Hue Itinerary: 1, 2 or 3 days is Enough for First-time Travelers

Hue, the capital of imperial Vietnam for 143 years is just like a hidden gem of Central. Many tourists do not know about Hue or skip it on the trip to Vietnam which is a regret. Hue in fact is one of the most charming towns in Vietnam, located on the banks of the beautifully named Perfume River. The city has a long and illustrious history of Vietnam. Follow our recommended itineraries for Hue, and pick up one which is best for you.

Hue Itinerary

Hue is located in central Vietnam, on the banks of the picturesque Perfume River, just a few kilometers inland from the East Sea. The city is about 700km from Hanoi, 1100km from Ho Chi Minh city, and 100km from Danang city. There is an airport, a train station, and many bus stations in Hue, so you can travel by flight, bus, train, private car, or motorbike to get here.

Hue is Vietnam's impressive with palaces, pagodas, tombs, and temples. It was the capital of 9 reigns of Nguyen Lords and 13 Nguyen Kings in nearly 400 years (1558 – 1945). The city retains culture and intangible heritages which contain values of wisdom and spirit. Hue Imperial Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, Tomb of Minh Mang, Tomb of Khai Dinh are top tourist attractions in Hue.

Hue is hot and humid throughout the year. Due to the location in the center of Vietnam and the hot wind from Laos, Hue is the hottest place in Vietnam. The best time to visit Hue is from February to April when the weather is pleasant and you can join many activities in Hue, From September to December is the rainy season, when the temperature drops to 20 degrees Celcius, and rains lasts for hours. You should not travel during rainy months.

Hue

 

Hue City Tour Full Day

When arriving at any new places, it is best to join a city tour with a knowledgeable tour guide who can give you detailed explanations about the places you will be visiting. Besides, you will be able to get free advice on what to do, where to eat in your free time. On Hue city tour full day, you will be visiting many important historical and cultural sites of Hue which are Thien Mu pagoda, Imperial Citadel, Minh Mang tomb & Khai Dinh tomb. There is also a chance for tourists to visit some villages to see how local people make sandalwood and cinnamon incense and Conical Hat. Please see detailed information about places you can visit on Hue itineary full day below:

Thien Mu Pagoda is one of the oldest and most fascinating religious sites in Hue. The pagoda has long lured tourists by its beautiful and ancient architectural structures of worship, so do not miss this place when you are in Hue.

Minh Mang’s tomb is a traditional architectural complex of 40 structures (palaces, temples, pavilions, etc.). The tomb offers a balance of nature and structures, and balance between landscape and buildings which reveals a lot about the personality of Minh Mang emperor and characteristics during his reign.

Minh Mang Tomb

The tomb of Khia Dinh is the smallest, but costliest and recent one among all the tombs of Nguyen royals. It is the forever place of the 12th King under Nguyen Reign. The tomb was built hillside during 11 years old and has a combination of Eastern and Western-style in terms of architecture.

The Imperial City is a World Heritage Site protected by UNESCO and is the most prominent landmark of Hue as well as all of Vietnam. The citadel was founded in 1804 by Emperor Gia Long for the royal family and completed in 1832 during the reign of Emperor Ming Mang. This landmark hosts a wonderful collection of oriental architecture including beautiful temples, pavilions, and tombs…

 

Hue 2 days itinerary

Day 1: Hue City Tour Full Day

Day 2: Hue - DMZ Tour Full Day

After Hue city tour full day, you now visit DMZ. This is a trip to discover one of the major conflicts in the world's history, the Vietnam War and you will learn about the Vietnamese's struggles for independence. As you travel along mountain roads, your guide will tell the story behind battle sites like Hien Luong Bridge, the Vinh Moc Tunnels, and the Khe Sanh Combat Base. Besides, you will explore the charming of nature here with forest, mountain range, and river…The following is the information about places you will be visiting

DMZ

Khe Sanh is a small city in Central Vietnam. The area surrounding it saw some of the fiercest fightings during the American War. Khe Sanh Marine base features one of the best museums in the DMZ area. The museum features many photos from the war, several American helicopters, a C130 transport, and some North Vietnamese tanks.

Vinh Moc tunnel, an underground miniaturized village, is the largest historical tunnel in the DMZ of Vietnam. This tunnel used to be the accommodation and storage of the Vietnamese People Army during the war. Inside the Vinh Moc tunnels, there are three wells, a hall (with a capacity of 50 people), clinic, maternity ward, surgery station, kitchen, rice storage, telephone station…

Quang Tri Ancient Citadel was a sacred place where dozens of thousands of Vietnamese soldiers sacrificed their lives for the nation's independence. The citadel carries certain meanings in Vietnam history and contributes to the historical chapter of Vietnam. It now becomes a special place which draws more and more tourists come to visit.

 

Hue 3 days itinerary

Day 1: Hue City Tour Full Day

Day 2: Hue - DMZ Tour Full Day

Day 3: Cooking Class at Thuy Bieu Eco-village Full Day

When in Hue, do not miss your chance to join the cooking class here as Hue cuisine is believed to be the best in Vietnam.

The tour starts with a visit to Dong Ba market where you will shop for fresh ingredients. Then we head to Thuy Bieu village, a famous village for Thanh Tra pomelo. When arriving at the village, you can either walk or use a bike to travel around and explore the village. That is the chance for you to see the garden, houses, ancient ancestral temple… in a village. You can also visit local houses and see how they make incense, do painting paper, or see why people use joss paper, also known as ghost money, for the dead people.

After the sightseeing tour, you can come back to Thuy Bieu restaurant for a cooking class. The chef will instruct you how to cook Hue traditional dishes. The lunch with the dishes you have cooked will be served right after the class.

After lunch, it is time to relaxing by steeping your foot in medicinal herb water – a traditional therapeutic practice, or massage by blind people.

The tour ends around 14:30 at your hotel in Hue, you will have a free afternoon to explore Hue.

Thuy Bieu Village

 

Which itinerary in Hue is better for First-time travelers?

Depending on how much time you have for Vietnam, you can decide how many days and which itinerary is good for you.

A one-day itinerary is good for those who have a short time. The itinerary covers many interesting sightseeing places, where you can learn a lot about Hue's history, especially during the Nguyen dynasty.

A two-day itinerary allows you to discover not only Hue city, but also travel to the DMZ zone. DMZ zone was a bloody frontline of a long war that claimed hundreds of thousands of military and civilian lives in the surrounding area. The visit to this area helps you to understand more about Vietnam's history during the war from 1955 to 1975.

Three-day itinerary, you will have the chance to see more about the countryside in Hue, cycle through lush rice fields and gardens, meet and talk with local people, learn how to cook local food. Thuy Bieu village is the ideal place to truly see Hue in depth.

Hue is good to stop by for at least one day during your trip to Vietnam. Surely, you will be impressed by the beauty of this city. If there is anything you need to know about this city, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be able to help you with detailed information about Hue, plan a wonderful trip, book a package tour to Hue for you. Plan to visit Hue next vacation.

Jenny Tran

Image sources: Internet