IS HUE WORTH VISTING WHEN IN VIETNAM + BEST THINGS TO DO IN HUE.
Most travellers to Vietnam will visit Hanoi and Hoi An, but is there anything in between these places that is worth visiting? Hue, is approximately 150km North of Hoi An and would be a stop off before Hoi An if you’re travelling North to South, or a stop after if you’re going South to North. But, is Hue worth visiting?
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Hue Top Picks 😍
Short of time? Here are our top picks for visiting Hue.
Accommodation 🏨
- BUDGET: Shark Homestay
- MID-RANGE: MyFa House
- LUXURY: Nano Eco Hostel or La Paix Hue
Tours & Attractions 🎫
- Imperial City walking tour
- Vietnamese Coffee making class
- Night street food tour
- Small group full city tour
Tips 💡
The city is split by the river running through, with the Imperial City to one side and the modern part of the city to the other side of the river.
We would recommend staying on the modern city side of the river, as this is where the most restaurants and bars are, as well as where most of the accommodation.
Transport 🚌
Hire a scooter for the best experience of exploring Hue and the area surrounding the city.
What is Hue famous for?
Hue is famous for being the site of the Imperial City in Vietnam. The Imperial City was the capital of Vietnam from 1802 onwards. This walled city housed the royal family of the time. Therefore Hue was the seat of power in Vietnam until 1880. This is why Hue is so culturally and historically significant within Vietnam.
Is Hue worth visiting? Honest pros and cons
So, to the key question – is Hue worth visiting. Here’s our honest take on this.
Within the Lotus Eaters Travel team, we have two very individual people. One who loves history, could spend all day in museums and is content to visit anywhere if there are one or two pleasing bars. And, one who loves a bit more action, nature and things to do. This left us a little divided about Hue.
We spent a couple of days in Hue and did enjoy our time. But John (resident history lover) remembers Hue as one of the top stop offs in our month long tour of Vietnam. Whereas I, remember the abandoned water park, good food and enjoying being on a scooter – but that’s about it.
But enough about our experience, here’s what we think objectively about whether Hue is worth visiting.
In favour of visiting Hue
Here are six reasons why we think you should visit Hue.
1/ STRATEGIC LOCATION: It is located between Hoi An and Hanoi – most people visiting Vietnam will have heard of these two locations. If travelling by public transport, visiting Hue can split up the journey.
2/ HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE: The Imperial City in Hue was once the capital of Vietnam, so it’s a really significant place in the history of the country.
3/ GREAT RESTAURANTS: One thing we definitely both remember from Hue is eating incredible food. Sure the food in Vietnam is great everywhere, but in Hue we found lots of authentic restaurants, not ruined by tourist crowds.
4/ BUDGET OPTION: Hue is marginally less expensive when it comes to food, drinks and accommodation comparative to more iconic places in Vietnam. This means it attracts a young backpacker crowd.
5/ FUN EXPLORING NEARBY: Whilst activities in the city are limited, there are lots of places to explore nearby especially if you’re willing to hire a scooter.
6/ QUIRKY PUBS: You’re not going to find quite the wild nightlife that you will in other parts of Vietnam, like Hoi An or Ho Chi Minh City, but there are a few quirky bars that we enjoyed until the wee hours.
Why you might want to reconsider
And here are 5 reasons why you may want to reconsider visiting Hue.
1/ YOU DON’T LOVE HISTORY: No criticism here, but if history isn’t really your thing, I would avoid Hue. Although it is a pleasant city, it is most notable as a place to visit because of the historic Imperial City and nearby Tombs and Palaces.
2/ YOU DON’T WANT TO HIRE A SCOOTER: The Imperial City is accessible on foot but everything else of note, like the waterpark, is outside of the city. It’s best to hire a scooter or take tours to get the most out of Hue.
3/ YOU WANT WILD NIGHT LIFE: We enjoyed the night life in Hue (as a couple in our thirties it was ideal). There are a few quirky pubs and a couple of late night places. But it probably doesn’t compare favourably to the livelier cities.
4/ YOU WANT LOADS OF THINGS TO DO: In all honesty, a visit to Hue will not be action packed. There’s a reason that the abandoned waterpark has become so popular!
5/ YOU ARE SHORT ON TIME: If you are short on time in Vietnam, Hue should probably not be top of your list. Unless you really are interested in the history.
Best things to do in Hue
Visit the Imperial City
In Hue itself, the main tourist attraction is the Imperial City which makes Hue worth visiting. We would recommend spending at least half a day there to fully enjoy the experience. There are in excess of over 100 structures within the Imperial city to view, as well as the famous Citadel.
The ticket for entry to the Imperial City is 200,000 VND (less than $10) with an additional cost of 100,000 VND to enter the Citadel. The Imperial City closes at 17:00, so be sure to arrive before 15:00 to get the most from your entry fee.
You can book an inexpensive walking tour of the Imperial City – a great way to get all the information you could want and learn about the history of the city.
Scour the Dong Ba Market
The Dong Ba market is also worth a visit whilst in Hue. There is a huge sprawling food market selling all the fruit, vegetables and meat and fish that you could imagine. A great spot to mingle with locals. Inside the market, there are also hats, accessories, clothing and souvenirs for sale. Don’t forget to haggle!
Hire a scooter and get out exploring
Near to Hue, there are some great attractions to explore. We would recommend hiring a scooter so that you can get around easily within Hue and to visit the nearby tourist attractions, which are all within 15km of Hue.
To hire a scooter in Hue, there are many options. We find when travelling Vietnam that it is much easier to arrange scooter hire through your accommodation provider, than hiring one privately.
Visit the abandoned water park near Hue
The abandoned water park is approximately 15km from Hue, found here. This giant area, was a water park for a brief few months in 2004, before it was forced to shut its doors. An ambitious project if we ever did see one! Although a number of developers have since bought the property, it still lies unused and abandoned.
Why is this worth visiting? Well, it’s fairly unique. And if you like weird and slightly creepy tourist attractions, then this one is for you.
Entering the abandoned water park is somewhat of a challenge. When you get to the entrance, expect to see a sign saying “no visitors” and to find a security guard telling you to leave. However, don’t let this put you off!
Simply, park your bike and follow the footpath into the water park. When you arrive to the water park, the same security guard will ask you to kindly pay a small fee to walk around the park. Yes, very strange! Just make sure you don’t climb on the slides, after 18 years without maintenance, they may not be very stable.
Visit some tombs and temples near Hue
There are a huge number of tombs (marked as Langs) on Googlemaps. We visited Lang Khai Dinh, which costs 150,000 VND to enter. Expect to spend about 30 minutes exploring this site. But there are many others to explore. More Langs than Made in Chelsea.
Where to eat and drink in Hue
If you’re near to the Imperial City in Hue and looking for some good local food, check out Quan Nhua 36. This place has a great menu, with a roaring BBQ and good selection of Huda Beer served cold and very cheap.
Madam Thu is a tiny restaurant, with only a handful of tables. But it’s well worth trying to get into this popular spot for lunch or dinner. With super reasonable prices, this restaurant serves the best crispy pork noodles with satay sauce that we’ve ever found. Plus, the service is excellent with friendly and engaging staff.
Nightlife in Hue
Our favourite spot for drinks was the quirky bar Xa Ban pub, which has a small terrace overlooking a buzzy street in Hue. We enjoyed the wide range of Huda beer here, as well as the different flavours of Soju available (each bottle is only around $3!) The menu is full of spicy meat dishes, perfect to accompany the drinks.
When the party is over in the pubs, head to the Brown Eyes Bar which stays open until the last man standing. This fun bar in Hue has a pool table, dance floor and free shots. We didn’t mean to go in, but the fun staff tempted us and then we didn’t want to leave.
Coffee shop and work space in Hue
For any digital nomads in Hue looking for a great work spot, we loved the Coffee House. Spacious interior, with plugs at most tables and fast wifi. This seems to be the go to spot in town for students and remote workers alike. Complete your day with a giant bubble tea – the ultimate sugar rush.
Where to stay in Hue?
In Hue, there are plenty of great accommodation options, whatever your budget. The city is split by the river running through, with the Imperial City to one side and the modern part of the city to the other side of the river.
We would recommend staying on the modern city side of the river, as this is where the most restaurants and bars are, as well as where most of the accommodation.
For a budget option, we recommend Shark Homestay, which has a central location close to many bars and restaurants. This family run place has a hostel vibe, costs approximately $15 per room for two people, which includes breakfast.
For something more “mid range”, we recommend My Fa House, which is around $25 per night for two people. This stylish but bijou hotel has a great central location.
If you want to stay outside of Hue, there are some opulent eco hotels that are inexpensive. The Nano Eco Hostel is a great space for budget travellers, or La Paix Riverside Villa offers a little more luxury with great views.
How to get to Hue from Hanoi
There are a number of different options to get from Hanoi to Hue. We’ve written a short guide here to help you find the best solution.
Would you prefer a tour of Vietnam?
We love independent travel, but sometimes a tour can be the best way to travel the country. It’s also a great way to make friends for life.
➡️G Adventures has some excellent tours for Vietnam.
The first, is a 22 day trip which includes the highlights of Vietnam and Laos.
The second, is a great trip, but a little shorter for anyone who doesn’t have as long to spend travelling but still wants to see everything! The ten day trip travels from the North to the South of Vietnam.
Most of our planning is done using other blogs, but you can’t beat a guide book at the bottom of your case. Find them here on Amazon.to get the travelling started!
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