Hue (Huế)
Hue, or Huế to use the local spelling, has a central location on Vietnam’s coast, close to the mouth of the Perfume River, pretty much halfway between Hanoi in the north and Saigon, (Ho Chi Minh) to the south. The population of the town and suburbs today weighs in at over 1 and 1/4 million, so far fewer than Hanoi or Saigon and the central area is compact with a laid-back feel. The city has also, so far, avoided the high-rise boom of nearby Danang. Conversely, despite Hue’s popularity among both domestic and overseas visitors, it is large enough – and its sites widely scattered – that it also manages to avoid the more full-on tourist feel of smaller destinations such as Hoi An or Dalat.
Minh Mang A brief history of Hue
The town also has a very central position in Vietnam’s history and as Kandapapura and later Indrapura, is thought to have functioned as one of the early capitals of the early Cham civilisation which occupied much of the central coastline from the 2nd or 3rd centuries onwards. (The Chams formed one of the main rivals to the Khmer empire and those who’ve visited Angkor may recall the various battle scenes between the Khmers and Chams.)
Hue once again served as the imperial centre of the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945 before becoming the capital of the French protectorate of Annam. (In addition to Laos and Cambodia, French Indochina included the three Vietnamese provinces of Tonkin, in the north, Cochin, south and Annam, covering the central area.) Its rich history is responsible for today’s proliferation of historic sites – including the various spectacular tombs of the Nguyen emperors and the historic Citadel – which led to UNESCO recognition and inclusion of Hue on the Vietnam World Heritage list in 1992.
The huge imperial citadel complex sadly suffered severe damage as the site of a major battle between US and North Vietnamese forces during the 1968 Tet Offensive but has subsequently been restored to its former glory with UNESCO assistance and funding.
Rock garden in the grounds of the old citadel City sites
The elaborate tombs of the emperors – each an entire complex in its own right – stretch east along the banks of the Perfume River and include Minh Mang, Khai Dinh, Tu Duc and Thien Mu, although to explore all the town’s sites, several days would be required. Our stops include the famous Thien Mu with its iconic multi-tiered pagoda and the delightful Tu Duc complex with its beautiful gardens, before returning to the town centre for a walking tour of the Imperial Citadel itself. A stroll around Dong Ba – the town’s most famous market – provides some local life contrast to the historical highlights.
Dong Ba Market On our Vietnam small group tours
Both of our small group Vietnam tours, Hanoi to Saigon and World Heritage Sites of Vietnam include 2 nights in a city centre hotel and a full day exploring the town’s sites while a similar Hue itinerary is included on our 2 week Vietnam family tour.
