When eager travellers arrive in Vietnam, they usually have a familiarlist of places that they are determined to visit - Ho Chi Minh City,Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Sa Pa and maybe Ninh Binh.
One name thatusually doesn't crop up immediately is Hue, the former imperialcapital, which despite its rich tradition and heritage has mostly beenused by tourists as a mere stopping point midway through their journey.
Recently, however, things have started to change and Hueis making a name for itself as a tourist destination in its own right.
In Hue, coffee shops and restaurants are surrounded bycrumbling citadel walls that have stood firm through many conflicts – avisual reminder of the city's inimitable history and culture.
Long-term residents value Hue for its peaceful and quiet way of life,which can be quite hard to come by in a country as fast moving and oftenchaotic as Vietnam.
Often it is the little things thatare savoured the most. There is nothing quite comparable to the simplepleasures of drinking a cold Huda (Vietnam's finest beer) on the banksof the Perfume River, drinking ca phe sua (Vietnam's finest milk-coffee)on a floating bamboo platform surrounded by lotus flowers, or drinking asupremely refreshing nuoc mia (sugarcane juice – Vietnam's finestrefreshment) in the shadow of the impressive Notre Dame Cathedral.Indeed, almost all free time in Hue is spent drinking something.
The Hue people are well adapted to this inevitable state ofaffairs by now and continue with their daily lives with good humour.Expats in Hue seldom feel the same way. Those who brave the rainyseason are rewarded when April arrives along with the sunshine, and thecity transforms from beautiful, misty, rain soaked Hue to beautiful,resplendent, colourful Hue .
The city has a justifiablyexcellent reputation for food, a legacy of the Nguyen kings who werefamously fussy eaters. The Vietnamese dishes here are mouth-wateringlygood and beautifully presented, but be warned – the Hue people have apreference for spicy meals so tourists should be prepared!
For travellers who would prefer some home comforts, there is somethingfor almost everybody (Hue boasts good Indian, Korean, Japanese,French, Italian and Mexican restaurants among others) with good qualityfood and reasonable prices.
Sample the real Hue by singingwith friends at one of the numerous karaoke places, haggling at Dong BaMarket, or sailing down the river on a swan boat and watching the sunset. Experiences here can often range from the sublime to theridiculous, but they all linger long in the memory.
Hue mightnot be as vibrant or fast paced as Hanoi or HCM City, but the people whoreturn here again and again for just one more ca phe sua on a lazyafternoon wouldn't want it any other way.-VNA
One name thatusually doesn't crop up immediately is Hue, the former imperialcapital, which despite its rich tradition and heritage has mostly beenused by tourists as a mere stopping point midway through their journey.
Recently, however, things have started to change and Hueis making a name for itself as a tourist destination in its own right.
In Hue, coffee shops and restaurants are surrounded bycrumbling citadel walls that have stood firm through many conflicts – avisual reminder of the city's inimitable history and culture.
Long-term residents value Hue for its peaceful and quiet way of life,which can be quite hard to come by in a country as fast moving and oftenchaotic as Vietnam.
Often it is the little things thatare savoured the most. There is nothing quite comparable to the simplepleasures of drinking a cold Huda (Vietnam's finest beer) on the banksof the Perfume River, drinking ca phe sua (Vietnam's finest milk-coffee)on a floating bamboo platform surrounded by lotus flowers, or drinking asupremely refreshing nuoc mia (sugarcane juice – Vietnam's finestrefreshment) in the shadow of the impressive Notre Dame Cathedral.Indeed, almost all free time in Hue is spent drinking something.
The Hue people are well adapted to this inevitable state ofaffairs by now and continue with their daily lives with good humour.Expats in Hue seldom feel the same way. Those who brave the rainyseason are rewarded when April arrives along with the sunshine, and thecity transforms from beautiful, misty, rain soaked Hue to beautiful,resplendent, colourful Hue .
The city has a justifiablyexcellent reputation for food, a legacy of the Nguyen kings who werefamously fussy eaters. The Vietnamese dishes here are mouth-wateringlygood and beautifully presented, but be warned – the Hue people have apreference for spicy meals so tourists should be prepared!
For travellers who would prefer some home comforts, there is somethingfor almost everybody (Hue boasts good Indian, Korean, Japanese,French, Italian and Mexican restaurants among others) with good qualityfood and reasonable prices.
Sample the real Hue by singingwith friends at one of the numerous karaoke places, haggling at Dong BaMarket, or sailing down the river on a swan boat and watching the sunset. Experiences here can often range from the sublime to theridiculous, but they all linger long in the memory.
Hue mightnot be as vibrant or fast paced as Hanoi or HCM City, but the people whoreturn here again and again for just one more ca phe sua on a lazyafternoon wouldn't want it any other way.-VNA
