10 Amazing Things To Do In Hue Vietnam
Hue is one of those places that reveals itself slowly.
At first, you notice the old gates, the Perfume River and the quiet streets. Then you start finding colorful palaces, huge royal tombs, tiny plates of local food and cafés serving some of the best coffee breaks of the trip.
I’ve been back several times now, and I always end up discovering something I missed before.
There’s a lot more variety here than the history-heavy reputation suggests, which is exactly why I enjoy returning.
Here are my favorite things to do in Hue and the places I’d happily visit again.
Plan your Hue stay
| Planning your trip | My recommendation | Book |
|---|---|---|
| Where to stay | Stay around central Hue or the Perfume River for easy access to restaurants and sightseeing | Compare hotels in Hue |
| Imperial City and royal tombs | A guided city tour is useful if you want the history and transport handled together | See Hue city tours |
| Monument tickets | Book ahead if you already know which royal sites you want to visit | Book Hue monument tickets |
| Evening activity | A sunset cruise is a lovely way to see the Perfume River after sightseeing | Book sunset cruise |
1. Spend a morning exploring Hue Imperial City
The Imperial City is always the place that makes me feel like I’m really back in Hue.
Once you step through Ngo Mon Gate, the city traffic disappears behind you and you’re suddenly walking between huge courtyards, temples, gardens and old royal buildings. I’ve visited more than once, and I still find new corners that I don’t remember seeing before.
I like giving myself a whole morning here because there’s no fun in rushing it. Some of my favorite moments are simply wandering away from the busiest areas and finding a quiet courtyard or beautifully decorated gate.
Kien Trung Palace and Thai Hoa Palace have also reopened after major restoration, so there’s even more to explore now.
2. Explore Hue’s royal tombs
Hue’s royal tombs were much more interesting than I expected before my first visit.
They aren’t simply graves surrounded by stone. Each emperor created an entire complex of gardens, lakes, temples and pavilions, so every tomb has its own personality.
Minh Mang is one of my favorites for the scenery. The paths lead between lakes, bridges and traditional buildings, and I loved how peaceful the whole complex felt.
Khai Dinh feels completely different from the moment you arrive. The dark stone staircase outside is dramatic, but the colorful interior was what really caught my attention.
There’s so much detail packed into a relatively small space, from mosaics to elaborate decoration covering the walls and ceiling.
Tu Duc is another lovely one to add if you have time. With water, trees and pavilions throughout the grounds, it feels more like somewhere an emperor would escape to than a traditional tomb complex.
If you want to visit several royal sites in one day, a tour makes it easy to combine them without spending your time organizing transport between each stop.
3. Cruise along the Perfume River
The Perfume River is such a big part of Hue that I always seem to end up beside it at some point during the day.
I especially love the river in the late afternoon when the temperature cools down and people start coming out for walks. Truong Tien Bridge stretches across the water, boats move slowly along the river and the whole city feels much more relaxed.
Taking a dragon boat is another fun way to see Hue from the water. You can combine a daytime trip with Thien Mu Pagoda or choose an evening cruise with traditional Hue music.
For me, sunset is the nicest time to be out there. After a busy day around the Imperial City and royal tombs, sitting on the river feels like a very easy way to slow things down.
Book a Perfume River sunset cruise →
4. Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
I always enjoy coming back to Thien Mu Pagoda because the setting beside the Perfume River is so lovely.
The seven-story tower is the part everyone photographs first, but I’d keep walking once you’re inside. There are temples, gardens and smaller buildings stretching farther back into the grounds.
Because Thien Mu is still an active religious site, it feels different from exploring Hue’s royal monuments. I like taking my time here and enjoying the quieter atmosphere before heading back into the city.
Arriving by boat is especially nice because you get the river journey and the pagoda in one trip.
5. Look around An Dinh Palace
An Dinh Palace surprised me because it looks so different from the traditional architecture you see around the Imperial City.
The building mixes Vietnamese and European design, with colorful decoration and elaborate interiors that give it a completely different mood from Hue’s older royal sites.
It’s also a nice size for wandering without needing several hours. I enjoyed having a smaller palace to explore after spending so much time walking around the huge Imperial City and royal tombs.
If you like architecture, An Dinh is definitely worth adding to your Hue list.
6. Stop at Thuy Xuan Incense Village
Thuy Xuan is easily one of the most colorful places I’ve visited around Hue.
Bundles of incense are arranged in bright reds, yellows, greens and purples outside the little shops, making the whole street incredibly photogenic.
I had fun walking around, watching how the incense is made and browsing the different stalls. It’s a lighter stop between all the palaces and tombs, which is exactly why I like adding it to a sightseeing day.
Thuy Xuan is also close to several royal tombs, so it fits naturally into the same trip.
7. Eat as much Hue food as you can
Food is one of my favorite parts of visiting Hue, and I’m very happy to plan my day around it.
Bún bò Huế is always high on my list. I love starting the morning with a hot bowl of spicy broth, noodles, herbs and meat before heading out sightseeing.
Then there are all the smaller dishes that somehow turn into a full meal once I start ordering. Bánh bèo, bánh nậm and bánh lọc are some of my favorites, especially when you can try several together.
Cơm hến is another dish worth looking for, with rice, tiny basket clams, herbs and peanuts giving you lots of different textures in one bowl.
And don’t leave Hue without trying salt coffee. It sounds unusual the first time you hear about it, but the salty cream works so well with the sweet coffee underneath.
A food tour is a fun option if you want to try several local dishes in one evening without having to work out what and where to order.
8. Wander through Dong Ba Market
Dong Ba Market is somewhere I can happily wander around without needing to buy anything.
Inside, you’ll find everything from fresh vegetables and seafood to clothes, kitchenware and piles of local snacks. It’s busy and colorful, with something happening in every direction.
I usually enjoy the food areas most, especially when I arrive hungry. Markets are such an easy way to see what people actually eat and shop for locally, and Dong Ba still feels very much like an everyday part of Hue.
Give yourself time to wander without trying to follow a particular route. I find that’s when markets are the most fun.
9. Enjoy Hue after dark
Evenings in Hue are one of my favorite times to be out.
Truong Tien Bridge lights up over the river, the waterfront gets busier and the heat of the day finally starts to disappear. I love walking along the Perfume River after dinner and seeing where I end up.
The pedestrian streets around central Hue are another fun place to spend the evening. You’ll find restaurants, cafés, bars and plenty of people out enjoying the cooler weather.
Hue doesn’t need a huge party scene to be enjoyable at night. For me, the relaxed evenings by the river suit the city perfectly.
10. See the famous dragon at Thuy Tien Lake
I was really curious about Thuy Tien Lake before I visited because the abandoned water park had become such an unusual Hue landmark.
The giant dragon beside the lake is every bit as strange as it looks in photos. Standing beneath this huge, weathered structure surrounded by trees was definitely one of the more unusual things I’ve done in Hue.
The area is gradually changing as Thuy Tien Lake is developed into a greener public recreation space, so it doesn’t feel exactly the same as it did during its most famous abandoned years.
I’m still glad I went, though. It’s so different from anything else on this list and makes a fun change after several days of palaces, pagodas and tombs.
You can see more from my visit in my guide to Thuy Tien Lake and Hue’s abandoned water park.
Have another day? Head beyond Hue
If you have an extra day, there are some beautiful places within easy reach of Hue.
I love the combination of Lang Co Beach and Lap An Lagoon for a more relaxed coastal day. The Hai Van Pass is also one of my favorite scenic roads in Vietnam, with mountain and sea views almost the whole way.
Bach Ma National Park is the one I’d choose when I want a more active day outdoors, with forest trails, viewpoints and waterfalls.
You can find more ideas in my guide to the best day trips from Hue, along with my separate guides to Lap An Lagoon and the Hai Van Pass.
Where to stay in Hue
For a first trip, I like staying somewhere around central Hue or the Perfume River. You’re close to restaurants and cafés, and evening walks along the river are right outside.
Azerai La Residence Hue would be my pick if I wanted to splurge. The riverside location is beautiful, and the historic building gives it much more personality than a standard city hotel.
For somewhere modern and central, I like Meliá Vinpearl Hue. And if you prefer a quieter stay with more of a resort feel, Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa is a lovely option away from the busiest streets.
Final thoughts
Every time I go back to Hue, I end up enjoying something different.
Sometimes it’s wandering through another corner of the Imperial City, while another visit might be mostly about food, coffee and spending the evening beside the river. There’s enough variety here that Hue never feels like one long history lesson.
Give yourself a couple of days and enjoy it at a slower pace. Hue is much more charming when you have time to wander, eat well and appreciate all those little moments between the famous sights.
