Hue Vietnam: five highlights, including Imperial Citadel, Nguyen emperor tombs, salted coffee and marketsJessie StoelwinderThe West AustralianSun, 7 September 2025 3:46PMEmail Jessie Stoelwinder
Sitting pretty between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Hue is often overlooked in favour of its cosmopolitan counterparts.
But dig a little deeper and you’ll discover why this place in central Vietnam is called the country’s cultural heart.
Hue was the imperial capital under the final Vietnamese dynasty, the Nguyen emperors, who made it their base from 1802 until the last monarch, Bao Dai, abdicated in 1945. The kings left in their wake a feudal town rich in history, their grandiose mausoleums speaking volumes about their personalities, lifestyles and legacies.
Life here moves at a slower pace, like the Perfume River that snakes its way past the city centre through the provincial region’s forested hills and farming villages.
Leave behind the thrumming pace of Vietnam’s hectic hubs and explore mellow Hue with our five highlights.
A tale of two tombs
There are several notable burial sites in the former royal capital, but two stand out for contrasting reasons.
First we have the tomb of the second Nguyen emperor, Minh Mang, which is ensconced in nature in a sprawling complex of temples, pagodas and courtyards spread over 18ha. The layout has been precisely designed in accordance with numerology, religious symbolism and Confucian principles of balance and harmony.
Our guide tells us it’s an insider secret as to whether the king’s body is actually at rest deep within a hill at the apex of the site, or whether it is all just a ruse and his coffin was hidden elsewhere after he died in 1841. The locked wall around the tomb itself is only opened once a year, on the anniversary of his death.
By the time the 12th emperor, Khai Dinh, died in 1925, Western influence had infiltrated Vietnam. His mausoleum reflects his penchant for the ostentatious and leans towards Gothic with its carved stone bats, protective ky lan (a mythical creature from Vietnamese folklore) and frozen mandarins standing guard.
Khai Dinh was said to be a Francophile who enjoyed the finer things in life. The flamboyant ruler imported colourful ceramics from Paris to use in mosaics that adorn the walls of the main hall, at great expense.
Such a display of decadence just after World War I didn’t go down well with his subjects, but public opinion of Khai Dinh gradually softened after his death as the tomb’s once-white facade blackened with the elements.
To cruise or cyclo — or both
When our group visits Hue in August, it is about as hot as it gets. Swapping walking for another form of transport not only gets the wind on our side but it also offers a variety of vantage points to experience the town.
Cruising on the Perfume (or Huong) River is a popular activity, whether to transfer between access points or enjoy a leisurely chug down the waterway.
We join a dragon boat from Moon River Cruises for a sunset ride accompanied by traditional Vietnamese folk singers, who present a program of centuries-old songs that speak of the city’s beauty and the love stories that blossom within.
Our cruise includes local tea and sweet delicacies — candied ginger, crunchy lotus seeds and glazed mung bean cakes in the shape of tropical fruits — but options with afternoon tea or a romantic dinner are also available.
If boats aren’t your thing, you’ll see just as much from the cushioned sea of a cyclo.
These three-wheeled rickshaws originated in the French colonial period but are now synonymous with Vietnam, and the drivers are experts in navigating the traffic while we passengers chill out up front and take in the sights.
This is a unique way to take in the hustle and bustle of daily life in Hue, from street-side grocery vendors to the river promenade and perimeter of the old Citadel.
Ensnare the senses
The spicy-sweet scent of agarwood is infusing the air. . . we must have reached Thuy Xuan Village, also known as Hue’s Incense Village.
This quaint area lies beyond the city centre and uses traditional techniques to craft the perfumed sticks. Visitors can have a go hand-rolling their own incense and buy a pack of their favourite fragrance, from jasmine to frangipani, lemongrass, cinnamon and lotus wood.
The village has supplied temples with incense for generations, and scents have different purposes — some for prayer, and others for protection or to keep bugs at bay.
The vibrant display doesn’t stop at the bright bunches of incense artfully arranged by the kerb. There are also patterned lanterns and Vietnamese conical hats aplenty, and all are for sale.
Once you have your bartering technique down pat, it’s time for a bigger marketplace in the middle of town.
The Dong Ba Market is a sensory overload in the best possible way, with a winding maze of stalls selling everything from designer dupes to ceramics, toys, and even hardware (think Bunnings, but micro).
There is a method to the madness, and once you get the lay of the land you realise it’s roughly in sections — one moment you’re surrounded by rhinestone-encrusted heels and replica Crocs in the shoe sector; the next there’s a cloying smell of fermented fish and you’ve arrived in the wet market.
I pick up a Hue tourist T-shirt with a retro design that doesn’t seem to have been updated since the 1970s. It costs the equivalent of about $5; I’m stoked.
Enter the Citadel
For more than 140 years, Hue was the political and cultural epicentre of Vietnam, and the Imperial Citadel was where all the action happened.
The walled city’s design is inspired by Beijing’s Forbidden City, with a main fortress that spans 10km surrounded by an angular moat and a formidable main Meridian Gate.
During the Nguyen Dynasty, it was home to palaces, gardens, theatres, shrines and temples, and hosted coronations, military meetings, religious ceremonies and other important State affairs.
However, the citadel suffered significant damage during the Indochina and Vietnam Wars in the 20th century, and buildings including the Forbidden Purple City — the emperor’s private living quarters — were destroyed.
Restoration works are unde rway to bring these palaces back to their former glory, on the back of the complex’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
A major milestone came with the re-opening of the Kien Trung Palace last year — 77 years after it was decimated by the Viet Minh.
Walking around the Imperial Citadel, it’s easy to imagine stepping back in time as you trace the invisible footprints of the last monarchs of Vietnam.
Coffee with a kick
Vietnam is renowned for its coffee culture, and Hue goes a step further by claiming its own signature brew.
The words “salted coffee” might have some instantly turning up their noses, but hear me out — it’s a bit like the love child of salted caramel and coffee.
The salt is whipped with cream until it forms a thick mix, which is then layered with freshly brewed coffee, condensed milk and ice. It acts to balance the sweetness, bitterness and fat for a refreshing drink that’s smooth and moreish.
Not convinced? There are plenty of other ways to enjoy a cuppa in Hue, with coffee shops at every turn boasting everything from espresso to coconut coffee and Hanoi’s egg coffee.
But when in Vietnam, you must drink your coffee as the Vietnamese do.
According to the baristas at Hue’s cafe KODO, this means sipping slowly, savouring every moment in a meditative ritual.
+ Jessie Stoelwinder was a guest of Vietnam Airlines. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication.
fact file
+ Vietnam Airlines flies direct from Perth to Ho Chi Minh City.
+ From there, Hue is one hour, 25 minutes by plane. vietnamairways.org
+ We stayed at Pilgrimage Village Resort & Spa in Hue. pilgrimagevillage.com
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