48 hours in Hue

A corner of Huyen Khong Pagoda. Photo: Ha Tran — A corner of Huyen Khong Pagoda

This 48-hour itinerary in Hue was created during the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Dragon, based on the experiences of Ms. Ha Tran (Hanoi) and her group of friends, with advice from Duc Hoang, a tour guide, and members of a Hue travel forum.

According to Ms. Ha, Hue is truly the perfect place for a trip at the beginning of the year because it is the land of kings - the land of the Dragon - and suitable for food lovers.

Day 1

Morning

Have breakfast at My Tam Hue-style beef noodle soup restaurant on Tran Cao Van Street.

"The restaurant is open throughout Tet (Lunar New Year), so it's very convenient for tourists. The service is attentive and fast," said Ms. Ha. The tour guide said that this is also a noodle shop frequently visited by many artists whenever they come to Hue. A full bowl costs 60,000 VND. On regular days, not during Tet, tourists can visit other famous beef noodle shops in Hue such as: Ba Tuyet, Hem, O Phuong, Me Roi.

The next part of the morning's itinerary is a visit to the Imperial Citadel and the Museum of Royal Antiquities. Here, visitors can watch a reenactment of the changing of the guard ceremony from ancient times, wear traditional costumes, take photos in a historical setting, and listen to explanations about the overall architecture of the palaces within the Imperial Citadel.

In particular, Kien Trung Palace is a must-visit as it recently reopened after more than four years of restoration. It was once the workplace and residence of Emperors Khai Dinh and Bao Dai. The building is a blend of Asian and European styles, including French architecture, Italian Renaissance architecture, and elements of Vietnamese feudal palace architecture. A highlight is the art of decorative mosaic patterns on ceramics. The doors are painted in vibrant red and gold tones, characteristic of the royal court.

"Walking through the buildings, you'll find places where the king rested, played, and enjoyed himself; every place is beautiful and impressive," Ms. Ha said.

Another beautiful attraction worth visiting is An Hien Garden House, built in the late 19th century, which was originally the residence of the 18th princess of King Duc Duc. Recently, a private company has taken over and developed it for tourism. The historical features of the place have been fully preserved.

Having lunch at An Nhien vegetarian restaurant.

According to Ms. Ha, An Nhien is like a garden decorated in a French style but with a Buddhist touch. "The vegetarian dishes are presented in a European style, delicious, and the space is beautiful, so you just want to stay forever," Ms. Ha said. The dishes include lotus seed fried rice, corn, mushrooms, pomelo salad, and mixed vegetarian spring rolls.

Afternoon

Visiting the Gia Long royal tomb complex. It's like a large park, accessible by bicycle or electric vehicle. The path leading up to the king's tomb is long and winding, requiring careful steps as you ascend. This was intentional on the part of the tomb builders, who wanted visitors to bow their heads upon arrival. "The two tombs look similar, but if you look closely, you'll see that the roof edge of the king's tomb is slightly higher," Mr. Hoang explained.

Near the tomb of King Gia Long, visitors can reach a popular check-in spot for young people: Thuy Tien Lake Water Park. The park has been abandoned since its completion. Due to rumors that it is about to be demolished, more and more people are visiting. This is where the famous dragon statue is located; visitors can enter the dragon's body to reach the top and enjoy the view.

Huyen Anh's grilled pork skewers and steamed rice rolls restaurant on Kim Long Street is a great place for a light dinner. The dishes include grilled pork vermicelli, grilled pork steamed rice rolls, and grilled pork skewers, with prices ranging from 30,000 to 60,000 VND per serving.

Evening

If it's your first time in Hue, you should take a ride on a dragon boat along the Perfume River to listen to Hue's royal court music. The ticket costs 100,000 VND per person for 30 minutes. Visitors can also release floating lanterns to make wishes.

At the end of the day, visit the Western Quarter, located in the area of streets such as Chu Van An - Nguyen Thai Hoc - Vo Thi Sau. "Hue's Western Quarter reminds one of Ta Hien in Hanoi, or Bui Vien in Ho Chi Minh City.

"Ho Chi Minh City is also bustling, but not too noisy," Ms. Ha said.

In the evening, tourists should stay at hotels along the Perfume River, which are less crowded, offer beautiful views, and are quiet. Room prices along the Perfume River range from 700,000 VND to approximately 4 million VND, depending on the type of hotel or resort and its star rating.

Day 2

Morning and noon

Have breakfast and enjoy salted coffee, a popular drink in Hue for over 10 years now, which has spread throughout Vietnam. Address 142 Dang Thai Than, near the Imperial Citadel, is considered the "birthplace" of this drink. Currently, most coffee shops in Hue serve salted coffee.

The next destination, and also the place that Ms. Ha and the other members of the group liked the most, was Tich Phuoc ancient village. The lush, tranquil atmosphere, the legend of the Twin Temples, the craft of making pottery for the king, the experience of pottery making, making traditional cakes, and the peaceful rural scenery.

"Rent a bicycle and cycle around, meet the locals and listen to them tell the story of the village," Ms. Ha suggested.

Ms. Thu, the owner of a beautiful, spacious, and airy house in the village, prepared a home-cooked lunch for the group of guests from Hanoi. The meal included braised fish, sour bamboo shoot soup with snakehead fish, boiled pork, and delicious, fresh, and clean boiled water spinach. The highlight of the meal was fig salad served with rice crackers. There was also homemade sparkling hibiscus syrup.

Afternoon

Visit Huyen Khong Pagoda (Huyen Khong Son Thuong), located about 12 km from the center of Hue City, on the road from Tich Phuoc ancient village back to the city. While not as famous as Thien Mu Pagoda, Huyen Khong Pagoda is a frequent destination for tourists who prefer a quieter atmosphere. Nestled deep in a valley, amidst pine forests and rolling hills, the pagoda enjoys a tranquil setting.

Have dinner at Chạn restaurant on Nguyen Thai Hoc street.

"The restaurant is conveniently located in the city center, beautifully decorated, and offers a full range of traditional dishes," said Ms. Ha. Dishes such as fermented shrimp with boiled pork, grilled snakehead fish, clam rice, and clam porridge are popular choices. This is a place that most tourists visit when coming to Hue.

Alternatives

Local craft villages such as the Thanh Tien paper flower making facility, the folk painting workshop on Do paper in Sinh village, and the Thuy Xuan incense village are other destinations that Ms. Ha suggested. "The beauty of Hue's scenery and people is not as melancholic as people think. The people are enthusiastic, kind, gentle, and cheerful," Ms. Ha said.

HQ (according to VnExpress)

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