Hue lies at the center of Vietnam. The city suffered a lot during the TET-offensive in 1968.
The imperial city and especially the tombes are worth a visit.
Hue
is divided in two parts by the Perfume river. The southern part holds
the hotels and almost all restaurants. Two important streets are ‘Le Loi’ along the river and ‘Hung Vuong’. The old city part (north) is surrounded by the citadel and holds the imperial city.
The DMZ-zone is not far away and can be visited on a daytrip.
Getting there and away
Train
Trainstation close to the Buu Thi Xuan street.
The reunification express Hanoi-HCMC stops here.
Plane
Phu bai airport (14 km south of Hue) :
- There is a counter where you can buy a ticket for a bus to the citycenter.
- Ticket: 25.000 VND (if you want to get of on a specific place), 15.000 VND (at the airline booking office)
Vietnam airlines booking office in Hue, Nghuyen Tri Phuong 07b, tel. 824-709, fax. 822-470
Bus
Local buses
To the South (Danang-Nha Trang-HCMC) at the An Cuu station.
To the North (Dong Hoi-Vinh-Hanoi) at the An Hoa station.
Tourist bus
Booking office (about 5 Sinh Cafés in town) : Sinh café, Hung Vuong 8, Hue
Schedule :
- To Ninh Binh (560 km, 14 hrs) with stop at Dong Ha. Departure at 18h00, price : ? US$
-
To Hoi An (140 km, 6 hrs) with stops at Lang Co beach, Hai van Pass,
Danang (cham museum, marble mountains or china beach). Departure at
8h00, price : 3 US$
Getting around
Cyclo's are very popular, but don't pay more then 5000 VND for a regular ride (10/2000).
Accommodation
There are 3 top hotels in town:
- In my point of view (and I checked all 3 of them) the Century River
(Le Loi 49, tel. 823-390, fax. 823-394) is the best, although I read
some other people don't agree. Its location is superb along the river,
right where the boats congregate on the river. They have great views
from the rooms, the restaurant and the swimming pool. They have a good
swimming pool and tennis court. Rooms are good with AC, fridge, TV,
telephone. Normal price is 70 US$ for the cheapest room, 80 $ for a
river view room and 100 $ for deluxe rooms. discounts of 30 % are given
(10/2000).
- Nextdoor is the Huong Giang Hotel
(Perfume river hotel)(Le Loi 51, tel. 822-122, fax. 823-102). The
setting is equally good along the river.The hotel was built in 1960 and
isshowing its age, although they have a new wing next to the swimming
pool.Cheapest rooms go for 35 US$ with AC, TV, fridge. More expensive
rooms are 45 US$ for garden view and 55 $ for river view. I don't think
there was much difference between the rooms, except that the more
expensive rooms have a nicer corridor with nicely carved doors of the
rooms.
- The Saigon Morin, ( Le Loi 30, Tel: 84-54-823526, Fax:84-54-825155, Email:
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) has just finished its renovation and wants to be the best hotel in
town. It is more centrally located then the 2 hotels above, next to the
Tran Tien Bridge, but not next to the river like the others. Therefore,
you can only have a riverview from their panorama bar.The rooms are
nicely built around a peaceful and quiet courtyard hich also holds a
swimming pool. The rooms are OK but did not impress me too much. A
standard double room costs 60 US$ including VAT and breakfast, but
discounts of 20 US$ are readily given (10/2000). They have a website at
www.saigon-tourist.com/saigon_morin
Thang Long hotel, Hung Vuong 16, tel. 826462 or 826463, Fax. 826464, E-mail :
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-
25 Rooms (10-15 US$) with AC, fan, TV, fridge, bathroom with bad/shower
(hot/cold). Free pick up from airport or trainstation if room
reservation is made by fax, tel or e-mail. Payment with TC, master
card, VISA, American express.
Restaurants/cafés/internet
World famous ire the "Lac Thanh" and "Lac Thien" restaurants, because
the chief cooks at these restaurants are deaf-mute. We went to Lac
Thien and the food was indeed marvellouw. Don't expect too much of the
surroundings though: plastic chairs, no napkins and you're almost
sitting on the sidewalk.
The
Paradise Garden restaurant is popular amoung locals. It's under the
trees next to Thien Trang Bridge.It is a slightly upmarket place.
Prices are between 20.000 and 30.000 for a plate (10/2000).
News
Café restaurant, Hung Vuong 14 Both foodstalls, I can hardly call it
a restaurant, are liying next to each other and serving the same dishes
at the same cheap price. If you pass by young girls will try to shout
(get) you in.
Open Bistro, Hung Vuong 8. Same food and
price as the two above but a nicer setting (open restaurant). It’s part
of the Sinh Café. This one carries away my preference.
Star Photo color centre, Hung Vuong 1a. Internet: 400 VND/min
To do
Citadel
The citadel is a 10 km long wall which
encloses the old part of Hue. A moat encircles the entire citadel.
There are 10 entrances (bridge or road) leading to the innerside. The
citadel holds the imperial city inside. It closes at 5.30 pm, so it is
possible to visit after you return from your Perfume River trip, or
after your bustrip from Hoi An. A 2 hour visit was more then enough for
us.
Imperial city
It was the former
place for political and administrative activities of Nguyen dynasty and
also the residence of the Royal family. The surrounding wall has a
square shape and four entrances. Due to the heavy fighting during the
TET-offensive in 1968 almost nothing remains from the palaces and
temples. Only a few palaces, which are heavily reconstructed, can be
visited. The purple city, area only reserved for the emperor and his
family, is totally blown away.
Only a few foundations can be seen, the rest is grassland. The imperial city is a must see but don’t expect too much.
Admission : 55.000 VND
Where ? Inside the citadel in the old part of Hue
Thien Mu pagoda
It’s
the symbol of Hue city. To the left is a hugh bell. Behind the pagoda
stands the blue car from the monk Thich Quang Duc who burnt himself to
death in Saigon as a protest against the Diem regime.
No admission fee.
Where ? Lies at the perfume river, +/- 4 km from the imperial city.
Around Hue
Most people take a boattrip and visit the tombs along the river.
There
is a scam going on with entrance tickets to the tombs. Boatmen collect
the tickets from you, and then give them to corrupt guards who sell
these tickets to tourists who don't notice.So make sure the ticket you
buy has not been used before.
Along the perfume river (recommended)
The
banks of the Perfume river became the royal graveyard for the 13 rulers
of this area. More then 7 tombs are spread out in the south of Hue.
Since you can’t visited them all the most interesting are the ones mentionned below.
Because all 3 of them have a wall you can’t avoid the high entrance fee.
1) Tomb Tu Duc
- 7 km from Hue.
- This is really a marvellous place and not to miss. The tombs are set in beautiful garden with a pond with waterlillies.
- Admission : 5 US$ or 55.000 VND
2) Tomb Minh Mang
- 10 km from Hue
- Admission : 5 US$ or 55.000 VND
3) Tomb Khai Dinh
- 10 km from Hue.
- Admission : 5 US$ or 55.000 VND
Every
tomb is a small imperial city on his own with a palace, garden, lake,
temple and the grave itself. The settings are all beautiful.
Because
the tombs didn’t suffer a lot from bombing they are looking nicer than
the Imperial city itself in Hue. After +/-17.00h the ticketcounters are
closed so you can try to get in for free if the gatedoor is open ( this
was the case for Minh Mang when I was there).
Excursions can be booked at the travelagencies in Hue (See chapter : travelagencies).
Alternative : take a taxi (10 US$) or rent a bike to discover them on your own.
Be
aware that the tomb of Khai Dinh and Minh Mang are lying at the
opposite side of the river so you will have to manage a ferry (3 US$)
to bring you across.
DMZ-zone (not recommended except Vinh Moc tunnels)
This was the demarcation line between North and South Vietnam.
The heaviest and bloodiest battles took place here during the war.
Nowadays,
many places are not accessible due to unexploded landmines and bombes.
Nature is devastated caused by relentless shellin or defoliation.
Eucalyptus trees are planted to rehabilitate this area. Bomb craters in
the landscape are a quiet witness of what happened here.
Two well maintened highways leads to some of the historical places.
PS:
apparanently the Dakrong bridge has collapsed in the middle of 1999, so
trips up to the Ho Chi Minh trail are no longer possible. Check out
whether the bridge has been restored before you sign up for the trip.
Along highway 1
Church frame : a reminder of the war.
Hien Luong bridge : The bridge over the Ben Hai river. The river forms the demarcation line between the north and the south during 1954 and 1975.
Vinh Moc Tunnels :
These tunnels where constructed by the villagers of the Vinh Moc
village to escape the heavy bombing during the war. There are 3 levels
of depth (deepest is 30 meters), twelve entrances with 7 opening up to
the beach. The total length of the tunnels is 2 km. 17 childeren were
born underground. Next to the tunnels is a small museum.
The 15 minutes walk to the tunnels is guided. Torches are available. The ground is slippery.
Along highway 9
Rockpile : A 230 m high hill which was used by the US-marine. There is nothing left from the base except the rock of course.
Dakrong bridge :
A bridge which was constructed in 1976 across the Dakrong river with
Cuban assistance. When I was there (1999) the bridge had collapsed
under his weight. Construction was going on.
Ho Chi Minh Trail :
The lifeline (food, weapons, medecine) for the Viet Cong to support
their troops in the South. This trail runs over 16000 km in total
distance leading also to Laos and Cambodja.
Khe Sanh Combat base :
An American base with airstrip which was the scene of one of the
important battles during the war. Nothing to see anymore except for a
very small museum with 10 pictures and some scrap metal.
Excursions can be booked at the travelagencies in Hue.
See chapter : travelagencies.
Personal opinion
My opinion (and not only mine) : A tour starts at 6.00h till 18.00h
brings you to all these "highlights" to see what there isn’t anymore
(rock, bridge, trail, base). Except for the Vinh Moc tunnels it’s a
waste of time. Maybe Vietnamese or US people who have a bond with the
war won’t agree with it.
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