"Romantic Hue" a Hue Travel Page by dinhyen

Hue, along with Saigon and Hanoi, are Vietnam's principal cities. Traditionally, Saigon is known for its laid-back, anything-goes atmosphere, Hanoi for its sophistication, and Hue for its beauty and romanticism.

Hue's attraction has much to do with the Perfume River. The river's gentle undulations take it from the rugged mountain range along the Laos border through rolling hills and lush farmlands and finally through Hue itself. The slow moving current is ideal for the graceful, slender boats which ply its waters.

Hue was the bastion of the Nguyen dynasty, the last dynasty of Vietnam. It was the first Nguyen King, Gia Long, who relocated the capital from Hanoi in the early 19th century. Here the monarchs built the citadels, palaces, mansions, gardens, temples, and mausoleums. So it is here that visitors may find the most abundant traces of Vietnam's royal heritage.

Despite its tranquility, Hue is not without its violent history. The city saw some of the most bloody battles of the 1968 Tet Offensive, with the sad result that much of the Citadel was destroyed. Today its largest buildings still remain, but the empty lot and the shattered foundations are grim reminders of the past.

Surprisingly Hue is not very large. The city lies on both sides of the Perfume River, both halves being joined at intervals by iron bridges. One of the bridges, Trang Tien, is most commonly associated with Hue in Vietnamese literature. There are many small, tree-lined boulevards that are ideal for an excursion on foot. The moped "revolution" that had claimed Saigon and partly Hanoi has not reached Hue. So for a least a little while longer, visitors can enjoy the tranquility that befits its beauty.

Inside the city, the most well-known attraction is the Citadel. Many other buildings with royal connection are located throughout the city proper. There are several temples and churches as well. Dong Ba Market is well-known throughout Vietnam. At night, you can take a mini-cruise on the Perfurme River and perhaps enjoy a traditional Hue musical performance.

For a day trip, we took a boat from Hue to visit many attractions located on the river banks. We first visited Thien Mu Pagoda, then stopped at an island shrine, spent several hours at Minh Mang's Tomb (the 2nd Nguyen king), dashed in for a quick tour of Tu Duc's Tomb (the 4th king), then finally hopped on the van for the drive back.

By the time we left, I missed it already.

TIP: Hue is pronounced as "hweh", not "hugh".

View of the Citadel from the inside. It is a massive building with halls and ramparts at the top where the king may review parades and processions.

A mansion within the Minh Mang's mausoleum complex. The hall is located high above ground so that the occupants would be able to enjoy the breezes.