Forget about L’Ouvre, the Smithsonian Institution or even the British Museum! Instead, set your eyes on the fantastic museums of Hue, the old capital of Vietnam. Awash in history and traditions, the Imperial City of Hue has a lot to offer visitors who are interested in fun and insightful experiences. Hue museums may be dwarfed by their Western counterparts in terms of size but when it comes to cultural richness, they are more than a match. You can find out how by reading the below list of five best museums you should not miss in Hue.

Thua Thien Hue History Museum – War and peace

• Address: No.1, 23/9 Street, Hue City
• Opening hours: 7:30AM – 11:00AM / 1:30PM – 5:00PM

Are you tired of learning history through books with endless texts and tiny pictures? Do you crave learning it through epic and emotional stories told by real objects and items from ages ago? If you are in Hue, then come to Thua Thien Hue History Museum where you can gain access to a vast collection that covers the more-than-2000-year history of Hue and the civilizations that preceded it. The museum is open everyday except for Mondays.

The main building of the museum is devoted to the ancient civilizations of Dong Son and Sa Huynh. Some of the most significant artefacts are ancient bronze drums, the most well-known remnants of Dong Son and its neighboring cultures. Other important items include coins, ceramics, jewelry and wood block prints crafted by ancient Champa artisans.

Hue Royal Museum of Antiquities – Shadows of a royal past

• Address: No.3 Le Truc Street, Hue City
• Opening hours: 6:30AM – 5:30PM
• Price: free of charge

Being the oldest museum in Vietnam, Hue Royal Museum of Antiquities offers visitors precious insights into the imperial legacy of the Nguyen dynasty. Situated near the Imperial City, Hue royal Museum of Antiquities is open from Tuesday to Sunday.

The museum itself is an interesting artifact, having experienced a very turbulent history. It began as a palace nearly two centuries ago, only to be turned into a museum as the French colonial rule cemented. By 1945, it housed more than 10,000 artifacts which was quite a record at that time.

However, the wars that ravaged Vietnam led to the museum’s irreparable loss of objets d’art. Still, Hue Royal Museum of Antiquities continues to be a cultural treasure trove with more than 8,000 valuable artifacts in good condition.

Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hue – A star was born

• Address: No. 7 Le Loi Street, Hue City
• Opening hours: 7:30AM –  11:30AM
• Price: free of charge

The “Founding Father” of Vietnam has long inspired numerous museums throughout Vietnam, but the one dedicated to him in Hue is quite original. While most Hue museums center around classic styles or themes, Ho Chi Minh Museum shows a clear departure from the common norm. It consists of a single chic building that brings to life the photographs and artifacts relating to President Ho Chi Minh with the help of modern technology.

Ho Chi Minh, who went by numerous names during his eventful life, had been living and gone to school in Hue for many years. That period had a transformative influence on the young boy who would liberate his country from colonial rule. But what could possibly motivate him to embark on such an unpredictable and perilous journey? You will gain the answer after interacting with the photos and items on display at the museum. Also, you can learn about how he and his followers managed to lead Vietnam to vanquish French and American forces in the wars that followed its founding. The museum is daily open but closed on Mondays.

Museum of Nguyen Trade Ceramics: A decorated history on display

• Address: No. 114 Mai Thuc Loan Street, Hue City
• Opening hours : 9:00AM – 5:00PM

The Museum of Nguyen Trade Ceramics is another break from Vietnam’s traditional museums as it is the first private museum to be opened in Hue. It is in fact a private old mansion which is an attraction in its own right. The man behind the museum, Mr. Tran Dinh Son, is the descendant of a respected Nguyen Dynasty mandarin.

As suggested by the name, the museum boasts an extraordinary collection of Vietnamese ceramics, most of which were crafted by Vietnamese artisans. Visitors to the museum will be left speechless by how splendid and elaborate the tea pots, utensils, wine jars, etc. on display are.

The best part is the exhibits of the lavish porcelain works that were used by the royal family. Some of them were commissioned in China or Japan, countries noted for their ceramics, specifically for imperial use. The rest, however, was skillfully made by Vietnamese craftsmen who incorporated various precious materials into the designs  such as gold, gemstones and ivory. For a more comprehensive look, you can go to see the exhibits of Vietnamese pottery which unfolds the ten centuries of ceramic trading history. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Chin Ham Prison: Vietnamese horror story

• Address: No. 112D Thien Thai Street, Hue City
• Opening hours: 07:30 a.m –  11:30 a.m
• Price: free of charge

Learning about history and having a good scare is a very unlikely match, but that is exactly what you will get at Chin Ham Prison which is now turned into a museum and a historic site. It is open to visitors six days a week, closed on Mondays.

The prison is now on Thien Thai street, a name meaning “heaven” in Vietnamese. Ironically, the place was a veritable hell for the inmates during the time it served as an inescapable prison. As the cruel President Ngo Dinh Diem of the Republic of Vietnam came to power, his even more ruthless brother Ngo Dinh Can used Chin Ham Prison to lock up many people the regime deemed as its most dangerous enemies. Go visit the damp, dark bunkers and you will learn how the prisoners went through systematic torture, unimaginably cruel treatment and other horrors.

Another highlight is the memorial to all the victims who perished at the nightmarish prison. There you can pay your tribute to the hapless souls and reflect on the terrors that Hue endured.

Source: inspitrip.com

The Most Fascinating Museums in Hue
Nguyen Thanh Van

Situated in Thua Thien – Hue, Thien Mu Pagoda is one of the oldest and most fascinating religious sites in Vietnam. It has long lured tourists by its beautiful and ancient architectural structures of worship.

Thien Mu Pagoda (also known as Linh Mu Pagoda) is located in Ha Khe hill, on the north bank of Perfume River, in Huong Long village. It is about 5 kilometers from Hue city, which is easy to reach from the city center. Built in 1601 for the order of the first Nguyen Lord, Nguyen Hoang, who at that time was the governor of Thuan Hoa (today known as Hue), Thien Mu Pagoda can be regarded as the oldest pagoda in Hue.

Looking for city tours in Hue to Thien Mu pagoda? We got you covered!

Hue city private tour from Danang or Hoi An

Thien Mu Pagoda: the soul of Hue
Nguyen Thanh Van

Com Hen

Com Hen (rice with mussel) is a very unique cuisine of Hue. Com Hen contains rice, boiled mussel, star fruit, fish sauce, cabbage, onion, pepper, peanut, chili, and a variety of herbs. The specialty is all of these elements are cold. When people eat Com Hen, they add all the above ingredients to a bowl, and slowly add boiled mussel broth with chili sauce into the bowl (the broth is the only hot thing in Com Hen). Com Hen has an extremely spicy flavor as such, so gastronomes remember it just after one time enjoying.

Bun Bo Hue

Bun bo Hue (Hue style beef vermicelli) or more detail, Bun bo gio heo (beef and pig’s knuckle vermicelli) is a popular Vietnamese soup vermicelli dish, and one of the most typical foods of Hue, Vietnam. Fine combination of ingredients make the food famous; the broth is prepared by simmering beef and bones for a long period of time, after that a large range of different spices containing lemon grass and chili are added in. Shrimp paste holds no less importance. Hue people usually add thin slices of beef shank, chunks of boiled oxtail, and pig’s knuckles or pork into the bowl. It can also contain cubes of maroon brown congealed pig blood, which are good for those suffering from high blood pressure. The specialty is commonly served with a plenty of herbs like sprouts, lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, onions, and sliced banana blossom. Thinly sliced purple cabbage or iceberg lettuces are used in case of lacking in banana blossom. It is highly recommended for tourists to add a few of shrimp paste directly into the soup.

Banh Beo

Banh beo (water fern cake) is a kind of small steamed rice pancake. The name is to refer from the shape of the cake (like a water fern-Beo in Vietnamese). It is white in color, sometimes nearly transparent and usually has a dimple in the center, which is covered with savory recipes including chopped dried or fresh shrimp, scallions, mung bean paste, crispy fried shallots, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and oil.

Banh khoai

Banh khoai (delicious pancake) is so much like Banh xeo (sizzling pancake) since they both are made from rice flour, water, turmeric powder, added slivers of fatty pork, shrimp, bean sprouts and then pan fried. Banh khoai and Banh xeo also are wrapped in mustard leaf, lettuce leaves or rice paper, and stuffed with variety of herb, like mint leaves, basil and served with a sweet and sour mixed sauce. In Hue, Banh khoai is placed open-face instead of being folded in half like Banh xeo. Moreover, Banh khoai always goes with a fermented soy bean sauce, and people consider it a winter food owing to its greasiness and spicy taste of the sauce. Therefore, most Hue citizens only make them when winter coming.

Mam tom chua

The central of Vietnam is reputable for its Mam tom chua (sour shrimp sauce) and Hue is the best place for this unique sauce. Unlike normal shrimp sauce (has brown color and smooth surface), Sour shrimp sauce has orange color while shrimps still keep its original shape. It is quite simple to make this sauce. First, shrimps are clean by salt water (do not use normal water to avoid bad smells) and “cook” by strong rice wine. The shrimps will turn red. After that, carefully mix the shrimps with sticky rice, sliced lesser galangal, garlic and chili. Slowly put all the mixture into a jar covered by guava leaves. Just need to wait for 5-7 days and we have the mouthwatering sour shrimp sauce of our own making. This is the best sauce for boiled pork with vermicelli.

Source: vietnamonline.com

5 Must-try Foods When You Visit Hue
Nguyen Thanh Van

Established in 1896, after more than an 100-year history, Quoc Hoc building today is still a well-maintained French colonial-style construction. The school is a complex of five blocks of classrooms, a big football field, a basketball court, five badminton courts, a swimming pool, a medium-sized stadium, and also a block of dormitories.

Not only is Quoc Hoc famous for its charming scene, it also gained prominence for its traditions of patriotism, industriousness, academic achievements, and respect for the time-honored values of teacher-student relationships.

Several Vietnamese political leaders are alumni of the school, including: Nguyen Tat Thanh (President Ho Chi Minh), General Vo Nguyen Giap, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, etc. In addition, the school is famed for its students who are well-known poets (Xuan Dieu, Huy Can, To Huu, Luu Trong Lu), scientists (Ta Quang Buu, Ton That Tung, Dang Van Ngu), musicians (Tran Hoan, Chau Ky, Nguyen Van Thuong), or sculptor Diem Phung Thi and so on. The school also has many students who are highly awarded in many international competitions.

Tourists who want to visit Quoc Hoc High School should remember that the school doesn’t allow visits while classes are in session, which go until 5.15 p.m. everyday (though it might be easier to go through the two side gates, in fact).

What’s more, the students are very eager to talk to foreigners, especially English speakers and French speakers. The school is a wonderful place for anyone who wants to take photos against the naturally occurring foliage, understand more about French colonial architecture, or watch students in white ao dais socialize in the tranquil environment.

The gate of the school today The gate in the past The overview of the school today The memorial house The campus The statue of Nguyen Tat Thanh (President Ho Chi Minh). Inside a classroom Photo: Traveloka

Source: VietNamNet/Vnonline

Quoc Hoc Hue – Century Old High School
Nguyen Thanh Van

Not only the talented but the people whose footsteps have stamped many beautiful rivers world famous also said a lot about the Perfume River. Not only in words, but also in literature, poetry, music, and films. But perhaps, it is better to visit the place, to immerse in it, explore it, and … feel it yourselves on Vietnam vacation.

The Origin of Perfume River

The romantic river flows through Hue city, Thua Thien – Hue province. Perfume River has two sources. The left one originates from the Truong Son Mountains; it flows north-west through 55 majestic waterfalls, and then flows through the Bang Lang T-junction; the right source is shorter. After crossing over 14 waterfalls and through the wharf of Tuan, the right source reaches the Bang Lang T-junction and merges with the left source, forming the romantic Perfume River. Counted only from Bang Lang to Thuan An, the Huong River is 30 km long. The slope of the flow is not much higher than that of the sea; thus, the flow of the river is quite slow.

What Can Be Seen from a Perfume River Cruise

Perfume River is beautiful right from its source. It winds around the forests and mountains, carrying the aromas of tropical jungle herbs. The river slowly glides through the green, tree-shading villages including Kim Long, Nguyet Bieu, Vi Da, Dong Ba, Gia Hoi, Cho Dinh, Nam Pho, Bao Vinh, integrating with the fragrance of Hue flowers. The color of the water becomes greener after the flow crosses Ngoc Tran mountain – Hon Chen temple.

The greenish river twinkles just like sapphires under the sun. Traveling by boats to sightsee the dreamy Perfume River and listen to Hue’s folk songs at night is always a pleasure of tourists here.
The shades of the surrounding scenery such as streets, garden, pagodas, and temples are reflected on the river, making the beautiful river even more dreamy and romantic. It is said that it is Perfume River that makes Hue more peaceful, tranquil and harmonious with the long-lasting history and culture of the citadel.

Best Things to Do & See on a Perfume River Tour

Enjoy Hue Folk Song

Visit Hue, tourists will be immersed in local people’s folk songs when having a boat trip on Perfume River. One new feature of Hue folk song (Ca Hue) tour on Perfume River is that apart from utilizing traditional instruments to play traditional music, the instrumentalists can also play some familiar foreign songs for foreigners from different countries as well.

Hue folk songs tour is the combination of folk songs and royal court songs and is performed in two ways, North and South one. North music includes songs that are cheerful and formal. South music contains more than 60 sad songs. Orchestra performing Hue folk songs includes musicians wearing a turban, playing erhu, moon lute, flute, and monochord. The female singers wear traditional ao dai and play other instruments.

Get Closer to Local Life of Hue People

When the boat reaches Van Lau wharf, tourists will have chances to drop the floating lanterns on Perfume River under the instruction of the boat manager. This is an old custom of Hue people with the wish of being safe and sound. Each floating lantern represents its owner’s wishes.

Lighting the floating lanterns is considered an act to honor the spiritual and cultural values of Vietnamese people on big holidays and festivals.

Source: vietvisiontravel.com

Perfume River
Nguyen Thanh Van

Located at the southwest corner of Hue Imperial Citadel, The To Temple is a place of worship for the Nguyen kings. This is the largest and most important temple of Hue ancient capital.

Behind Mieu Mon is Hien Lam Cac, a three-storey building is considered a memorial to commemorate the merits of the Nguyen kings and other great ministers. Hien Lam Cac is the highest building in the Imperial City.

The To Mieu Temple, located behind Hien Lam Cac, is a very large wooden structure, consisting of two consecutive buildings set on a height of nearly 1 meter. The area of a rectangular ground, an area of 1500 m².

The image of the dragon in The To Temple.

Before 1958, the temple had only 7 worship projects of kings Gia Long, Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, Tu Duc, Kien Phuc, Dong Khanh and Khai Dinh. In 1958, three kings against the French colonialists Ham Nghi, Thanh Thai and Duy Tan were worshiped.

The To Temple was built in 2 years (1821-1822), originally only used to worship Gia Long King – The To Cao Emperor (hence the name The To Temple). Later, the temple became a place of worship for all kings of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Source: kientruc.com.vn

The To Temple – the most important place of worship of the Nguyen Dynasty
Nguyen Thanh Van

Dong Ba Market is located along the northern bank of Perfume River, on Tran Hung Dao Street, 100 meters to the north away from Truong Tien bridge. Before the appearance of Dong Ba market, there was a market named Qui Gia which was established under Gia Long’s reign. In 1885, Nearly a century had passed when Hue capital was invaded and Qui Gia market was burned by the French. Not until 1887 was the market rebuilt by Dong Khanh Emperor and renamed Dong Ba.

Best Things to Do & See in Dong Ba Market

In Dong Ba Market, an eye-catchy old bell tower standing among the monument will surely attract visitors’ attention. Covering an area of up to 16,000-meter square, the market is constructed of nine buildings and four new sections selling all kinds of products from foods to facilities. Like other markets in Vietnam, each section sells a typical type of product only. The entire second floor is for clothes, for example.

What to Buy in Dong Ba Market

Tourists can find all of Hue’s specialties in Dong Ba Market from “Non la bai tho” (conical hats with a poem in them) from Phu Can village, “me xung” (candies) to “tom chua” (Hue sour shrimp). People say that Dong Ba Market is a haven for Hue’s traditional foods which is famous not only for its delicious taste but also for its budget-friendly cost. Therefore, it’s really a try-worthy place to visit in Dong Ba Market – the food court where myriad number of street vendors will provide you some of the best dishes that you have ever tried.

In fact, although people have set up a number of the market in Hue, Dong Ba Market is still of importance, as a wholesale market, to the economy of the city. Every day, thousands of traders visit the market to exchange their products. Thus, visiting Dong Ba Market, not only tourists can buy some traditional products to present your relatives and friend as souvenirs and try some special dishes in the food court, but you can also investigate the typical ways of trading of local people.

Best Time to Visit Dong Ba Market

The market opens from early morning at about 3.00 am to the evening at 8.30 pm. Very early in the morning, the sellers have to arrive at the market to arrange their products so as to buyers can purchase their needs at any time. Moreover, this is also the time for wholesalers to trade their goods with smaller retailers. Thus, if you want to discover the trading methods or to buy things at a lower price, early morning is the most appropriate time.

On a daily basis, the number of customers can be ranging from 5000 to 7000; this number can be doubled during peak time such as holidays. Visiting the market during holidays will be quite interesting as you can feel the hectic pace of life here, but it’s likely that you will have to hustle with a large number of consumers and, as a result, watch out for the pickpockets. Besides, you also shouldn’t visit the market on the first January according to Lunar Year because not many stalls open during this day. The market will probably operate normally on the fourth day of the year.

Source: vietvisiontravel.com

Dong Ba Market
Nguyen Thanh Van

Hue cuisine has more culture and history to it than any other region in Vietnam. As the land that has offered the kings many dishes, Hue has a philosophy in food tastes which has been playing a great role in making Hue food so unique and special. Praised by world renowned chef Anthony Bourdain, Hue cuisine won’t disappoint you.

1. Bun Bo Hue

This dish is already known world-wide, a big part of it was thanks to the effect of Anthony Bourdain, A bowl of Bun Bo Hue is steamy, spicy and full of flavors. The main ingredients of this dish are vermicelli, beef, pig leg and red colored broth which is added a special kind of shrimp sauce. This sauce is the reason why Bun Bo Hue is so addicting and unique than any other noodle soup. The soup is served with all kinds of herbs and vegetables.
Bun Bo Hue is a popular dish and you can find Bun Bo Hue restaurants everywhere in Hue. We suggest you to come to Dong Ba Market to for this dish and many other dishes.

2. Com Hen

The story of Com Hen is the story of Vietnamese working class and middle-class. Com Hen went all its way to the King’s dining table and then returned to the markets, sidewalks – where it originally belonged to.

Com Hen is composed of all the most simple and easiest-to-find ingredients which are cooked cooked rice, baby basket clams, herbs, mints, fish sauce, fried shallots, roasted peanuts…. All these ingredients create such a beautiful, unique symphony of tastes and flavors, showing how creative Vietnamese people are in making cheap food delicious.

A bowl of Com Hen costs between 10,000VND – 20,000VND.

*Where to eat Com Hen:

• Com Hen 26 Truong Dinh Street, Hue
• Con Hen Mussel Rice, Hương Lưu Commune, Vỹ Dạ Ward, Huế City, Thừa Thiên Huế Province

3. Banh Bot Loc Nhan Tom (Tapioca starches with shrimp)

This dish is popular and easy to eat, made totally from local ingredients. A small shrimp is put in the middle of tapioca starch then steamed until done. It’s best when eat this dish with a flavorful, spicy dipping sauce.

*Where to eat Bot Loc Nhan Tom:

• Ba Do shop – 71, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Hue

4. Banh Canh Nam Pho

This special dish originates from Nam Pho – the suburb of Hue city, is acknowledged for its special reddish broth mixed with noodles made from rice and cassava flour and small shrimp-and-pork cakes. A bowl of Banh Canh Nam Pho will make you warm and full, especially in chilly days.

A bowl of Banh Canh Nam Pho will costs you only 15,000VND. If you can, go to Nam Pho to try the original version of this dish.

Source: Asianwaytravel.com

Hue – where to eat ?
Nguyen Thanh Van