As a keen traveler, you shouldn’t miss out on a trip to this imperial city – Hue. Being considered the home to the old kings of Vietnam, Hue boasts many aesthetically cultural architectures. But that’s not all you can discover here. In this article, WeRVietnam will share with you why to opt for a Hue travel trip this summer 2022, where to visit, and what to eat in this city. Let’s be with us to explore more!
Hue Travel: Why You Shouldn’t Miss It?
When it comes to Hue, many people will think of it as a peaceful city in which there is not much to offer visitors. However, this is not the truth at all! Peaceful doesn’t mean quiet and boring, but tranquil. The word “tranquility” best describes what you can feel when staying in Hue. Even though Hue is now a popular tourist destination, it still keeps itself at a slow and peaceful pace of life. Unlike the hustle and bustle in other cities, you will find many locations with little to no traffic noise here.
Hue people are always friendly and hospitable. They will help you enthusiastically with a warm voice and a bright smile. Besides, when traveling to a place, price is what most travelers care about. Rest assured that the price is very reasonable in Hue.
Last but not least, from the historical attractions to local cuisine, there will be a lot waiting for you to find them out during your Hue travel trip. Let’s dive into more details in the following sections.
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Must-Visit Places In Your Hue Travel
Truong Tien Bridge
Truong Tien bridge is a symbol of Hue and the pride of all people living here. Crossing the Perfume River (Huong River), the Truong Tien bridge has charming and poetic beauty. This is a highly recommended place where you can take stunning photos while taking a relaxing walk on the bridge.
Under Trang Tien bridge, there is a walking street and a night market that you shouldn’t miss. You can admire the entire Trang Tien bridge and enjoy the fresh air here. Additionally, it is an exciting experience to try local food at the foot of Trang Tien bridge. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
The Imperial City of Hue
The Imperial City of Hue boasts a unique architectural beauty and preserves many distinctive imprints of the Nguyen Dynasty hundreds of years ago. It is one of the relics belonging to the Complex of Hue Monuments Complex, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. With an enormous area, there are more than 100 splendid architectural works such as Ngo Mon Gate, Dien Tho Palace, Forbidden City, Thai Hoa Palace, etc. You will be impressed seeing that they are arranged harmoniously and reasonably.
The first impression when coming here is the magnificently decorated gates all over the site. When entering this extensive complex, you can see magnificent historic buildings while enjoying a calm and relaxing atmosphere. This is definitely a great stop if you are interested in acquiring more knowledge of Hue’s history.
Hue Citadel is open from 6:30 to 17:30 in summer and from 7:00 to 17:00 in winter. There is a fee if you want to go inside this tourist attraction. The entrance ticket price for an adult is 200,000 VND, and that for a child from 7-12 years old is 30,000 VND.
Royal Tombs
Among many tourist destinations with unique architectural works in Hue, royal tombs are what you can’t miss out on. There are seven known royal tombs, and three out of them are more significantly popular than the rest. They are the tombs of Minh Mang, Tu Duc, and Khai Dinh. Top On Seek will introduce you to these royal tombs with the following information:
Tomb of Tu Duc
Address: Thuong Ba Village, Thuy Xuan Ward, Hue City, Thua Thien Hue
Entry Fee: 150,000 VND/Adult and 30,000 VND/Child from 7 -12 years old
Regarded as one of the most beautiful mausoleums in Hue, the architecture inside Tu Duc’s tomb is unique, and the scenery is charming. The four sides of the tomb are surrounded by green trees with a lake named Luu Khiem near the mausoleum. Therefore, these trees always make the air here always fresh. Therefore, Tu Duc tomb is a must-see location during your Hue travel trip this summer 2022.
Tomb of Minh Mang
Address: Huong Tho Commune, Huong Tra District, Hue City, Thua Thien Hue
Entry Fee: 150,000 VND/Adult and 30,000 VND/Child from 7 -12 years old
This is another tomb well worth your visit. You will find it interesting to learn about the history of the Nguyen Dynasty while visiting the tomb. The buildings are picturesque, and the tomb itself is beautifully designed with ancient architecture. Moreover, the landscape around the tomb is very fantastic, surrounded by peaceful, stunning gardens and grounds. The whole area has a tranquil setting full of history and symmetry. It is very relaxing to stroll around and admire the buildings with their unique decoration.
Tomb of Khai Dinh
Address: Thuy Bang Commune, Huong Thuy District, Hue City, Thua Thien Hue
Entry Fee: 150,000 VND/Adult and 30,000 VND/Child from 7 -12 years old
Although the area of the Khai Dinh Tomb is small, it boasts a delicate combination of East and West architecture and culture. When visiting this royal tomb, you will have a chance to be immersed in its meticulous, sophisticated, and splendid design. The overall Khai Dinh Tomb is a rectangular block consisting of 127 steps. When reaching the highest position, you will come to Thien Dinh palace. This is the main architecture of the Khai Dinh mausoleum with elaborately built buildings. Not only will the architect of Khai Dinh impress you, but the surrounding is also a big plus. Located in a natural area surrounded by mountains and streams, the scenery around the Khai Dinh tomb is majestic. This makes it one of the unique mausoleums in Hue.
Thien Mu Pagoda
Address: Ha Khe hill, Kim Long Ward, Huong Hoa district, Thua Thien Hue
Entry Fee: Free of Charge
Thien Mu pagoda (also knowns as Linh Mụ) is situated on Ha Khe hill overlooking the poetic Huong river. The view from this pagoda is spectacular and picturesque, especially when the sun sets. Thien Mu pagoda is an octagonal tower comprising seven tiers with unique architecture. You can wander around the small garden which is behind the pagoda. Ponds and bonsai trees are also worth seeing here. All of these make the surrounding very peaceful and serene.
Thien Mu pagoda not only serves the spiritual life of the Hue people, but it also plays a vital role in contributing to the beauty of this holy land. However, there is an interesting myth spread popularly among the locals. That is, after visiting this pagoda, a couple (lovers) will end up breaking up with each other. However, that’s just a myth. We don’t know whether it’s true or not.
Dong Ba Market
Address: 02 Tran Hung Dao Street, Phu Hoa Ward, Hue City
The largest market in Hue – Dong Ba market has a lot to offer tourists. First and foremost, this is an ideal place where you can shop for gifts and souvenirs for your relatives and friends. There is a wide range of goods available for your choice here. Furthermore, the local food is diverse. You can find a variety of delicious Hue specialties in Dong Ba market. There are more exciting things waiting for you to explore. However, it’s essential to bear in mind that it is very crowded in Dong Ba market, and you are highly advised to keep your belongings carefully.
Dishes You Must Try In Your Hue Travel
Bun Bo Hue (Hue Beef Noodles)
This is the most famous specialty in Hue. Therefore, you should not come to Hue without eating this dish. A typical Bun Bo Hue includes noodles, beef, crab balls, pig blood curd, broth, and a wide range of veggies. The broth is supposed to be the “soul” of Bun Bo Hue. The broth’s rich and sweet taste after carefully stewed from beef bones and seasoned with spices and chili powder makes this a unique dish. In addition, people also add a little fish sauce and lemongrass to the broth to increase the attractive aroma. So, why not try this food with a tasty flavor and an aromatic smell when traveling to Hue?
Where to eat:
- Dong Ba Market (2 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hue City)
- Bun Bo Hue Ba Tuyet (47 Nguyen Cong Tru Street, Hue City)
- Bun Bo Hue O Phuong ( 24 Nguyen Khuyen Street, Hue City)
- Bun Bo Hue Ba Xuan (17 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hue city)
Com Hen (Rice with baby mussels)
Com Hue is a familiar dish for Hue people. The ingredients consist of rice, baby mussels, and fresh herbs with a separate bowl of broth that has the sweet favor of boiled baby mussels. It is eaten in combination with fried pork lard, oven-roasted peanuts, star fruit, and chili powder. As a result, all of these ingredients create a striking sweet, salty, spicy, and sour flavor that will satisfy your cravings.
Where to eat:
- Com Hue – Quan Dap Da (01 Han Mac Tu Street, Hue City)
- Com Hen – Quan Hoa Dong (7/64 Ung Bình Street, Hue City)
- Com Hen – Quan 26 (26 Truong Dinh Street, Hue City)
Banh Loc (Loc Cake)
Banh Loc is known as a symbol of Hue cuisine. The main ingredients to make this specialty are tapioca starch, shrimp, and pork. The filling typically combines both shrimps and fatty pork. There are two types of Banh Loc, one wrapped with banana leaves and one without banana leaves. A Loc cake considered delicious is when the tapioca flour is transparent and doesn’t stick or settle on the banana leaves. The tapioca starch should be soft and sticky, and the flavor of the filling (shrimp and pork) should be well-seasoned. There is a dipping sauce served together with this dish.
Where to eat:
- Dong Ba Market (2 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hue City)
- Quan Goc Ba Cu (23/117 Phan Dinh Phung, Hue City)
- Quan Me Le (104/17/9 Kim Long, Hue City)
Che Cung Dinh Hue (Hue Royal Sweet Soup)
Hue royal sweet soup is one of the quintessential features of Hue’s cuisine, with thirty-six different types. Each dish has its own flavor and way of cooking. The Hue royal sweet soup must retain its delicious taste and the essence of each ingredient. Some of the most popular types of sweet soups are Lotus Seed Sweet Soup with Longan (Che long nhan hat sen), rice ball sweet soup (Che troi nuoc), cassava flour stuffed roasted pork (Che bot loc thit heo), mung bean sweet soup (che dau xanh), etc.
Where to eat:
- Che Ong Lac (36 Thanh Tinh Street, Hue City)
- Che Hem (29/1 Hung Vuong, Hue City)
- Che Ty (45 Tran Phu Street, Hue City)
Conclusion
This article has provided all of Hue’s exciting tourist attractions and delicious specialties. So, why don’t you add this city to your “to-visit” list this summer and experience a fantastic Hue travel trip?
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