Vietnam’s historic Hue (pronounced hu-ay) is located on the banks of the Perfume River and is home to more than 300 temples and pagodas. Thankfully, we did not visit all of them. That would have made for a very long day. As it was, we packed in a lot of activities upon our early morning arrival on a flight from Hanoi.
Boat ride along Perfume River
We certainly noticed an increase in the heat and humidity upon arrival in Hue as compared with the northern regions of Vietnam. It was a nice to start the day touring the Perfume River on this dragon boat.
Thien Hu Pagoda
Built in 1601, Thien Hu Pagoda became one of the most influential monasteries in Vietnam. In the ‘60s it was a hub of a lot of anti-government protests. They were centered around south Buddhist unrest over perceptions of Catholic favouritism.
The temple also displays the car that transported Thich Quang Duc to Saigon in his protest against government, which brought international attention to the Bhudists’ issues. The Mahayana monk set himself on fire at a busy Saigon intersection in 1963.
Imperial City
Although the North Vietnamese Army destroyed many of its buildings in 1968, the walled fortress and palace that comprise Imperial City are impressive. Many of the buildings have been reconstructed and others are in progress. Construction of the site got underway in 1804 at the start of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last ruling family of Vietnam.
Tomb of Khai Dinh
We also visited the Imperial Tomb of Khai Dinh, considered the most majestic of all imperial tombs in Vietnam. It certainly is grand. Nguyen Emperor Khai Dinh began construction of the mausoleum in 1920 and raised taxes by 30 percent just to fund it.
Thanh Toan Village
Cycling to Thanh Toan Village near Hue was definitely a highlight of this region. It is home to this ancient ornate covered bridge. The village was bustling during our late afternoon visit.
Steve was immediately greeted by this village elder who turned out to be quite the entrepreneur. She convinced me (well, kind of dragged me) to sit on the bridge with her so she could read my fortune on my palm. With limited English she managed to convey that there is a man out there (not Steve) who has been pining for my love for many years (years!). Our tour guide, Hoang, explained that her fortune telling follows a few variations depending on the age and gender of the person. Very entertaining and I didn’t mind paying a couple of dollars for a good story (years!).
Dinner at Ancient Hue Royal Gallery Restaurant
Our day in Hue ended with a splendid meal at Ancient Hue Royal Gallery Restaurant, which really is an immersive experience. The restaurant celebrates the wood carving craftsmanship of Vietnam. The entrance is through an enchantingly-lit garden where a dinner awaits that is as intricately designed as the restaurant itself.
Next stop: Pretty-as-a-picture Hoi An
This is the fourth post in a series on an IslandHopping tour we took through Vietnam. Visit the first post to go back to the start of it all.
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