Hue Unveiled: Exploring Vietnam's Ancient Capital

Being a historic city, Hue is one place that should not be missed in Central Vietnam. Traveling here, you are merging yourself with beautiful and poetic landscape of the Perfume River amazed by a unique architecture that has been endowed so much rich historical culture One cannot omit visits to Hue Ancient Capital, Dai Noi (The Imperial City), Tu Duc Mausoleum, Thien Mu Pagoda and Thuy Xuan Incense Village. Don’t skip the opportunity to visit Hue Ancient Capital by day and taste its street food just to realize how rich Central Vietnamese cuisine is.

To travel from Da Lat to Hue, visitors can opt for tourist car services or flights. The distance from Da Lat city to the center of Hue is about 740km. Upon arriving in Hue, an interesting way to explore is by cyclo. Cyclo riders often double as tour guides, taking visitors to famous spots like Truong Tien Bridge and Dong Ba Market. At each destination, visitors can freely explore while the cyclo waits.

Dai Noi: Located within the Hue Imperial City, the Imperial Citadel is the first place you should visit. Despite surviving only partially - less than half of its original structures after more than 100 years - it still retains the majesty of the feudal court.Dai Noi is extensive, and you should allocate at least half a day or a full day to explore it thoroughly.

An Dinh Palace: Situated on the bank of the An Cuu River, this palace was initially the private residence of King Khai Dinh and later of King Bao Dai. Located at 179 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Hue City, An Dinh Palace, with its majestic and nostalgic beauty, has become a sought-after destination in recent years

Museum of Imperial Antiquities: Housed in Long An Palace – the most beautiful palace of the Nguyen Dynasty – this museum displays collections of antique utensils, crowns, and royal items. The architecture is preserved in a beautiful court style

Mausoleums: It is unimaginable to visit Hue and not see these impressive ancient tombs. Each mausoleum, such as Tu Duc , Minh Mang and Khai Dinh has its own unique characteristics plus they each have great historical stories. They are however spread out and not near the city center hence; consider renting a taxi or drive yourself for tour.

Hon Chen Palace: This complex, located halfway up Ngoc Trang Mountain and facing the Perfume River, is hidden under trees and consists of various architectural works. Hon Chac Palace holds an important place in Hue's spiritual life, uniquely combining court rituals and folk beliefs. It represents the peak of art deco in the late 19th century.

Hue is not just a city it’s the journey into history of Vietnamese people with its river views or museum grounds depicting ancient life, and an exhibition center for cultural heritage – seeing glimpses about 30 dynasties governed in centre. From a leisurely promenade along the Perfume River to wandering through centuries-old palaces or just tasting its most unique dishes, walking around Hue will be an encounter with Vietnam’s spirit. For travelers interested to get a closer glimpse into Vietnam’s past and present, Hue is not just the place but unavoidable.