Hue

The long history of establishment and development is always the pride of Hue people. Step back to 13th century, Hue was added to Dai Viet Kingdom as a wedding gift from Cham King when he married Huyen Tran princess. Then Lord Nguyen Hoang chose this land to be the capital of South Region in 1558, King Gia Long chose Hue as the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty.
During a long time, Hue was the political and cultural centre of the Feudal State of Vietnam. Nowadays, people can see remarks from the past as hundreds of historical and cultural places remaining in Hue.

Visitors can find several historical structures situated along the bank of romantic Huong River (Perfume River), including more than 100 architectural works reflecting the life of Emperors and mandarins under Nguyen’s reign. Architecture in Hue is the combination of royal architect, folk, religious ones, traditional and modern sides. On December 11th, 1993, it was listed as the world cultural heritage by UNESCO . On the north bank of the river is the Imperial Citadel, built along the line of Peking’s Forbidden City, enclosed by 10-metre thick walls and surrounded by a moat. A few kilometers further up the river are perhaps Hue’s best-known religious site. Inside the citadel, there are still wonders. For example, the seat of the Nguyen emperors occupying a large, walled area on the north side of the river. Inside the citadel was a forbidden city where only the concubines, emperors, and those close enough to them were granted access, the punishment for trespassing was death penalty.

Besides those  architecture works, there are mysterious tombs of ancient Kings. During Nguyen Dynasty, Nguyen Kings set their resting places in the middle of the hills on the Southern bank of Huong River. Among these tombs are the four famous ones with the name and the arrangements of the tomb reflecting each Emperor’s points of view, personality, and tastes. This is majestic Gia Long tomb, imposing Minh Mang tomb, poetic Tu Duc tomb and magnificent Khai Dinh tomb. No architects who would like to discover ancient architecture of Vietnam could ignore Hue’s old citadel vestiges.

Another cultural specialty of this old royal capital is Nha Nhac (Court music). Vietnamese court music was performed at annual ceremonies, including anniversaries and religious holidays, as well as special events such as coronations, funerals or official receptions, by highly trained and skilled court musicians. Along with the musicians, a number of intricate court dances also exist. Both musicians and dancers wore elaborately designed costumes during their performances. This royal music is recognized by UNESCO as oral masterpiece and intangible cultural heritage of humanity on 7th November 2003, at the official meeting in Paris.

BEST PLACES TO VISIT:

1. Bach Ma National Park:
Situated in the Annamite Range (Truong Son), in central Vietnam and near Hue City, Bach Ma national park is an ideal place for camping, trekking, or just simple wandering around seeing the biodiversity here. This national park represents around one-fifth of the entire flora of the country, possessing a precious source of flora. In addition, Bach Ma is also a paradise for natural lovers, especially those who is fond of bird-watching. Numerous bird species, including the fabulous crested argus pheasant and the tenacious Edwards’ pheasant (the symbol of Bach Ma National Park),  are the best motivation for bird lovers to enjoy this green destination.
Location: Thua Thien Hue
Hours: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

2. Vong canh hill:
Regarded as the best place to catch a panoramic view of the Huong River, tourists absolutely should not miss this spot. This 43m high hill has a surrounding area filled up with royal tombs of not only King Tu Duc but also Dong Khanh’s, Thieu Tri’s and several Queens’. Vong Canh is an ideal place to picture an ancient but magnificent Hue.
Climb up here, viewers are often seduced by the villages stretching along the river banks: Huong Ho, Hai Cat, Ngoc Ho, etc. with fruit gardens under the shades of pine trees, corn field, small boats silently skimming and then drawing several lines on the tranquil water surface. From sunrise to sunset, the soft-silk-strip Perfume River charms bystanders by the atmosphere that it brings to the life surrounding. Vong Canh Hill overlooks the marvelous and elaborate modifications of the water colors upon various nuances of sunlight and sky.
Hours: All day

3. Hue Imperial Citadel:
Pround of being one of Vietnam’s 7 Unesco world heritage sites, the Imperial City of Hue has long been a must see attraction for tourists visiting a hidden charm of Vietnam.This massive site has six meters high and 2.5 km long wall surrounding the citadel,dated back to the early 1800s.
The architecture has a strong Chinese influence as once ruled.
There are total of ten main majestic gates leading to the Imperial City of Hue, which can be divided into two main parts excluding houses and mansions: The Citadel and The Forbidden City. The former served to protect the important palaces inside while the latter was where the emperor and the royal family stayed as well as the court’s workplace. All the typically traditional Eastern architectures including majestic palaces, tombs and museums stand accordantly together to make an utmost amusing attraction right in the heart of Vietnam.
Hours: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
4. Hue Temple of Literature
Majestically located on the bank of Huong River, the Temple of Literature (also known as Van Mieu Hue) is a well-known temple worshiping Confucius, apart from the most famous one in Hanoi. The south-facing monument was built in 1908 during the reign of King Gia Long, on the top of the hill. Over the years afterwards, the temple has gone through several major restoration works.
The remaining of the complex consists of about 50 architectural works, the biggest of which is the worshiping hall of Confucius. From the main gate by the riverside, you can see four tall and majestic pillars and a large sign hung high above, with the words “Dao Tai Luong Gian” (The principles in the world) and “Trac Viet Thien Co” (Higher than ever before) written. Passing the gate, we would see several small houses where kings and mandarins would stop by to prepare their outfits before going inside to attend the ceremony. At the front there are two rows of 32 preserved steles bearing the names of 239 successful candidates in National Examinations organized through the Nguyen Dynasty. Although the monument has been damaged during the war, main temple and especially the steles still remain.
Entrance: Free
Hours: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

5. Quoc Hoc Hue
Quoc Hoc (National high school) was the first and also the oldest high school in Vietnam for children from royal and noble families. Established in 1896, after more than 100-year history, Quoc Hoc today is still a well-maintained French colonial-style construction. The school is a complex of five blocks of classrooms, big football field, basketball court, five badminton courts, a swimming pool, a medium stadium and also a block of dormitory. It’s considered the largest and also the most beautiful high school campus in Vietnam. French colonialists built this school to train those who would serve the feudal colonial government. Now Hue National High School and is a high-profile school that all students must pass a competitive entrance exam to get the admission.
For tourists, please note that the school does not allow entrances before classes end at 5:15 PM everyday.
6. Thien Mu Pagoda
The pagoda is located on the northern bank of the Perfume River. Having gone through a lot of eventful phase, damages as well as renovations, today the pagoda still exists and remains the unofficial symbol of the ancient city Hue.
The first impression when tourists arrive here is the seven-storey octagonal tower named Phuoc Duyen Tower (formerly Tu Nhan Tower). Built in mid-19th century by King Thieu Tri, the tower was to commemorate the 80th birthday anniversary of his grandmother. Passing the 3-door gate with 12 huge wooden sculptures of fearsome temple guardians, you will see Dai Hung Palace – the main sanctuary of Thien Mu Pagoda in the middle of the area. Here, Buddha is worshipped with impressive sculptures and a giant bell, measuring 2.5m in height and 2 tons in weight, created since early 18th century. Fragrant incense smoke fills the air there all day long, making the praying for blessings calm and peaceful.
Coming to this prestigious sightseeing, visitors can enjoy both the scenery landscape and the typical traditional architecture of Hue pagodas. Thanks to its high position upward a charming curve of Perfume River, the pagoda offers a mind-boggling view of both the flow and the surrounding areas. Covered with pine trees, bonsai and delicate man-made pond, this religious site brings about a peaceful feeling which is hard to find anywhere else.
Tourists please be noted to wear suitable clothes for this majestically religious place.

7. Dong Ba Market
Apart from historical places, Dong Ba Market is the biggest commercial center of Thua Thien Hue Province and the adjacent regions. It stands along the north bank of Huong River, on Tran Hung Dao Street of Hue City and stretches from Trang Tien Bridge to Gia Hoi Bridge.
This enormous place With nine new buildings and four new sections ranging from seafood to clothes reaches an area of up to 16,000 m2. Unlike other tourism spots in Hue, the architecture hereis not really a highlight but the atmosphere and the daily pace of the market itself.
All of the most special cultural gifts and souvenirs of Thua Thien Hue that remain until today can be found in Dong Ba Market, including “non la bai tho” (conical hats having poems woven into their design) from Phu Cam Village, which is made of latanier leaves; me xung (candies), Truoi berries, Tuan tea, tom chua (Hue Sour Shrimp), lotus seed of Tinh Tam Lake, etc. Traditional food such as mussel rice, beef vermicelli, leaves cakes and so on can be purchased in the market, too.
Buying products here is a memorable experience for foreigner tourists when their bargain skills are totally used. Bargain is the first tip at Dong Ba Market that even local residents have to apply. Start bargaining from half the price, especially if you’re foreigners. Buying in bulk will help visitors when dealing with the sellers. If one’s lucky and good at bargaining, Dong Ba Market can offer the best price since Hue’s cost of living is quite cheap.

8. Emperors’ tombs
During its glorious period, Hue is not only the centre of politics and culture but also the resting place of Kings and royals. Tombs are now majestic and mysterious destinations for visitors to discover. Here a some brief information:
Tu Duc Tomb
A glance at the tomb can create the illusion of a park, packed with frangipani trees and grove of pines.
Location: Thuy Xuan commune, Hue
Entrance: 55,000
Hours: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

MINH MANG TOMB
Touted as the most majestic of all royal tombs, Minh Mang Tomb is a complex of 40 sites.
Location: Huong Tho commune, Huong Tra, Hue
Entrance: 55,000
Hours: 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM

KHAI DINH TOMB
Though the smallest, Khai Dinh tomb is the most costly and recent compared with other Nguyen royal tombs.
Location: Thuy Bang commune, Huong Thuy District, Hue
Entrance: Free
Hours: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

GIA LONG TOMB
About 14km South of Hue, the tomb does not only host King Gia Long but also contains a large group of tombs for the King’s family and relatives.
Location: Huong Tho commune, Huong Tra district, Hue
Entrance: Free
Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

DONG KHANH TOMB
The construction of Dong Khanh tomb met with many obstacles. It prolonged over 35 years and 4 kings, which saw a mix of influence in the tomb’s architecture.
Location: Thuy Xuan commune, Hue
Entrance: Free
Hours: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM