24 hours in Hue: What to see, eat & do

No trip to Vietnam would be complete without a stop in Hue, a city with so much history, culture and fantastic food that you could spend a whole week there let alone a day. The city that was once the capital of the country (1802 – 1945) sits on the banks of the wonderfully named Perfume River and is absolutely brimming with things to do, see and of course, it’s own local specialities that you simply have to try. 24 hours isn’t long but it is enough to squeeze in some of the top sights and have a few delicious meals that will leave a lasting impression. Keep reading for our guide to 24 hours in Hue: what to see, eat and do.

Check out our vlog from this incredible day below:

The city of Hue at present is a mixture of old and new with modern hotels popping up not too far from the ancient architecture of the well known Citadel. Hue was the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945 and budding tourists can now wander the beautiful citadel including the Forbidden City and countless pagodas, shrines and tombs of ancient emperors. It truly is a fascinating place to explore and if you’re in need of more context then head to one of the many museums in the city if time permits.

Hue is located in the centre of Vietnam, just over 90km north of Da Nang and 120km from popular Hoi An. It is easily accessible by plane, train, tourist bus and car and is on route when doing the popular North to South (or vice versa) route. As a side note, if you’re a roadtrip (or Top Gear) enthusiast then you may want to head to Hue from Da Nang (or Hoi An) via the Hai Van Pass, the famous 21km mountain pass that can be done via a tour, car (with driver) or your own motorbike if you’re brave enough.

If you’re flying in Hue does have its own international airport, Phu Bai, which you can get to from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as other airports around the country for very reasonable prices. In our experience, we found flying often turned out to be the cheapest method of transport at as little as £20 for a one way flight with their budget airline, Vietjet. Whilst these flights were some of our least comfortable, they got the job done and got us around the country far quicker than any buses would have done. Vietnam is a large country and sometimes getting from one stop to the other can take a surprisingly long time – just something to bear in mind when planning your trip.

Vietnam as a whole is one of those countries where you will get a lot for your money in terms of accommodation. For as little as £10 in some locations you can get a double bedroom with en-suite and a dorm bed for only a few pounds. With plenty of places to choose from at such low prices it can be difficult to decide where to stay. 

For a more personable experience, our recommendation would be to stay at a Homestay, which means paying for a room in a locals home. These tend to be more authentic and give you an insight into the lives of the locals that you wouldn’t see if you stayed at a hostel or cheap hotel. In Hue we stayed at the excellent Purple Hue B&B ran by a married couple that we happened to find on booking.com. The room was bright, clean and modern and at only £14 per night (breakfast and Vietnamese coffee included) it was an absolute bargain. We were greeted by the owner with fresh fruit, a large smile and more recommendations than we could possibly get through during our short visit. I can honestly say it was one of the best value for money accommodations we had during months in South East Asia.

On the evening you arrive in the city be sure to head straight out for a dinner to try one of the local specialities. The food in Vietnam is absolutely fantastic, from Vietnamese spring rolls and Banh Khot (pancakes) to globally known Pho and Bahn Mi you will eat like a King during your visit. For as little as a few pounds you will find an incredibly delicious meal in restaurants and on stalls all across the city. 

Start as you mean to go on in Hue by heading to the fantastic Nina’s Cafe, a little restaurant that we happened to stumble upon whilst on the desperate hunt for a good meal during the Tet holiday when most restaurants were closed. Down a side alley you will find this truly amazing restaurant run by a local family which serves local food at a very good price. We loved it so much that we ended up going there twice – it’s just that good. Try the local speciality, Bun Bo Hue, a spicy noodle soup with beef and lemongrass and even the little Banh Khoai, a form of Vietnamese pancake. Another delicious dish to try is the Nem Lui, chargrilled beef or pork on lemongrass skewers served with lettuce leaves, herbs, rice paper and a peanut dip that will leave you speechless. I would go back to Vietnam right now just for these spectacular dishes. Wash it down with a local Huda beer and you may never want to leave.

The following morning should start as early as you can bear it (a strong Vietnamese coffee will help) as you’re in for a jam-packed day of historical sights and more fantastic food. If you don’t have breakfast included with your accommodation then consider joining the locals by popping down to a street cart to buy a Bahn Mi, the Vietnamese baguette filled with everything from pork and pate to coriander and chilli. This will more than likely only set you back about £1 (30,000 VND).

If you’re staying on the southern side of the river then head north over the bridge towards the awe-inspiring 19th century Citadel. This is your first main stop of the day and is where you can buy your joint ticket for entry to the Royal Palaces, Khai Dinh Tomb and Minh Mang Tomb. An adult ticket to the Royal Palaces alone is 150,000 VND (approx £5.30) and the joint ticket is 280,000 (approx £9.90) for entry to the three sites mentioned above. There is a third ticket type which includes a total of 4 sites (a visit to Tu Duc Tomb in addition to the above) for the price of 360,000 VND (approx £12.70). We opted for the 3 site ticket as we wanted to have enough time to explore the sites and not be in too much of a rush. After all, the tombs are actually slightly out of the city centre and do require a drive between each, so bear that in mind when considering which option to go for. For the purposes of this guide, stick to the 3 site ticket and head inside, beyond the thick stone walls through the majestic Meridian Gate.

Once inside you will already begin to see that you’re in for a treat. Take your time exploring the many pagodas, palaces, ruins and gardens that are of such great historical significance. We loved just following our nose and taking whichever path called us. You will find some informative pieces and signs in various spots around the Imperial City but it’s also a great chance just to marvel at the architecture and design. There are of course tour guides that can guide you around and tell you all about the history if you feel the need for more information and guidance. The Imperial City is rather large and there is so much to explore that you’ll need at least a couple of hours to walk round it and take it all in.

When lunch time hits, head out of the Imperial City to Lac Thien for some authentic, delicious and great value food. It’s on the same side of the river and should only take you about 10 minutes to walk to (see it on google maps here) from the Imperial City. Try the local speciality, Banh Khoai (crispy pancake). Even if you had it last night, you’ll want to try it here. A great general rule of thumb in these types of restaurants is to order off of the ‘recommended’ part of the menu or even let the owner pick for you! They’re more than happy to advise and want you to enjoy their local specialities so much so that they’ll actually show you how to eat it properly (yes there is a right and a wrong way to do it)! Also order the Vietnamese spring rolls…because, well they’re to die for.

From Lac Thien head to your next stop, the Royal Tomb of Khai Dinh. It’s is about a 10km (20 minute) drive away so you can either grab a taxi or use the Grab app (much like Uber) to get you there. We actually managed to arrange with our Grab driver to take us to both of the next two stops and wait for us while we explored them. This is very common so make sure to arrange this prior to getting in the car – you don’t want to find yourself a bit stranded when you’re 10km away from the city centre!

The tomb was built for Khai Dinh, the 12th emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty who was largely considered to be a puppet of the French. The tomb took 11 years to build and was finished in 1925. The architecture is a blend of Vietnamese and European styles and varies in appearance from the black gothic exterior to the rather colourful mosaic interior. The tomb is situated in Chau Chu village with spectacular views from the top of the many flights of stairs. Sitting high at the top is the main mausoleum which houses Khai Dinh’s remains 18m below.

For your last stop of the day head another few kms in the car to the tomb of Minh Mang situated in An Bang village on the bank of the Perfume River. The tomb was planned during the reign of Emperor Minh Mang between 1820 and 1840 but was actually built shortly after by his successor. The tomb has a truly beautiful forest setting surrounded by water and is vastly different from the tomb of Khai Dinh. Follow the natural route to the courtyard, followed by the Stele Pavilion and the Sung An Temple. Continuing along the path you’ll eventually reach Tan Nguyet Lake with a stone bridge where a large staircase leads to the emperor’s tomb. Unlike the tomb of Khai Dinh, you can’t actually go inside and it is only opened once a year on the date of the emperor’s death.