Hue

Once the imperial capital to the Nguyen Lords, a feudal dynasty which reigned from the 17th to the 19th Centuries, with the Perfume River winding its way through this fascinating city, Hue is an architectural delight full of cultural gems including the Imperial Citadel, emperors’ tombs, historic temples and ancient pagodas.

• Cruise the waters of the Perfume River
• Wander around the emperors tombs
• Explore the historic DMZ by Jeep (Demilitarized Zone)
• Learn about The Imperial City, a walled palace within the infamous citadel

For many years the monuments were allowed to slowly crumble away, until the 1990’s when they were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and gradually have been restored ensuring the city’s future as one of the most important cultural hotspots in the country.

Principally designed by the Emperors themselves and spread along the banks of the Perfume River, the royal mausoleums such as the Tu Duc and Khai Dinh Royal Tombs were wonderfully elaborate and built on principles of feng-shui and showcase elements of eastern art and western designs.

A boat trip along the Perfume River to visit Thien Mu pagoda is another of the city’s highlights. Standing on the riverbank with its seven-storey tower, the pagoda is a sight to behold and Hue’s best-preserved religious monument.

The Museum of Royal Fine Arts is perhaps Hue’s most important museum and where the lost splendour of the Nguyen dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 until 1945, is displayed in the old royal Long An palace, a beautiful all-wood palace built in 1845. The museum is notable for its atmospheric setting and sumptuous royal artifacts, including ceramics, paintings, furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl, ceremonial weapons, and silk gowns.