Private Tour: Best of Hue City Sightseeing

Following pickup from your hotel, your city tour starts at Dong Ba Market. Morning is the busiest time at the lively market, so it is the best opportunity to feast your eyes on the bustling scene as you watch locals purchase fresh produce from the vendors.

After your private guide introduces you to Vietnamese ingredients and other traditional goods, continue to Hue Citadel, the best-preserved remnant of the royal quarters that once existed at the UNESCO World Heritage site, situated behind high walls.

Spend a few hours walking around the complex with your guide, who enlightens you about fascinating architectural structures that include tombs, elaborate temples and the former Imperial Palace, revealing Vietnam’s regal legacy of Nguyen Emperors.

Once you’ve explored Hue’s royal grounds, meander down the Perfume River — aka Huong River — on a relaxing boat cruise to Thien Mu Pagoda, Vietnam’s tallest pagoda, which towers on the riverbank and dates back to 1601.

Next, fulfill your appetite with a Vietnamese lunch. Hue is known for its cuisine, and you’ll be delighted with a great meal in a beautiful setting at Madame Ha’s Tinh Gia Vien restaurant.

In the afternoon, your guide takes you to a nearby village that specializes in producing incense. Just outside the village, a local craftswoman has been making conical hats, or non la, with just one hand since childhood. Observe her expertise at fashioning these beautiful creations that have become quite popular with visitors.

Continue on to Tu Duc Tomb, one of the most outstanding Royal Tombs, completed between 1864 and 1867. Considered one of the most beautiful works of royal architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty, the tomb is situated in a boundless pine forest, just 5 miles (8 km) from Hue. Stroll with your guide around the complex filled with temples and pavilions of the former emperors.

On the way back to the city, stop for tea break at a local café, Vi Da Xua, located in the former residential area for Mandarins during the Nguyen Dynasty. Admire the traditional architectural wooden house with beautiful bonsai garden as you enjoy a beverage or snack (own expense), before your tour ends with private transport back to your hotel.