Things to do in Hue, beyond the citadel walls
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The things to do in Hue split neatly in two, and most visitors only manage the first half. One morning goes to the citadel, and then the road south takes them. The tombs, which are the better half, sit 15 km out and take the afternoon nobody schedules.
What should you do in Hue?
The citadel early, a tomb or two after lunch, and the Perfume river to link them. Two days covers the things to do in Hue without hurrying either half. The Hue hub covers what is inside the walls and which ticket to buy; this page is how the two days fill.
| What | Where | Time | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| The citadel | City centre | A morning | 200,000 dong |
| Khai Dinh tomb | 10 km south | 1 to 2 hours | 100,000-150,000 |
| Tu Duc tomb | 7 km south | 1 to 2 hours | 100,000-150,000 |
| Minh Mang tomb | 12 km south | 1 to 2 hours | 100,000-150,000 |
| Thien Mu pagoda | 5 km upriver | 45 minutes | Free |
| Dong Ba market | City centre | An hour | Free |
Which tombs should you choose?
Khai Dinh first, and it is not close. The last emperor's tomb is a blackened concrete and stone hybrid of Vietnamese and European forms, climbing a hillside in tiers. Its interior of glass and porcelain mosaic looks like nothing else in the country.
Tu Duc is the one to pair it with — lower, greener, spread around a lake among pines, and built as a retreat before it was a tomb. Minh Mang is the most formally symmetrical and the furthest out.
Two is the right number for an afternoon. Three is a long day and they begin to run together, which is a waste of the one that impressed you.
How do you get out to them?
Motorbike, car with a driver, or boat. The tombs are scattered over about 15 km southwest of the city, so walking is out and a bicycle turns the afternoon into an endurance event in the heat.
A car with a driver for half a day is the usual choice and costs little split between two or three people. The transport guide covers the general options. The specific advice here is to agree the list of stops before setting off, because the standard circuit sometimes includes a workshop nobody asked for.
Is the river boat worth taking?
As transport, yes. As a cruise, not really. The dragon boats run up the Perfume river to Thien Mu pagoda and on towards one or two tombs, and the trip is pleasant and slow.
The version that works is boat out, road back. Doing the whole circuit by water eats the day. The evening boats with live music are aimed at domestic visitors and are a different proposition entirely.
What is worth seeing in the city itself?
Thien Mu pagoda, on a rise above the river 5 km upriver. It holds a seven-storey tower and the Austin car that carried the monk Thich Quang Duc to Saigon in 1963. It takes forty-five minutes and is free.
Dong Ba market is the other one — the city's main market, busy, unpolished, and the best place here to eat cheaply. The what to eat guide explains why Hue is worth eating in specifically.
Should you plan around the food?
If you have a third day, yes. Hue has its own culinary tradition, developed for the imperial court, and dishes here are smaller, sharper and more numerous than elsewhere in Vietnam. On two days, the two-day route puts the food in the evenings, which is where it belongs anyway.
Bun bo Hue is the one everyone knows, and the noodle soup guide covers how the version served here differs from the one sold under that name nationwide. Banh beo, banh nam and com hen are the ones worth hunting.
What about the DMZ?
The DMZ is a day trip north rather than a thing to do in Hue, and it is the standard use of a third day here. The war sites guide covers the sites around the seventeenth parallel, the Vinh Moc tunnels included. The day trips page sets that day against Bach Ma and the pass.
Going the other way, the Hai Van pass to Da Nang is the better journey and doubles as the move south. The five-day central route sets out the order.
FAQ
What are the best things to do in Hue?
The citadel in the morning, one or two royal tombs in the afternoon, and the Perfume river between them. Add the [Thien Mu pagoda](/things-to-do/thien-mu-pagoda/), the Dong Ba market and an evening on the river bank, and two days are comfortably full.
Which royal tombs in Hue are worth visiting?
Khai Dinh for the extraordinary blackened stonework and mosaic interior, Tu Duc for the setting among pines and lakes, and Minh Mang for the symmetry. Two are plenty in an afternoon; three is a long day and they start to blur.
How much do the Hue tickets cost?
The citadel is around 200,000 dong on its own and each tomb runs roughly 100,000 to 150,000. Combined tickets covering the citadel and two or three tombs work out cheaper if you are seeing more than one, which most people should.
How do you get to the tombs from Hue?
By motorbike, by car with a driver, or on a river boat that stops at Thien Mu and one or two tombs. The tombs are spread over 15 km southwest of the city, so walking is not an option and a bicycle is a long hot day.
Is the dragon boat on the Perfume river worth it?
As transport, yes. As a cruise, it is slow and the commentary is thin. The good version uses the boat to reach Thien Mu and a tomb, then returns by road. The evening boats with music are a different thing and mostly for domestic visitors.
How many days do you need in Hue?
Two. One for the citadel and the city, one for the tombs. A third suits anyone interested in the food, which is a genuine reason to stay — Hue has its own royal cuisine and it is not sold anywhere else in the same form.