Hue (pronounced Hway) is culturally and historically significant. It was once Vietnam's Imperial City and later the country's capital under the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945).

The Thua Thien - Hue region was a political football during hundreds of years of early Vietnamese dynastic turf wars with the Cham people in the south and the Chinese in the north. It wasn't until the late 18th century that the leaders of the Tay Son rebellion and Emperor Quang Trung, having routed the Chinese out of the north, established a capital at Hue. Later, the Nguyen dynasty leaders, beginning with powerful Gia Long, made Hue the capital that served the Vietnamese puppets of the French until the end of World War II. The first citadel and Imperial City was built by Gia Long in 1803 on a former royal site; many of the city walls still stand, battle scarred from fighting with the French as far back as 1873, and later with the Americans during the notorious Battle of Hue in 1968.

Although much of Hue - tragically including most of Vietnam's walled Citadel and Imperial City - was decimated during wars with the French and the Americans, there's still much to see. And because of the damaged buildings, you'll want to hit the temples with a good English-speaking guide who can bring the place back to life and offer some good background (otherwise you might see just walls and rubble).

Perhaps most captivating is the daily life on Perfume River, with its many dragon boats, houseboats, and long-tail vessels dredging for sand. You can visit many of the attractions, including the tombs of the rather flamboyant and megalomaniacal Nguyen dynasty emperors, by boat. The enjoyable town features low-slung, colorful colonial-style buildings; and strings of lights at outdoor cafes at night are like the flame for the many tourist-moths that quickly flit through here. Try to sample some of the many local cuisine specialties; you'll find fine dining establishments that specialize in tempering the cuisine to foreign tastes (with varying degrees of success). The Trang Tien Bridge, which connects the citadel area with the new town across the Perfume River, is itself a major attraction, a lovers' lane of sorts and a national symbol. You'll see local photographers selling their services in the little riverside park on the new-town side. The bridge is lit up at night with constantly changing bulbs, and lovers stroll the promenade taking in all of the good Technicolor glistening off the river below. Vendors line the riverside promenade and it's a good place to buy something sugary (they even have cotton candy).

You might want to plan for a full-day excursion to the nearby demilitarized zone (DMZ), the beginning of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and the underground tunnels at Vinh Moc.

Read also:

• Ha Noi - The Capital
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Halong Bay
• Hoian Ancient Town
• Nha Trang Beach
• Phan Thiet Sand Dunes
• Phu Quoc Island
• Sapa Mountain Retreat

Khai Dinh Tomb

In comparison with those of the preceding emperors, Khai Dinh’s tomb is much smaller in surface (117m x 48.5m) but it is very elaborate. It is the result of the interminglement of many architectural trends: European and Asian, as well as ancient and modern...more

Lang Co Beach

With its 10km in length, Lang Co Beach bordered a section of the National Highway No1A, nearly Hai Van Pass, and 24km from Bach Ma Area. In Lang Co Sea, there are various kind of shrimps, lobster, sea shrimp, crab, butter-fish, mackerel fish, oysters...more

Minh Mang Tomb

Minh Mang's tomb is a standard architectural complex consisting of 40 constructions (palaces, temples, pavilions, etc.) designed on an symmetric axis running from Dai Hong gate to the foot of La Thanh (Surrounding Wall) behind the Emperor's tomb...more

Perfume River

From Bang Lang to Thuan An estuary, the Perfume River is 30km long (The river level is not much above that of the sea) so that the river runs very slowly. The colour of the Perfume River is darker when it runs along the foot of Ngoc Tran Mount - the Jade Cup Temple (Dien Hon Chen) - where there is a very deep abyss...more

Nam Giao Esplanade

In the Nguyen dynasty, right after being crowned (1802), Emperor Gia Long built the terraces in An Ninh Village in 1803 to offer ceremonies to God. A few years after that, the terraces left that position and had new terraces built in Duong Xuan Village in the south of Hue Citadel (the remains are still preserved)...more

Thien Mu Pagoda

Thien Mu Pagoda is situated on Ha Khe Hill, on the left bank of the Perfume River, in Huong Long Village, 5km from center of Hue City. It was built in 1601, and then Lord Nguyen Phuc Tan had it renovated in 1665. In 1710, Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu had a great bell cast (2.5m high; 3,285kg) and in 1715, he had a stele (2.58m high) erected on the back of a marble tortoise...more

Tu Duc Tomb

It is one of the most beautiful works of royal architecture of the Nguyen dynasty. The tomb lies in a boundless pine forest, 8km from Hue city-centre. Its construction started in December 1864 and finished in 1867...more

Imperial Citadel

Hue has chosen to be the capital city of the Southern Kingdom by all Lords Nguyen and officially became the capital under Tay Son Dynasty. For approximately 400 years, Hue has become a great landscape and architectural site. Hue royal complex has been officially recognized by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site...more

Royal Fine arts Museum

The Hue Royal Fine-arts Museum is a gallery of antiques displaying collections of bronze, pottery, chinaware, Phap Lam enamel, court robes, head-gear and personal belongings of former Vietnam Emperors...more