Top 15 Best Things to Do in Hue 2024

Hue, the lost imperial city in Central Vietnam, welcomes an enormous number of visitors from all over the world every year for its long history, sublime national treasures, distinctive cultural traits, and refined traditional cuisine that can hardly be found elsewhere in Vietnam. If you are planning a trip to Vietnam, consider immersing yourself in the heroic history of Vietnam by taking part in the following activities in Hue.

1. Sightseeing

Hue is a city full of greenery with a peaceful atmosphere, quiet but equally busy, crowded. The ancient capital of Vietnam has plenty of wonderful places to visit. Around the city has preserved royal tombs, pagodas, temples, and garden houses with hundreds of years of age. The first place is Imperial City with many gates of the fortress, including the famous Ngo Mon Quan (Gate of the Noon) and many temples and worship places (Trieu Mieu, Hung Mieu, Thai Mieu) inside the City.

Hue Imperial Citadel

Moreover, the Forbidden City is the home to many Emperors, Queens, and royal families of the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century. Another notable place is the Complex of Royal Tombs of Nguyen Kings, including Gia Long Tomb, Tu Duc Tomb, Minh Mang Tomb, Dong Khanh Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb. Nevertheless, Thien Mu Pagoda is also one of the most fascinating and ancient pagodas in Hue city, like One–Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi. Taking a tour around Hue city to visit the Complex of Monuments is finding a way back to old times.

 

2. Eating

As a tourist destination, a quite large number of dining options are available in Hue, with a good mix of Western and authentic Vietnamese dishes on offer. There are many good restaurants on some streets like Pham Ngu Lao, Le Loi, Ben Nghe, Hung Vuong, and other streets on the north bank of the Perfume River. 

Vietnamese people regard distinctive Hue cuisine as the best in the country. There are two forms – Hue traditional folk cuisine, and ‘Royal’ cuisine - the food for the Imperial Court. Some must-try folk dishes are: ‘com hen’ (baby clams with rice), ‘bun bo Hue’ (Hue style beef vermicelli), ‘bun thit nuong’ (grilled-meat vermicelli), ‘banh khoai’ (traditional fried pancake), ‘nem lui’, ‘banh bot loc', etc.

Com Hen (Baby Clam Rice)

And you cannot come to Hue and not try the Imperial cuisine. If you are traveling in a larger group, book a dinner at a "royal banquet". You will dress up like Vietnamese royalty, enjoy traditional music, and dine with traditional “royal” dishes. It will be fantastic to sample Hue imperial dining in luxury cruises on Perfume River or in high-end restaurants. There used to be 50 different dishes served in a royal feast but now you may choose around 10 dishes. 

 

3. Cooking class

Hue is the place where dining is not to satisfy human basic needs, but a form of art. Throughout the period of the 9 reigns of Nguyen, Hue was also a center of Vietnamese cuisine with a lot of famous specialties. Attending a cooking class is a wonderful opportunity for tourists to get more knowledge about the art of traditional cuisine besides learning how to cook some specialties of Hue city and of Vietnam. For those who intend to explore more fully about the prestige cuisine deserving world recognition, there are many great options to choose from: at travel agencies, hotels, or restaurants. Thuy Bieu eco-village is a suggestion for tourists who want to combine a cooking class tour with a cycling trip to the countryside.

Cooking Class at Thuy Bieu Eco-village

 

4. Boat tour

As the Perfume River winds its way through the city, there is wonder around its bends. And a holiday in Hue would be incomplete without a dragon boat (boat carved in a dragon shape) trip along this poetic river. While gently cruising, you will view Hue from a different angle and discover how water magically changes colors from sunrise to sunset. The best part of the trip is bringing you very close to the local life of enchanting and gentle Hue people. You can embark to blend in the crowded Dong Ba Market or visit the Thuy Bieu eco-village where you may enjoy local foods and relax your feet in herbal water treatment.

Dragon Boat trip on Huong River

 

5. Eco tour

Come to the rustic place like Tam Giang Lagoon or Thuy Bieu eco-village, you will have chances to experience the simple real-life of the countryside, bring you out of the stressful life of a busy city to different atmosphere of peaceful, rustic landscapes and get you closer to the nature and friendly people in the countryside. Joining these tours means that you will join your hand to help the community to maintain their traditional culture and share happiness with local people, especially children in poor areas.

In Tam Giang Lagoon, you will see local people with daily activities of housework or farmers working hardly on rice fields and learn about the daily life and fishing activities of typical fishing villagers. You can bring useful things for local people in need here. In Thuy Bieu village, you can visit ancient garden houses, paper-making family, and participate in many interesting activities such as relax by steeping your foot in medicinal herb water, enjoy excellent massage by blind people, join cooking classes and prepare lunch by yourself.

Eco tour at Thuy Bieu Village

 

6. Shopping

Hue is definitely the best place to shop for gifts you can bring back home with you. It is famous for handicraft products like silk paintings and silk embroideries, lacquer wares, antiques, and all kinds of unique products that you’ll only find in the city. Fashion shops, souvenir shops, supermarkets, art galleries, or studios are concentrated in some major streets such as Tran Hung Dao, Le Loi, Hung Vuong, Phan Dang Luu, Mai Thuc Loan... For a local experience, Dong Ba market is truly a place to be. There are plenty of souvenirs and specialties with minimal prices if you are a good bargainer. Some other famous shopping places for tourists are An Cuu Market, Ben Ngu Market, Tay Loc Market, Truong Tien Plaza, Phong Phu Plaza, etc.

Dong Ba Market

 

7. Biking

Hue is usually a stop to visit the Imperial Citadel and Kings’ Tombs. However, when you take a little more time to go around, you will have a chance to discover the beautiful countryside. The cycling roads mostly run along the two banks of the poetic Perfume River, shaded with old trees and cool gentle breezes. There are many laid-back villages on the way for you to drop by and interact with local people. Their welcoming smiles and gentle voice will truly touch your heart. Taking a bicycle tour to Thuy Bieu village or Thanh Toan Bridge to explore the countryside and stick with the local culture will take you deeper into your Vietnamese experience. 

Cycling to the rural area of Hue

 

8. Take delight in beaches

Thuan An is a publicly accessible beach in Hue, which is located 15 km away from the city center. The mile-long stretch of silky, powder-white sand slopes gently into a shallow emerald lagoon, and is backed by a thick curtain of palms and tropical foliage.

Another choice, escape the busy city and take a day trip to Lang Co Beach, which is just 65km from Hue. There are plenty of restaurants offering fresh seafood and the beach itself is quite beautiful – think bright blue water and white sand. Lang Co Beach makes for a great stopover en route to Hoi An to break up the journey.

With a picturesque sea view, Lang Co is an ideal place for summer vacation and wild beauty discovery

 

9. Have a blind massage

It might sound like one of the unusual things to do in Hue, go in for a blind massage. Who doesn’t love a massage where you can just lay there and sleep while all the pain and the tiredness of your whole body are erased? It’s even more persuasive when it’s for a good cause. Going to Hue, if you have time, like being massaged, and love to do something for society, please come to have a blind massage. There’s a place called “Association of the Blind in Thua Thien Hue Province''.

That’s a place that is considered a school for visually impair kids. They will give you a proper massage for a really cheap price. By booking an appointment with them, you can not only relax your muscle, but you can also play a part in supporting those children’s lives to get better. It’s even better when you can donate an amount. That’s a Win-Win situation. This association already paid for thousands and thousands of eye surgeries for visually impaired people so believe us, your money will be well-spent.

 

10. Relaxing at Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs

Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs is an ideal place for you to forget about your pressure life, boost your energy, and entertain freely in many ways. It’s around 30 km far away from the center of Hue. Because it has a lot of activities to offer, so you can just pick the most appropriate one that fits your hobby and personality. If you just want to have a peaceful resting time, the best option for you is soaking into hot mineral springs. After that, you can get a session of Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs’s massage treatment.

On the contrary, for people who want to stay active and love getting challenges, Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs provides amusing outdoor sports and activities. The most common adventurous activities that you should try are the High Wire Cable Game and Zip Line. Both games will make you face the fear of height and balance. Playing thrilling games in a stunning green natural view

Thanh Tan Hotspring

 

11. Cyclo Around Hue City

In Hue, the cyclo is surprisingly favored by visitors. It’s 3-wheels transportation that can be so convenient in traffic. Tourists love cyclo because riding it at a normal speed allows them to enjoy every single moment, every detail of the peaceful city. Hue is not a huge city, so spending a couple of hours at night riding a cyclo can totally help you to discover the entire city. Normally, the driver will drive you to pass by lots of famous attractions.

The good thing is you can ask the driver to stop when you see something that interests you, it’s okay to ask them to stop to take a picture. You can also have a small talk with the driver to understand more about Hue as well as Hue people’s lives. Also, it’s trustworthy to ask them about a good place to eat, because they are locals, they know clearly about the city. Besides, it’s pretty romantic to ride a cyclo through the dreamy Perfume River and observe its magnificent beauty.

Hue Cyclo

 

12. Fishing at Tam Giang Lagoon

Tam Giang Lagoon is well-known for its breathtaking sunset view. Usually, in order to enjoy the journey the best, tourists love to go there at around 4:30 pm to go fishing around Tam Giang Lagoon with local people on a fishing boat. In the meantime, you can catch the sunset gradually turning into super charming purple. It’s a pity if you go there and don’t take some pictures with the gorgeous sunset view. After that, you can enjoy fresh and nutritious seafood. It sounds simple but yet perfect for a late afternoon.

Tam Giang Lagoon

13. Party Until Midnight

Hue is known for its ancient and peaceful vibe, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy something fun. One of the top things to do in Hue is partying until midnight. However, it’s not like a rocking-hard party like in a crowded dance club where you drink and dance non-stop. Partying in Hue is a little bit more on the chill side. People love to go to a local pub for chilling in with good music, couples of drinks, chatting with friends, or meeting some new people.

Sometimes they just want to sit there and have a good time, it’s not necessary that it always has to be dancing and partying hard. In addition, for foreigners who are looking for a sophisticated place to relax, there are some fancy bars and pubs right inside some of the 4-5 star hotels.

Party at Hue bar

 

14. Visit beautiful garden houses

On the list of things to see in Hue, if you want to observe more of Hue’s ancient architecture, come to several beautiful garden houses in Phu Mong, which is 5km away from the city center, to explore. These garden houses were constructed by the Nguyen Dynasty, which means they have existed for over 300 years. You can tell by the look that the details like wood, orchards made the garden houses traditionally beautiful in simple but yet elegant style. It also creates the feeling like blends in the green fresh natural open view.

It will catch your attention at the first glance with huge gates, clear direction signs on the sides, and an ancient entrance filled with moss and brick. The garden house that BestPrice suggests you have to visit is Pham Vu Dien House. This house was built in 1894, so till now, it’s 124 years old already. Pham Vu Dien’s house is spacious with a thousands-square-meters garden surrounding it. In addition, don’t sleep on Le Van Duyet’s church because it was voted as Vietnam’s most historical well-known.

Hue Garden house

 

15. Learn to make conical hats

The conical hat has always been a legendary iconic traditional symbol that honors the charming, mysterious, and delicate beauty of Vietnamese women, especially in Hue city. Visitors who are eager to learn more about Hue culture, specifically about how to make a conical hat, can pay a visit to a conical hat-making village. There are quite a few villages but the most popular village in Tay Ho Village. It’s located in Phu Vang, which is 12km away from the city, and on the bank of Nhu Y Stream.

Learn to make conical hats

Basically, the process of making a complete conical hat requires 15 steps starting from the first step which is picking the “Bo Quy Diep” leaves from the forest back home. To be honest, it’s a delightful experience, when you finish making it, you can take it back as a souvenir for your friends and family, or you can use it as an accessory to pair with the famous Vietnamese Ao Dai.

It can be said that Hue is an important stop in Vietnam. The city is one of the most architecturally important cities in the country, with the cuisine that many locals consider being the best Vietnamese food around.

Try these unique things to do in Hue and you would not be disappointed. You would leave with a precious memory and an experience so special and personal it would stay with you for a long time.

Joy Pham

Sources: Internet