Hue

Hue (Huế) is in the central region of Vietnam and is the former imperial capital.

Understand
Hue is intimately connected to the imperial Nguyễn Dynasty, based in Hue, which ruled from 1802 to 1945, when the Emperor Bao Dai abdicated in favour of Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary government. The city went through tough times during what is known locally as the American War, when it was conquered by the Viet Cong and held for 24 days. During that time, they executed around 1,000 people suspected of sympathizing with the South. After a ferocious assault, US and South Vietnamese forces retook the city.



Orientation
Hue is easy to get a grip on. The main landmark is the Perfume River (Hương Giang), with the old city and the citadel on the north side and the newer city, including most hotels and restaurants, on the south side. Much of the riverside has wisely been done up as a pleasant promenade and park dotted with bizarre sculptures. The famous tombs are further south in Hue's outskirts.

Climate
Hue's weather is infamously bad: the Truong Son Mountains just to the south seem to bottle up all the moisture, so it's usually misty, drizzly, or outright rainy. Things get even wetter than usual in the winter rainy season, especially from February to the end of March. To be safe, bring an umbrella any time of year. Don't forget to bring a sweater and jacket in winter as it can get rather chilly, with temperatures falling to as low as 8°C at night. Alternatively, when the sun makes an appearance for a day or a week, it can reach 30°C.

It's usually quite dry during the summer months, when the temperature can reach the high 30s. Summer rains can be heavy but brief, and often arrive unexpectedly, whereas February rains can last for weeks. The best description for the weather in Hue would be "changeable".

By plane


There is also a bus that will take you into the city and even drop you at your hotel for 50,000 dong. Tickets are bought from the stand just after exiting the baggage claim. Large suitcases are accepted, the minibus seems to leave when full. It drops you to larger hotels but the default option is Hanoi street.

Da Nang's airport, only two hours away by car now that the Hai Van Tunnel is open, is busier and has more connections. A one-way taxi from Da Nang airport to Hue can be negotiated down to US$45 (large car) or US$40 (small car). Using the meter, the cost for a large car is about 1,200,000 dong.

By train


There are several trains a day to and from Hanoi (14 hours), Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang (4 hours), et al. The journey down south through Lang Co and the Hai Van Pass is particularly scenic, and from Da Nang you can take a taxi or motorbike to Hoi An. A second-class sleeper ticket from Ho Chi Minh City on the much superior express SE2-SE6 train to Hue costs 588,000-740,000 dong depending on the level you're on (1, 2 or 3). SE 2 departs at 19:00. The beds are quite hard, as there is not much of a mattress which is placed over a plastic bench/seat. You can get other trains, but the little extra you pay is worth it several times over. It offers a wonderful travel experience. Passengers sit, lie and sleep in a very small cabin for 23 hours with five other people (nearly always Vietnamese), eat four plain but tasty and filling Vietnamese meals, listen to a fine selection of Vietnamese pop songs on the PA, and see some incomparably beautiful countryside, particularly in the last section between Da Nang and Hue. It's an excellent way to see the country and meet ordinary Vietnamese, who are unfailingly friendly and helpful, even to those who have not learned a word of their language. The trip is especially recommended if you like screaming babies.

Buy your tickets at the train station. Hotels often over charge by doubling the prices (at least US$80 for a soft sleeper), often using excuses such as "it's high season" or that they "have to buy on the black market".

By bus
Public buses from all the bigger cities (including frequent services to Hanoi and Saigon) connect to the main bus station (Bến Xe Phía Nam and Bến Xe Phía Bắc). Most open tour buses include Hue on their itinerary, connecting to Hoi An or Da Nang to the south (4–6 hr) and Hanoi to the north (13–16 hr). The overnight Hanoi route is popular with locals, many of whom seem to be prone to motion sickness.


 * Sinh Café Buses, 7 Nguyen Tri Phuong St. Direct buses from Hoi An cost US$4 and leave twice daily: the 08:00 and 12:00 services stop at the Marble Mountains and makes the trip in 4 hours, while the 13:30 and 16:30 services manage the trip in three. Buses to Hanoi depart at 17:30 every day (US$9) with stops in Dong Ha and one or two other places.
 * Sleeper Buses from Da Nang, No 17, Xuan Dieu St, Da Nang.

From Pakse

VIP (not really) buses leave Pakse at 08:00, arriving in Hue 12–13 hours later. Local buses leave Pakse in the evening. Tickets can be bought from travel agents in central Pakse. Be prepared for a no air-con ride.

Agencies in central Pakse show you photos that are not very accurate and overcharge too, with up to 100,000 kip difference. The price is 130,000 kip if bought directly from the bus company. (May 2014) Try to get a tuk tuk to take you to the Vietnam bus area. There are a few restaurants there with the most updated info of companies and their schedules.

From Vientiane

You can book a sleeping or sitting bus for 180,000 kip (sleeping is the same price as sitting) to Hue or continue to Da Nang from the Southern Bus Terminal. The trip takes 15 hours to Hue so the sleeping bus is the better choice. Departure time for just Hue/Da Nang is 19:00 although at Vientiane's southern bus station you'll also see other options heading south and you could probably take those as well. You'll have a couple bathroom stops (bathrooms not necessarily available) and at least 2 or 3 eating stops.

They'll try to arrive at the Lao Bao border crossing before it opens at 07:00. Here is where they'll collect everyone's passports to get stamped out of Laos. Everyone needs to include a 15,000 kip fee (foreigners may end up getting asked for 30,000 kip) so have that ready in your passport ahead of time. You'll also have several ladies asking if you need to change any money. They'll come in the bus or roam around the bus stop. Be careful and circumspect with them. If you just hand them some kip without establishing what rate you're getting, or not even bothering to count how much you gave, you'll end up with a lousy 50% or 1:1 rate, so you've lost half your cash. (Probably best not to exchange anything as you'll have no chance to actually buy anything with your dong until you reach your destination. However, you might not be able to exchange your kip when you're in Hue. So plan ahead.)

Meanwhile, as this is going on, you'll be served some Vietnamese coffee. All meals and the coffee break should be included in your ticket price. You must pay for anything additional that you order.

Once you reach Hue you can get dropped off before the Hue bus station and maybe save yourself having to ride into town on a hired motor bike.

By taxi
Like other Vietnamese cities, Hue is flooded with cyclos and motorbikes, as well as a few meter taxis. Taxi drivers are usually honest, but make sure they turn the meter on. Trips start at 15,000 dong for the first 2 km and tick upward at 11,500 dong/km. Some meters run incorrectly (showing up to 10 times the distance actually traveled), so ensure you have a rough idea of the distance to your destination. If the meter is running too quickly, at the destination pay an estimate of the fair price and insist on calling the police if the driver will not accept the estimated non-meter price. The driver will back down. A metered trip out see two tombs, with waiting time, should be around 300,000 dong (US$18).

With cyclos and motorbikes, all of the usual disclaimers apply: negotiate a price ahead of time and don't be afraid to walk away if they're asking too much. No trip in Hue should cost more than 20,000 dong. Many of the motorbike drivers double as pot dealers, and you may be offered to buy marijuana along with your ride.

By motorbike
Hire a motorbike and join the locals as they careen across the bridges and along the main roads at a leisurely pace. They're available for around US$5/day from hotels and shops.

For a motorbike with driver, small hotels have connections to freelancers. You may be lucky to have an English speaking guide for all 6 tombs (the 7th tomb is inaccessible) including those locked and forgotten for lack of tourist interest, plus three temples, and the emperor's arena for one day and still have time in the early afternoon for a beer and some Vietnamese do-it-yourself spring rolls and the famous Hue pancakes for just US$10. The DIY spring rolls and pancakes are not free, but they worth it for only 45,000 dong.

By bicycle
Cycling is also a good option, with plenty of bikes available from 25,000-30,000 dong/day.

By cyclo
A cyclo is the local version of the trishaw, with the passenger in front of the cyclist. Be prepared to haggle for reasonable prices as cyclo drivers tend to quote indiscriminately. It's a good idea to agree on your price before you go. Also make sure this is a return price and not one-way. Of course, if you want to change your itinerary after you're already on the way, you should discuss how this might affect the agreed price with your cyclo driver right away. Otherwise, you may get a rude surprise when you arrive at your final destination, and the driver tries to charge you an exorbitant amount. While most of the cyclo drivers in Hue are fair, and can be quite helpful, there are a few who are very unscrupulous. If you agree on the price as "100", make it very clear that you are agreeing on 100,000 dong, and not US$100. Many cyclo drivers also act as pimps, and may offer you prostitutes.

On foot
Hue is quite compact, so you can reach most of the hotels, restaurants and the citadel easily on foot. Mr. Cu at Mandarin Cafe has prepared a free walking tour brochure and map. Make sure to stop by his place at 24 Tran Cao Van St to pick up your free map (and enjoy some delicious banana pancakes). You'll need to arrange transportation to reach the emperors' tombs.

See
The historical monuments of the city have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.



Imperial Citadel


The former imperial seat of government and Hue's prime attraction, this is a great sprawling complex of temples, pavilions, moats, walls, gates, shops, museums and galleries, featuring art and costumes from various periods of Vietnamese history. Thanks to its size, it is also delightfully peaceful, a rare commodity in Vietnam. The citadel was badly knocked about during fighting between the French and the Viet Minh in 1947, and again in 1968 during the Tet Offensive, when it was shelled by the Viet Cong and then bombed by the Americans. As a result, some areas are now only empty fields, bits of walls and an explanatory plaque. Other buildings are intact and a few are in sparkling condition. For the rest, while restoration has been going on for 20 years, there is still quite a long way to go. Allow several hours to see it properly. Inside you can pay US$1.50 (30,000 dong) to dress up in the king or queen's clothing and sit on the throne for a fun photo opportunity.




 * Ngọ Môn – The main southern entrance to the city, built in 1833 by Minh Mang. The central door and the bridge connecting to it were reserved exclusively for the emperor. Climb up to the second floor for a nice view of the exquisite courtyard. The Ngo Mon Gate is the principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure. The emperor would address his officials and the people from the top of this gate.
 * Thái Hòa Palace – The emperor's coronation hall, where he would sit in state and receive foreign dignitaries.
 * Trường Sanh Residence – Translated as the "Palace of Longevity", the Truong Sanh Palace was the residence of King Tu Duc's mother, Empress Tu Du, under the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century. It lies in Tu Cam Thanh, one of the two major parts of the Hue Citadel. It is under renovation. The project, estimated to cost almost 30 billion dong, includes the restoration of Lach Dao Nguyen, the palace's protective moat, decorative man-made rock formations and mountains, bonsai gardens, and the palace gate. While not officially open to the public, it is possible to enter the grounds and should be seen, as even in its overgrown state, its beauty is recognisable.
 * Forbidden Purple City – Directly behind Thai Hoa Palace, but it was almost entirely destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive and only the rather nondescript Mandarin Palaces on both sides remain.
 * Hue Jungle Crevice – When the Viet Cong briefly overran Hue, they rounded up 3,000 of Hue's citizens and officials. Fearing the prisoners would slow them down their hot retreat, they tied them up and pushed the people over the cliff into the crevice.

Tombs of the Emperors
Another of Hue's great attractions are the Tombs of the Emperors, on the Perfume River south of the city. They are accessible by taxi or bike from the city, but the best way to see them is to hire a river boat and go for a cruise. Plan to make a full day of it. Most of the tombs are open from 07:30 or 08:00 to 17:30, depending on the season.

The tombs themselves are worth the cost and effort. They mostly date from the late 19th or early 20th centuries, when the emperors had been reduced to figureheads under French colonial rule and had little else to do than build themselves elaborate tombs. The finest of them are the Tomb of Tu Duc, the Tomb of Minh Mang and the Tomb of Khai Dinh, all of which are excellent examples of Vietnamese Buddhist aesthetics and architecture. The older ones have been allowed to crumble into picturesque semi-ruin, although some are now being restored.

By tour: Group tours usually cost about US$2, which includes an excellent lunch aboard the boat, but does not include admission or the cost of a motorbike from the wharf to each tomb. If you are with a group, the price should be set by the tour company at roughly 25,000 dong for each round-trip. Choose a tour with as few stops as possible. Some companies lard up their itineraries with visits to silk farms and a few pagodas, promising to fit everything in neatly. However, tour companies are not known for their time management, and you will wind up rushed along and frustrated for at least one of the tombs.

By boat or motorbike: If you are travelling on your own, boat hire or a motorbike and driver should cost somewhere around US$20, again not including tomb admissions. All of the tombs can be walked to from the wharves in anywhere from ten minutes to half an hour. The paths are mostly obvious, but you still probably should not try it without a map or a terrific sense of direction. Tour groups arrive around 10:00 and leave around 15:00 in order to get back before dinner, so plan accordingly to avoid the crowds. You'll be glad you did.

By bicycle: The tombs are also easily reached by bicycle, although there is a shortage of good maps of how to reach them. Ask your hotel about bicycle rentals and maps, and be cautious on the crowded and potentially potholed roads. This is probably the most inexpensive (and enjoyable, if you enjoy cycling) way to reach the tombs.

Tombs from oldest to newest:

Further afield

 * Hue travel agents are keen to sell day-tours of the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which was supposed to be a buffer between North and South Vietnam, but which saw intense fighting. DMZ trips will include the famous Vinh Moc tunnels, where a few hundred people lived for two and a half years.
 * You can be outside the city of Hue and into the jade green rice fields in just 10 minutes. Whether by car, motorbike or bicycle, there is much to see. It's a bit too far to go on foot. Different villages tend to specialise in different handicrafts, so you can visit one area to see noodle-making, another for incense, then move on to see bronze-crafting or rice cultivation.

Buy
Embroidery is a traditional craft of Hue and framed embroidery can be purchased in many shops in the backpacker area of Hue.



Eat
Hue is famed for its imperial cuisine, which was prepared for the emperor and his retinue. Although the emphasis is more on presentation than taste, an imperial banquet is well-worth trying.

The most famous local dish is bún bò Huế (just called bún bò within the city), a noodle soup served with slices of beef and lashings of chili oil. Another tasty local treat is sesame candy (mè xửng), which is peanutty, chewy and quite tasty if fresh.


 * Nem lui is a dish of sweet, minced pork around bamboo sticks grilled over hot coals.
 * Banh khoai is a "pancake" filled with bean sprouts, shrimp and pork.
 * Bun thit nuong is barbecued pork served with vegetables and noodles.

The people of Hue have a strong tradition of eating vegetarian food, so vegetarian restaurants are more common in Hue than in the rest of Vietnam. On the 1st and 15th of every lunar month, vegetarian restaurants are packed full of patrons for dinner and it may prove difficult to find a seat. Vegetarian restaurants are the cheapest places to eat, after street vendors.

Mid-range




Coffee
There are lots of small cafés (quán cafe) in Hue. Going out for coffee is a favourite local pastime. Most Hue people wouldn't think of starting the morning without meeting friends over a glassful. Most coffee shops open for business in the morning, close down from about 10:30 or so until late afternoon, then open again for the after-work and evening crowds. Do try the local style, iced, either with condensed milk, or black, which means with sugar. In the south, the iced coffee comes in a tall glass with lots of ice and lots of syrupy milk. In the central area, the glass is much smaller and the coffee is usually stronger. If you don't look Vietnamese, you may be served a weaker coffee, or if you order cafe nong (hot), they will also give you an extra glass of hot water to pour in. Do try your coffee first, to taste it the way the locals like it. Something like an iced, sweet espresso, with chocolatey overtones. Generally 6,000-8,000 dong for Vietnamese people; 10,000 dong+ for foreigners



Sleep
There are plenty of cheap hotels and mid-market hotels in Hue, as well as a couple of expensive giants. The largest cluster is around the short lane, Pham Ngu Lao (including Le Loi, Hung Vuong, Chu Van An, Nguyen Cong Tru). It's not quite as big (or backpackery) as its Ho Chi Minh City namesake, but still a definite tourist magnet. Just by walking around in the side streets of Pham Ngu Lao, you'll quickly find some guesthouses for US$5–7, depending on your bargaining skills. There are plenty of them around, too many to mention separately. Most of them are well renovated and offer the usual comforts of budget hotels like a small TV, a fridge and a proper bathroom. Wi-Fi is widely available, as in most parts of Vietnam. In Pham Ngu Lao itself you only get a dorm bed for the same price, so walking 100 m around the corner is probably well worth the effort. Also note, that the prices offered online are sometimes a fair bit higher than if you just show up there in person.

Stay safe

 * Be suspicious of locals asking where you are from and then claiming to have family living there as this can be a scam: they will ask you to sit down for lunch/dinner with them and talk. After eating they will offer to pay for the meal and just ask that you buy them a local bottle of wine to drink at their temple. When you arrive at the local shop, the owner will say the wine is 7,000 dong and then when you attempt to pay she will insist on 700,000 dong.
 * Hue is a safe city. However, at night all cyclo-drivers, especially in Pham Ngu Lao area, should be avoided. Travellers have been mugged, beaten and robbed by these people. During the day a ride should be fine, but at night, especially when they say it's free or "up to you", avoid them at all costs.

Go next

 * Hoi An – old merchant port 100 km away (about 4 hours by road or train. Through train, stops at Da Nang, you will need to take local bus from there), with Da Nang, the Marble Mountains and China Beach as potential stops along the way.
 * Dong Hoi – A sleepy beach and seaside town with all the necessary infrastructure; laid back, authentic and genuinely friendly, with at least half a dozen hostels, convenient for accessing Phong Nha Ke Bang national park. About 3 hr north of Hue. Bus from Hue: local 150,000 dong, Sinh Cafe 400,000 dong, and tourist buses 300,000 dong.
 * Nam Dong district – great place for visiting Co Tu villages on the fringe of Bach Ma National Park.
 * Hanoi – 12-hour overnight train ride.
 * Beware booking buses with Moon Travel (Nguyen Tri Phuong), with promises of a bus dropping you off at your hotel in the destination city. They change buses, and then ultimately you end up at the bus station with no recourse.
 * There are also frequent bus services to Savannakhet and Vientiane in Laos. Buses leave at 06:00 and 18:00. There are 3 scheduled direct buses to Vientiane: 06:00, 09:30 and 18:00. The trip to Savannakhet takes about 12 hours and cost around US$12, to Vientiane about 14–18 hours depending how many stops bus makes and US$20-30. The vehicle can be anything from a minibus or air-con bus to a local 30 years old bus. Usually buses are packed with traders and their cargo so that finding enough space is a problem. You'll probably have to change buses 3-4 times during the trip and toilets, aside from squatting in the jungle, are seldom available. Tickets can be bought in any booking office in the centre of Hue.
 * VIP Bus to Savannakhet run by the Lao State Company leaves at 08:30 from the Southern Bus Station 5 times per week, every day except Sunday and Friday, and costs 220,000 dong. From Savannakhet to Hue, departure is at 10:00 at Savannakhet Bus Station, M-F, 100,000 kip.