoi Bridge

Get up for breakfast, drink coffee and depart for Tam Giang Lagoon. This place is more than 30km from the center of Hue city, at noon stay to eat at restaurants on the lagoon, rest, and then return to Hue in the afternoon.

In the afternoon, back to the center of Hue city, visit Phu Cam church, and then go to Thanh Toan tile bridge. These are two beautiful places in Hue, not too far away so it is completely possible to go in one afternoon.

Day 3: Bach Ma – Lang Co

This day, You will go to Bach Ma, Lang Co, but the journey is quite far, so you need to go early to return to the center of Hue city.

Get up for breakfast, depart in the direction of NH1A towards Da Nang, when you reach the section near Da Bac, turn to Ho Truoi, here you need to take another boat trip to reach Truc Lam Bach Ma Monastery. The monastery is quite beautiful with its back leaning on the Bach Ma mountain range, face down towards Truoi Lake.

After exploring the Zen Monastery, return to the direction of NH1A to go to Bach Ma National Park, on the way go through Cau Hai lagoon, the largest lagoon in the Tam Giang lagoon system.

Afternoon back to Hue to rest.

Day 4: Hue – Da Nang

From Hue to Da Nang you can go by car or train, all the time is only about 3 hours. However, if you want to admire the wonderful scenery of Lang Co Bay and the beautiful beaches of Da Nang, choose the train option. The train departs from Hue around 10:30 and arrives at Đa Nang at 13:30, you can buy train tickets online and go straight to the station to print tickets on the train.

Day 5 ++: Depending on your time, you arrange to explore Da Nang, or explore Hoi An accordingly.

Related Article: Traveling experience in Ban Gioc Waterfall that tourist should know

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Hue Travel Guide

Everything's need to know before travelling hue.

Hue is always reminiscent of the poetic and ancient beauty of the ancient capital for many generations. Even though it has now become one of the central cities of Vietnam. If you suddenly want to leave the noisy and bustling city, save the Hue travel experiences below to enjoy the period-style lifestyle on every small alley.

Let’s discovery the hidden beauty of Hue with Origin Vietnam team!

1. Where is Hue?

Hue is a province on the central coast of Vietnam, including the mainland and the territorial sea of the continental shelf of the East Sea. Hue is 675 km north of Hanoi capital, 94 km south of Da Nang city with the natural boundary being the Bach Ma mountain range. Geographically located:

The North borders Quang Tri province
East sea bordering the east
The West borders Salavan and Sekong provinces of Laos
The South borders Quang Nam province and Da Nang city.

Hue is famous for its poetic, peaceful and gentle beauty. That charm makes anyone want to travel to Hue once in their life.

2. How is Hue unique?

Traveling to Hue brings many emotions and impressions to tourists from all over. If anyone has been to Hue, they will surely linger on this land and not want to leave. Many people have asked, what is so beautiful about Hue tourism that makes so many tourists want to come back? It is difficult to describe in words unless you have stepped foot in this ancient capital.

Hue has beautiful and unique architecture: The system of Hue palaces and mausoleums bears the bold royal architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty with ancient, quiet, and majestic features. Today, architectural works, despite many events and renovations, still retain their Vietnamese identity and soul.
Hue is a green, clean, beautiful city: When traveling to Hue, you can easily see images of people participating in environmental protection campaigns, cleaning the streets, picking up trash in the Perfume River and encouraging tourists. 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 close and friendly. They always smile and are enthusiastic about helping others at any time. If you come to Hue and don’t know where the ancient capital of Hue is or how to get there, just ask the people here, they will be very happy to help you.
Impressed by famous Hue royal music: Hue royal court music is the cultural beauty and musical quintessence of Vietnam and has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. When traveling to Hue, try listening to this unique type of music.

3. When is the best time to visit Hue?

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 easily explore the beautiful ancient capital without fear of being interrupted by sudden rains.

According to the experiences of previous tourists 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 J une to November . Winter The weather is cold, sometimes the temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius. Spring in Hue is the most pleasant climate, from January to the end of March. Therefore, with Hue travel experience, you should go to Hue in the spring. Because spring to enjoy the cool air and enjoy the beautiful scenery here most comfortably.

It’s more detailed as below:

From January to March: The weather is cold, trees are budding, and the scenery is beautiful. Suitable to admire the gentle beauty of Hue.
April: Hue Festival season. The atmosphere is vibrant and bustling, the streets are beautifully decorated. If you are a person who likes prosperity, you can travel to Hue at this time.
From May to July: The climate is cool and dry at this time, which is also the most beautiful time to travel to Hue, especially in early August. You should also consider and check the weather forecast before going because This is also the rainy season.
Hue flower season: Just like Hanoi has 12 flower seasons, Hue also has many attractive flower species that bloom all year round. March and April are cornflower season. Summer is the time when red poinciana blooms brightly in a corner of the sky next to Trang Tien bridge. Throughout May to August, lotus flowers in the Imperial Citadel bloom,…All contribute to the dreamy beauty of the ancient capital.

Especially if you plan to travel to Hue and stay for 2-3 days , choosing the time is quite important. Good weather also helps you conveniently visit the ancient capital of Hue at night, which is also a very interesting experience.

4. How to get to Hue?

If you have a lot of time, you can combine the Hue – Da Nang tour or otherwise choose the Hue tour. No matter what you choose, the method of transportation is the same. You can use the following means:

4.1 Moving to Hue

4.1.1. by plane.

This is the most convenient and fastest means of transportation for tourists from other provinces and cities to reach the Hue tourist area. Most domestic airlines currently have direct flights to Phu Bai airport, Hue. Flight time from Hanoi to Hue takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue about 1 hour 30 minutes .

4.1.2 By passenger car

If you live in nearby localities, choosing a bus is quite suitable because the travel time is short and the cost is relatively low. If you are in remote provinces, you can choose a sleeper bus to travel. From Hanoi to Hue, please refer to buying bus tickets from popular bus companies running the Hanoi – Hue route such as Hung Thanh, Camel, Duc Thinh,… The Hanoi – Hue route has a travel time of about 12 – 14 hours.

From Ho Chi Minh City to Hue it takes about 20 hours. Some popular bus companies running the HCM – Hue route include Hoang Long, Huong Ty, Minh Phuong,…

4.13 By train

If you have a lot of time to travel to Hue and love sightseeing along the way, choose the train. Train tickets are not too expensive. Trains usually have hard seats, soft seats, beds and air-conditioned or non-air-conditioned compartments. If you go far in the hot season, you should choose trains SE3, SE1, buy air-conditioned sleeper tickets to be comfortable and shorten travel time.

4.2 Means of transportation in Hue

Traveling in Hue is also quite easy. You can choose the following means of transportation for your Hue trip:

By taxi: Taxis are very popular and convenient for tourists, especially those traveling in groups or when the weather is not good. However, taxi costs are quite expensive, you should consider.
By motorbike: To actively 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.
By cyclo: 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.
By car rental : If you want to combine many attractions, you can rent a tourist car. The price for renting a 4-seat, 7-seat, 16-seat car ranges from 400,000 to 1,600,000 VND depending on the route.

5. Exploring the beauty of Hue

In Hue, there are many beautiful places for you to have fun and explore. Don’t miss the following most attractive places when you travel to Hue.

5.1 Hue Citadel

Hue Citade l, also known as the Citadel, is the most famous tourist destination of 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, retaining its historical and cultural value. This place has also been recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage .

5.2 Huong River

Huong River is like a soft silk strip stretching from Vi Da garden through Thien Mu pagoda with majestic ancient features, adding to the ancient and romantic beauty of Hue. Coming to Hue, you can’t help but stop by the Huong River to enjoy Hue songs, take a boat trip to enjoy the beautiful scenery, watch the brilliantly lit Trang Tien Bridge and the dreamy Hue sunset.

5.3 Gia Long Tomb

Gia Long Tomb, also known as Thien Tho Lang, is located in a mountain range quite far from the center. But this place is said to have the most beautiful feng shui position in the tomb complex of the Nguyen Dynasty kings. This Hue tourist destination attracts those who like peaceful, ancient beauty.

5.4 Dong Ba Market

Dong Ba Market is the largest and oldest market in Hue, located on the banks of the romantic Huong 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.

5.5 Hue Walking Street

The walking street includes streets: Pham Ngu Lao, Chu Van An, Vo Thi Sau, stretching more than 1km and operating on 3 weekends. Invested with a large budget, Hue Walking Street is an ideal destination for high-quality entertainment activities, attracting many tourists to experience.

5.6 Bao Quoc Pagoda

Bao Quoc Pagoda is located on Bao Quoc Street, Duc Ward, Hue. The pagoda was built in the style of Khau script, where many tomb towers of the Patriarchs are located. This place is also famous for many thrilling stories about Ham Long well. Today, Bao Quoc Pagoda is visited by many tourists to admire and worship Buddha for peace.

5.7 Thuan An Beach

Thuan An Hue beach with clear blue water, fine white sand and wild beauty captivates many tourists who have the opportunity to travel to Hue. The best time to go to 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.

5.8 Thanh Tan mineral spring

Mineral spring area with temperatures up to 68 degrees Celsius, providing nutrients and energy for the body. Not only bathing in mineral springs, visitors can also participate in adventure games and enjoy diverse cuisine here.

5.9 Thanh Toan tiled bridge

Thanh Toan tiled bridge is an architectural work with unique beauty in the style of a covered bridge. The bridge was built for the purpose of convenient travel and to protect people from rain and sun. Today, Thanh Toan tiled bridge is an attractive tourist destination for many tourists when traveling to Hue.

5.10 Hai Van Quan

Hai Van Quan is located at the top of Hai Van Pass , known as “the most majestic gate in the world” . Traveling to Hue and especially coming to Hai Van Quan, you will see beautiful scenery with majestic mountains, vast sea and sky here. From above, looking down at the winding mountain pass as far as the eye can see, enjoying the cool sea breeze, everyone feels life is truly peaceful.

5.11 Bach Ma National Park

Bach Ma Hue National Park is a famous eco-tourism destination with magnificent natural landscapes. This is also a strip of primeval forest in Vietnam that connects across the country with an extremely large area. Bach Ma national park has a very diverse biological system with 2,147 species. Coming to this place, you can participate in exploring Vong Hai Dai, Do Quyen waterfall, dwarf village,…

5.12 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 the Bach Ma range looming in the distance. Coming to Cau Hai lagoon , visitors will observe the fishing methods of local people and enjoy fresh dishes from caught shrimp and fish. You can both relax and participate in recreational activities such as fishing, boating,…

5.13 Ru Cha Forest

Ru Cha Forest is a primeval forest famous for its mysterious and poetic beauty. The forest is located about 15 km from Hue city center. This is the only rare primary mangrove forest left in the largest lagoon system in Southeast Asia – Tam Giang lagoon. Coming here, you will be able to enjoy beautiful scenery on the river in the forest, visit the mangrove forest and check in many beautiful photos…

5.14 Canh Duong Beach

Possessing a coastline of nearly 4 km long, 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’s why this place always attracts tourists to visit. Coming here, in addition to sightseeing, you can also swim, camp, experience fishing,…You can also enjoy many fresh seafood dishes.

5.15 Vong Canh Hill

Vong Canh Hill Hue is considered the most beautiful place to watch the sunset in Hue. This place has mountains, clouds, rivers and trees blending together to create a dreamy, romantic beauty. Tourists often come here to camp, sightsee, and enjoy the fresh air to forget the troubles of life.

5.16 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 and cool, clear blue water. Coming here, you can watch the sunrise over the beautiful Canh Duong beach, visit and explore Bach Ma mountain. Moreover, you can also admire the beauty of Lang Co bay and experience interesting fishing, camping and entertainment activities.

5.17 Ngo Mon

As the main gate of the Imperial Citadel, Ngo Mon is only used as the king’s entrance or to welcome envoys. Since it was built during the reign of King Minh Mang, Ngo Mon has been the place where many important events and ceremonies took place. It includes the event of King Bao Dai reading the Abdication Proclamation in 1945.

5.18 Citadel flagpole

The flagpole is the flagpole that hangs the flag of the Nguyen Dynasty, located in the middle of the south of the capital. According to the I Ching, the King faces the south to rule the world.

5.19 Thai Hoa Palace

As a symbol of the power of the Nguyen Dynasty, Thai Hoa Palace and Dai Trieu Nghi yard were the places where important royal ceremonies were held. Such as the coronation ceremony, reception of envoys, the king’s birthday, or the royal court every month. 2 times.

5.20 Quoc Tu Giam – Thua Thien Hue History Museum

Quoc Tu Giam acted as a feudal university, originally established in Thang Long during the Ly Dynasty. During the Nguyen Dynasty, Quoc Tu Giam was built in Hue, the facility outside Hanoi was designated as the Temple of Literature – a place to worship saints. Quoc Tu Giam Hue has since then served as the only university in the country, gathering and training hundreds of talented people during the Nguyen Dynasty.

Today, Quoc Tu Giam of Hue has become the Thua Thien Hue History Museum, a place to preserve historical artifacts of Hue through many periods. Especially the revolutionary period and the heroic resistance during the wars against Vietnam.

5.21 Long An Palace – Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities

Built by King Thieu Tri as a place to rest and read, Long An Palace is now built into the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities. This is where royal artifacts are kept, giving a closer look at the golden life of the past.

5.22 Thien Mu Pagoda

Thien Mu Pagoda possesses a dreamlike location on Ha Khe hill, on the left bank of the Huong River, and has long become a typical image of dreamy Hue. The pagoda was built in 1601 by the first king of the Nguyen Dynasty – Nguyen Hoang and remained the largest pagoda throughout this dynasty.

Attached to Thien Mu Pagoda is Phuoc Duyen Tower and the sound of the temple bell ringing far away. What makes the bell of Thien Mu Pagoda so special is that the bell is rung twice a day, at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m., each time ringing continuously 108 times in 1 hour. Only people with practice and passion can do this.

5.23 Trang Tien Bridge

Also a symbolic image of the city, Trang Tien Bridge spanning the Perfume River is also something that the people of Hue are always proud of. The bridge was built more than 200 years ago, initially it was only made of ordinary rattan material. But then the French built it into the six-span iron bridge it is today.

If you have the opportunity to travel to Hue in the summer, don’t miss the time when Truong Tien Bridge is most beautiful – when red phoenix flowers bloom brightly, dotting the inherently peaceful scene.

5.24 Ngu Binh Mountain

Ngu Binh is a mountain that always goes alongside the Huong River. Possessing a quiet location reflecting on the romantic Huong River, Ngu Binh Mountain has a trapezoidal shape, a flat top, looking from afar like a screen protecting the ancient capital. Standing on the top of Ngu Mountain, you will also have a panoramic view of the beautiful city.

5.25 Hon Chen Palace

As the most sacred shrine in Hue, Hon Chen Palace is also associated with many historical anecdotes. Initially, this was the place to worship the goddess Po Nagar (Thien Y Thanh Mau) according to Cham beliefs and was also the goddess revered by the Nguyen Dynasty as a superior deity.

This palace located on Ngoc Tran mountain can be considered a harmony between folk spiritual beliefs and ancient royal culture. Up to now, the third and seventh months of the lunar calendar every year are still major festivals at Hon Chen Palace. With large-scale processions filled with flags, flowers, banners, music, and thousands of people flocking to attend.

5.26 Truoi Lake

Located at the foot of the Bach Ma range , Truoi Lake also has the dreamy beauty typical of Hue. This is essentially an irrigation project, but thanks to being surrounded by mountains. Truoi Lake has become a place to “cool off” when traveling to Hue in the hot summers.

Near Truoi Lake is Truc Lam Bach Ma Zen Monastery , belonging to the Truc Lam Yen Tu sect. Tourists who want to visit the monastery must take a ferry and climb up 172 steps to reach the three-entrance gate. It’s like a small challenge, but in return what awaits you will be the scenery of a peaceful lake amidst the enchanting mountains.

5.27 Tam Giang Lagoon

Tam Giang Lagoon belongs to the large Tam Giang – Cau Hai lagoon system , which is the largest lagoon in Southeast Asia. The vast lagoon area, along with the Thai Duong Ha fishing village. Which is like a lonely oasis in the middle of the water, will attract you at first sight.

The life of the people in this ancient fishing village is vibrant but also extremely peaceful. Every morning, boats leave the shore to catch seafood. In the afternoon, there is nothing more wonderful than sitting on a boat watching the orange sunset gradually cover the water surface.

5.28 Lap An Lagoon

Also located at the foot of Hai Van Pass, right next to the beautiful Lang Co Bay, Lap An lagoon also possesses its own rare beauty. The lagoon is vast, immersed in the tranquility of the mountains. The lives of people around the lagoon are equally peaceful with fishing activities, digging worms every time the tide is low,..

6. Specialties when traveling to Hue

Cuisine in Hue has its own unique characteristics . The dishes are not too sweet or too spicy, rich in Central flavors and are prepared very skillfully and delicately. It makes you remember them forever after eating once.

6.1 Hue beef noodle soup

Beef noodle soup is a famous specialty of Hue. When traveling to Hue, you definitely have to wake up early and eat a delicious bowl of beef noodle soup here. The broth is carefully simmered from beef bones, onions, and other traditional spices to create a delicious, attractive flavor. Hue beef noodle soup is large and soft, served with pork patties and a little blood and fatty pork hoof. Before eating, add some fresh lemon, a few pieces of chili and raw vegetables and mix well. The delicious taste of beef noodle soup in Hue is hard to compare anywhere else.

6.2 Hue duckweed cake (Banh Beo)

A hot cup of Banh Beo with sweet and aromatic filling comes with a bowl of slightly spicy dipping sauce. When eating, pour fish sauce over a bowl of Banh Beo, enjoy the soft, flexible taste of the dough, the aroma of fried onions, and the sweetness of the shrimp and meat filling.

6.3 Nam Pho noodle soup

A delicious bowl of Nam Pho noodle soup, mixed with rich shrimp and meat filling and green onion stalks, sprinkled with a little green chili sauce, who can refuse this unique dish when traveling to Hue.

6.4 Hue sweet soup

Hue is famous for many types of sweet soup, each with its own delicious taste such as lotus seed sweet soup, floating sweet soup, taro sweet soup, roasted meat 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.

6.5 Hue pressed cake

The still hot cakes were placed on a small plastic plate. When eating, guests add laksa leaves, papaya, and cucumber, then roll it up and dip it in a bowl of sweet and sour fish sauce. The cake is rich in the taste of fat, crispy sour of soaked papaya, rich in meat, eggs and the aroma of green onions, perfect for a summer afternoon snack for Hue tourists.

6.6 Nem Lui Hue (Lui spring rolls)

Although Lui spring rolls are not a strange dish in many other localities, in Hue, Lui spring rolls have a very unique, delicious flavor. Nem Lui is served with rice paper, herbs, and dipped in broth. The dipping sauce is mixed with a thick paste, including pureed peanuts, pork liver, and minced pork.

6.7 Hue tapioca cake

Inside the layer of leaves are flexible cakes, the filling can be seen through. When eaten, the cake dough feels chewy and sweet, mixed with the rich flavor of shrimp and meat, dipped in a little sweet and spicy fish sauce. It will definitely make Hue tourists unforgettable.

6.8 Ram cake

The cake consists of two parts: the ramen part and the small part. When placed on a plate, the chef will put the white cake on top and sprinkle a little shrimp powder on top. The cake is dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce and a little fresh Hue chili. You should try it when traveling to Hue.

6.9 Nam cake

Nam cake is a typical rustic dish of Hue. The cake has a delicious flavor, soft and smooth, rich in shrimp flavor. The correct way to eat banh nam is to peel off the leaves on top of the cake, leave the wrapped leaves underneath intact, and spread the cake flat on a plate. Then sprinkle a little sweet and sour dipping sauce on top and use a spoon to scoop each piece.

6.10 Mixed figs

Mixed fig is a very popular dish in rustic meals of Hue people. Boil the figs, then fry them with onions and garlic. Finally, add shrimp and meat and stir together. When placed on the plate, the chef will sprinkle some sesame, roasted peanuts and Vietnamese coriander.

6.11 Sour shrimp paste

Hue people always have an endless love for fish sauce dishes, of which one of the dishes that many tourists love to buy as gifts is sour shrimp sauce. The special feature of this dish is that fresh shrimp will soak in white wine, so it will cook slowly and create a dark red color. The best sour shrimp paste is rolling with boiled meat, rice paper and raw vegetables.

6.12 Beautiful cafes in Hue

In addition to diverse cuisine, Hue is also one of the busiest cities in the country. So of course there is no shortage of lovely cafes here for “virtual living teams” to freely check in. Plan to take hundreds of photos at the most beautiful cafes in Hue.

7. Accommodation when traveling to Hue

Hue has many quality hotels and homestays for tourists to choose from. Depending on your needs and cost level, you can refer to resort locations after traveling to Hue.

7.1 Resorts:

If you are looking for a perfect tours in Hue , relaxing amidst beautiful nature. Moreover, if you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere without any problems, the resorts in Hue will be an irresistible choice.

Lang Co Beach Resort.
Vedana Lagoon Resort & Spa.
Ana Mandara Hue Beach Resort.
Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa.

Above are all names that satisfy your dream vacation. Choose one of the luxury resorts in Hue for a vacation in the tropical paradise of the ancient capital.

7.2 Hotels:

Hotels in Hue are of great interest thanks to their affordable prices, plus beautiful locations – most are located in the central area, or near famous tourist destinations:

Golden Star Villa Hue.
Cherish Hotel Hue.
Thanh Uyen Hue Hotel.
Cherry Hotel Hue.
Rosaleen Boutique Hotel.
Indochine Palace Hotel.
Imperial Hue Hotel.
Eldora Hotel.

7.3 Homestays:

For young tourists who travel in the form of discovery, want to save money but still like a great place to stop, go straight to the hostels and homestays in Hue. What’s better than staying at a very affordable price, you still have the opportunity to own a lovely, small but cozy place to rest, right in the center of Hue city.

Deja Vu Homestay.
Mosaic Garden.
April Hostel.
EMT Homestay.
Branchiee Homestay.

8. Some necessary notes when traveling to Hue

To make your trip to Hue meaningful and complete, please refer to some necessary notes below:

Choosing a good time to depart for Hue.
Preparing all personal items and belongings such as: Sunscreen, hat, medicine, shoes,…
Hue’s weather at night is often cold, so bring a thin jacket to preserve body heat.
Hue food is usually quite cheap, so you can freely enjoy the specialties here.
Paying attention to the expiration date when buying tickets to visit the ancient capital of Hue.
To buy fresh food at Dong Ba market. Tt’s best to go early in the morning, and it’s best to buy dry food in the afternoon.
Wearing polite clothes when visiting mausoleums.
During peak tourist seasons such as the Festival, the number of visitors is very large, causing hotels in Hue to easily become overloaded. Don’t forget to plan early, book a room in advance to find the best place to rest.
Hue has a number of specialties you can buy as gifts. Such as spring rolls, sesame seeds, bamboo baskets, or poem hats as souvenirs.
The ancient capital complex – Hue citadel has a very large area. You should determine in advance the places you want to visit and arrange a reasonable route.
If you can not eat spicy food, remember to tell the seller in advance to reduce the spiciness. So you don’t have to eat and inhale it at the same time.
Before using travel, shopping, or dining services, you should also ask the price in advance. You can also bargain when necessary to avoid being overpriced.

It is worth visiting Hue

Hopefully through our Hue travel experiences above, you and your family have a useful Hue travel guide . Please immediately contact Origin Vietnam’s Hue Team – a professional tour operator, we will share with you a detailed and reasonable itinerary, an ideal resort that will make your holiday in Hue more memorable than ever.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Hue

The tops things to do for tours in Hue:

Tam Giang Lagoon Tour 1 day
Hue Cooking Class Tour 1 Day
Amazing Hue Countryside Tour 1 day
Bach Ma National Park Tour 1 day
Discover Hue Imperial City 1 day

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With our experience we suggest the duration for best for tours in Hue with extended other places:

Paradise Cave Full Day From Hue

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Tour Da Nang 3 Days From Hue

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Top 16 Best Things to Do in Hue for First-Timers

Recommendations of Rich Culture Destinations in Hue

Hue, Vietnam is best known for its royal mausoleums, imperial citadel, and iconic pagodas. Boasting a fantastic and rich cuisine, Hue is not only a favorite destination for people loving architecture but also a mecca for Vietnam gastronomes. Here are top 16 recommendations of rich culture and best things to do in Hue , Vietnam.

1. Contemplate Imperial City

Contemplate imperial city - Things to do in Hue

The Imperial City is a part of of the Imperial Citadel back to the Nguyen dynasty. This used to be a combination of many temples, courts, pavillions, walls and gates, but unfortunately, mostly everything was destroyed during the Vietnam-America wars in the 19s. However. it’s still very well-worth to visit the place, since the left buildings are being restored, and there are even some places that are still in good condition. Coming to the Imperial City, you can also book a tour guide to take you through the place and tell you about the history of Hue city and the Nguyen emperor, which is really interesting and important in Vietnam’s 4000 years history.

Opening hours: 8AM – 5:30PM every day (including weekend)

Dress code : Not required

Entrance fee:

Imperial City only: 150.000VND/person
Combination ticket (Imperial City + Minh Mang Tomb + Khai Dinh Tomb): 280.000VND/person
Combination ticket (Imperial City + Minh Mang Tomb + Khai Dinh Tomb + Tu Duc Tomb): 360.000VND/person

2. Visit Ancient Emperors’ Tombs

2.1. khai dinh tomb.

Khai Dinh Tomb , officially known as the Ứng Mausoleum, is situated in Chau Chu mountain, about 10km away from Hue city, Vietnam. The tomb is the smallest, but most costly and recent one in comparison with other tombs of Nguyen royals. It was established by Emperor Khai Dinh, the 12th Emperor of the Nguyễn Dynast, during the period from 1920 to 1931. Khai Dinh became Vietnam’s penultimate emperor from 1916 to 1925 , but was not popular amongst Vietnamese people due to his close collaboration with the government of France. This 11-year-to-complete tomb is located hillside and has a combination of Eastern and Western style in terms of architecture. Khai Dinh Tomb is considered one of the most worth-visiting Hue attractions.

Entrance fee :

Adults: 150,000 VND per person
Children: 30,000 VND per person

Opening hours: 7AM–5:30PM

2.2. Tu Duc Tomb

With the unique architecture and perfect harmony with the natural landscape, Tu Duc Tomb becomes one of the buildings that make the charming beauty of Hue. Tu Duc Royal Tomb was built in the Nguyen Dynasty, deserving to be one of the most attractive and indispensable destinations when traveling to Hue City.

Tu Duc Tomb Total Square is about 12 hectares, 10 times larger than Gia Long Tomb . The layout of the tomb includes nearly 50 large and small buildings scattered in clusters on the land. All the buildings in this overall architecture are accompanied by the word “Khiem” (means “Modest” in English). The overview of Tu Duc Tomb is like a large park that integrates with nature. There is no straight line, angular, but there is harmony, winding instead, even though the building is entirely created by human hands.

2.3. Minh Mang Tomb

Minh Mang Tomb is located on the west bank of Perfume River. It was completed in 1843 with an unique architecture, different from all of the other ones. While Khai Dinh Tomb was strongly influenced by the French style, and Tu Duc Tomb was rather more traditional and Vietnamese, Minh Mang Tomb was built in a balance order in terms of nature and structures, with a lot of trees and plants around. This balance between landscape and buidings reveals a lot about personality of Minh Mang.

Opening hours: 7:30AM to 5.00PM

3. Explore Huyen Tran Princess Temple

Huyen Tran is one of the most famous princesses in Vietnam’s history, who contributed as the main mediating factor between Vietnam and Champanagara. She was married to the King of Champanagara as a peace ambassador to the expansion of Vietnam’s territory at the moment. The temple was built to show the deep respect and grastitude of Vietnamese towards her. It is normally as very solemn and quiet place, however it still attracts many tourists, especially on January 9th – 15th – the death anniversary of Huyen Tran Princess. The temple is located at the foot of Ngu Phong mountain, about 6 kilometers from Hue’s center. The temple is near the royal tombs, so it’s a good idea to combine all those destinations in just one trip.

4. Savor Tasty Hue Cuisine

Hue is definitely one of the Vietnamese cities with the best and most unique cuisine culture. In the past, the dishes were only exclusively served to the royal families. However, nowadays, tourists can find them very easily on the streets or in the restaurants with a very reasonable price. The characteristic of Hue’s food is full of sweet and spicy flavour, with a lot of herbs and different sauces (namely fish sauce ). A few must-try dishes when you visit Hue are: Bun Bo Hue ( Hue Beef Noodle Soup ); Nem Lui (Hue Lemongrass Skewers); Com Hen (Clam Rice); Banh Beo (Steamed Rice Cakes); Banh Ram It (Fried Sticky Rice Dumplings); Che Hat Sen (Lotus Seeds Sweet Soup);…

5. Take a Perfume River Boat Ride

Coming to Hue, it’s a must that you have to visit the famous Perfume River. The name “Perfume” dates back to 100 years ago, when people could smell the sweet scent of flowers that floated in the river from the upriver orchards. Especially, the floral scent was the strongest during the autumn, from July to October.

Today, due to the industrialisation and the increasing numbers of boats, it may not smell the same anymore. However, Perfume River is still the symbo of Hue, and it is one of the most famous landmarks in Hue. The best time to visit Perfume River is in the afternoon when you can witness the breathtaking sunset view.

The cruising service on Perfume River is also popular here, and you will be able to visist most of Hue’s landmarks if you join a river boat tour. Today, travellers coming to Hue could not miss a while of boating along the river . Most of them admit that this is one of the most beautiful and extremely splendid riverside landscape (especially at night when lights are on) that they have ever visited! Besides, tourists usually book a river boat tour in the evening with luxury dinner served on boat. It will give you the feeling of being royal, just like the Royal families in the past.

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6. Find Peace in Thien Mu Pagoda

Thien Mu Pagoda (namely Heaven Fairy Lady Pagoda), also known as Linh Mu Pagoda, is one of the most fascinating and ancient pagoda in Hue city. It is situated on Ha Khe hill, on the north bank of the Perfume River , in Huong Long village, 5 kilometers from Hue city, which is easy to reach from the city center. Thanks to such a mysterious history, the pagoda has attracted a great number of tourists from both inside and outside of the nation to come and explore the legend themselves.

With its typical traditional architecture of Hue pagodas and a romantic location right next to the Perfume River’s bank, Thien Mu Pagoda has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hue City. It is recommended that visitors going on a city tour around Hue visiting this pagoda in the afternoon so they can observe the monks’ praying time inside the pagoda as well as enjoy the beautiful sunset on the Perfume river.

7. Visit Thanh Toan Tile-roofed Bridge

Thanh Toan Tile-roofed Bridge belongs to Thanh Thuy village which is 7km from Hue centre. Just around 15 minutes on motorbike and 30 minutes on cyclo or bicycle to reach the bridge. This is the most ancient bridge in Vietnam with a very artistic architecture style, and it’s extremely valuable in terms of architecture, history and culture.

Visit Thanh Toan Village, except for seeing the most ancient bridge in Vietnam, visitor can also row boat along canals or ride bicycle on green village road for visiting other old temples. In addition, you can also join to be a farmer and experience farming life, especially learn how to wrap a Tet sticky rice cakes ( Banh Chung & Banh Tet) or make conical hat, etc… You will have an opportunity to go to the countryside market, play hut gambling and pounding rice singing (on festivals) as well as enjoy special cuisines here.

8. Have Hue Royal Banquet Dinner

Having a Hue Royal Banquet Dinner could be the most interesting experience when you visit this city. In the past, since Hue used to be the capital in which the Royal families lived, Hue people are often very well-trained in cooking rustic food and preparing exquisite meals for the Royaltie. Going on a Royal Banquet Dinner tour, you will have the chance to actually dress up like the Vietnamese Emperor and Empress, have dinner on boat and be served with our most delicious and sophisticatedly-made dishes. You can book this tour online through an agency.

9. Relax at Hue Beaches

9.1. lang co beach.

Lang Co beach is located in a romantic city called Hue. Just 24 km from Bach Ma National Park , it is an attractive stretch of white sand with 8 km length. The bay is a perfect spot for many types of beach tourism such as swimming, scuba diving, sunbathing, fishing… Additionally, you can also find attractive luxury resorts along the beach. Besides, it is well known for colorful coral reefs, lobsters, and the diversity of seafoods. From the bay, it is convenient to visit other places such as Hai Van pass, Bach Ma Mountain, and Lap An Lake. The best time to visit Lang Co is from December to March.

9.2. Thuan An Beach

Thuan An Beach was ranked by King Thieu Tri as one of the 10 most beautiful senses in Hue. The beach is about 13km to the east of Hue Imperial Citadel. The coastline is around 12km long with cool and fresh sea water. Although Thuan An beach has all the potentials to become a popular spot for tourism industry, it is fortunately kept unspoiled until now. If you are a person who likes to explore the natural beauty and wish to escape the hustle and bustle of the city center, this would be the perfect place for you. Bring a tent for a beach picnic with you friends or family, but don’t forget to clean your waste before leaving!

10. Admire the Refindness of Hue Royal Theatre

For people who are interested in Vietnamese Arts and Culture, Duyen Thi Duong, or Hue Royal Theatre is one of the places that you cannot miss when visit Hue. This is the oldest theatre in Vietnam, and it was the place that used to serve artistic performance to the Royal families. It was built under King Minh Mang reign, with an impressively large area of 11.740 m², along with unique architecture and patterns. Going through many wars, the Royal Theatre doesn’t remain the same as what it was anymore, but the replica restoration is still a very attractive place to visit.

11. Take a short walk to Hue Conical Hat Making Village

The conical hat is a symbol of Vietnam, especially Vietnamese women since it’s elegant, delicate and also useful under the hot sun in Vietnam. Tay Ho village in Hue is one of the leading conical hat making villages all over the country. Visiting this village, tourists will have a chance to explore the conical hat making process, and can also participate in a class and learn how to make them. It is probably not so easy to make a conical hat, but you will do just fine thanks to the instruction and guidance of the local craftmen, and it’s also a very good way to learn about Vietnamese Culture.

12. Visit Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities

Among many interesting places in Hue, the Royal Fine Arts Museum will surely spark off your trip as one of the earliest and largest museums in Hue. The Royal Fine Arts Museum is situated inside Long An palace which is known as one of the most existing beautiful palaces in Vietnam. It covers an area of up to 6.330 square meters. Since its establishment, it took the responsibility for reviving generations of hundreds of artisans who had contributed to build up the Hue royal court. Now, the museum is under the administration of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center. Tips: Bringing cameras or taking pictures are not allowed in the museum, so you should prepare to remember everything you see in the museum.

13. Join Hue Festival (if lucky)

Every two years, Hue Festival will be held in April, May or June to preserve the traditional customs since the Nguyen Dynasty and promote the tourism industry of the city. It takes place at 40 venues around the city. A few events usually helf in Hue Festival are Ao Dai fashion shows, Hue Poetry Festival, Dialogue of Drums…. There are also a wide range of sporty activities for you to enjoy such as boat racing, kite flying or human chess . In addition, there are also exhibitions organized during the festival which shows the history of Hue. Visitors can come here to enjoy the street performances, art and film screenings to learn more about the old Hue’s culture and heritage.

14. Take in the View from Hai Van Pass

Hai Van Pass is one of the most scenic hillside roads in Vietnam. When braving the steep winding roads of a paved mountain pass, you will have a chance to discover peace, quiet and history along the way. This is the highest pass in Vietnam (500m above sea level). Hai Van means “Sea Clouds”, since the peak of the mountain is in the clouds while its foot is close to the sea. In the past, Hai Van Pass was known as the Thuan Hoa and Quang Nam frontier.

With sudden curves and blind corners, Hai Van Pass is likened to an arrogant but beautiful girl challenging drivers’ skills. On a journey through the land, Hai Van is always an attractive landscape, full of perilous obstacles and is the last spur of the Truong Son Range reaching to the sea.

Hai Van Pass will satisfy your desire to conquer high peaks and remind you of the glorious past of the Viet people. Moreover, from the pass, on nice days, visitors can enjoy the whole vista of Danang, the Tien Sa seaport, Son Tra Peninsula , Cu Lao Cham Island and long sandy beaches .

15. Visit the Bronze Casting Village – Phuong Duc

Bronze Casting Village - Phuong Duc - Best things to do in Hue

For hundreds of years, the techniques of bronze casting in Hue City have always been acclaimed as the pinnacle of Vietnam’s bronze casting. Therefore, Hue’s bronze products, such as bells, statues and fine art products, appear everywhere in Vietnam, even in some markets abroad.

The prestige of Hue bronze casting has inspired local authorities to develop the Phuong Duc Bronze Casting Village into a tourist site to introduce the tradition to local and foreign visitors and to preserve and honor the craft. Phuong Duc Village on Bui Thi Xuan Street attracts tourists at the beginning of the street with many shops displaying bronze Buddha statues and bells. It is certain that the lines, patterns and decorations of each work, which are so fine and delicate and nice, make visitors think of the dexterity and talent of the local artisans and of just how this work is done. Therefore, after admiring works in galleries along the street, tourists should stop in at a bronze casting factory to know the process and to witness the talents of the artisans.

Among Hue’s bronze products, bells gain the most attention and appreciation by their prestigious beauty and elegance and their resounding, warm and pure sound. Some people say the prestige is due to secret talents of the local artisans, but some reckon it comes from the special character of the soil and water of the region.

“Making a bronze product is an exciting experience, and the fun will be doubled if some tourist loves it and brings it home as a gift for family or a friend. Hue is not only a land of history and royal temples but also for crafts for a long time,” said Nguyen Van Niem, an artisan with 20 years experience in casting bronze.

16. Visit Tiger Arena & Voi Re Temple (Long Chau Temple)

Long Chau Temple - Best things to do in Hue

Tiger Arena (Ho Quyen) is one of the most historic few sites still stands today in Vietnam, the fighting place between animals, especially are elephants and tigers, much to the glee of the royalty as well as to assert the unbeatable strength of battle elephants. Attempting to bring back these sites, Vietnam Travel Depot made a trip and be pleased to present to tourists. Ho Quyen and Dien Voi Re symbolized the invincible strength and vitality of the Kings

The construction of the site began in 1830 after the ceremonial fight for King Minh Mang ‘s 40 th birthday on the northern bank of Perfume river, a tiger suddenly broke free and threatened the King by charging toward him. Afterward, the King chose the land near Long Tho Hill to the west of the capital as permanent arena to hold fights and named it Ho Quyen. The stories of area are still kept spreading among the communities but beginning to fade with the passing of time from the day of the last fight was in 1904 during the reign of King Thanh Thai (the 10 th king of Nguyen Dynasty)

Just some steps from Ho Quyen is Temple of the Crying Elephant where the elephants were worshipped, those achieved great feats in battle fields. Locals called the temple “ Dien Voi Re”.

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Huế thương Hotel

11 Chu Văn An 4, Hue, Vietnam – Excellent location – show map

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Huế thương Hotel is located in Hue, within 1.7 miles of Museum of Royal Antiquities and 2.3 miles of Forbidden Purple City. Featuring a restaurant, the 1-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, each with a private bathroom. The property has room service and a 24-hour front desk for guests. At the hotel, rooms are equipped with a desk. Each room is equipped with a flat-screen TV, and some rooms at Huế thương Hotel have a city view. At the accommodation all rooms have bed linen and towels. Popular points of interest near Huế thương Hotel include Trang Tien Bridge, Dong Ba Market and An Dinh Palace. The nearest airport is Phu Bai International Airport, 8.1 miles from the hotel.

Distance in property description is calculated using © OpenStreetMap

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Located in the best-rated area in Hue, this hotel has an excellent location score of 10.0

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Check-in at Huế thương Hotel is from 12:00 PM, and check-out is until 2:00 PM.

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Huế thương Hotel is 3,100 feet from the center of Hue. All distances are measured in straight lines. Actual travel distances may vary.

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The best of hue.

Trang Tien Bridge
Chieu Ung Pagoda
Forbidden Purple City
Tinh Tam Lake
Tomb of Tu Duc
Thien Mu Pagoda
Dieu De National Pagoda
Redemptorist Church
An Dinh Palace
Chua Ong Pagoda
Phu Cam Church
Bao Quoc Pagoda
Tu Dam Pagoda
Tu Hieu Pagoda
Minh Mang Tomb
Thanh Toan Bridge
Museum of Royal Antiquities
Ho Chi Minh Museum

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Dong Ba Market
Phu Bai International Airport (HUI) 8.6 miles
Da Nang International Airport (DAD) 49.7 miles

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26 Incredible Things to Do in Hue + Tips for Your Historical Trip

Wondering what the best things to do in Hue on your first visit are? Here’s all I got up to on my long awaited trip and then a subsequent trip where we tried to do Hue in a day !

Back during my two and a half weeks in Vietnam in 2016, I remember being in Hội An and scanning a list of tours at our hotel and wondering where and what Huế was. At 3 hours away, it wasn’t exactly a good day tour option, but I was intrigued by this historical city and knew I’d want to visit someday even though I didn’t even know if I’d be back to Vietnam!

I finally managed to make my way to Huế over Christmas, first spending two days with friends at the end of their central Vietnam trip and then spending two more days as I worked with Azerai La Residence Huế at their stunning Art Deco property. A few months later I went back for what wound up being a day with Alyshia as we squeezed in to her going-away trip!

Here’s all I got up to and a few things I didn’t manage but want to if I make it back for a third trip!

A Brief History of Hue

Huế actually reminds me a lot of Jeonju in Korea with all its more recent history. While Jeonju is a good representative of the Joseon dynasty, which is what has shaped much of Korea’s cultural traditions, Huế is a good representative of the Nguyễn dynasty, which is what has shaped much of Vietnam’s cultural traditions! Much of what you’ll want to visit in Huế relates to the Nguyễn emperors and their very, very tumultuous rule over the country.

But I’m getting a little ahead. To really get a full idea of Huế’s history, we have to go back to a time long before the Nguyễns had control.

Pre-Nguyen Dynasty

The area that Huế is part of first came into Vietnamese hands via the marriage between Chế Mân, part of the Cham people , with Vietnamese princess, Huyền Trân. In order to marry her, he offered her father the Cham areas called O and Lý, which he renamed to Thuan and Hóa.

Almost 300 years later, there was a series of wars and rebellions before the Nguyễns took full control. Basically, the Mạc dynasty fled Cao Bằng in NE Vietnam after the Lê emperors came into power under Nguyễn Kim. Because Nguyễn Kim was then poisoned by the Mạc dynasty, his son-in-low, Trịnh Kiểm, became the leader, assassinating Nguyễn Kim’s eldest son to ensure his legitimacy.

One of Nguyễn Kim’s other sons, Nguyễn Hoàng, pretended to be crazy and got his sister, Trịnh Kiểm’s wife, to convince him to allow Hoàng to go south to Thuan-Hóa to govern and try to pacify the Mạc loyalists.

Trịnh Kiểm allowed him to go, and he went to work making the region loyal to the Nguyễn family before rising up against Trịnh. Soon it became the Nguyễn lords vs the Trịnh lords with the Trịnh lords taking northern Vietnam and the Nguyễn lords taking southern Vietnam. This was all under the Later Lê dynasty.

Anyway, it was during this period, in 1687 specifically, that the Nguyễn lords began to construct the Citadel in what is now known as Huế, beginning to establish the city’s role in their later dynasty.

The Nguyen Dynasty

In the latter part of the 1700s, the Tây Sơn rebellions rocked central Vietnam so that Huế fell under different rules pretty rapidly before Gia Long (then Nguyễn Ánh), considered the successor of the Nguyễn lords, took back control and reunited the country.

The Nguyễns would go onto rule over Vietnam from 1802 – 1945 when the last emperor, Bảo Đại abdicated to Hồ Chí Minh. If you know anything about the 1800s and 1900s anywhere in the world, you know this was kind of a crazy time in Vietnam was well. Colonialism was alive and well, and Vietnam eventually fell under French control, becoming a part of their French Indochina.

The Nguyễn emperors varied between being completely against the French and basically puppets of their regime, but through it all they used Huế as their capital until Bảo Đại declared Saigon his capital in 1949.

Huế would go on to see some of the worst of Vietnam’s fight for independence in the latter half of the 1900s. Since it’s so central, it’s incredibly close to what was then the DMZ of Vietnam , and the Battle of Huế is considered one of the worst of the Vietnam War (or the American War, if you’re in the country).

For a while, much of the Nguyễn landmarks in Huế fell to neglect as they represented the type of regime the now communist Vietnam had just fought against. Luckily, they did not go the way of China’s cultural revolution and instead decided to restore these stunning buildings so visitors can peak into Vietnamese history.

To help you visualize where everything I talk about below is, here’s a little Google map to guide you:

Cool Sightseeing Things to Do in Hue

And now for the fun stuff — what exactly to do in Huế!

1. Go out to the Royal Tomb of Minh Mang first

Vietnamese Name: Lăng mộ Hoàng đế Minh Mạng
Address: QL49, Hương Thọ, Hương Trà, Thừa Thiên Huế

One of the big things to do in Hue is visit at least one of the many royal tombs sprinkled around Huế. We planned ours so we would visit three in the morning, starting with the Royal Tomb of Minh Mạng .

He was the second Nguyễn emperor (reign: 1820 – 1841), and it’s under him that the Champa kingdom came to its final end and a number of foreign missionaries were executed. His tomb is the farthest from the city of Huế at about 10km away. It’s a very symmetrical area, where you pretty much go straight back to see everything. You also won’t see his actual resting place as it’s behind a huge stone fortress that’s only open once a year on his death anniversary.

2. Visit the Royal Tomb of Khai Dinh next

Vietnamese Name: Ứng Lăng Khải Định
Address: Khải Định, Thủy Bằng, Hương Thủy, Thừa Thiên Huế

After Minh Mạng, head to the much different-looking Royal Tomb of Khải Định. Khải Định was the twelfth Nguyễn emperor (reign: 1916 – 1925) and wildly unpopular for how close he was with French colonists. Under him, the Vietnamese writing system changed from Chinese symbols to its current Romanized form.

His tomb actually took longer to build than he was alive, and if you notice it looks very unique for Vietnam. This is because Khải Định wanted it to look like a medieval European castle. Kind of? It’s much smaller than the other two tombs we visited, but it does feel very Western and it’s on a steep incline of 127 steps, so prepare to climb!

3. End with the Royal Tomb of Tu Duc

Vietnamese Name: Lăng mộ Hoàng đế Tự Đức
Address: Thôn Thượng Ba, Thành phố Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế

Our last royal tomb was that of Tự Đức , who was the fourth Nguyễn emperor (reign: 1847 – 1883). At 36 years, he had the longest reign, and his is seen as a turning point in Vietnamese history. No longer was being anti- French and anti-West seen as characteristics of a strong leader, and his suppression of missionaries would lead to war with both the French and the US. Under him, the Treaty of Saigon (1862) was signed, creating Cochinchina and beginning French colonial rule of Vietnam.

His tomb is pretty sprawling, you’ll definitely want to allot more time here than the other two. It was initially used as an out-of-the-way palace, built while he was still alive, and then used as his tomb after the fact. Kiến Phúc, who was the seventh emperor but died young, is also buried here.

4. While near Tu Duc, check out the Incense Village

This is definitely one of the best things to do in Hue! On your way back from Tự Đức, stop in the little incense village! It’s probably much more hoppin’ closer to Tết, but there are still quite a few places you can visit. Many of them know tourists like to come and see all the colorful incense sticks, so they encourage photo taking and will even show you how the sticks are made. If you don’t buy anything, I do recommend giving them a small tip to say thanks!

I wound up buying some of the yellow incense sticks because they smell like lemongrass. We stopped at a shop called Be Ti — the owner and her mom were super cute and friendly! This is their specific address.

5. Spend the morning wandering the Imperial City of Hue

Vietnamese Name: Kinh thành Huế
Address: Phú Hậu, Thành phố Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế

I mean if you just look at the map, the Huế Citadel is massive . Some posts on things to do in Huế will break up parts of the citadel into each bullet point, but it’s all one in the same and within the citadel walls, and I truly couldn’t tell you where exactly the Purple Forbidden City (Tử cấm thành) starts within the Imperial City (Hoàng thành). If I ever feel like digging my heels in and re-tracing my steps to tell you every single building, temple, and landmark we walked by, I’ll make a whole separate post :p.

But anyway, just walk around the Citadel and allot yourself a whole morning and then some if you want to try to see everything there is. One important note is that you do not exit the same way you enter, which is extremely annoying if you only discover this after walking around for 3 hours and just want to find a taxi to get lunch.

To enter, you’ll go through Ngọ Môn gate. I recommend turning right and seeing the right side, the center, and then the left side. The exit is on the left side through Cửa Hiển Nhơn gate. It’s nowhere near Ngọ Môn gate, so if you make our mistake, you’ll have quite a walk just to leave!

6. Visit the Royal Antiquities Museum

Vietnamese Name: Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình
Address: 03 Lê Trực, Phú Hậu, Thành phố Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế

If you want some more history on Huế, I would pop over to the Royal Antiquities Museum. You could do this right after walking around the Citadel as it’s right outside the exit. The main building is all about the Nguyễns while there’s a side exhibit about the Champa Kingdom history.

7. Walk along the Perfume River

Vietnamese Names: Sông Hương, Hương Giang

Since I visited the museum a different morning than the Citadel, I actually decided to walk back along the Perfume River and towards Azerai La Residence after eating lunch. It’s such a nice river to walk along and on the way you’ll see some different monuments or interesting buildings. It might be too hot for this in the summer, but in December it was the perfect temperature.

Side note: apparently the Perfume River is so named because in the autumn, flowers will fall into the water and create a floral scent. Given how bad air pollution is in Vietnam, nooooot sure that still holds true today, but if anyone who’s been during this season can attest, let me know!

8. Spot the French architecture in Hue

There are a number of French-designed buildings sprinkled through Huế, Azerai being one of the Art Deco styles. I also walked by the UBND tỉnh Thừa Thiên Huế. This blog post has some more spots to check out. I kind of want to get the train to Huế just to visit the pinkish railway station?

9. Visit the abandoned water park!

A very cool spot to visit is the Thuy Tien Lake Abandoned Water Park . It was opened in 2004 and shut down by 2006 but parts of it remain like the most popular spot, the giant dragon head! It seems like your success on getting in really depends on the day. I guess because it had been raining, we were able to just walk right in. No guards or anything! Our taxi just waited outside for us and we walked the 10 minutes over to the dragon head. When we were leaving, we did see guards giving the people coming in a hard time, so who knows?

Foodie Things to Do in Hue

There are so many foodie things to do in Hue, you’ll be in heaven. It’s such a good city to visit if you love Vietnamese cuisine! I ate very well, and I probably didn’t even get to most of the different dishes and cuisines you can find all over.

We did a food tour one afternoon that we booked through Pilgrimage Village, but I don’t know that I’d recommend it as it was pretty expensive and the communication wasn’t great. Instead check some of these out:

Huế Street Food Tour
Flavors of Huế Motorbike Tour
Huế Food Walking Tour
Evening Cycle Food Tour
Vegetarian Food and Night Tour by Motorbike

Or map out these foodie things to do below and DIY it!

10. Have a cup of salt coffee

If Hanoi has egg coffee, Huế has salt coffee or cà phê muối ! I became quite a fan of salt coffee by the time I left getting, stopping by Le Gare Coffee and asking for it for my last breakfast. It’s pretty much exactly as it sounds — strong Vietnamese coffee, condensed milk, and a heavy dose of salt for a unique taste.

The coffee is a newer invention but has quickly become as synonymous with Huế coffee as egg coffee has with Hanoi. You can get it pretty much anywhere, but the original cafe that invented it is apparently this cafe , aptly called Cà Phê Muối.

11. Try bun bo where it came from

I meannnnn — how can you go to Huế and not try bún bò Huế ? I’ve eaten this dish quite a few times in Saigon, so naturally I had to try it in its namesake city. If you translate it, bún bò Huế is literally “Huế beef noodles.” Its made by simmering the broth with beef bones and lemongrass and then mixed with fermented shrimp sauce, sugar, and spicy chili oil. Like the name suggests, it comes with beef and noodles (sometimes also including congealed pig blood, which is better than it sounds).

Funny story about our picture above (and a smaller example of why our food tour guide…wasn’t my favorite). Bún bò is a fairly spicy dish, and we were warned Huế cuisine as a whole is spicier than other regions. So we asked that our bowl not be too spicy and… somehow in the translation our lady took out all the spice. Like your bún bò broth should not look like this! It should be much darker.

There are honestly a million bún bò spots all around Huế, so just walk out of your hotel and you’re sure to find one with in 5 minutes. If not, ask your hotel for local spots — someone there definitely knows and has a favorite.

12. Fall in love with banh khoai

Banh khoai, banh khoai, you are the apple of my eye

Kidding (a little)! In Saigon, bánh khoái is better known as bánh xeo , though I do think the two are a bit different beyond just their names. I had bánh khoái twice in Huế and it’s a lot crispier than the bánh xeo I’ve had in the south. Either way, I’m a bit addicted to both and have gotten bánh xeo too many times to count since getting back.

Basically, it’s a sort of rice flour – water- turmeric powder base filled with different veggies or meat. You break it apart and eat it with leafs and some sauce and yum .

I had bánh kháoi at Bánh Khoái Thượng Tứ and Quán Bánh Khoái Hạnh .

13. Look a bit silly slurping down banh beo

You ever try eating oysters for the first time? Like you kinda feel a bit silly trying to eat them! For me that’s how bánh bèo is, though, again, it didn’t stop me getting them like four different times — at Pilgrimage Village, Quán Bánh Khoái Hạnh , Bánh Khoái Thượng Tứ , and this spot nearo TOVO Hostel.

Bánh bèo also originates from Huế and is made by combining rice and tapioca flour with some salt. You then make a well in the middle and fill with warm water before kneading the dough and adding more water until it’s a thin batter. Then you put them in their little steam it to make the base before adding on the rest of the ingredients like dried shrimp and crispy pork skin.

When you eat it, you kind of loosen it from the little bowls it comes in with your spoon, pour a little bit of nước mắm sauce and sort of slurp it down! Definitely not a first date kinda dish (or maybe if that’s what you’re into), but something not to be missed in Vietnam.

14. Dig into banh canh ca loc

On my last night, walking back from Le Gare Coffee, I decided I wanted to eat some proper street food for dinner — outside on plastic stools and all. I saw a sign for bánh canh cá lóc and decided to stop in! Where I ate is literally in an alleyway. I marked it on the map above, but don’t get it confused with the actual restaurant listed (though I’m sure that spot is also delicious). I also got it at another place right before we left Hue on my second visit and was still so good!

When you order your dish, you’ll literally watch the owner make the noodles from scratch, rolling out the dough, which is made from tapioca or rice and tapioca flour. This is the “bánh canh” part of the dish. The “cá lóc” is snakehead fish. Once the noodles have been cooked, she’ll start putting the soup together with a delicious broth, the fish, veg, and, of course, the freshly made noodles.

15. Try (or eat 20 of) banh bot loc

YUM! Alyshia introduced me to these as their her favorite Vietnamese food. Bánh bột lọc is sort of like a chewy tapioca outside with a shrimp on the inside all steamed together. You then dip it in sweet chili fish sauce and eat. I’m warning you, it’s very easy to just power through like 20 of these. Again you can find these in a ton of restaurants but we got ours across the way from Tovo.

16. Try nem lui Hue

At Quán Bánh Khoái Hạnh , I also had a chance to sample the unique nem lụi Huế . These are basically grilled pork skewers but instead of a stick, they’re packed around lemongrass stalks. You’ll dip it in a sauce before wrapping it in a leaf with some veggies and eating. You can eat the lemongrass or take it out!

17. Try some com hen!

I know, Huế really comes through with the interesting dishes! It might actually be my favorite place to eat in Vietnam now? This is cơm hến (well bún hến because it’s made with noodles, not rice) which translate to mussel rice. It’s made with a lot of the usual Vietnamese ingredients but one of the special things I liked were the roasted peanuts! We got it at the most random spot near the Citadel. Obviously not really on the map, but it was by (or may be at) this place .

18. Try the vegetarian options in Hue

There are actually quite a few vegetarian options in Huế. We stopped at Lien Hoa which is attached to a Buddhist temple. We got the above dishes, but a lot of people were having hot pot around us. Hue Grit also has a good list of vegetarian spots that look mouthwatering!

Cruise along Perfume River, Hue, Vietnam

Things to do in Hue that I Didn’t Do

19. cruise along the perfume river.

While I did walk along the Perfume River, I did not actually cruise it! Something to do on another trip. Better yet, I’d probably try to plan a sunset cruise with dinner and/or drinks! I know Azerai has a gourmet dining experience and a cocktail cruise experience that you can book with them, but if they’re full, you could also try this dinner cruise option.

20. Visit other museums in Hue

There are a few other museums in Huế I would’ve liked to visit but didn’t make it to. I thought the XQ Hand Embroidery Art Museum looked really interesting as you can learn more about embroidery in Vietnam and even watch some women at work. On that same street, is the Diem Phung Thi Art Museum , all about Dieng Phu Thi who was a huge sculpture artist during wartime.

Near the Royal Antiquities Museum is the General Museum Complex, which is what I think I tried to visit but was definitely under construction. Next to Azerai is the Hồ Chí Minh Museum , which is about Uncle Ho, though I’m not sure how it differs from the Hồ Chí Minh museums in Hanoi and Saigon.

21. See a show at the royal theater

In the Imperial City is the Duyệt Thị Đường Royal Theater (Nhà hát Duyệt Thị Đường) and you actually can go watch a show! They have the times listed outside, and I remember one being more in mid-afternoon. Otherwise you can pop in and see some of the exhibits which give a bit of history to the theater itself and the shows that have gone on here.

22. Visit An Dinh Palace

An Định Palace (Cung An Định) was once the home of Khải Định and later Bảo Đại. This is where he lived after abdicating in 1945. Given that it was renovated under Khải Định, it’s no wonder it looks so European! Definitely somewhere to visit on a return trip or if you’re going, maybe combine with the royal tombs since it’s out that way!

23. Check out the many temples around Hue

One of the first photos I saw of Huế was actually of a huge pagoda at Thien Mu Pagoda. There are quite a few temples that seemed worth visiting — Bao Quoc, and Tu Dam are some I had starred.

24. Specifically visit the temple of Princess Huyen Tran

Vietnamese Name: Trung Tâm Văn Hóa Huyền Trân
Address: 151 Thiên Thai, An Tây, Thành phố Huế

Okay, I went on quite the journey looking up Princess Huyền Trân, whose marriage to Champa king, Chế Mân, gave the Vietnamese the areas that hold Huế long before the Nguyễns were in power. I smell an interesting love story depending on who you believe!

Anyway, while in Huế, you can visit her temple (or cultural center?). Even without knowing who she is or her story, it’s a gorgeous area, not quite as far out as the tomb of Minh Mạng.

25. Visit more of the royal tombs

There are so many more tombs you can visit! I mean the Nguyen dynasty had thirteen emperors, and only two (Bảo Đại and Ham Nghi) were initially buried abroad. This means you can also see the tombs of Gia Long , Thieu Tri , Duc Duc (which is shared with Thanh Thai and Duy Tan), and Hiep Hoa (can’t seem to pinpoint it on a map).

26. Enjoy Nam Giao Esplanade

The Nam Giao Esplanade looks like a very cool area, especially from aerial photos. It was built under Gia Long and was meant to be a place for the emperors to present offerings (including animal sacrifices) to Thuong De . Ceremonies lasted up until Bảo Đại’s abdication in 1945. If you go during the Festival of Huế, you can see a re-enactment of the ceremony.

Hue Travel Tips

Where to stay in hue.

When figuring out where to stay in Huế, I’d take a look mainly at areas around the Citadel if you want to be able to walk more. If you want something quieter, there are few places further out, though they do basically require you to motorbike or get a taxi anytime you leave.

Azerai La Residence Hue

I wrote a whole review of Azerai La Residence Huế if you want to dive into more of why I enjoyed my stay and all the cool aspects of its history. If you enjoy luxury hotels, you 100% do not want to miss staying here, especially right now with all their offers . The staff is lovely and you really cannot beat its location on the Perfume River. Opt for one of the river view rooms and at the very least do not skip afternoon tea. If you really want to splash out, check out their gourmet dinner and sunset cruise!

Pilgrimage Village Hue

A lovely option if you want to stay further away from town is Pilgrimage Village. We stayed here over Christmas before I went to Azerai, and had such a lovely time! Just a shame it wasn’t quite warm enough to totally enjoy the pools (though that didn’t stop us from getting in the warm pool twice). The staff here is absolutely wonderful as well and they even fetched my camera cap for me as I was checking out even though it was at pretty much the opposite end of the resort!

TOVO Hostel

For those on a budget, TOVO Hostel is also super cute! Alyshia found it, and it’s in such a nice spot in town plus the owner is super friendly. I like the cute Santorini-inspired decor! Just a warning, there’s no elevator so you will have to carry your suitcase up some flights of stairs!

Other Places to Stay in Hue

Another place I heard about but didn’t stay is Alba Wellness Resort ! It’s pretty far out of Huế and not necessarily a good base if you plan on packing your days with sightseeing. However, they have hot springs so it could be a nice way to finish your trip, especially if do some sort of Central Vietnam route from Hội An – Đà Nẵng – Huế.

For more midrange and budget options, check out Huế River Side Villas , Tùng Homestay , AnAn Homestay , and Tâm Homestay .

Tours in Hue

It’s pretty easy to DIY your own tour in Huế based on my suggestions above! At least the taxis we experienced were really fair and only charged us when they were driving, not for the whole day. However, I do think it’d be nice to visit Huế with someone versed in its history a bit more since I mostly learned by reading the signs in English and massive Wikipedia and Googling afterwards!

Her are some tour options:

Full Day Tour
Half-Day Tour
Photo Tour by Motorbike
Motorbike Tour

How to Get Around

If you stay closer to the Citadel, it’s super easy to get around on foot, especially if you want to find some good street eats. The tombs are way too far out to walk, but the Citadel and some museums and, of course, the river are all easy to walk around.

This is your best bet if you don’t want a tour or to rent anything on your own! The taxis know all the major points even if you don’t speak Vietnamese, and your hotel can help you arrange where you want to go. And, of course, if all else fails, just call your hotel and hold up the phone LOL.

Taxis are also what Grab will connect you to, unlike in Hanoi or Saigon. Works kinda like Kakaotaxi in Korea.

And, of course, the ultimate option, as it is anywhere in Vietnam, is to rent a motorbike! Most people I know will rent motorbikes for the tombs, though I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have some experience and/or are with someone with more motorbike experience. Huế is still a city and the roads can get busy!

How to Get into Hue

I personally flew from Saigon to Huế . It’s super easy to fly in and Phu Bai Airport is maybe 30ish minutes from the center of Huế. Book transfer here

Pro-tip — If you set Vietnam Airlines to the US, you’ll get an option to pay via Paypal which isn’t available on the Vietnam version of the site.

You could also opt for the train from Đà Nẵng to Huế, which is what my friends did. I already did mostly trains on my first trip, and wasn’t about to do the Saigon – Đà Nẵng – Huế route which will take forever. Any bus or train I like to book on Baolau .

Private Transfer

If you’re coming from Đà Nẵng, you could also easily book a private transfer if you want to avoid public transport in general. And for the more adventurous, there’s also a Hai Van Pass motorbike tour , which is on my list!

Packing Tips & What to Wear

Some areas in the tombs and temples are more conservative and have specific dress code signs. It’s not everywhere, but always good to keep a scarf or jacket with you to put on. I had a jean jacket because some days were actually quite cool!

Otherwise, as always, think linen and cotton for the humidity (it’s very weird being a bit cold but also sticky). I like long linen pants and my midi-skirt as they’re easy to wear and cover my knees just in case I run into a more conservative area!

Sample Packing List

Light jacket – for coverage and cooler weather (maybe less necessary in the summer)
Sweaters – if you go in colder weather. It really cools down when it rains here in the winter, and if the weather had stayed the way it did when I arrived, I would’ve froze.
Easy linen or cotton tops – for humidity and just easy to throw on. I’m very pro finding ways to not wear a bra so I had a few shirts I love.
Longer pants and skirts – just to be on the safe side for dress code! Before you come to Vietnam, check out buying some good linen pants and skirts. If you’re already here, try getting it tailor made!
Mosquito repellent – need I say more?
Sunscreen – even if you have gray skies, everything is pretty much outdoors so you’ll want coverage
Wet shoes – like jelly Birkenstocks or rain shoes, Huế and central Vietnam have been dealing with a ton of rain, so you’ll want something that won’t get ruined if you get caught out in a storm.

And there you have it! All the best things to do in Hue as well as some tips for your trip. Anything to add? I really do want to go back and really dig into the culinary scene here!

For more Vietnam travel, read these posts next:

I’ve been able to explore a lot of this country, so here are all my other guides:

General Vietnam

50 Vietnam Travel Tips
How to Plan a Trip to Vietnam
22 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Vietnam
How to Plan the Ultimate Leaving Vietnam Trip

Northern Vietnam

The Best Things to Do in Hanoi
Hanoi to Halong Bay: How to Get There
A Day Cruise Along Halong Bay
Mu Cang Chai Travel Tips
A Secluded Sapa Itinerary
Hiking & Herbal Baths with the Red Dzao in Sapa

Central Vietnam

Hue in One Day: A Speedy Itinerary
Azerai La Residence Hue Review: A Luxury Stay
How to Visit the Marble Mountains in Da Nang
A Semi-Relaxing Phong Nha Travel Itinerary
Quirkiest Things to Do in Dalat
How to Visit Yok Don National Park
Top Things to Do in Hoi An
How to Spend 3 Days in Hoi An
Hoi An Tailors: Tips for What to Get Made
The Vietage: A Luxury Train in Vietnam
Anantara Quy Nhon Villas: A Luxury Review

Southern Vietnam

Best Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City: A Bucket List
Coolest Things to Do in District 1, HCMC
A Guide to District 5 & Cho Lon, HCMC
Hem 15B Le Than Thon: Guide to Little Japan Saigon
What to Do in Mui Ne and Phan Thiet
Anantara Mui Ne: Best Resort for a Girls’ Getaway
Mekong Delta Day Trip: What to Expect
A Guide to Vinh Long in the Mekong
Con Dao: An Island Travel Guide
Azerai Can Tho: A Luxury Stay in the Mekong
Odys Boutique Hotel Review: A Chic Mid-Range Stay in HCMC

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Moscow Travel Guide: Best Things to Do + More [2023]

· everything to know about visiting moscow, including the best things to do and how to get around. ·.

the red st basils church in moscow on a white winters day

Moscow is Russia’s vibrant capital city, and it also happens to be the largest city in all of Europe. The city’s long and infamous history makes it one of the most unique places we have ever visited.

The architecture ranges from centuries-old palaces to uniform, gray concrete buildings. The people range from cold and private to warm and welcoming. Moscow is a city is strong juxtapositions, and we learned a lot during our time there.

This post will break down all you need to know about visiting Moscow, including the best things to do, how to get there, how to get around, and more.

man and woman standing in front of main church in moscow

The Best Things to Do in Moscow

1. explore the red square.

The Red Square is the heart of Moscow. Most of the city’s top attractions can be found here, including just about everything on this list. The Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Lenin’s Mausoleum are all located here, and the State Historical Museum and GUM are not far from here, either.

The Red Square is a common home for parades, protests, and seasonal celebrations. There are massive Christmas celebrations here, with food vendors and carnival rides set up in numbers.

red orthodox church in moscow russia red square on a winter day

2. Check Out the Ziferblat

The Ziferblat is a café in Moscow that is unlike any café we have ever been to. While most cafes charge you for your drinks and food, the Ziferblat charges you for your time.

Upon arrival, you are given a clock. When you leave, the barista calculates how much time you spent in the café and charges you accordingly. This concept was created to help visitors to be more intentional with their time, and the cafe itself is incredibly charming.

For a detailed look at everything you need to know before you visit, make sure you read my post about visiting the Ziferblat Cafe in Moscow .

3. Marvel at St. Basil’s Cathedral

St. Basil’s Cathedral is one of the most iconic churches in the world, and it was the single thing we were most excited to see while in Moscow. Built almost 500 years ago, St. Basil’s Cathedral is recognized by its colorful domes and whimsical style. The church is of the Russian Orthodox faith, and the inside is just as wondrous as the outside.

St. Basil’s Cathedral is located on the edge of the Red Square, making it incredibly convenient to visit. Entrance for non-worshippers costs 800 rubles, and tickets can be bought at the church

woman in winter jacket standing in front of St Basils Russian Orthodox in moscow on a winter day

4. Explore the Kremlin

The Kremlin is the largest active fortress in Europe, and it is the site of most of Russia’s government affairs. In addition to government buildings, the Kremlin Complex is filled with courtyards, towers, and museums that are open to the public. If you have the time, you could spend a couple of days fully exploring all that there is to see in the Kremlin.

selfie of man and woman pointing to the Kremlin in Moscow

5. Walk Through Lenin’s Mausoleum

Vladimir Lenin is one of the most important figures in Russian history, and his body is located perfectly embalmed in a mausoleum in the Red Square. The Mausoleum is open to the public to visit, and as long as you are willing to go through a few security checks, it is easily one of the best things to do in Moscow. Its convenient location in the Red Square makes it a can’t miss attraction.

There is absolutely no photography allowed inside the Mausoleum. Do not test this rule.

red exterior of lenins mausoleum in moscow russia

6. Wander Along Arbat Street

The Arbat is a very popular street in Moscow that is lined with stores, cafes, and other touristy attractions. It is one of the oldest streets in the city, dating back to the 1400s. This street is both quaint and trendy, and there are many walking tours that introduce tourists to the neighborhood’s wonders and highlights.

man in sinter jacket standing in arbat street moscow at night with glistening white lights strung from the buildings

7. Catch a Show at the Bolshoi Theatre

As a lover of the arts, it is hard to think of Moscow and not think of ballet. Russia has always been a top dog in the world of fine arts, and Bolshoi Theater is one of the best places to catch a performance. We were lucky enough to attend an Opera here, and it is a venue that you don’t want to miss out on if you enjoy opera, ballet, or orchestral performances.

8. Visit the State Historical Museum

The State Historical Museum is one of the most respected museums in Moscow. Despite its name, it is not really focused on the history of Russia as a nation. Rather, it contains a collection of artifacts from all throughout Russia’s history.

The museum’s collection is very broad in nature. It houses some items from indigenous tribes that used to occupy the region, pieces collected by the Romanov family, and more.

9. Wander Around GUM

GUM is an absolutely massive mall within walking distance of the Red Square. It isn’t just the size that draws visitors here; it’s the sense of luxury. The mall is so beautiful inside, much like the metro stations.

While visiting a mall might not sound like it belongs on a bucket list, this mall does. You will not want to miss out on visiting GUM while in Moscow.

people walking inside GUM mall in russia with christmas lights

10. Admire the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

While St. Basil’s Cathedral is the most iconic church in Moscow, it isn’t the only one. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is absolutely stunning, with massive golden domes. It is the tallest Orthodox church in the world, and it is the seat of the Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow.

It is located just about a mile from the Red Square, just south of the Kremlin Complex. You can walk to it from the Red Square in about 20 minutes.

How to Get to Moscow

Flying to moscow.

Moscow has three major international airports: Sheremetyevo (SVO) , Domodedovo (DMO) , and Vnukovo (VKO) . All three of them are directly connected to downtown Moscow by the Aeroexpress trains, which leave every 30 minutes throughout the day. By Aeroexpress train, you can expect to get to the city center in 25-45 minutes depending on the airport that you fly into.

Sheremetyevo is the biggest and busiest of the three airports, and it is the one you are most likely to fly into – especially if you are coming from outside of Europe or the Caucus region. We flew into Sheremetyevo on a direct flight from New York City.

I usually provide backup airport options, because flying right into the city isn’t always the cheapest way to get where you’re going. Unfortunately, when it comes to Moscow, don’t really have a choice other than to fly right into Moscow. It is a very remote city, and it is usually the cheapest place to fly into in Russia as a whole.

Since Sheremetyevo is so busy, you will probably find a great flight option anyway. I wrote in my post about finding cheap flights that using hub airports will lead to more affordable airfare, and the same logic applies here. Even though Russia’s national airline, Aeroflot, is no longer a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, Moscow is still a major hub connecting passengers from all over the world.

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Train or Bus to Moscow

Trains and buses are one of the most popular ways to get around Europe. However, they’re of very little use when you’re trying to get to Moscow.

Moscow is hundreds of miles from the nearest major cities. The only major European city that can even be reached within 8 hours on the ground is St. Petersburg, and even the Baltic capitals of Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn are over 12 hours away.

If you want to get to Moscow, the best option is almost always to fly. While the train routes to Moscow are scenic, they simply take forever.

How to Get Around Moscow

METRO | TROLLEYS | TRAMS | BUSES

Moscow has one of the most memorable metro systems in the world. Its metro lines are very deep underground, and the stations are absolutely stunning. Each station has its own unique style, but all of them contain escalators that seem to go on forever.

turned-on chandelier on ceiling of moscow metro

The system was built in an effort to showcase the power of the Soviet Union and its bright future. The plans were a form of propaganda, but they resulted in what is still one of the most visually appealing subway systems on earth.

Moscow’s metro system isn’t just pretty. It is also very useful and accessible. The system has 17 lines that connect the city and its surrounding area.

But wait; there’s more!

The Moscow metro system is also incredibly affordable, with each ride costing less than a dollar. The metro is by far the best way to get around Moscow, as it is almost impossible to beat the connection times and the low cost to ride.

Tickets can be bought at electronic, English-speaking kiosks in stations, or directly from ticket counters at certain larger stations. There are also day passes available, which are a very solid option if you plan on riding the metro several times per day.

The metro is by far the best way to get around Moscow.

In addition to the metro system, Moscow also has a network of buses, trams, and trolleys. This system is nowhere near as convenient or well-connected as the metro, though, and is likely of little use to you during your trip. There is no Uber in Moscow, but a similar app named Yandex is available if you need a ride in a pinch.

How Many Days Do You Need in Moscow?

Moscow is the biggest city in all of Europe, and it is absolutely loaded with things to do. You could spend weeks in Moscow and still find new things to do. Of course, most travelers don’t have that kind of time to spend in one place!

I recommend spending no less than three full days in Moscow, and ideally closer to five or seven.

Moscow is very spread out, and it can take some time to get from one major point to another. There are also so many places that are nice to just sit back and relax, which is hard to do when you’re in a hurry trying to cram activities into just a few days.

If you only have a week to visit Russia, I’d advise spending all of the time in one city. If you decide to split your time between Moscow and St. Petersburg, I recommend not trying to squeeze in any day trips beyond those two cities.

When Is the Best Time of the Year to Visit Moscow?

There are two different ways to approach this question. Personally, I think the best time to visit Moscow is around Christmas and New Year’s Day. While the weather will be absolutely freezing, Moscow is a surreal winter wonderland in December and January.

We were in Moscow right before Christmas. While it was very cold, you can always bundle up. Exploring the Christmas markets and pop-up ice skating rinks throughout Moscow is one of my favorite memories from anywhere I’ve traveled, and I dream of going back to do it again.

If you aren’t fond of the cold, Moscow is beautiful in the summer. It tends to get pretty cold in the shoulder seasons, so if you want warm weather, you should plan to visit in the summer. Moscow actually gets pretty warm in July and August, and there are a bunch of fantastic places to soak up the sun within the city.

The best time to visit Moscow is either around Christmas or from late May to August.

group of people walking in moscow red square at night with christmas lights everywhere

Is Moscow Safe to Visit?

While Moscow is a truly wonderful city, there’s no denying that visiting Russia comes with risks. As the country is run by an infamous communist dictator, concerns about visiting are valid. While we didn’t experience any sort of threat or negative treatment during our time in Moscow, we visited in a peaceful time.

In our experience, Russia doesn’t seem to detain normal Americans or Westerners to use as pawns. As a regular person, as long as you don’t commit any crimes, there is a slim chance you will run into any issues. However, Russia will not hesitate to enforce its laws against foreigners, and illegal behaviors will likely land you in a very compromising position.

Russia will not hesitate to enforce its laws against foreigners, and illegal behaviors will likely land you in a very compromising position.

To make matters worse, Russia has a bad reputation for gang violence. While the Russian mafia has very little interest in normal Western tourists, they won’t hesitate to pick a fight with anyone who ventures into their sphere of influence. If you seek out illegal substances or activities, you could be a target of the mafia.

If you seek out illegal substances or activities, you could be a target of the mafia.

Finally, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, things are all very different. Russia is currently at war, and there are battles raging within 8 hours of Moscow. While it is still relatively safe to visit, that could change at any time as the war with Ukraine continues.

Is Moscow Worth Visiting?

Without a doubt, Moscow is worth visiting. It is one of the most unique major cities we have ever visited, and we hope to make it back one day. The Russian Orthodox churches are stunning, the city’s history is unlike any other, and the food is to die for.

While many visitors prefer St. Petersburg to Moscow, I think Moscow deserves a lot of hype of its own. Moscow is the beating heart of Russian culture and history, and it’s a place I highly recommend checking out if you have the chance.

woman in head scarf hugging bronze statue of angry bear

That’s all we have for you about Moscow! I hope this post was helpful as you plan your trip to Russia’s capital.

Have you been to Moscow? Or is this your first time visiting? Comment below if you have anything to add to our travel guide!

Hi, I'm Greg. I'm an avid traveler who has traveled to over 50 countries all around the world with my wife and kids. I've lived in Italy, Mexico, China, and the United States, and I dream of moving abroad again in the future. With this blog, I provide my audience with detailed destination guides to my favorite places and pro-tips to make travel as stress-free as possible.

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Home » Europe » Moscow

EPIC MOSCOW Itinerary! (2024)

Moscow is the heart of Mother Russia. Just the mention of this city conjures images of colorful bulbous pointed domes, crisp temperatures, and a uniquely original spirit!

Moscow has an incredibly turbulent history, a seemingly resilient culture, and a unique enchantment that pulls countless tourists to the city each year! Although the warmer months make exploring Moscow’s attractions more favorable, there’s just something about a fresh snowfall that only enhances the appearance of the city’s iconic sites!

If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or simply wanting to see as much of the city as possible, this Moscow itinerary will help you do just that!

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Best Time To Visit Moscow

Where to stay in moscow, moscow itinerary, day 1 itinerary in moscow, day 2 itinerary in moscow, day 3 and beyond, staying safe in moscow, day trips from moscow, faq on moscow itinerary.

Here is a quick look at the seasons so you can decide when to visit Moscow!

The summer months (June-August) are a great time to travel to Moscow to take advantage of the enjoyable mild temperatures. This is considered peak travel season. Bear in mind that hotel prices rise along with the temperatures!

If you’re planning a trip to Moscow during fall (September-November) try to plan for early fall. This way the temperatures will still be pleasant and winter won’t be threatening.

Russian winters (December-February) are not for the faint of heart as Napoleon learned to his peril. Some days the sun will be out for less than an hour, and snow is guaranteed. Although winters are exceptionally cold, this is when you’ll get a true glimpse of the Moscow experience!

The best time to visit Moscow is during spring (March-May). The temperatures will begin to creep up and the sun begins to shine for significant portions of the day. Hotel rates will also have yet to skyrocket into peak ranges!

With a Moscow City Pass , you can experience the best of Moscow at the CHEAPEST prices. Discounts, attractions, tickets, and even public transport are all standards in any good city pass – be sure invest now and save them $$$ when you arrive!

Moscow is a large city with many accommodation options to choose from. Staying in a location that fits with your travel plans will only enhance your Moscow itinerary. Here is a brief introduction to a few great areas of the city we recommend checking out!

The best place to stay in Moscow to be close to all the action is Kitay-Gorod. This charming neighborhood will put you within walking distance to Moscow’s famous Red Square, thus cutting down on travel time. This will allow you to see more of the city in a shorter amount of time!

It’s surrounded by restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops. If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or just planning a quick weekend in Moscow, then this area is perfect for you!

Another great area to consider is the Zamoskvorechye district. This area of the city offers a blend of new and old Moscow. It has an artsy vibe and there are plenty of fun sites you can explore outside of the main touristy areas of Moscow.

Of course, as in all areas of Moscow, it’s close to public transportation that will quickly connect you with the rest of the city and make your Moscow itinerary super accessible!

Best Airbnb in Moscow – Exclusive Apartment in Old Moscow

Modern and cozy, this apartment is in the heart of Old Moscow. Bordering the Basmanny and Kitay-Gorod districts, this two-bedroom flat is walking distance to the Kremlin and Red Square. Safe, quiet, and comfortable, this is the best Airbnb in Moscow, no question!

Best Budget Hotel in Moscow – Izmailovo Alfa Hotel

The Izmailovo Alfa Hotel is a very highly rated accommodation that provides all the components necessary for a comfortable trip to Moscow. There is an on-site restaurant, bar, fitness center, and an airport shuttle service. The rooms are modern and spacious and are equipped with a TV, heating/air conditioning, minibar, and more!

Best Luxury Hotel in Moscow – Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre

If you’re touring Moscow in luxury, the Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre is the hotel for you! Elegantly furnished rooms are equipped with a minibar, flat-screen TV, in-room safes, as well as tea and coffee making facilities! Bathrooms come with bathrobes, slippers, and free toiletries. There is also an onsite restaurant, bar, and fitness center.

Best Hostel in Moscow – Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station. Guests will enjoy all the usual hostel perks such as self-catering facilities, 24-hour reception, Free Wi-Fi, and security lockers. This is one of the best hostels in Moscow and its wonderful social atmosphere and will make your vacation in Moscow extra special!

Godzillas Hostel is one of our favourites in Moscow but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.

An important aspect of planning any trip is figuring out the transportation situation. You’re probably wondering how you’re going to get to all of your Moscow points of interest right? Luckily, this sprawling city has an excellent network of public transportation that will make traveling a breeze!

The underground metro system is the quickest and most efficient way to travel around Moscow. Most visitors rely exclusively on this super-efficient transportation system, which allows you to get to pretty much anywhere in the city! It’s also a great option if you’re planning a Moscow itinerary during the colder months, as you’ll be sheltered from the snow and freezing temperatures!

If you prefer above-ground transportation, buses, trams, and trolleybuses, run throughout the city and provide a rather comfortable alternative to the metro.

Moscow’s metro, buses, trams, and trolleybuses are all accessible with a ‘Troika’ card. This card can be topped up with any sum of money at a metro cash desk. The ticket is simple, convenient, and even refundable upon return to a cashier!

No matter which method you choose, you’ll never find yourself without an easy means of getting from point A to point B!

Red Square | Moscow Kremlin | Lenin’s Mausoleum | St. Basil’s Cathedral | GUM Department Store

Spend the first day of your itinerary taking your own self guided Moscow walking tour around the historic Red Square! This is Moscow’s compact city center and every stop on this list is within easy walking distance to the next! Get ready to see all of the top Moscow landmarks!

Day 1 / Stop 1 – The Red Square

Why it’s awesome: The Red Square is the most recognizable area in Moscow, it has mesmerizing architecture and centuries worth of history attached to its name.
Cost: Free to walk around, individual attractions in the square have separate fees.
Food nearby: Check out Bar BQ Cafe for friendly service and good food in a great location! The atmosphere is upbeat and they’re open 24/7!

The Red Square is Moscow’s historic fortress and the center of the Russian government. The origins of the square date back to the late 15th century, when Ivan the Great decided to expand the Kremlin to reflect Moscow’s growing power and prestige!

During the 20th century, the square became famous as the site for demonstrations designed to showcase Soviet strength. Visiting the Red Square today, you’ll find it teeming with tourists, who come to witness its magical architecture up close!

The square is the picture postcard of Russian tourism, so make sure to bring your camera when you visit! No matter the season, or the time of day, it’s delightfully photogenic!

It’s also home to some of Russia’s most distinguishing and important landmarks, which we’ve made sure to include further down in this itinerary. It’s an important center of Russia’s cultural life and one of the top places to visit in Moscow!

In 1990, UNESCO designated Russia’s Red Square as a World Heritage site. Visiting this historic site is a true bucket-list event and essential addition to your itinerary for Moscow!

Day 1 / Stop 2 – The Moscow Kremlin

Why it’s awesome: The Moscow Kremlin complex includes several palaces and cathedrals and is surrounded by the Kremlin wall. It also houses the principal museum of Russia (the Kremlin Armory).
Cost: USD $15.00
Food nearby: Bosco Cafe is a charming place to grat a casual bite to eat. They have excellent coffee and wonderful views of the Red Square and the Moscow Kremlin!

The iconic Moscow Kremlin , also known as the Kremlin museum complex, sits on Borovitsky Hill, rising above the Moscow River. It is a fortified complex in the center of the city, overlooking several iconic buildings in the Red Square!

It’s the best known of the Russian Kremlins – citadels or fortress’ protecting and dominating a city. During the early decades of the Soviet era, the Kremlin was a private enclave where the state’s governing elite lived and worked.

The Kremlin is outlined by an irregularly shaped triangular wall that encloses an area of 68 acres! The existing walls and towers were built from 1485 to 1495. Inside the Kremlin museum complex, there are five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers.

The Armoury Chamber is a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace’s complex and is one of the oldest museums of Moscow, established in 1851. It showcases Russian history and displays many cherished relics. Definitely make sure to check out this museum while you’re here!

The churches inside the Moscow Kremlin are the Cathedral of the Dormition, Church of the Archangel, Church of the Annunciation, and the bell tower of Ivan Veliki (a church tower).

The five-domed Cathedral of the Dormition is considered the most famous. It was built from 1475–1479 by an Italian architect and has served as a wedding and coronation place for great princes, tsars, and emperors of Russia. Church services are given in the Kremlin’s numerous cathedrals on a regular basis.

The Grand Kremlin Palace was the former Tsar’s Moscow residence and today it serves as the official workplace of the President of the Russian Federation (Vladimir Putin seems to have bagged that title for life) .

Insider Tip: The Kremlin is closed every Thursday! Make sure to plan this stop on your Moscow itinerary for any other day of the week!

Day 1 / Stop 3 – Lenin’s Mausoleum

Why it’s awesome: The mausoleum displays the preserved body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin .
Cost: Free!
Food nearby: Khinkal’naya is a charming Georgian restaurant with vaulted ceilings and exposed brick. It’s a popular place with locals and right next to the Red Square!

Lenin’s Mausoleum, also known as Lenin’s Tomb, is the modernist mausoleum for the revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. It’s located within the Red Square and serves as the resting place for the Soviet leader! His preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death in 1924.

It’s located just a few steps away from the Kremlin Wall and is one of the most controversial yet popular Moscow attractions!

Admission is free for everyone, you’ll only need to pay if you need to check a bag. Before visitors are allowed to enter the mausoleum, they have to go through a metal detector first. No metal objects, liquids, or large bags are allowed in the mausoleum!

Expect a line to enter the building, and while you’re inside the building, you’ll be constantly moving in line with other visitors. This means you won’t be able to spend as long as you’d like viewing the mausoleum, but you’ll still be able to get a good look. Pictures and filming while inside the building are strictly prohibited, and security guards will stop you if they see you breaking this rule.

The mausoleum is only open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday – unless it’s a public holiday or a day scheduled for maintenance. The hours it’s open for each day are limited, make sure to check online before you visit to make sure you can fit this into your Moscow itinerary for that day!

Insider Tip: The Lenin’s Museum is there for people to pay their respect; remember to keep silent and move along quickly, it’s not intended for people to congregate around. Also, men are not allowed to wear hats and everyone must take their hands out of their pockets when inside the building.

Day 1 / Stop 4 – St. Basil’s Cathedral

Why it’s awesome: A dazzling designed cathedral that showcases Russia’s unique architecture. This cathedral is one of the most recognizable symbols of the country!
Cost: USD $8.00
Food nearby: Moskovskiy Chaynyy Klub is a cozy cafe serving food items and pipping hot tea; it’s the perfect place to go if you’re visiting Moscow during the winter months!

Located in the Red Square, the ornate 16th-century St. Basil’s Cathedral is probably the building you picture when you think of Moscow’s unique architecture. Its colorful onion-shaped domes tower over the Moscow skyline!

The cathedral was built from 1555-1561 by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. It was designed with an iconic onion dome facade and enchanting colors that captivate all who see it. Fun fact: If you’re wondering why Russian churches have onion domes, they are popularly believed to symbolize burning candles!

This iconic cathedral has become a symbol of Russia due to its distinguishing architecture and prominent position inside the Red Square. It’s one of the most beautiful, wonderful, and mesmerizing historical cathedrals in the world!

The interior of the church surprises most people when they visit. In contrast to the large exterior, the inside is not so much one large area, but rather a collection of smaller areas, with many corridors and small rooms. There are 9 small chapels and one mausoleum grouped around a central tower.

Visiting the inside is like walking through a maze, there are even small signs all around the cathedral tracing where to walk, and pointing you in the right direction! The walls are meticulously decorated and painted with intricate floral designs and religious themes.

The church rarely holds service and is instead a museum open for the public to visit.

Insider Tip: During the summer months the line to go inside the cathedral can get quite long! Make sure to arrive early or reserve your tickets online to guarantee quick access into the cathedral!

Day 1 / Stop 5 – GUM Department Store

Why it’s awesome: This is Russia’s most famous shopping mall! It’s designed with elegant and opulent architecture and provides a real sense of nostalgia!
Cost: Free to enter
Food nearby: Stolovaya 57 is a cafeteria-style restaurant with a variety of inexpensive Russian cuisine menu items including soups, salads, meat dishes, and desserts. It’s also located inside the GUM department store, making it very easily accessible when you’re shopping!

The enormous GUM Department Store is located within the historic Red Square. It has a whimsical enchantment to it that sets it apart from your typical department store.

A massive domed glass ceiling lines the top of the building and fills the interior with natural sunlight. There are live plants and flowers placed throughout the mall that give the shopping complex a lively and cheerful feel! A playful fountain sits in the center, further adding to the malls inviting a sense of wonder and amusement!

The GUM department store opened on December 2, 1893. Today, it includes local and luxury stores, including Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and many more! There are numerous cafes, restaurants, and even a movie theater inside!

For a special treat, head into Gastronom 1. This 1950s-style shop sells gourmet food items, like wine, freshly-baked pastries, cheese, Russian chocolate, and of course, vodka! Also, be on the lookout for a bicycle pedaling ice cream truck with an employing selling ice cream!

The ambiance is simply amazing, a trip to this idyllic shopping mall is an absolute must on any Moscow itinerary!

Insider Tip: Make sure to carry some small change on you in case you need to use the restroom, you’ll need to pay 50 rubles – or about USD $0.80 to use the bathroom in GUM.

Wanna know how to pack like a pro? Well for a start you need the right gear….

These are packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for the real adventurers – these babies are a traveller’s best kept secret. They organise yo’ packing and minimise volume too so you can pack MORE.

Or, y’know… you can stick to just chucking it all in your backpack…

Novodevichy Convent | Gorky Park | State Tretyakov Gallery | All-Russian Exhibition Center | Bolshoi Theater

On your 2 day itinerary in Moscow, you’ll have a chance to use the city’s excellent public transportation service! You’ll explore a few more of Moscow’s historic highlight as well as some modern attractions. These sites are a little more spread out, but still very easily accessible thanks to the metro!

Day 2 / Stop 1 – Novodevichy Convent

Why it’s awesome: The Novodevichy Convent is rich in imperial Russian history and contains some of Russia’s best examples of classical architecture!
Cost: USD $5.00
Food nearby: Culinary Shop Karavaevs Brothers is a cozy and simple place to have a quick bite, they also have vegetarian options!

The Novodevichy Convent is the best-known and most popular cloister of Moscow. The convent complex is contained within high walls, and there are many attractions this site is known for!

The six-pillared five-domed Smolensk Cathedral is the main attraction. It was built to resemble the Kremlin’s Assumption Cathedral and its facade boasts beautiful snowy white walls and a pristine golden onion dome as its centerpiece. It’s the oldest structure in the convent, built from 1524 -1525, and is situated in the center of the complex between the two entrance gates.

There are other churches inside the convent as well, all dating back from many centuries past. The convent is filled with an abundance of 16th and 17th-century religious artworks, including numerous large and extravagant frescos!

Just outside the convent’s grounds lies the Novodevichy Cemetery. Here, you can visit the graves of famous Russians, including esteemed authors, composers, and politicians. Probably the most intriguing gravestone belongs to Russian politician Nikita Khruschev!

The Novodevichy Convent is located near the Moscow River and offers a peaceful retreat from the busy city. In 2004, it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The convent remains remarkably well-preserved and is an outstanding example of Moscow Baroque architecture!

Insider Tip: To enter the cathedrals inside the complex, women are advised to cover their heads and shoulders, while men should wear long pants.

Day 2 / Stop 2 – Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

Why it’s awesome: A large amusement area in the heart of the city offering many attractions!
Cost: Free!
Food nearby: Check out Mepkato, located inside Gorky Central Park for a casual meal in a cozy setting. There are indoor and outdoor seating options and the restaurant is child-friendly!

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure is a large green space in the heart of Moscow. The park opened in 1928, and it stretches along the scenic embankment of the Moskva River. It covers an area of 300-acres and offers a lovely contrast from the compact city center.

You’ll find all sorts of wonderful attractions, from boat rides to bike rentals to tennis courts and ping-pong tables, and much more! there are an open-air cinema and festive events and concerts scheduled in the summer months. A wide selection of free fitness classes is also offered on a regular basis, including jogging, roller skating, and dancing!

Although many of the options you’ll find here are more suited for outdoor leisure during the summer, you’ll also a selection of winter attractions, including one of Europe’s largest ice rinks for ice-skating!

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

If you’re trying to decide what to do in Moscow with kids, the park also offers several venues designed specifically for kids. Check out the year-round Green School which offers hands-on classes in gardening and art! You can also feed the squirrels and birds at the Golitsinsky Ponds!

The park is very well maintained and kept clean and the entrance is free of charge, although most individual attractions cost money. There is also Wi-Fi available throughout the park.

With so many attractions, you could easily spend all day here! If you’re only planning a 2 day itinerary in Moscow, make sure to plan your time accordingly and map out all the areas you want to see beforehand!

Day 2 / Stop 3 – The State Tretyakov Gallery

Why it’s awesome: The gallery’s collection consists entirely of Russian art made by Russian artists!
Food nearby : Brothers Tretyakovs is located right across the street from the gallery. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric restaurant serving top quality food and drinks!

The State Tretyakov Gallery was founded in 1856 by influential merchant and collector Pavel Tretyakov. The gallery is a national treasury of Russian fine art and one of the most important museums in Russia!

It houses the world’s best collection of Russian art and contains more than 130, 000 paintings, sculptures, and graphics! These works have been created throughout the centuries by generations of Russia’s most talented artists!

The exhibits range from mysterious 12th-century images to politically charged canvases. The collection is rich and revealing and offers great insight into the history and attitudes of this long-suffering yet inspired people!

All pictures are also labeled in English. If you plan to take your time and see everything inside the museum it will take a good 3-4 hours, so make sure to plan your Moscow trip itinerary accordingly! This gallery is a must-see stop for art lovers, or anyone wanting to explore the local culture and history of Russia in a creative and insightful manner!

Insider Tip: When planning your 2 days in Moscow itinerary, keep in mind that most museums in Moscow are closed on Mondays, this includes The State Tretyakov Gallery!

Day 2 / Stop 4 – All-Russian Exhibition Center

Why it’s awesome: This large exhibition center showcases the achievements of the Soviet Union in several different spheres.
Food nearby: Varenichnaya No. 1 serves authentic and homestyle Russian cuisine in an intimate and casual setting.

The All-Russian Exhibition Center is a massive park that presents the glory of the Soviet era! It pays homage to the achievements of Soviet Russia with its many different sites found on the property.

The center was officially opened in 1939 to exhibit the achievements of the Soviet Union. It’s a huge complex of buildings and the largest exhibition center in Moscow. There are several exhibition halls dedicated to different achievements and every year there are more than one hundred and fifty specialized exhibitions!

The Peoples Friendship Fountain was constructed in 1954 and is a highlight of the park. The stunning gold fountain features 16 gilded statues of girls, each representing the former Soviet Union republics.

The Stone Flower Fountain was also built in 1954 and is worth checking out. The centerpiece of this large fountain is a flower carved from stones from the Ural Mountains! Along the side of the fountain are various bronze sculptures.

You will find many people zipping around on rollerblades and bicycles across the large area that the venue covers. It’s also home to amusement rides and carousels, making it the perfect place to stop with kids on your Moscow itinerary! Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and allow a few hours to explore all the areas that interest you!

Day 2 / Stop 5 – Bolshoi Theater

Why it’s awesome: The Bolshoi Theater is a historic venue that hosts world-class ballet and opera performances!
Cost: Prices vary largely between USD $2.00 – USD $228.00 based on seat location.
Food nearby: Head to the Russian restaurant, Bolshoi for high-quality food and drinks and excellent service!

The Bolshoi Theater is among the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world! It also boasts the world’s biggest ballet company, with more than 200 dancers!

The theater has been rebuilt and renovated several times during its long history. In 2011 it finished its most recent renovation after an extensive six-year restoration that started in 2005. The renovation included an improvement in acoustics and the restoration of the original Imperial decor.

The Bolshoi Theater has put on many of the world’s most famous ballet acts! Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered at the theater in 1877 and other notable performances of the Bolshoi repertoire include Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker!

Today, when you visit the theater, you can expect a magical performance from skilled singers, dancers, and musicians with the highest level of technique!

If you don’t have time to see a show, the theater also provides guided tours on select days of the week. Tours are given in both Russian and English and will provide visitors with a more intimate look at the different areas of the theater!

The stage of this iconic Russian theater has seen many outstanding performances. If you’re a fan of the performing arts, the Bolshoi Theater is one of the greatest and oldest ballet and opera companies in the world, making it a must-see attraction on your Moscow itinerary!

Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station.

Towels Included

Cosmonautics Museum | Alexander Garden | Ostankino Tower | Izmaylovo District | Soviet Arcade Museum

Now that we’ve covered what to do in Moscow in 2 days, if you’re able to spend more time in the city you’re going to need more attractions to fill your time. Here are a few more really cool things to do in Moscow we recommend!

Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics

Hear the timeline of the ‘space race’ from the Russian perspective
This museum is fun for both adults and children!
Admission is USD $4.00

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a museum dedicated to space exploration! The museum explores the history of flight, astronomy, space exploration, space technology, and space in the arts. It houses a large assortment of Soviet and Russian space-related exhibits, and the museum’s collection holds approximately 85,000 different items!

The museum does an excellent job of telling the full story of the exciting space race between the USSR and the US! It highlights the brightest moments in Russian history and humanity and is very interesting and fun for all ages!

If you’re a fan of space or just curious about gaining insight into Russia’s fascinating history of space exploration, make sure to add this to your 3 day itinerary in Moscow!

The Alexander Garden

A tranquil place to relax near the Red Square
Green lawns dotted with sculptures and lovely water features
The park is open every day and has no entrance fee

The Alexander Garden was one of the first urban public parks in Moscow! The garden premiered in 1821 and was built to celebrate Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s forces in 1812!

The park is beautiful and well maintained with paths to walk on and benches to rest on. The park contains three separate gardens: the upper garden, middle garden, and lower garden.

Located in the upper garden, towards the main entrance to the park is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame. This monument was created in 1967 and contains the body of a soldier who fell during the Great Patriotic War!

The park stretches along all the length of the western Kremlin wall for about half a mile. Due to its central location in the city, it’ll be easily accessible when you’re out exploring The Red Square.

It provides a bit of relief from the city’s high-energy city streets. Bring a picnic lunch, go for a walk, or just sit and people watch, this is one of the best Moscow sites to wind-down and relax!

Ostankino Television Tower

Television and radio tower in Moscow
Currently the tallest free-standing structure in Europe
Make sure you bring your passport when you visit, you can’t go up without it!

For spectacular views of the city, make sure to add the Ostankino Television Tower to your itinerary for Moscow! This impressive free-standing structure provides stunning views of the city in every direction. The glass floor at the top also provides great alternative views of the city!

It takes just 58 seconds for visitors to reach the Tower’s observation deck by super fast elevator. The tower is open every day for long hours and is a great site in Moscow to check out! There is even a restaurant at the top where you can enjoy rotating views of the city while you dine on traditional Russian cuisine or European cuisine!

The tower is somewhat of an architectural surprise in a city that is not known for skyscrapers! To see the city from a new perspective, make sure to add this stop to your Moscow itinerary!

Izmaylovo District

The most popular attractions in this district are the kremlin and the flea market
Outside of the city center and easy to reach via metro
Most popular during the summer and on weekends

Travel outside the city center and discover a unique area of the city! The Izmaylovo District is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, and one of the coolest places to see in Moscow! The two main attractions we recommend checking out are the Kremlin and the flea market.

The Izmailovo Kremlin was established as a cultural center and molded after traditional Russian architecture. This colorful complex is home to several single-subject museums, including a Russian folk art museum and a vodka museum!

Next to the Kremlin is the Izmailovo open-air market, which dates back to the 17th century! The market is connected to the Izmailovo Kremlin by a wooden bridge. Pick up all your Russian souvenirs here, including traditional handicrafts, paintings, books, retro toys, and Soviet memorabilia!

You will find many hand-made and hand-painted options available at higher prices, as well as mass-produced souvenir options at lower prices!

Museum of Soviet Arcade Games

Closed on Mondays
Filled with old arcade games that visitors get to try out!
The museum also includes a small cafe and burger shop

For something a little different, check out the Museum of Soviet Arcade Games! The museum features roughly 60 machines from the Soviet era, including video games, pinball machines, and collaborative hockey foosball! The machines inside the museum were produced in the USSR in the mid-1970s.

The best part is, most of the games are still playable! Purchase tickets and try the games out for yourself! The museum also has a neat little screening room that plays old Soviet cartoons and an area with Soviet magazines! This unique attraction is a fun addition to a 3 day itinerary in Moscow, and an attraction that all ages will enjoy!

Whether you’re spending one day in Moscow, or more, safety is an important thing to keep in mind when traveling to a big city! Overall, Moscow is a very safe place to visit. However, it is always recommended that tourists take certain precautions when traveling to a new destination!

The police in Moscow is extremely effective at making the city a safe place to visit and do their best to patrol all of the top Moscow, Russia tourist attractions. However, tourists can still be a target for pickpockets and scammers.

Moscow has a huge flow of tourists, therefore there is a risk for pickpocketing. Simple precautions will help eliminate your chances of being robbed. Stay vigilant, keep your items close to you at all times, and don’t flash your valuables!

If you’re planning a solo Moscow itinerary, you should have no need to worry, as the city is also considered safe for solo travelers, even women. Stay in the populated areas, try and not travel alone late at night, and never accept rides from strangers or taxis without a meter and correct signage.

The threat of natural disasters in Moscow is low, with the exception of severe winters when the temperature can dip below freezing! Bring a good, warm jacket if you visit in Winter.

However, please note that Russian views on homsexuality are far less accepting than those in Western Europe. Likewise, Non-Caucasian travellers may sadly encounter racism in Russia .

Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance for Moscow

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

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Now that we’ve covered all the top things to see in Moscow, we thought we’d include some exciting day trips to other areas of the country!

Sergiev Posad (Golden Ring)

On this 7-hour guided tour, you’ll visit several scenic and historic areas of Russia. Start your day with hotel pick-up as you’re transferred by a comfortable car or minivan to Sergiev Posad. Admire the charming Russian countryside on your drive and enjoy a quick stop to visit the Russian village, Rudonezh!

You’ll see the majestic Saint Spring and the Church of Sergiev Radonezh. You’ll also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, one of the most famous Orthodox sites in Russia!

Lastly, you’ll swing by the local Matreshka market and enjoy a break in a nice Russian restaurant before returning to Moscow!

Day Trip to Vladimir and Suzdal

On this 13-hour trip, you’ll discover old Russia, with its picturesque landscapes and white-stoned beautiful churches! You’ll visit the main towns of the famous Golden Ring of Russia – the name for several cities and smaller towns north-east of Moscow.

Your first stop will be in the town of Vladimir, the ancient capital of all Russian principalities. The city dates back to the 11th century and is one of the oldest and the most important towns along the Ring! Next, you’ll visit Suzdal, a calm ancient Russian town north of Vladimir with only 13,000 inhabitants!

The old-style architecture and buildings of Suzdal are kept wonderfully intact. If you’re spending three days in Moscow, or more, this is a great option for exploring the charming areas outside the city!

Zvenigorod Day Trip and Russian Countryside

On this 9-hour private tour, you’ll explore the ancient town of Zvenigorod, one of the oldest towns in the Moscow region! As you leave Moscow you’ll enjoy the stunning scenery along the Moscow River, and make a few stops at old churches along the way to Zvenigorod.

Upon arrival, you’ll explore the medieval center, including the 14th-century Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery. Next, you’ll take a break for lunch (own expense) where you’ll have the chance to try out the Russian cuisine! Next, you’ll visit the Museum of Russian Dessert and sip on tea at a Russian tea ceremony.

The final stop of the day is at the Ershovo Estate, a gorgeous place to walk around and enjoy nature!

Day Trip to St Petersburg by Train visiting Hermitage & Faberge

Day Trip to St Petersburg by Train visiting Hermitage and Faberge

On this full-day tour, you’ll enjoy a a full round trip to St Petersburg where you’ll spend an exciting day exploring another popular Russian city! You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Moscow and be transferred to the train station where you’ll ride the high-speed train ‘Sapsan’ to St Petersburg.

Upon arrival, you’ll start the day by touring the Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace. Next, you’ll visit the Faberge Museum, where you’ll explore the impressive collection of rare Faberge Eggs! In the afternoon, enjoy a sightseeing boat ride and a traditional 3-course Russian lunch.

If you’re spending 3 days in Moscow, or more, this is an excellent trip to take!

Trip to Kolomna – Authentic Cultural Experience from Moscow

On this 10-hour tour, you’ll escape the city and travel to the historic town of Kolomna! First, you’ll visit the 14th-century Kolomna Kremlin, home to the Assumption Cathedral and an abundance of museums!

Next, enjoy lunch at a local cafe (own expense) before embarking on a tour of the Marshmallow Museum – of course, a marshmallow tasting is provided! Your final stop is the Museum of Forging Settlements, where displays include armor and accessories for fishing and hunting.

Discover this beautiful Russian fairytale city on a private trip, where all of the planning is taken care of for you!

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Find out what people want to know when planning their Moscow itinerary.

How many days you need in Moscow?

We recommend that you spend at least two or three days in Moscow to take it all in.

What’s the best month to visit Moscow?

The best time to visit Moscow is over the spring, from March to May as temperatures are mild, crowds are thin and prices are reasonable.

What are some unusual things to do in Moscow?

I mean, queuing up to see an almost 100 year old corpse is pretty unsual! Check out Lenin’s Mausoleum if you fancy it!

What are some fun things to do in Moscow?

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a fun place to explore the famous space race from the perspective of the ‘other side’!

We hope you enjoyed our Moscow itinerary! We’ve made sure to cover all the Moscow must-sees as well as some unique attractions in the city! Our addition of insider tips, favorite food stops, and day trips from Moscow is an added bonus and will guarantee you make the most out of your exciting Russian vacation!

Immerse yourself in the modern and traditional Russian lifestyle! Get lost in museums, witness awe-inspiring architecture, and indulge in Russian cuisine! Spend the day strolling through all of the charming sites of Moscow, admiring the beautiful scenery and discovering the city’s fairytale-like enchantment!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Alya and Campbell

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Hotel Novotel Moscow City in Moscow

Airport Shuttle (surcharge)
Shuttle Service (surcharge)
Concierge Service
Fax/Photocopying
Currency Exchange
Ironing Service
Breakfast in the Room
Dry Cleaning
Business Centre
Meeting/Banquet Facilities
Room Service
Internet Services
Free Wi-Fi Internet Access Included
Turkish/Steam Bath
Spa & Wellness Centre
Fitness Centre
Restaurant (buffet)
Restaurant (à la carte)
Designated Smoking Area
Air Conditioning
Breakfast Buffet
Luggage Storage
Design Hotel
Soundproofed Rooms
Safety Deposit Box
Express Check-In/Check-Out
Rooms/Facilities for Disabled Guests
Non-Smoking Rooms
24-Hour Front Desk
Pets Allowed
Free Parking
Accepted credit cards
American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Diners Club, JCB, Maestro
Presnenskaya Naberezhnaya 2
Hotel facilities
Important information

The four-star Novotel Hotel is located in proximity to Sheremetyevo International Airport, in a region with developed infrastructure. It will take about 20 minutes to reach the center of Moscow by car. The main sights of the Russian capital are located 28 km away from the hotel. For the hotel guests` convenience, free buses regularly run between the Novotel Hotel and the center of Moscow.

Close to the hotel the picturesque estate Arkhangelskoe, which ranges among the most interesting historical monuments of Moscow, is situated.

The Novotel Hotel is the part of the Novotel chain that numbers more than 400 hotels in different countries of the world. For 30 years the Novotel is a synonym of hospitality and high standards of services. This Moscow hotel will provide a comfortable environment for both business and leisure travelers.

Similar hotels

Salut hotel, kvart apartments at arbat, kvart apartments at mayakovskaya.

The Moscow Hotels Russia provides travelers with the most useful and up-to-date information on the best hotels of Moscow. With the help of our website you can easily reserve a room in any hotel of Moscow through our online reservation system. In addition to hotel reservations, we offer a full range of travel services. We serve both corporate and leisure clients and strive to satisfy every customer.

View prices for your travel dates

Hue Thuong is an excellent choice for travellers visiting Hue, offering a budget friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.

For those interested in checking out popular landmarks while visiting Hue, Hue Thuong is located a short distance from Huyen Tran Princess Temple (0.1 mi) and Hue Royal Palace (0.7 mi).

The rooms offer air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a kitchenette, and getting online is possible, as free wifi is available, allowing you to rest and refresh with ease.

Hue Thuong features a concierge, room service, and a coffee shop. Guests arriving by vehicle have access to free parking.

There is no shortage of things to do in the area: explore popular history museums such as Hue Cultural Museum and Hue War Museum.

Enjoy your stay in Hue!

Excellent 29
Very Good 17
All languages ( 53 )
English ( 32 )
French ( 8 )
Vietnamese ( 4 )

" Get one of the bigger rooms if you have a lot of luggage "

" Check offered room so you get what you want. The street can be a bit busy in the morning. "

" Not at the front if you like to sleep! "

" If you can afford a family room - go for it. They are considerably bigger than double rooms and well worth the extra cost. "

" If you're a bit tall and/or wide, go for the family rooms / twin rooms as the "double" beds are tiny! "

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Things to do in Moscow: how to visit Moscow | Unmissable, cool & unusual

September 2, 2023

What are the best things to do in Moscow? What to do in Moscow? First, I will list the main places to visit by theme, passing by the must-sees, but also more unusual places in Moscow. Then, I will describe what to see in Moscow in one day and how to visit Moscow in 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 days. Let’s go!

Good to know. For more information, click on the places to open the dedicated blog posts.

Main places to visit in Moscow & best things to do in Moscow

I worked in Moscow and I loved this city for its dynamism and energy. We find there from time to time to see friends, remember good memories and enjoy this giant city! Then the time has come for us to share with you our practical guide.

TOP 5 must-see places in Moscow

Moscow Red Square
St. Basil’s Cathedral
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Bolshoi Theatre

Places of cultural, historical and religious interest in Moscow

Novodevichy Convent and cemetery
Tretyakov Gallery
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
Kremlin Izmaïlovo (pseudo-historic place, recently built in the image of the old, one of the best things to do in Moscow for your Instagram account 😉 )
Park and ancient village of Kolomenskoye

Visit Moscow of the Soviet era

Moscow State University and Sparrows Hill
VDNKh and the Museum of Astronautics, one of the key landmarks of the Soviet era in Moscow
GULAG Museum
Metro stations
The Stalinist skyscrapers, scattered all over the city

Less touristy places in Moscow

Gorky Park and the GARAGE museum
The old Krasny Oktyabr factory
Zaryadye Park
Center for Contemporary Art, WINZAVOD
Business center, Moscow City

Main districts of Moscow to visit

Patriarch Ponds
Tchistye Prudy
Kuznetsky most
Arbat Street

However, regardless of the length of your stay, whether you are going to visit Moscow in 4 days or in 2, you need a visa. The article Obtaining a tourist visa for Russia could then be useful in any case.

What to do and see in Moscow in one day?

List of things to see and do in Moscow in one day:

Go to Red Square
Visit St. Basil’s Cathedral
See Kremlin walls (but not to visit)
Visit Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Discover Kuznetsky most districts and see Bolshoi Theatre building
And if you have time at the end of the day: go to the Sparrows Hill or to the Moscow City for a beautiful view

Things to do in Moscow in 2 days

If you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, there are 2 purposes: do not miss the essential places of Moscow and optimize travel.

First day: Red Square , Saint Basil’s Cathedral , Zariadye Park, Bolshoi Theatre , Kremlin
Day 2: Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the former Krasny Oktyabr factory on Balchug Island, Gorky Park, Moscow State University (one of the Seven Sisters buildings ) and Sparrow Hill

As 2 days os really short, be sure to choose an accommodation in the best districts where to stay in Moscow .

Walking on Red Square in Moscow: one of the unmissable things to do in Moscow

Iconic place and one of the must-see places in Moscow and even in Russia! Besides, if there was only one place to visit in Moscow in 2 days, this place would then be Red Square, without hesitation. Therefore, starting the city tour with Red Square is ideal . Several buildings are on the square, but not all of them have to be visited. Check out my blog post about Moscow’s Red Square in detail to learn more and not miss anything.

Visiting Saint-Basil’s Cathedral inside

Even more emblematic than Moscow’s Red Square! Built in the middle of the 16th century under the orders of Tsar Ivan Le Terrible, this cathedral is one of the most beautiful monuments of Orthodox art, and definitely one of the unmissable places in Moscow. Visiting Saint-Basil’s Cathedral inside is one of the most beautiful things to do in Moscow!

Visit estimate time : 1h30
Entry ticket : 700 RUB. Tickets can be purchased on the cathedral’s official website 45 days before the tour.
Audio guide (recommended): 500 RUB
Opening hours : June to August 10 am-6pm; from November to April: 11 am-5pm; May, September, October 11 am-5pm. Cathedral closed on Wednesdays. Entrance is closed 45 minutes before closing.
Find out more in the dedicated article: Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow

Take a walk in Zariadye park: one of the coolest things to do in Moscow after visiting Red Square

Zaryadie Park is just a 10-minute walk from St. Basil’s Cathedral, so it’s easy to include in your itinerary if you’re going to visit Moscow in 2 days. From its heights, you can see the red walls of the Kremlin. But, the most impressive point of view is the platform which overlooks the Moskva river. A must see! And clearly one of the coolest things to do in Moscow!

Open 24 hours a day
Good to know! Park Zaryadye is also a place to visit in Moscow in winter. Find out more here: What to do in Moscow in winter?

See the Bolshoi Theatre and discover the Kuznetsky Most district

The Bolshoi Theatre is the most famous Russian theater in the world. The most economical way to see a presentation at the Bolshoi Theater is to take the tickets on the theater’s official website in advance, so here is our tutorial to help you: How to buy entrance tickets to the Bolshoi? In addition, several pedestrian or one-way streets

The Bolshoi Theater is the most famous Russian theater in the world. The most economical way to see a presentation at the Bolshoi Theater is to take the tickets on the theater’s official website in advance, so here is our tutorial to help you: How to buy tickets to the Bolshoi? In addition, several pedestrian or one-way streets are located north of the theater. It is therefore very pleasant to find them to leave the main axes of the megalopolis.

IMG_3040 tickets Bolshoi Theatre dress code

Visit the Moscow Kremlin

Visit Kremlin is on top of things to do in Moscow. A place of power for centuries, the Kremlin then shows us a whole different image when viewed from the inside. If you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, the Kremlin is certainly one of the must-see places in Moscow.

Opening hours : Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thursday.
See our blog post about visiting the Moscow Kremlin

Moscow Kremlin: skip-the-line tickets and 8 things not to miss

Visit the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

This impressive Moscow Cathedral is the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is a must see if you visit Moscow in 2 days and clearly one of the things to do in Moscow. The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was first built in 1883 in memory of Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s Grand Army. Then in 1931 Stalin ordered its destruction. It was then rebuilt again (identically) only in 2000.

Where? Ulitsa Volkhonka 15. At the foot of the Kropotkinskaya metro station.
Opening hours . Daily: 10: 00-17: 00, except Monday: 13: 00-17: 00
Free entry (some closing restrictions, for example a short)

Good to know! In orthodox religious places, one must avoid excessively uncovered clothing. Women should cover their heads. After visiting the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, you can explore Bolotny Island and Gorky Park. This is one of the routes our guide to Moscow.

The old Krasny Oktyabr factory: one of the coolest things to do in Moscow

If you cross the Moskva River by a pedestrian bridge which is located just in front of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, you will enjoy a beautiful view of the city and at the same time you can discover Balchug Island. Furthermore, if you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, you can include this island in your itinerary between the cathedral and Gorky park. Here is the old confectionery factory Krasny Oktyabr, which has gradually turned into a fashionable micro-district. There are then some elements of street art, cafes and restaurants and some Moscow bohemian side. At the end of the island you can see a gigantic 98-meter-high monument dedicated to the Russian reforming tsar Pierre The Great.

Good to know! You can find on this island are the trendiest nightclubs in Moscow. On weekends, there are taxi caps after midnight so there are so many people. On the other hand, if you go there in winter and during the day, the island is quite empty and less interesting to see.

Gorky Park is one of the TOP places to visit in Moscow, because it allows you to better understand the life of the locals and their rhythm. In fact, it’s a huge entertainment park. For example, in winter there is a giant ice rink and in summer – free dance or yoga lessons, sandy beaches for playing volleyball, an outdoor cinema. So, like the locals, have a Stakantchik (ice cream or cooked corn), and enjoy the atmosphere of the place: that’s one of the interesting things to do in Moscow to discover the city.

Where? Krymsky Val 9. 20 minutes’ walk from Krasny Oktyabr, along the quays.

Sparrow Hill and Moscow State University

The Sparrow Hill, Vorobiovy Gori in Russian, is the highest point in Moscow. It is rather known to Russians, but less to travelers. A nice view on Moscow opens from the hill, and in particular on the Luzhniki Stadium. In addition, on the hill itself is the Moscow State University: an impressive skyscraper from the Soviet era.

How to get there? By bus T7 (35 min) from Oktyaborskaya station, near Gorki Park. By metro (Vorobiovy Gorki station) + climb the hill on foot. On foot along the Moskva along the Gorky Park (1h30) + climb in funiculars.

Good to know! It is possible to cross the Moskva river by funicular. We actually tested it and it was pretty cool! That is one of our favorite things to do in Moscow!

What to do in Moscow in 3 days?

If you are going to visit Moscow in 3 days, it would be interesting to dive into the Soviet era which strongly marked the country and the city. After the Bolshevik Revolution, the capital was transferred from Saint Petersburg to Moscow, in order to mark the change of power. Moscow then became the world showcase for communist ideology. Here are the best things to do in Moscow for 3-day-trip!

VDNKh, visit Moscow of the Soviet era

VDNKh is a large exhibition center in the north of Moscow, where there are still several striking witnesses of the USSR. The most interesting are the Museum of Cosmonauts and the Statue of the Worker and the Kolkhozian , which will certainly impress you with its size!

GULAG History Museum

The explanations of the museum are very well done. We really have the feeling of going back in time. If you are going to visit Moscow in 3 days and you are interested in history and this subject in particular, I recommend this museum. Visit the GULAG History Museum is one of the most interesting things to do in Moscow.

Discover the Patriarche Pounds district

It’s a nice neighborhood in Moscow where you can come across rather affluent locals, but not necessarily very bling-bling. Take a walk in this area is really a cool thing to do in Moscow! In addition, the Ponds of Patriarch is one of the places of Bulgakov’s novel “Master and Margarita”. As this is an interesting area to see, we have included it in a walking tour of Moscow. The route ends at the Moscow Kremlin, which is very convenient, because you will be able to visit Moscow in 3 days by optimizing your trips.

What to visit in Moscow in 4 days: TOP things to do in Moscow in 4 days

If you want to visit Moscow in 3 days, you will already see a lot of things. On the other hand, if you stay one more day, you have plenty to do! The Novodevichy Convent, the Tchistie Proudy district and the Izmaylovo Kremlin are very good candidates for you, if you are going to visit Moscow in 4 days.

Visiting Novodevichy Convent in Moscow

The Novodevichy Convent is one of the most brilliant examples of Russian architecture, according to UNESCO. This beautiful complex was built in 1524 and today consists of the convent, but also of a cemetery whose status could be compared to that of Père-Lachaise in Paris. Visiting Novodevichy Convent is one of the great things to do in Moscow, if you want to go a little bit outside of the center!

Discovering Tchistye Proudy district

It’s one of the most popular areas of Moscow, with many cafes, restaurants and bars nearby. It is therefore a place to discover if you want to visit Moscow in 4 days. It is just as pleasant for a stroll as for the discovery of local life. For example, in winter the pond turns into an ice rink.

Visiting the Izmaylovo Kremlin, one of the coolest things to do in Moscow!

The Izmaylovo Kremlin is more of a tourist than a historic place. On the other hand, it is a pretty impressive place to discover, especially on weekends. Inside the Kremlin, there is a flea market where you can find a little bit of everything, but mostly good souvenirs to bring from Moscow. For example, chapka, traditional Russian scarves or matryoshka (Russian dolls). Add the Kremlin and the Izmaïlovo market to your itinerary if you are going to visit Moscow in 4 days, because it is a nice and very colorful place! Visiting the Izmailovo Kremlin is one of the things to do in Moscow, if you want to put colors in your Instagram account! 😉

In 4 days, we will have the opportunity to see several Moscow: Classic Moscow, Moscow of old Russia, Soviet Moscow and a little bit of the new Moscow. So what to visit in Moscow on the 5th day of travel?

What to visit in Moscow in 5 days?

Art lovers will be delighted to discover the Tretyakov Gallery and the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, while others will prefer to stroll along Arbat Street, see the buildings of Moskva-City or visit Bunker 42.

Admiring Russian art at Tretyakov Gallery

Founded in 1856 by an industrialist and great lover of art, the gallery has grown over the decades, and then bequeathed to the state. Today the collection includes more than 140,000 pieces, 15,000 of which are paintings. Visiting the Tretyakov Gallery is one of the things to do in Moscow if you want to discover Russian art!

Where? Pereoulok Lavrouchinski 10. A 5-minute walk from Tretiakovskaya station
Opening hours. Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Closed on Mondays.
Entry tickets. 500 RUB.

Visiting the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts presents the treasures of ancient Egypt, the paintings of Rembrandt and Cézanne, a fine collection of Impressionism.

Where? Ulitsa Volkhonka 12
Opening hours. Daily: 10: 00-20: 00, except Thursday: 11: 00-21: 00. Closed on Mondays. The boxes close an hour before closing.
Entry tickets. The prices vary according to the collections from 300 to 750 RUB.

Walking on Arbat Street

All Russians know Rue Arbat. So, walking on Arbat street is one of the things to do in Moscow. However, after the years, little by little it became very touristy. This is a pedestrian street only. There are souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes there, but it is no longer the most authentic neighborhood in the city.

Seeing the buildings of Moskva-City (Moscow City)

Moskva-City is Moscow’s business center, much like Paris’s Defense district. The skyscrapers of Moskva-City are among the tallest in Europe: 373 meters high! Very nice place to see at dusk.

Good to know! You can admire a nice view of Moscow City from the docks of Tarasa Shevchenko. It’s especially beautiful in the evening with all the lights on.

Bunker 42, one of the most unusual things to do in Moscow

Bunker 42 is a secret military complex which was to be used by the Soviets in the event of a nuclear attack: a space of 7000 m² 65 meters underground!

Where? 5 Kotelnitcheski Lane, 11.
Prices. 2200 RUB per person
Opening hours. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Restaurant inside. Original, but rather a tourist trap.

What to visit in Moscow in 6 days or more?

There are still so many places to see, because Moscow is a big megalopolis and there is always something exciting to do there. For example: the ancient Kolomenskoye village or the WINZAVOD contemporary art center .

If you are interested in history and want to see Russian cities on a rather “human scale”, it would certainly be interesting for you to discover the cities of the Golden Ring . For example, it is very easy to get to Sergey Posad from Moscow (less than 2 hours in train). Visiting the Golden Ring is one of the best things to do in Moscow if you are staying more than a 5-6 days.

There are still plenty of places to see in Moscow, however I did my best to list here the best things to do in Moscow, what to see in Moscow in one day, but also in 2, 3, 4 or 5 days in Moscow!

Moscow travel tips:

Airport transfer: how to go to Moscow?
Where to stay in Moscow (hotels, districts)?
Tourist voucher for Russian visa
Christmas and New Year in Moscow
What is the best time to visit Moscow?

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3. Marvel at St. Basil's Cathedral. St. Basil's Cathedral is one of the most iconic churches in the world, and it was the single thing we were most excited to see while in Moscow. Built almost 500 years ago, St. Basil's Cathedral is recognized by its colorful domes and whimsical style.
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Things to do in Moscow in 2 days. If you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, there are 2 purposes: do not miss the essential places of Moscow and optimize travel. First day: Red Square, Saint Basil's Cathedral, Zariadye Park, Bolshoi Theatre, Kremlin. Day 2: Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the former Krasny Oktyabr factory on Balchug Island ...

25 Best Things To Do In Hue (Vietnam)

1. Visit the Tombs of the Ancient Emperors

2. Visit the Tu Hieu Pagoda

3. Walk along the Perfume River

4. Sample the food

5. Explore Huyen Tran Princess Temple

6. Visit the Imperial Citadel

7. Have a blind massage

8. Admire the Thien Mu Pagoda

9. Visit Phu Bai Airport

10. Soak in the Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs

11. Visit the Royal Theatre

12. Cycle around the city

13. Take a photo at the Hue Sign

14. Shop at the Hope Center

15. Journey to Bach Ma National Park

16. Visit the Ho Quyen Tiger Fighting Arena

17. Admire Hon Chen Temple

18. Take a trip to Elephant Springs

19. Take a Huda Brewery Tour

20. Shop at Dong Ba Market

21. Sunbathe on Thuan An Beach

22. Visit the Royal Antiquities Museum

23. Walk across the Thanh Toan Bridge

24. Visit the Healing the Wounded Heart Shop

25. Have dinner at Ancient Hue Royal Cuisine and Gallery

25 Best Things To Do In Hue (Vietnam):

The history

Hue tourist map

Hue weather

How to get to Hue?

From Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to Hue

From Da Nang To Hue

How to go around Hue City?

Where to stay in Hue?

Hotels in Hue

Homestays in Hue

Resorts in Hue

The most attractive destinations in Hue

The Imperial Citadel of Hue

1. The Flag Tower

2. Ngo Mon Gate

3. Thai Hoa Palace

4. The Mieu

5. Hung Mieu

6. Others relics

Long An Palace

Phung Tien Palace

Hien Lam Cac

Attractive destinations in Hue

1. Thien Mu Pagoda

2. Seven royal tombs

Khai Dinh Tomb

Tu Duc Tomb

3. Perfume River – Trang Tien Bridge

4. Dong Ba Market

5. The Beaches

Lang Co Bay

Thuan An beach

Canh Duong Beach

Tam Giang Lagoon

Chuon Lagoon

Lap An Lagoon

7. Others attractions

Thien An Hill – Thuy Tien Lake

Thuy Xuan Incense Village

Phuoc Tich pottery village

Bach Ma National Park

Must-try dishes in Hue

2. Bun Bo Hue

3. Hue Cakes

4. Banh Canh

Annual festivals and cultural experiences in Hue

unique cultural experiences you must try in Hue

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