Why You NEED To Visit HUE VIETNAM 🇻🇳 (BEST Things To Do In 2025)

There are places that demand your attention, and others that quietly wait to be noticed. This city, smack in the middle of Vietnam, is called Hue. It doesn't shout, it doesn't dazzle you with skyscrapers or flash, but somehow it lingers. Maybe it's the quiet pride in its crumbling walls, or the way time seems to fold in on itself here, layering emperors, poets, and street vendors into one continuous breath. Maybe it's because this place, this once-royal capital, holds something deeper. The roots of a culture that still shape Vietnam today. It's not on every itinerary, and it's not the easiest place to get to, but if you're drawn to places with soul, with stories, with layers worth peeling back, Hue might just be the kind of place that stays with you long after you've left. We left the southern island of Phu Quoc behind and began our 12-hour-long journey to Hue, starting with a flight to Da Nang. From there, it was a two-hour drive north to the middle of Vietnam, and just like that, we rolled into Hue. This is a comfortable and beautiful apartment in a great little spot in the city. It's really close to a lot of restaurants and cafes and just everything you would want in a city. Speaking of which, we're gonna go grab some coffee. This city is vibrant, buzzing, and intricately alive. There's something really satisfying about just sitting back and watching life unfold. People chatting over coffee, vendors setting up their stalls, motorbikes weaving through the streets. So you know how much I love coffee. Hi, can I have double shot black espresso, please? Thank you. Coffee first, always. Oh my goodness. And we just learned something completely mind-blowing about coffee in Hue. A little background for you. The first time that we tried salted cream latte was in Panglao, Philippines, and as a black espresso drinker, it totally rocked my coffee world. Oh, and like anything that is truly iconic and delicious, this drink was invented by accident. The owner of this coffee shop was inspired by the idea that a pinch of salt adds a little bit of flavor and enhances flavor of food, so they thought, why not try it with a latte? And they were a freaking genius. I am not a coffee snob at all. I'll pretty much drink anything, even instant coffee to Anita's horror, but I'm telling you this is the best coffee I've ever had in my life. It is absolutely incredible. Well now our minds and mine especially have been blown to smithereens. We've been coming to this coffee shop every day since we've been here in Hue, and yesterday we just found out that this exact coffee shop is where the salted cream latte was first invented. Like, what? And the best part, not only does this taste amazing, but guess how much this costs? It's like $1.30 US. What? I feel like we've just stepped back into history itself with this experience, but actually speaking of history, we're about to take a step even further back. To the times of the Nguyen dynasty, the last of the Vietnamese dynasties. Okay, we're obviously not time traveling, but Kinh Tan Hue, or Hue capital city, otherwise known as the imperial city, sure makes it feel that way. This city was once the capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen dynasty, which ruled for 140 years, or actually I think a little over 140 years. It was built to be Vietnam's version of the Forbidden City in Beijing. But what's crazy is that even though it's built as a citadel, it barely survived history. War and time have taken their toll, and what's left today is only a fraction of what once existed. It was a city within a city that had its own urban ecosystem, wrapped in layers of history and meaning. A massive moat stretching 10 kilometers surrounds it, fed by the Perfume River, believed to carry prosperity and positive energy straight to the heart of the city. Step inside and you'll find three layers, each more exclusive than the last. At the very center is the Forbidden Purple City, the emperor's private world where only his family and closest attendants could enter. The emperors lived right here, we're in the Forbidden Purple City, and they're surrounded by moats, palaces, shrines, gardens. This place is really big and really beautiful to walk through. Royal gardens are scattered throughout the grounds, quiet pockets of stillness that invite you to pause. There's still a massive amount of flowers here, and the smell out here is so sweet. It's a nice, warm day. And the bugs, I don't know if you can hear it, but they are so stinking loud here. Koi have been kept in Royal Vietnamese gardens for centuries, not just for beauty, but also as a symbol of peace, prosperity, and perseverance. Feeding them today feels simple and even playful, but it's something people have been doing in places like this for generations. There's something calming about it, just you, the still water, and the soft ripple of color as they gather. I had an amazing time exploring this amazing palace, but honestly, all this introspection is making me hungry, so let's go grab some food. It's really, really hot today, so we've ordered some refreshing drinks and light meals. And one unique dish with imperial roots. This is Khoi Beef Noodle Soup, and this was cuisine that was once reserved only for imperial royalty. And while beef noodle soup is now very common throughout all of Vietnam, Khoi Beef Noodle Soup has its own special twist. That's not what I expected. What is it? Oh, they give you the spicy sauce on the side. Oh, that's fish sauce. Oh, no, there's the chilies. Okay. These chilies are really spicy, by the way. They look tiny, but you only need like one or maybe two. Ooh, the basil adds a lot of flavor to it. It's a little bit sour. And now that the peppers have sat in here for a few minutes, I definitely am feeling the spice. Definitely, if you come here, you have to try it. I can get used to this. All right, we've just stepped into the world of emperors and dynasties. But before the Nguyen dynasty officially ruled Vietnam, there was one man who set everything in motion. His name was Lord Nguyen Hoang, and he was the founder of the Nguyen lords, a powerful ruling family that controlled central and southern Vietnam, long before the dynasty was formally established. Just a little over five and a half kilometers away from and built 203 years before the imperial city is Hue's most iconic pagoda. Legend has it that there was a mysterious woman who prophesied on this hill that a great leader would one day arise and build a pagoda. And when Lord Nguyen Hoang heard about this, he took that as a divine sign, and he went ahead and built the pagoda and dedicated it to the heavenly lady. Hence the name Tien Mu Pagoda or Heavenly Lady Pagoda. Built in 1601, this pagoda is still used as a place of worship to this day. It's the kind of place that rewards an early visit when the stillness hasn't yet been interrupted and the whole space feels like it's taking a slow, deep breath. And while this is a place of beauty, it's also home to a surprising modern artifact that represents Vietnam's painful and turbulent past. I'm about to tell you a story that is difficult to hear, so some of you may wish to skip past this part. Right across from this very calm and peaceful garden is the Austin Car Exhibit. And this is one very unique piece of history that sends chills down my spine. In the 1950s and 60s, Buddhists, especially in the south of Vietnam, were heavily persecuted by the government at the time, and one monk made the ultimate sacrifice in protest of the oppression. On June 11th, 1963, this exact vehicle carried Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk, from this pagoda to Saigon, also known as Ho Chi Minh City, where he arrived at an intersection, calmly sat in lotus position, and set himself on fire while fellow monks and journalists watched. He never moved or made a single sound while he burned, and it was a sight that left the world in complete shock. Oof, that was heavy. Now let's lighten the mood a little bit. We're continuing our dive into the Nguyen dynasty's history with a visit to Minh Man's tomb. I know, a tomb doesn't sound very lively or uplifting. But just hold on for a second. Walking through this tomb feels less like walking through a burial site, and more like walking through a beautifully designed park. Minh Mang was the second emperor of the Nguyen dynasty and was one of Vietnam's most disciplined and ambitious emperors. He ruled with strict Confucian ideals, expanded the country's borders, and resisted outside influence at a time when colonial powers were knocking at Vietnam's door. And his tomb reflects all of that. Perfect symmetry, carefully planned spaces, a landscape that feels just as much like a retreat as it does a monument. Every path and bridge and courtyard was built with intention, and that really reflects the emperor's values and his vision for balance, harmony, and order between man and nature. The grand central gate is part of a triple gate structure, but it's unique from the rest. While the two side gates were used for visitors and ceremonies during the emperor's lifetime and after, the central gate was sealed. It has been opened only once, for Minh Mang's funeral procession, during his final crossing from life into legacy. After that, it was sealed for good. It reflects the imperial Vietnamese belief in ritual, legacy, and the profound boundary between the world of the living and the realm of ancestors. Walking through Minh Mang's tomb, the thing that stands out isn't just the scale. It's the quiet details. The way the bridges curve over still water. The worn steps leading through arched gates. The trees that have been here longer than anyone alive today. It's a truly beautiful, immersive experience. It's easy to see why this tomb is one of the most visited. It's a place to slow down and take in the beauty around you. This place is amazing. It's so beautiful and so peaceful. It is truly like a giant park. Absolutely incredible. Well, that's enough peace for now. We are ready for a little chaos. So this is the road that we're trying to cross right now. Oh, I guess we're going. Crossing a road here is not as simple as it seems. Even though we had the green light, like the pedestrians were supposed to go, nobody was stopping for us. So I think you just kind of have to go whenever you get a chance. OK, now let's go. No trip to a Vietnamese city is complete without going to an authentic Vietnamese market. And here we are in Dong Ba market, which is Hue's largest market. And we are ready to explore it. And guess what? The history lesson doesn't stop here. Dong Ba market once used to be a trading hub that supplied the imperial city and commoners alike. And over time, it's evolved to what you see today. If a good cup of strong coffee is the fuel that ignites your day, you will understand my heartbreaking predicament. I forgot my Aeropress back home in the US, so I've been using a measly French press since January of this year. Sorry, not sorry. Well, you can imagine the thrill and delight in my soul as we walked up to this kind vendor when I saw what he was selling. Oh, and it drips. Oh, OK. OK. This little thing might be the most beautiful piece of engineering I've seen in a while. It's called a fin filter. Vietnam's answer to coffee making. No fuss, no buttons. Just gravity, patience and a slow drip that delivers a brew stronger than a double shot of espresso. The vendor wanted 40,000 dong, about $1.55 US. I didn't really need to bargain, but come on, you can't stroll through a Vietnamese market and not try, right? Can I give you 30? Uh, no. Aluminum. Oh, aluminum. Yeah. And stainless steel. OK. Stainless steel. OK. It's fine. Yeah. Isn't it? Aluminum. It's fine. After we agreed on the price, he noticed just how small our camera is and was enthralled. Clam, clam. Pay camera. You see? Now you get it. I need it. Clam. Food vendors here continue to pass down recipes of foods that were once reserved only for rulers. And knowing that adds a special touch to our experience here. The Dong Bang market was fun to explore. It's definitely a local market. So you can get a lot of, like, fresh produce, tons of fresh produce that looks really good. You can get different types of clothes. There's all sorts of household goods and souvenirs, shoes, and stuff like this. But we were surprised that there wasn't really much street food. There is this one little section that we're on right now. This area here, it's a very small and short area that does have some street food. And we ordered some beef noodle soup. Oh, yeah. As usual, I mean, this is Vietnam. Food is amazing here. It's got, like, a really full, hearty taste. Just perfect, because today is cloudy and a little bit cold. A new day dawns, one of our last in this vibrant, cozy city. This morning, we're taking a little break from the history and we're going to explore a little bit of modern Hue. Whoa. We are really enjoying our time in Huy because it's a very modern city and it's super lively. There's so much culture. People here are super friendly. There's food everywhere. and all of the food that we've had so far has been delicious and incredibly affordable, which can actually be a little dangerous sometimes if you don't have self-control. And of course this is like the land of coffee over here. You'll see a coffee shop on every single corner everywhere. Right now we're at Aeon Mall. It's a Japanese-style mall here in Hue. It's only about a 15-minute walk from where we're staying and that's another thing about this city that's great. It's super walkable and if you need to go anywhere like the Imperial City or anywhere a little further away, Grab is quite affordable. This mall is huge and super family-friendly. There are tons of kids play areas all over the place for all ages and we're gonna head to one next. Jump Arena is Aaliyah's favourite. For just about four US dollars you get unlimited time in this massive fun play zone. The space is very clean and staff are well-trained, kind and accommodating. We came on a weekday morning so it's pretty quiet right now but by the evening the place fills up and the whole mall comes alive. Well we certainly went the extra mile to get here. So was it worth it? First let me just tell you that you need to hit subscribe because our two-month long Vietnam trip has barely begun and you absolutely need to see where we're going next. So back to the question. Let's see. We sipped salted coffee at the birthplace of the drink, wandered through centuries-old Imperial splendor, stood in the heart of history and ate like royalty. The way we see it Hue is a city you shouldn't miss.