For a tiny town, Hue has tons of atmosphere. The old imperial capital, slap in the middle of Vietnam first served as the base for the empire building Nguyễn Dynasty, which preceded the modern republic.
During the Vietnam War, to say the people of Hue suffered is an understatement. First, the town was captured by the Viet Cong and held for 24 days. During that reign of terror, the VC killed around 1,000 people suspected of sympathising with the South. Then, in a successful but damaging stab at retaking the city, US allies tried to bomb it into the Stone Age.
Like much of Vietnam, Hue retains a jagged edge. But Hue has some surprisingly attractive and intriguing sights that belie its sad past. Prettily decorative and distinctive, the local food is seen as some of Vietnam's best.
Hue top five attractions
Imperial City
Geomancers decided the location of the east-facing imperial city, which once served as the des-res of the emperor and his concubines. The imperial retinue shared the inner 'purple' enclosure. Despite the geomancers' input, the whole city took a hammering in the 1968 American blitz that embodied the Vietnam War's ferocity. Riddled with bullet holes, the lotus pond-peppered complex has been partially restored. If you go, it helps to have a guide to supply the gaps in the puzzle – local travel agent Huong Giang offers informative tours.
Khai Dinh's Tomb
Finished in 1931, Khai Dinh's tomb radiates the outrageous excess which reflects the emperor's flamboyant character. Khai Dinh (1885-1925) supposedly sported a belt studded with bulbs that he switched on when he felt the urge to impress. Move over, Elvis. Khai Dinh's tiered tomb is an eye-popping mixture of styles – Gothic, baroque, Hindu – you name it. Bizarre.
Bao Quoc Pagoda
Last renovated in 1957, Bao Quoc Pagoda was founded in 1670 by a Chinese Zen master. Bao Quoc was given its current name in 1824 by Emperor Minh Mang, who had his 40th birthday bash there in 1830. Now Bao Quoc serves as a meditation centre and school for learning Buddhism. Perched on a hillock, it is fetchingly landscaped. Orchids and frangipani scent the air.
Perfume River (Hương Giang)
In autumn, flowers from upriver orchards flutter onto the surface of the Perfume River, producing the aroma that explains the name. Perfume River makes an elegant place to eat at the restaurants that line it. If you want to explore Hue's surroundings in style, you can do various scenic cruises among the houseboats, dragon boats, and long-tail dredgers.
Ho Quyen, Tiger Fighting Arena
Easily overlooked, Ho Quyen is an arena where tigers and elephants battled to death, gladiator-style, before a captive audience of royals and aristocrats. Ho Quyen was built more recently than you might think – in 1830 along the Perfume River's south bank, near Long Chau temple where royal war elephants were worshipped and buried. You can still see claw marks in Ho Quyen's plaster walls.
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