Cities: 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, who ruled from 1802 to 1945, when the Emperor Bao Dai abdicated in favor of Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary government. The city went through tough times during the Vietnam War, when it was conquered by the Viet Cong and held for 24 days, during which the VC slaughtered around 3,000 people suspected of sympathizing with the South, being a highschool graduate or Christian. In retaking the city American forces initially didn't use artillery or air support to avoid damaging ancient buildings but due to heavy casualties these restrictions were relaxed and the city largely destroyed.

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 along 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 degrees at night. Alternatively, when the sun makes an appearance for a day or a week, it can reach 30 degrees.

It's usually quite dry during the summer months, when the temperature can reach the high 30's. 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".

Get in

By plane

Hue's international "Phu Bai" (HUI) airport fields daily flights to and from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, but flights are quite often disrupted by poor weather during the rainy season (Mid October - Mid December). Three airlines fly to "Phu Bai" airport: Vietnam Airlines, JetStar Pacific and Vietjet. The airport is 15 kilometers away from the city center and should cost no more than 250,000VND by taxi (30 minute ride). There is also a bus that will take you into the city & even drop you at your hotel for 50,000VND. You can buy a ticket in the arrival hall of the airport. The airport facility was recently undergoing renovations and has reopened in September 2013 or arrange private car to city center with English speaking driver by Hue Private Car.

Danang's airport, only two hours away by car now that the Hai Van Tunnel is open, is busier, and has more connections. As of February 2012, a one-way taxi from Da Nang airport to Hue can be negotiated down to USD 45 (large car) or USD 40 (small car); using the meter, cost for a large car is about 1,200,000 dong. If you travel with big group (more than 4 people), you should arrange private car with hotels in Hue or any car rental company in Da Nang or Hue.

By train

Several trains a day to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang (4 hours) etc. The journey down south through Lang Co and the Hai Van Pass is particularly scenic, and from Danang you can take a taxi or motorbike to Hoi An.

Train from Hanoi to Hue

A second-class sleeper from Hanoi to Hue on the SE1 (leaving Hanoi at 19h00) cost 710.000 on October 25th, 2012 (for a hard-sleeper, 6-person cabin, middle bunk ; bottom bunk is a little more pricey while top bunk is the cheapest). A soft sleeper (first class) bunk costs around 900.000 dong on March 18th, 2016. They will most probably try to sell you this option, which gives you more privacy and comfort. There are food and drink carts on the train, selling dumplings, instant noodles, coke, beer and coffee at reasonable prices.

A second-class sleeper ticket from Ho Chi Minh City on the much superior 'express' SE2-SE6 train to Hue costs between 588,000 & 740,000 dong depending on the level you're on (1,2 or 3). SE 2 departs at 7.00 PM. Be warned the beds are quite hard, as there is not much of a matress (about half an inch thick), and it is placed over a plastic bench/seat. You can get other train types, but the little extra you pay is worth it several times over. It offers a wonderful travel experience. The traveler gets to 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 travelers who have not bothered to learn a word of their language. The trip is especially recommended if you like babies.

Tickets can be bought at the station, or in hotels/travel agencies. The latter will mark up prices by ~50% (e.g. $60 for a $40 fare), but saves time and difficulties waiting in queue and communicating with the train staff. Note: the station counter only takes cash.

From the train station, it is about a 20min walk to most backpacker hotels (around Pham Ngu Lao street) but it is straight. Taking a motorbike driver can be bargained down to 20,000-30,000 dong.

If you have very rigid travel dates, are travelling on a public holiday, or can't be bothered to head down to the train station you can book your tickets through Vietnam Impressive [1] is a reliable agency.

By bus

Daily bus from Hue to Hoian running by a local tour operator in Hue city.

Daily bus schedule: 9:00 Hue - Hoian - VND 210,000 ~ $10 Stop on the way at: Cau Hai Lagoon, Lang Co Beach, Hai Van Pass, Marble Mountains. 14:00 - 14:30 arrive in Hoi An.

Daily bus from Hoian to Hue: 15:30 Hoian - Danang 16:00 Stop at Marble Mountains 17:30 Taking photo & take a rest at Lang Co Beach 19:00 Hue arrival

Hotel pick up. Drop off: Hue: 120 Le Loi Street., Hue city, | Danang: 198 3/2 Street., Danang city | Hoian: 77 Ba Trieu Street., Hoian Town

Where to book? You can ask your hotel reception or check out with Hue Tourist with Mr Thomson or Mr Alain. They can help you on email/phone or meet them at their office - opposite to Huong Giang Hotel.

Public buses from all the bigger cities (including frequent services to Hanoi and Saigon) connect to the main bus stations (Bến Xe Phía Nam for the south and Bến Xe Phía Bắc for the north). Most open tour buses include Hue in their itinerary, connecting to Hoi An or Da Nang to the south (4-6 hours) and Hanoi to the north (13-16 hours). The overnight Hanoi route is popular with locals, but beware of motion sickness among them.

Regular buses run between Da Nang and Hue (around 50,000 VND).

• • Dong Hoi - Local minibuses cost 90,000 in the morning and 80,000 in the afternoon. These can be caught from either Ben Xe Dong Hoi bus station or from hailing the bus along the main road. Insist on buying your ticket at the counter as buying it on the bus they will likely demand 100,000. Trip takes 3 hours. [Sep 2013]

  • Sinh Café, 7 Nguyen Tri Phuong St, [2]. Direct buses from Hoi An cost US$4 and leave twice daily: the 08:00-12:00 service stops at the Marble Mountains and makes the trip in 4 hours, while the 13:30-16:30 service manages the trip in three. Buses to Hanoi depart at 17:30 every day (US$9) with stops in

  • An Phu 11 Nguyen Tri Phuong. Bus leaves 8.00 AM and 1.30 PM.

  • Sleeper buses from Da Nang, No 69, 3 thang 2 street, Da Nang

By car

Normally you can get train from Danang city to Hue or Tourist Bus from Hoian or ride motorbike by yourself to Hue but you can also travel to Hue city on private car. You can contact with a local company to get in there. Distance 145km -4 hours of driving. But the most advantage of private transfer from Hoian to Hue is you can stop on the way such as Marble Mountain, Cham Museum, Lang Co Beach, The Cloudy Pass and Elephant Spring for swimming before get to Hue while others are non stop. And of course they are the cheapest way to travel and saving money but should we pay what should we get. Cost for 4 seats car US$56, 7 seats car is US$66 and 16 seats car is US$84. They also support for picking at Hue airport to Hue city center for 12$/4 seats car (the cheapest private car).

To/From Laos

From Vientiane You can book a sleeping or sitting bus for 180,000Kip (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 7pm although at Vientiene'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 7am. Here is where they'll collect everyones passports to get stamped out of Laos. Everyone needs to include a 15,000Kip fee (foreigners may end up getting asked for 30,000Kip) 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 shrewd with them. If you just hand them some kip without establishing what rate your getting or not even bother 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 no 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 Vietnam coffee. All meals and the coffee break should be included in your ticket price and then you have to pay for anything additional that you order.

Once you reach Hue you can get dropped off before the actual Hue bus station and maybe save yourself having to ride into town on a hired motor bike. (Oct. 2010)

From Pakse VIP (not really) buses leave at 8am 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.

Get around

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 2km and tick upward at 11,500 dong/km. Some meters run incorrectly (showing up to 10 times the distance actually travelled), so ensure you have a rough idea of the distance to you 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 come to around 300,000 dong (US$18).

If you travel with big group, you should arrange private car rental with hotels or any travel agents in Hue 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 for 100,000 dong locally. Fuel costs 25000 Dong per litre.Join the locals as they swarm across the bridges and along the main roads at a leisurely pace. If you're not familiar with motorbikes you may want to practice on smaller, less busy roads first. Gas stations can be found at some of the major intersections in the city - ask the person you are renting from to mark any they know on your map.Note that a map is a Foreign concept- nobody understands them, NOBODY. Make sure your motorbike comes with a helmet, as you can be fined otherwise. You can also buy helmets for 50,000-125,000 VND. Helmets priced at 50,000 will not offer much protection in a crash - these are sold so people can avoid fines more than to offer real protection.

New arrivals in Vietnam should familiarize themselves with the way traffic works in Hue. Take a motorbike taxi to get an idea how to fit into the traffic.

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

By bicycle

Cycling is also a good option, with plenty of bikes available from 25,000-30,000dong/day (March 2012). It is a cheap an interesting option for shorter trips, such as for visiting the Tu Duc Tomb (around an hour from Hue, with some steep but doable sections). For directions, just check the walking option in your favorite map site. At Tu Duc, you can leave your bike at the entrance for a reasonable 5000 dongs. You can stop for coffee or for a soup on the trip back to Hue at one of the many family-owned shops along the route.

By cyclo

A cyclo is the local versions 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 absolutely 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. Be aware that 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 100 US dollars! Many cyclo drivers also act as pimps, and may offer you local women (starting at $10/hr).

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 & map. Make sure to stop by 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, though.

See

Imperial Citadel (Đại Nội)

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. It is pretty huge; plan to spend at least 3 hours there.

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, though, 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. Entry 150,000 dong for adults 30, 000 dong for children 7-12 (april 2015) (for foreigners, less for locals of course) and it is open 06:30-17:00. Inside you can pay $1.50 (75,000dong) 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. Currently under renovation, the project, estimated to cost almost VND 30 billion (roughly US $1.8 million), 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. The restoration is expected to be completed in 2009, but this is doubtful. While not officially open to the public, it is possible to enter the grounds and should be seen, as even in it's overgrown state, it's beauty is recognizable.

  • 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 over ran Hue they rounded up 3000 of Hue's citizens and officials. Fearing the prisoners would slow them down in hot retreat, they tied them up and pushed the people over the cliff into the crevice.

Group tours usually cost about 200,000 VND, which includes a lunch aboard the boat. The lunch consists of small portions of rice and vegetables, you are given the option to order more dishes at a cost. The cost of the tour does not include admission to the tombs (100,000 dong apiece for foreigners as of April 2015 - ensure you count your change carefully if paying by large denomination note as short-changing can occur) or the cost of a motorbike from the wharf to each tomb. If you're 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 aren't noted for their time management, and you'll wind up rushed along and frustrated for at least one of the tombs.

If you're traveling 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 wharfs in anywhere from ten minutes to half an hour. The paths are mostly obvious, but you still probably shouldn't try it without a map or a terrific sense of direction. Most of the tombs are open from 7:30AM or 8AM to 5:30PM, depending on the season; note that the tour groups arrive around 10AM and leave around 3PM in order to get back before dinner, so plan accordingly to avoid the crowds. You'll be glad you did.

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.

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.

There is no discount for Vietnamese visitors, the rather hefty admission price is the same as for foreigners.

In order of age:

• • Tomb of Gia Long (20km) - the most remote of the tombs, quiet and fallen into disrepair as Gia Long, the first Nguyen emperor, was notoriously despotic. As of Sep 2015 it is rumored to be closed for visitors.

  • Tomb of Minh Mang (12km, 7am-5.30pm, 100,000 VND) - Possibly the best of the lot, situated inside a wall and covering several hectares. Woodland and water make it a very relaxing place to be- Minh Mang was definitely a country boy at heart! The main buildings are arranged on an east-west axis, including a courtyard surrounded by warrior statues and several temples and pavilions. Several bridges cross two lakes before the axis ends before the vast burial mound (which is circled by a fence). If you're dropped off by boat, note that there is a stretch of souvenir sellers to navigate during the short walk to the mausoleum entrance.Same goes for the car/coach/motorbike park, but they are only trying hard to earn a crust. Bike park is only 5000 dong. Expect to spend around an hour.

• • Tomb of Thieu Tri (8km, 7am-5pm, 40,000 VND) - built in 1848. This Emperor and his wife were the most revered and loved throughout the country. Although he only ruled for 7 years, he was the most sorely missed. In a time of strife and economic problems, he was careful with the country's Treasury and made sure to improve his people's living standards. His last will was that he be placed in a tomb that was not extravagant, parting ways with the tradition of creating lavish final resting places for their Emperors. The tomb is still mostly being restored, so as of Sep 2015 there is not much to see, expect to spend no more than 15 minutes.

  • Tomb of Tu Duc (7km, 7am-5pm, 100,000 VND) - Constructed from 1864 to 1867, the complex served as a second Imperial City where the Emperor went for "working vacations". Tu Duc's contemplative nature and poetic spirit is reflected in the landscape and arrangement of the 50 buildings that at one time stood here. A vast, sprawling complex set around a lake, with wooden pavilions and tombs and temples dedicated to wives and favored courtesans (Tu Duc had 104 to choose from). The courtesans' quarters are in ruins, with only outlines and crumbling walls left amid waves of overgrown grass and silence, but other areas are stunningly well-preserved. The Emperor's tomb itself, tucked away in the back, is surprisingly modest - the final courtyard is nearly empty with just a stone coffin in the middle. (The tombs of Empress Le Thien Anh and Emperor Kien Phuc, who briefly ruled in 1884, are also located here.) Try to dodge the crowds for this one. Expect to spend an hour and half.

  • Tomb of Dong Khanh (8km, under construction, still free as of Sep 2015) - built in 1917. Only the entrance gate and a temple facade is ready. Expect to spend no more than 5 minutes.

  • Tomb of Khai Dinh (10km, 7am-5pm, 100,000 VND) - dating from 1925, this is the best preserved of the lot and, while comparatively compact, quite grand at first sight. While it follows the classic formula of forecourts leading up to the tomb of the Emperor, complete with statues in attendance, architecture buffs will spot some European influences. The tomb itself is completely over the top with incredibly detailed and opulent mosaics of cavorting dragons. Try to get to this one early, as it is a favorite stop for Asian tour-bus groups. Also, you may want to leave the tourist path and head up the hill on the right side of the tomb, where a small temple stands. You will have a great view of the tomb and the valley it faces. Expect to spend around an hour.

Other sites

• • I Love Hue Sign - located in the February 3 Park ("Công viên 3 Tháng 2" in Vietnamese) on the banks of the Perfume River sits Hue's newest icon. The sign reads "Tôi ♥ Huê", meaning I Love Hue in English. The sign was inaugurated on September 15, 2016. Great spot for a photo with a true sense of place!

  • Thien Mu Pagoda (4km) - perched on a bluff over the river and housing some very fine gold and silver Buddha images. The Thien Mu Pagoda overlooks the Perfume River and is the official symbol of the city of Hue. Thien Mu means "elderly celestial woman", and refers to an old legend about the founding of the pagoda. Brimming with opportunities for great photos.

  • Phu Bai Airport is a must-see if you are interested in the war. The airport was a dirt strip during the Indochina War. Then, during the Vietnam War, an American garrison was assigned there and built up the airport with concrete bunkers, a paved airstrip, and a few other luxuries. The airport was vital in keeping Hue supplied during the Eastertide Offensive of 1972 when "Charlie jumped the line". The airport retains the original buildings built by the Americans; however, they have been retrofitted for use by the Vietnamese.

  • Thanh Toan Bridge - a few kms out of the city is this beautiful wooden footbridge. It is a great place to observe rural life, and is often full of locals escaping the sun. While it might not be worth the trip on its own, it's definitely worth a stop if you are in the area.

Do

• • Private Hue Tours - http://privatehoianguide.com : phone +84 128 801 5885, email: xuantuvietnamtours@gmail.com, websitehttp://privatehoianguide.com. If you come to Hue and expect to do something personal local experience, private tour is the best choice.

  • Dalat Angels - Vietnam Motorbike Tours, phone +84 937 171 399, emai: info@dalatangels.com, website DalatAngels.com. Whether you want to explore Vietnam on a motorbike of your own or prefer to ride along as a passenger with one of our licensed drivers, Dalat Angels caters for anyone with a sense of adventure. When you travel with us, you’re not just customers but also friends. We guarantee it will be the best thing you do on your holiday!

  • Hai Van Pass Motorbike Tour- Many tour companies and hostels offer "Top Gear" motorbike tours over the Hai Van pass, through Da Nang and over to Hoi An. For someone who knows how to properly operate a motorbike or scooter this can be a very rewarding experience. Keep in mind that you will usually go through Da Nang at around rush hour in the afternoon, which can be very hectic and potentially dangerous if you are an inexperienced rider. Guided trips will run you $30-40, unguided will be much less than that.

  • Hue Motorbiking Adventures [3]- This motorcycle tour company will take you on their comfortable motorbikes around the city, or on a one or multi-day trip to Hoi An. The drivers are professional, fun, and safe. You just sit back and relax while they drive you around.

  • Blind massage - make a valuable contribution to the local community at the institute for the blind,180/1 Phan Boi Chau street (/1 mean's the buildings are on the left, 50 metres down a side road behind 180 on Kiet/Alley) on the right up the hill about 1km past the train tracks (look for a small blue sign with English). 60,000 dong/hour for good, proper massage and 30,000 dong/hour for herbal steam-bath. All of the staff work and live in this facility, and speak a little English. This is where the locals go, so ask your hotel receptionist to call them ahead for an appointment. Brilliant experience an a "must do". You are left for half an hour in a steam room with herbs, followed by a full hour massage. Phone 0543886505. Correct as at Oct 2015.

  • My An Hot Spring and Spa - 7km from Hue on the way to Thuan An beach. US$3 for foreigners to use the swimming pool and 2 hot spring pools. The water here has a high sulfur content, purported to have health benefits. [4].

  • Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs - about 30 km from Hue Center. This is one of the best hot springs resort in Vietnam with a wide range of activities to keep your time full. Every activities here are meant to strengthen your health. Take a ride with Zipline, and Highwire, or fun water games to get you sweat. Then relax your body, calm your mind with an outdoor hot springs bath, and followed with massage and spa therapies. Rooms available from US$35/room/night (breakfasts and entrance tickets included). Day entrance ticket is US$5-7/pax. 3 restaurants & 2 bars for your choice. Thanh Tan mineral water source is also supplied water for bottling the 5-star local Alba Natural Mineral Water.

  • Thuan An Beach - 15km from Hue.

  • Ho Chi Minh Museum 6 D Le Loi - Free admission. Contains photos and information on Ho Chi Minh as well as the history of Hue in photographs. Closed on Sunday.

  • Scams There are several "massage parlors" in town (catering strictly to the tourists) that are less than reputable, where the main attraction seems to be attractive girls flirting and chatting up the customer for a big tip. Don't bother asking your hotel for a recommendation, they will try to steer you to the one that provides them the biggest kickback. Also, if buying a bus-ticket, shop around and let them know you are looking for the best price. A bus ticket to Ho Chi Minh City runs around $20-$30, but you will hear quotes as high as $80. However, you can expect prices to be somewhat higher around certain holidays, such as Tet, when everyone is trying to get home. Be very clear on the price when you take a cyclo. (See cyclo section)Beware tour companies that may steer you towards high priced meals.

• Free hanging Zipline, Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs (30km from Hue Center), ☎ + 84 935 208 208. 7:00am - 6:00pm. The longest free hanging uninterupted Zipline in Vietnam (probably in Asia). Launching at 45.5m from the ground, at Ma Yen mount which is a part of Truong Son range, the game gets your nerves racking in about 1 minute. Total length 560m, harness, lanyard, carabineer, pulley and helmet will be suited up for players. US$4/ride.  

• Highwire - resist gravity at 6m height among the woods, Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs (30km from Hue Center), ☎ + 84 935 208 208. 7:00am - 6:00pm.This game gained broke the record of the longest, biggest, and unique Highwire in Vietnam. You will have to challenge your toughness, fear of height and body balance at 6m from the ground. The game are made of wood log and wire cable, connecting to concrete poles. Like Zipline, players are required to put on harness connected with lanyard, carabineer, pulley, and wear helmet. A must-do in your life. If you miss a chance to try it here, you hardly find anywhere else in Vietnam to do US$6-10/game.  

• Hue Sightseeing Tour, Floor 1 - 120 Le Loi Str., Hue city, [5]. 8. Hue-Imperial city ranks highly on the “must see” list of most visitors to Vietnam. Recognized by UNESCO with two World Cultural Heritage destinations, namely the Hue Cultural Heritage Monuments and Hue Court Music. Hue’s main attractions are the Imperial Palace, ancient tombs of Vietnam’s last great dynasty, and Buddhist pagodas. In addition, visitors to Hue can enjoy another form of authentic cultural experience through community based rural excursions. 19.  

• Hue Sightseeing and Food Tour (Discover the oldest city in the center of Vietnam entirely), Tuan Nguyen Travel, [6]. Why Hue is always voted as one of the must-visit places when you travel to the center of Vietnam? What made this historical city be attractive to tourists? Let's find your own answers by experiencing our Hue tours. US 10$ - 50$.  

Buy

A traditional industry of Hue is embroidery, and framed embroidery can be purchased in the many stores of the backpacker area of Hue.

• Healing the Wounded Heart Shop, 23 Vo Thi Sau Street, ☎ +84 54 3833694, [7]. 8am-10pm. A Humanitarian project of the Spiral Foundation. This unique shop sells eco-friendly handicrafts made by disabled artisans in Hue. Many of the products are made from recycled items, including recycled soda can frames, and recycled telephone wire baskets. All net proceeds fund heart surgeries for poor children in the Hue area.  

• Hope Center, 20 Nhat Le Street, ☎ +t +84 (0) 54 351 1511, [8]. 8am-10pm. The Hope Center offers disabled and disadvantaged people a place to learn and work. Garment manufacturing is the mainstay. However, a range of handicraft items are also made. In particular the beautiful hand-woven cloth by A Luoi women is unique in its design and make up. Scarves, hand bags, purses and hand crafted jewellery are for sale. Well worth a visit.  

• Tailor Made Clothes, 45 Le Loi Street, [9]. While more popular in Hoi Ann, tailor made clothes can be purchased at reasonable rate in Hue in the touristy areas of town.  

• Converse Shoes. Converse shoes are considerably cheaper here than in most other countries  

Eat

Hue is famed for its Imperial cuisine, originally 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, 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, and goes for under 10,000 dong/box.

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 delicious barbecued pork served with vegetables and noodles.

Banh Beo is a sort of an appetizer. Sticky rice with shrimp and pork dipped in a sweet fish sauce. Add chilli to the fish sauce (if you want) then pour it on the 'rice'.

If you are a streetfood-lover then Hue is the right place for you. For breakfast, you can get a hot and filling soup between 20-40,000 dong. Don't be afraid to try one of the places with tiny plastic chairs - if you see locals eating there, it's probably good. If you are more into sandwiches, try the pork and vegetable filled baguette that can be bought for around 15 - 25,000 dong from any of the hot-dog carts.

There are also some french-inspired bakeries, some selling excellent croissants and pain au chocolat (expect to pay around 20,000 each). Local baked goods include decent donuts for 3,000 a piece. Pancakes are also a good choice.

Budget

• • Dong Ba Market, Chương Dương, Phú Hòa. This is a particularly interesting flea market to walk around and has a range of food stalls selling local dishes for 10,000-40,000 VND. Anthony Bourdain came here in an episode of 'No Reservations' to sample to Bun Bo Hue. Scam alert: You should be very clear on what you want to order and make sure the price is listed, which it usually is. Do not accept any additional dishes other than what you order. Some of the food stalls have started to make a habit of bringing you loads of low quality food without you asking for it. If you eat it, they will charge you about ten times what the snacks are worth. You can sit down expecting to pay 30,000 VND for a meal and get hit with a bill of 200,000 VND if you're not careful. Stick to what you order from the menu, and if they bring you anything else, send it back.

• Queen Restaurant, 29 Vo Thi Sau (Hue city), ☎ 0989177686, [10]. 4. Queen Restaurant is a good food and good location at tourist place. They have a nice garden outside so you can chill out. 3$.  

  • Nina's Café, 16/34 Nguyen Tri Phuong [11], small family restaurant located in a substreet of a substreet. Somewhat affordable (for tourist food prices). This restaurant is almost entirely patronized by foreign tourists, some of whom really enjoy the food. But others think it is bland and catered to Western tastes. For a local experience, go elsewhere.

  • Family Home Restaurant, 11/34 Nguyen Tri Phuong, next door and same concept as Nina's Cafe. Very friendly charming stuff, delicious local food prepared by the family, a green tea goes on the house

  • You and Me, 38 Tran Cao Van. This place appears to have dropped in standards or changed hands. Previously recommended, its 'speciality' pancakes are now inedible, meat dishes bereft of meat and staff are pushy (they even drop prices to encourage you to take the "fery fery good" (actually fery fery bad) spring rolls. Reasonably priced but still very bad value. Bottled beer is good! Leave it at that.

  • Bun Bo Hue, 11B Ly Thuong Kiet. (small and very local - far away from river on south bank). This eponymous eatery specializes in its namesake dish. 35000 dong gets you a bowl with a generous, mouth-meltingly soft (if fatty) cutlet plopped on top. Others: Bún Mụ Rơi (Nguyễn Chí Diễu st), Bún Cây Đa (Nguyễn Sinh Cung st), Bún Nguyễn Du (Nguyễn Du st)

  • Bun Cam, 38 Tran Cao Van st, Very popular with locals, but only opens for the early morning, about 6AM until they run out of soup. This is the real thing, local style, not adapted for the Western palate. Try it with their chili sauce, also a local specialty that shouldn't be missed. The lady sitting behind the soup cauldron is Cam, the cook and namesake of the business. She only speaks Vietnamese, but just look in the pot, like the locals do, and point at what you want. The price varies with how many different things you choose.

  • Bún Cha Hà Nôi, 20 Nguyen Tri Phuong. This family-run restaurant only serves original HaNoi-style Bun Cha: a dish with pork spring rolls, some meatballs, cabbage and carrot sauce with hot peppers, and bundles of noodles to dip in said sauce. Opened April 2011 and the owners are very welcoming to foreigners. As with all Vietnamese dishes, the hungry may have to order twice but with a price of 25.000 dong, that ain't too bad. Nice atmosphere while keeping the genuine atmosphere of a local restaurant.

  • Banh Khoai "Hong Mai", Dinh Tien Hoang - Nguyen Bieu corner Str. (Inside the Purple Forbidden City) is known as the best Banh Khoai(Pancake) in Hue. This is a family restaurant. Nem Lui (minced pork grilled with lemon grass on coal) and Banh Beo also recommended. Bánh Khoái Lạc Thiện (Trần Hưng Đạo st).

• Banh Khoai - 'Hạnh', 11 Phó Đức Chinh (small street between Ben Nghe and Tran Quang Khai), ☎ 054-833552. This is a family restaurant where the locals go to eat Hue specialities, cheap and very good food!. Ban Khoai - 25,000 dong, Nem Lui 50,000 dong.  

  • Brown eyes restaurant 1/34 Nguyen Tri Phuong - Tel: 054 832572 . You need cheap food and big plates? Go to Brown Eyes and you will be satisfied for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Suitable for young people. Changed name, and now bad service.

• La Carambole, 19 Pham Ngu Lao, ☎ 054-3810491. This place looks like a tourist trap... and it is. Reports suggest that it may once have been great but it now seems as if the chef inherited the menu but has no culinary experience. Serves French food, Vietnamese food and pizza. All of which are subpar. In April 2012 food here was actually pretty good, portions small but not bad prices for tourist area. In Oct 2015 the food was not good, and many nearby restaurants serve better food for cheaper prices.  

  • Friendly restaurant, D Pham Ngu Lao, an excellent choice with charming staff and a wide range of Vietnamese and European food. Opened in 2005 and owned by a Vietnamese family, Friendly restaurant is in the town's centre.

  • Mandarin Café, 24 Tran Cao Van. Having been forced to move many times,the owner, Mr. Cu has purchased property and built on this new location to ensure that he won't haveto move again anytime soon. The owner is also a good photographer and many of his pictures hang on the wall. The food here is consistently good with local & Western favorites. Try his banana pancakes. They are as good today as they were 10 years ago.

  • Phuong Nam Cafe, 38 Tran Cao Van - Tel: 054 3849317 is a nice little restaurant with decent but very cheap food and excellent fruit shakes.

• Banh Bao, in the corner of Ben Nghe and Nguyen Tri Phuong. is an street vendor that sells wonderful Banh Bao 5000 dong.  

  • Hot Tuna, 37 Vo Thi Sau (Corner of Vo Thi Sau & Chu Van An) - Tel: 84.54.3616464 is a nice restaurant, friendly staff and our meals were excellent. Recommend the chicken breast with mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes, 80,000 Dong and well worth every bit of it. The best I have had in Asia. Duck also quite nice. Meals range from 40,000 (sandwiches) to 160,000 (fish) and have lots of options in the mid range.

  • 8 Dinh Tien Hoang. Food is delicious and well priced. Many Hue specialties available and the owner will show you how to eat them if you look puzzled. Many other dishes also available. Bun Bo Bu 30,000vnd, Nem Lui 30,000vnd, Bah Khoai 20,000vnd, Bun Thit Nuong 30,000 vnd, Banh Beo 20.000vnd.

• Hue Cuisine Tour (Enjoying the best dishes of Hue in only one tour), [12]. 1 Day. Besides beautiful sightseeings, Hue's also famouse for its cuisine. In this tour, you have a chance to enjoy best dishes of Hue such as Bun Bo, Che Hue, Nem Lui, Banh Beo and many more. US 30$ - 80$.  

Mid-range

• • Hue Waterland Bar-Restaurant, 35 Chu Van An St. Tel : 054.3844844. Dining, lunch, breakfast. They serve Vietnam cuisine and Western food. Such as Bun Bo Hue, Banh Loc, Banh Beo, Banh Nam, Nem Lui, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, spaghetti, spring rolls, fish, shrimp, pork, noodle, rice. In tourist center, just few minutes to Perfume River. Garden view with bamboon tree and candle.

• Japanese Restaurant Ta-ke, 34 Tran Cao Van, ☎ 054-834457. -22:00. This Japanese restaurant serves SE-asia-level sushi for a relatively good price.80,000-250,000 dong.  

• Japanese Restaurant Jass/ Children's home, 12 Chu Van An, ☎ 054-3825146. 18h30-21h30, mon-sat. Social Profit Japanese restaurant with outstanding flavors.  

  • Không Gian Xưa, Điện Biên Phủ st. A nice place to enjoy delicious local cuisine in a well designed traditional style building.

  • Ong Tao, 31 Chu Van An. 054.823031. Excellent traditional Hue food, try the meat rolls (wrapped in mint leaves) or the fried spring rolls -incredibly crunchy-. Not too crowded, kind of hidden in a first floor. Don't miss it. All dishes (US$1-7) have small and big versions, so you can order a few.

• Paradise Garden Restaurant (Nha Hang Vuon Thien Dang), 17 Le Loi Street, Hue (in front of Saigon Morin Hotel), ☎ 838485. 07.00 - 23.00. Expensive, nice settings, not very authentic but still good- cheap by normal standards obviously. The live music is good. 1-5 USD.  

Splurge

• • Tinh Gia Vien, 20/3 Le Thanh Ton, tel. +84-54-522243. Wonderful old Hue-style nha vuon garden villa on a quiet side street, formerly the residence of a princess, converted by a bonsai enthusiast into a restaurant serving Imperial cuisine. There are three set menus at US$15/20/25 ("big", "bigger" or "biggest", according to the menu) but all sets have 11 courses and are guaranteed to fill you up. The food wins full points for presentation, but is unfortunately somewhat toned down for the foreign palate.

  • Ancient Hue Royal Cuisine and Gallery [13] : One of the biggest restaurants in Hue. Prices are good, food is excellent, extremely clean. All is served by a professional staff, international experienced chef. It is also a complex of ancient houses among huge garden area, which makes you feel comfortable once you come here. Also, the food carvings are memorable, and the service is outstanding. Expect to pay between $30 per person, cheapest wine was $25 a bottle and beers started at $3.50 rather steep when you are paying $1 for a beer anywhere else. Well worth a visit, recommend getting a taxi there as quite difficult to find even with google maps.

Vegetarian

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.

• • Thanh Lien Quan Chay, Approx. 52 Nguyen Cong Tru. Delicious and cheap buddhist family restaurant, very friendly staff, easy to miss from the street, look for a sign with TATA. Rice with vegetables, tofu and other delicious morsels: $0.50. 4-person hot pot: $2.

  • Bo De, D Le Loi. Run by the Huong Giang travel company. Extremely popular with locals. Serves delicious vegetarian appetizers and entrees. Expect to fill yourself for US$2-3/person. While the restaurant serves truly wonderful cheap vegetarian dishes, for some reason the staff is very unfriendly with foreigners. Half of the dishes listed on the menu are not available.

  • Lien Hoa, D Le Quy Don. In the grounds of the Lien Hoa pagoda, across from the football stadium. Monks and nuns frequent this restaurant during lunch. A small shop near the door sells Vietnamese language Buddhist texts, prayer beads and icons.

  • Com Chay (vegetarian rice) Is near the River on on the 'newer side' it has simple, but good and cheap vegetarian meals.

  • Tinh Tam (or "calm soul") located at 12 Chu Van An tel.823572. Answering the question "Who would Buddha rip off?", this Buddhist restaurant in the backpacker district has a little scam going. There are two menus- an English one with strange dishes at high prices, and a Vietnamese one with normal Vietnamese dishes at normal prices. If you try to order off the Vietnamese menu, the owner will claim those dishes are not available. If you do succeed in ordering a Vietnamese dish, the owner will bring out an unidentifiable dish and claim it is what you ordered (going so far as to claim a plate of noodles and tomatoes was "pho") at 4-5 times the price. If you complain, the owner suddenly doesn't speak English. You can find plenty of unhappy customer reviews on the internet of this place. To avoid. Price: Vietnamese: 5000d / Other races: 40,000-50,000d.

  • Quang Tinh, 91 Vo Thi Sau, in the backpacker area. 6am-10pm. Very simple place, menu of noodles, rice, and so on, starting at 10,000d. Also sells cigarettes and hard alcohol.

Drink

• • B4 Bar-Café, 75 D Ben Nghe. A charming Belgian-Vietnamese owned bar, with a welcoming interior and free pool.

• Brown Eyes Chillout Bar-Club, 56 Chu Van An, Hue, ☎ 054.827494. Happy hour(s) 5PM-10PM. Live DJ, free pool table, and a good vibe. Not far from Pham Ngu Lao, but they offer to pay for taxis from hotels for parties of four persons or more. Stays open till the last ones pass out! No cover.. 

  • Café on Thu Wheels, 1/2 D Nguyen Tri Phuong. It's a little bar owned by the charming lady Thu. Great value, great service.

  • DMZ Bar & Café, 44 D Le Loi. Stays open late.Very expensive drinks.

• Hangout Coffee & Bar, 48 Nguyen Tri Phuong, ☎ 0168 560 2769, [14]. The only daily live music bar (8-10pm), 3 floors with great décor and terrace, free foosball table, friendly staff and cheap drinks. Happy Hour from 6-8pm. Open 6:30am till late.  

• True Coffee, 15 ngô quyền. Great little place on a tree-lined part of Ngo Quyen street. Mostly locals who will look at you curiously, relaxed vibe with cool tables made from tires. Drinks are reasonably priced, Vietnamese coffee for 15k. Try the Yogurt Cocoa, 20k - delicious! 15k-30k dong.  

• Why Not?, 21 Vo Thi Sau, ☎ 054-824793. Advised against smoothies. Very expensive.  

• Sinh To place, 30 Ben Nghe. Shop for drinking ice tea, coffee, smoothies and juices. Try Rau Má juice: when available it is meant to be very good for your health. Rau má (centella asiatica juice) 6000 dong[?], smoothies (sinh to) 15000 dong.  

• Vy Da Xua, 131 Nguyen Sinh Cung St (east on Le Loi, about 1 mile past the causeway). Enjoy a delicious cup of Vietnamese coffee, or any beverage, in this beautiful setting. The traditional beam house is surrounded by a garden and small stream where you can hear birds and restful music. The perfect place to meet friends.  

• Mercury café, Ben Nghe 42, ☎ 0543843392, [15]. Big modern tavern to meet, have a drink or have some vietnamese or italian food. Light, colors, contemporary setting. Front terrace and quiet back-patio. Western music. Gay-friendly.  

• Oasis Bar, 42/4 Le Loi Street (Opposite the Converse shop, at the end of the small alleyway). A relaxing beach bar in the middle of the city. Escape the busy streets to our 'oasis' and chill out in hammocks or sit on cushions on the sand. Shaded by palm trees, its the perfect place to relax and enjoy a refreshing drink and read a book (also for sale) or play a game of free pool. Later, enjoy a game of beer pong, dance to our Western DJ and enjoy our nightly happy hours (6-9pm) and drinks specials (9-11pm).  

• Chais Cafe, 54 Chu Van An. opens around 8 to 9 am. Nice and cozy Cafe run by a english speaking young local, very friendly atmosphere, good music. 10k for a coffee, complementary tea.  

Coffee

There are lots of small cafés (quán cafe) in Hue. Going out for coffee is a favorite 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 chocolaty overtones. Generally 6,000d-8,000d for Vietnamese people; 10,000d+ for foreigners.

• • Sidewalk Coffee - Opposite 30 Bach Dang st. Go local and try some delicious early morning coffee with chocolaty overtones, hot or iced, while watching river life on the canal. The woman who brews it up also offers banh mi, french bread with your choice of fillings. Another woman shares the same patch of sidewalk and sells very reasonably priced banh canh, a popular local breakfast soup. A real plus here is the cleanliness. The coffee glasses are spotless! Open from about 5:30 a.m. until 9 or 10, when the coffee and food are sold out. After your coffee, you can continue walking along Bach Dang to reach 2 famous local pagodas, both nearby.

Sleep 

There are plenty of cheap traveller hotels and mid-market hotels in Hue, as well as a couple of expensive giants. The largest cluster is around the short lane ofPham 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. Across the river, near the citadel there are a few budget hotels on and around Dinh Tien Hoang.

Hostels

• Tigon Hostel, 11B Nguyen Cong Tru Street (Hue, Vietnam), ☎ +84-543-834-579, [16]. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 12:00. Tigon Hostel – A premium hostel in Imperial city. web: http://www.tigonhostel.com. There’re 4 kinds of Dorms such as Mixed Dorm, Male Dorm, Female Dorm and Private Dorm. All rooms are air-conditioned; all equipped with cable TV, shower with bathtub, and mini-bar. Some of its facilities are bar and restaurant, room Internet, boutique and souvenir shop and laundry service. Rates on official website start at USD 6$/bed included buffet breakfast. 6$.  

• Hue City Hostel, 40 Chu Van An (Sidestreet of Le Loi (On the crossroad of Chu Van An and Vo Thi Sau), ☎ +8401216620015 - 01652235960, [17]. checkin: 12; checkout: 2. New hostel on the street behind the Hue backpackers. They have several air conditioned dorm rooms. 4- and 6 bed dorms.Dorm rooms have a little balcony too. Good wifi in rooms and even full kitchen/ cooking facilities. Friendly owners and they speak english very well. Cheap ($5) , clean and easygoing. Very flexible with checking in and checking out times. 5 USD.  

• Imperial Hostel, 29 Vo Thi Sau Street (Hue Hostel - Hue backpacker - Hue Dorm Room), ☎ 0988857128, [18]. Imperial hostel, a French-style building located in the central of backpacker area is a new hostel in Hue city providing backpacker travelers with comfortable and affordable dorm room. Imperial hostel is special and different from others not only for its architecture but also for its front spacious garden. They offer two kinds of dorm room: 1. Mix Dorm with Aircon: 7$/bed/nite with BF 2. Mix Dorm with Fan: 5$/bed/nite with BF They have a big garden restaurant with Hue local food such as Pan Cake, Beef Noodle... Free pool inside the building, free city maps, internet computer. They have mountain bike for rental. 2$ or 3$/ day with helmet supplier. Visit their website for more details: http://imperialhostel.com/ In June 2015, the hostel was gone. According to the neighbours, it changed into or has fused with the Tigon Hostel, 11B Nguyen Cong Tru Street. 5$.  

• Oasis Bar and Hostel, 42/4 Le Loi Street, ☎ +84933991236, [19]. checkin: 12:00; checkout: 12:00. The rather aptly named Oasis is an eclectic two-dorm bar/restaurant with a palm-fringed sandy "beach" (what else) down a small alley off Le Loi, about 100 metres from Pham Ngu Lao. Run by smiley happy people who seem to have thought of everything to keep you from wanting to ever leave the chilled environs, it offers two air-con dorms (four- and six-bed) which are spacious, cool and clean. Each bed is kitted out with storage lockers, power sockets, reading lamps, comfy mattresses and cool cotton bedlinen. The newly refurbed shared bathrooms have hot-water showers and were pristine on our visit. Next door to the dorms is a quirky garden house, which doubles up as a bar and restaurant with pool table, chill out lounge, library and games (even Twister). 5USD/bed/nite.  

Budget

• Hue Amazing Homestay, ☎ +84-0912-630-219, [20]. Breakfast included, good wifi, one free beer, exceptional staff. Cozy and quiet with only 9 beds.110,000 VND.  

• Hoang Vu Hotel, 109/2 nguyễn huệ, ☎ +84-0543-814-199, [21]. Hoang Vu hotel is a hotel near Big-C centre and the iconic Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church of Hue. There are also plenty of Vietnamese Karaoke bars near the hotel. It is on walking distance to Huong Vuong (3min) and Pham Ngu Lao street (15min) and it is near the busstop to Danang city. All the rooms have the utilities you would expect in a budget hotel, such as a proper shower, wifi, television, and so on. The staff is very friendly and helpful.  

• Thanh An 2 Guesthouse, 37/48 Ngo Quyen, ☎ +84 906594503, [22]. Outside of the main tourist area, thankfully, closer to the train and a short walk to cafes and food. Friendly family, offers free tea, coffee, and bananas all day. Rooms are spacious, very clean, and air-conditioned. Beds are clean and comfortable. Some rooms have balconies overlooking the quiet street. Wifi is strong and fast. Rents bicycles for 10k/day and motorbikes for 100kday. 110,000 - 220,000 VND.  

• Valentine hotel, Number7, lane 64 Nguyen Cong Tru street, ☎ +84543817665 (valentinehotel@gmail.com, fax: +84543817898), [23]. checkin: 12p.m; checkout: 12 p.m. Helpful and friendly staff, free breakfast (6 options!), free cold tea on arrival and great location (quiet and a few hundret meters away from tourist hot spot). Free wifi in lobby and rooms. Very clean. 12$.  

• Canary Hotel, 37 Nguyen Cong Tru, ☎ 84.054.3839699, [24]. All rooms are air-conditioned, all equipped with 32-inch LCD cable TV, shower with bathtub, and mini-bar. Some of its facilities are bar and restaurant, Internet room, boutique and souvenir shop, and laundry service. Rates on official website start at USD 15.65.  

• Phong Lan, 12/66 Le Loi Street, ☎ 054.3826255. Very nice and clean Hotel located in a small, calm side street near Pham Ngu Lao. All rooms have balcony, AC, own bathroom. Rooms for 2 to 4 persons. Free wi-fi, bicycle and motorbike rental available. Staff is very friendly and speaks good english. 10-20$.  

• Jade Hotel, 17 nguyen thai hoc street, ☎ 84 0543938849, [25]. This hotel is luxurious for its low cost. The room include free fruit juice/coffee, free breakfast, aircon, tv, wifi, and tour info. The staff are super friendly and helpful. It is located a short walk from the city centre. $15/double room.  

• Hue Hostel, 40 Chu Van An Street (Hue), ☎ 01216620015 (huehostel@gmail.com), [26]. checkout: 12pm. From the makers of the ever popular Hanoi Backpacker's Hostel. Hue Backpacker's is the newest addition to Chu Van An and is rapidly becoming the spot to stay and hang out, if you are a drunk australian or british traveller. Very loud music, and roommates. Cheap accommodation, very clean, spacious balconies to relax and read a book, and they've got an elevator for your packs. Free Internet weak wifi, and friendly helpful staff. The downstairs area is a drink bar the best burgers in Hue and other western delights. From US$5.  

• Phuoc An (DMZ Hotel), 1A Pham Ngu Lao Street (right across the street from Hue Backpackers, go down Le Loi until you get to Century Hotel and Pham Ngu Lao is opposite the hotel. Phuoc An is just on the left), ☎ +84 54 382 6831 (phuocan_dmzhotel@yahoo.com.vn), [27]. checkout: 12pm. Right across the street from Hue Backpacker's Hostel. Phuoc An is a very clean, very friendly hotel. WiFi is available and fast. The rooms are spacious and the beds are soft and quite comfortable. The staff handles motorbike rentals and laundry. They also serve food. It's a much cheaper alternative to it's nearby competitors and you get better quality for the price. Since it's right on Pham Ngu Lao, it's close to Hue's nightlife. US$12 for a double room.  

• Why Not Hotel, 26 Pham Ngu Lao Street (Between Jalapeno Bar and Tipsy Pub), ☎ +84 90 358 38 12 (whynothotel@gmail.com). checkout: 12pm. Basic but clean and comfortable hotel with friendly staff. Laundry services for 35,000 per kg. Wifi is available. Since it's right on Pham Ngu Lao, it's close to Hue's nightlife. around US$10-15 for a double room.  

  • Waterland hotel.add : 35/42 Nguyen Cong Tru.st.Huecity .Tel : (+84.54)3935435 / 3935735 .Email : info@waterlandhotel.com .Website: www.waterlandhotel.com .Waterland Hotel is aBoutique Hotel located on Nguyen Cong Tru street, just a minute's walk to the famous Perfume River. It offers a modern and diverse range of facilities and services. All the rooms in the hotel have wooden floors and are equipped with IDD telephone, air-conditioning, cable TV, refrigerator, bathroom, (bath-tub and shower), hair-dryer, coffee and tea making facilities, private computer with ADSL for free.

• Amigo Hotel, 66/3 Le Loi Street, ☎ +84 54 3838006 (amigohotel@vnn.vn, fax: +84 54 3838005), [28]. Tucked away find in the heart of the guesthouse/cheaper district.Very good location,opposite side of river to the Citadel,v.close to Hue Backpackers Hostel and DMZ bar.friendly staff, very clean and modern rooms at 300,000 for a double Feb 20th 2013. Free WiFi(works in the room) and PCs available for guest use. Air-con. Sat TV. Laundry service at 20,000 dong per kilo. Restaurant downstairs does ok food reasonably priced. US$13-25.  

• Bamboo Hotel, 61 Hung Vuong, ☎ +84-54-3828345. Good Hotel. The staff is friendly, the rooms are clean and neat. There is free internet available. From US$10..  

• Bao Son Hotel, 39 Nguyen Cong Tru, ☎ 84.54.3827189, [29]. Clean, new and well kept with friendly staff.wifi. tv cable. Air conditioning and fans in every room. Laundry available. From US$ 10.  

• Binh Duong I Hotel, 17/34 Nguyen Tri Phuong Alley, ☎ 054-382-9990. Aircon, hot water & satellite TV included. Popular with Japanese tourists. Friendly and helpful staff. Some rooms have bath-tubs and/or private balcony. From US$10. Dorms are $4 (84k dong)..  

  • Halo, 10A/66 D Le Loi (up an alley coming off the main road, where there is an array of other guest houses - there's a small sign for it along with some others at the alley's entrance). Spotless rooms, spacious, with large bathrooms and TV. There is a balcony to sit at night, and it's close to all the nightlife in Hue.Doubles 160,000 dong / US$10.. *

• Mimosa Guesthouse, Le Loi, ☎ 054.828068. friendly, quiet location in a backpacker hotel alley off Le Loi. From US$4..  

• Minh Hieu Hotel, 3 Chu Van An, ☎ 054.828725. Family-run hotel named after the wild urchin who'll make his displeasure known if you spend too long on the Internet-ready computer downstairs, thereby keeping him from online puzzle games. The rooms are spotlessly clean, with satellite TV, hot water, and mini-fridges; each floor has a balcony, and it's not too loud outside. Breakfast is available for US$1. From US$10..  

• Sports Hotel, 15 Pham Ngu Lao Street. Nice cheap 2-star hotel located on the main tourist hangout. Surprisingly clean and big spacious rooms and not far from the river. From US$10..  

• Lam Bao Long Hotel, 80 Le Loi St, ☎ 054.3822804 (lambaolonghotel@gmail.com). checkin: 8.00 AM; checkout: 12.00 PM. Has 15 non smoking rooms, air conditioning, bathrobes, daily newspaper, desk, hair dryer. 12.00 USD.  

• Rubis Hostel, 31 Tran Thanh Mai (near the Southern Bus Station), ☎ +84 935625537. checkin: 12pm; checkout: 12pm. Friendly staffs and host, offers free and strong wifi. Rooms are spacious, very clean with air-conditioner, some rooms have view to Ngu Binh moutain and Some have balconies. The terrace at the top floor is ideal for a birdview to Ngu Binh moutain and countryside surround. The hostel offer bicycles and motorbikes for rent. $7- $10.  

Mid-range

• • Holiday (Diamond) Hotel, 6/14 Nguyen Cong Tru, [30]. Exceptionally good value. The spotless, airconditioned rooms ($25-35) are well-furnished with modern amenities, and include lockable wardrobes. The included breakfast is substantial. The staff are very attentive, and will learn and try to remember your name using memory-training tricks. They will warmly welcome you back after each foray outside, and provide you with free drinks (lemon juice, corn-water) every time you enter, and whenever you sit in the lobby. The nearby Jade Hotel (17 Nguyen Thai Hoc) has the same ownership so includes the same standard of staff-training in simpler rooms ($15-20). Book a few days ahead (at either hotel) an* d they will pick you up from the train station.

• Hanh Dat Hotel, 15 Pham Van Dong St. Vy Da, Thua Thien Hue, ☎ 84 54 3898486, [31]. Rooms with air-conditioning, wi-fi anternet access and 32-inch LCD TV with satellite/ cable channels. Facilities and services are restaurant, business center, fax and photocopying services. From USD 25.  

• Asia Hotel. Opened only in December 2004, but despite the token modern TV, the fittings seem much older. The rooms are well enough equipped though and the rooftop restaurant and pool have nice views. Rooms from a slightly overpriced US$30, including a decent buffet breakfast.  

• Midtown Hotel Hue, 29 Doi Cung Str, Phu Hoi Ward, ☎ 84-905 477 679, [32]. checkin: 01:00pm; checkout: Noon. The hotel has 88 all-equipped rooms with private air conditioning, private balcony, internet television, bathtub, coffee/tea maker, internet connection, minibar, private toilet and bath, safe and telephone. Some of its facilities and services are rooftop swimming pool, restaurant, massage service and airport transfer. From 45 USD.  

• New Star Hotel, 36 Chu Van An Str, Phu Hoi Ward, ☎ 84-0914.091447, [33]. It offers Deluxe Room, Family Suite and Superior Room all equipped with air conditioning, balcony/deck, cable television, CD player, coffee/tea maker, internet connection, minibar, private toilet and bath, safe and telephone. Some of its facilities and services are swimming pool, restaurant, massage service and airport transfer.  

• Orchid Hotel, [34]. This hotel feels like a 5-star establishment with very professional and personable staff. Clean, spacious, and beautifully designed rooms. Double rooms US$35 (27 Euros), including a decent buffet breakfast. They picked me up from the train station for free and offered me use of a motorbike for free. My bed was huge.  

• Park View Hotel Hue, 9 Ngo Quyen, ☎ +(84-54) 837382, [35]. Park View Hotel is a four star hotel in the center of the city, near the Perfume River. It's a 10-minute walk to Hue Citadel.  

• Thai Y Hotel Hue, No 10 Pham Van Dong, ☎ +84 054.3897373, [36]. Thai Y Hotel is a no star hotel, a little away from center of the city, but its accessible to city center. Its brand new, started in 2009, very clean, comfortable, has good wifi connection in-room, brand new bathroom fixtures, have a few quirks here and there but nothing unbearable. One of the young proprietor speaks decent English and friendly.US$17-35  

• Vina Hotel Hue, 57/03 Nguyen Cong Tru St, ☎ 84 (54)625114, [37]. Hotel surrounded by trees. Rooms with river or city view. US$28-50.  

Splurge

• Pilgrimage Village, 130 Minh Mang (away from centre, 5 minutes south). Full-on resort away from the noise with superb service. From $70.  

• Ana Mandara Hue, An Hai village, Thuan An town, Phu Vang district (20 minutes form the city centre), ☎ (84) 054 398 3333 (sales@anamandarahue-resort,fax: (84) 054 397 1111), [38]. This location offers guests a taste of “real” Vietnam. With the neighboring fishing village and lagoon one side and 400m of private beach the other.It also provides romantic dinner on the beach and luxury spa with natural product . From US$150..  

• La Residence, 5 D Le Loi (Walking distance from the train station), ☎ (84) 054 837 475, [39]. Renovated and restored 4 years ago, it tries to bring to life the French colonial era of the 1920's. It has the largest swimming pool and spa in Hue, and the general manager are British and the head chef is the high profile Vietnamese chef . From US$136..  

• Saigon Morin, 30 Le Loi Street. Hue's grand old hotel, opened by a Mr. Morin from France and running strong for over a hundred years. Excellent riverside location, white-washed colonial charm and a pleasant inner courtyard, although the rooms could use a little fine-tuning. From US$100..  

Stay safe

Hue is a safe city, and there is not much to worry about. As is common with other cities in Vietnam, at night time caution should be used with any offers of transportation. Motorbike drivers will drive up and offer to bring people (presumably men) to prostitutes or drugs ("Hey... Lady? Massage? Marijuana?") and can get quite surly. Cyclo-drivers, especially in Pham Ngu Lao area, should be avoided, as there are recent cases in which travelers have been mugged, beaten and robbed by these people. During the day a ride should be fine, but at night, especially when they say its free or "up to you" avoid them at all costs.

Be suspicious of locals asking where you are from and then claiming to have family living there. The scam goes something like this. They will ask you to sit down for lunch/dinner/coffee 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 store the shop owner will say the wine is 7,000 dong and then when you attempt to pay she will say 700,000. Be suspicious also of women that need to change euro coins into dollars. After counting several times ther amount of euros, they try to keep some coins when they give you the money to change.

ATMs

Vietcombank ATMs do not accept bank cards with chip. Simply find an alternative. There is much discussion around ATMs in Vietnam and in particular about which ones allow a foreign traveller to take out more than 2-3 Million VND. The primary advice is that the Military Bank (MB) ATMs allow large withdrawals (5-8M). However, there are two issues in Hue with the MB ATMs.

• • First, the the MB web site indicates there is an ATM on Vo Thi Sau, but there is not.

  • Second, there is an MB ATM on Hung Vuong, between Le Loi and Tran Cao Van, but it only allows 3M withdrawal.

Get out

• • 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.

  • Hanoi bus leaves around 5PM, costs 250k dongs with pickup service but you can go directly to the departure place where all the tourists are dropped off and book it for 200k. Its the place called "Google Restaurant", 26-28, Đường Trần Cao Văn, tp. Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế, Vietnam

  • Surrounding Countryside 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 by foot). Different villages tend to specialize 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

  • Hoi An - old merchant port 100km away (about 4 hours by road or train - train a/c soft seats 81,000d as on 10/05/14, stops at Danang, 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 - about 3 hours north of Hue, sleepy seaside town to sit around in. Bus from Hue (March '12): local bus: 80,000d / Sinh Cafe bus: 400,000d / Tourist buses: 300,000d.

  • Nam Dong district - great place for visiting Co Tu villages on the fringe of Bach Ma National Park

  • 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.

  • Beware of booking tickets mediated through people at the bus and train station or at "Adin's Café Booking Office" at the RR station. On arrival they ask you friendly how you like to continue your trip and then they want to make you believe to hurry as the train/bus is almost fully booked. Then they show you the "official" price list, which in fact it's just for tourists at a much higher price as locals pay for the tickets. Send them away and compare the ticket prices at your hotel and with other booking offices instead.

  • 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 - 6:00 am, 9:30 am and 6:00 pm. 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 between minibus, air-con bus to a local 30 years old bus. Usually buses packed with traders and their cargo that finding enough space would be a problem. You'll probably have to change bus 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 center of Hue.

  • VIP Bus to Savannakhet run by Lao state company leave 8.30 at sounthern bus station 5/week everyday except Sunday and Friday cost VND220,000 and From savannakhet to Hue departure 10.00 AM at Savannakhet bus station Mon-Friday 100,000kip(July, 2009)