U.S. magazine Travel+Leisure has included the former imperial town of Hue in central Vietnam, famous for its royal tombs, in its list of 14 "unforgettable destinations" in 2024.
“Hue is the perfect place to relax while touring Vietnam. Check out the many mausoleums and temples, followed by a trip to the Imperial City, all complemented by a tour of a state-of-the-art brewery,” the magazine wrote.
It advised tourists to enjoy a boat tour along the Huong (Perfume) River to explore Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest spiritual sites in Vietnam, and check out an ancient tiger market where “marks of tiger claws and teeth are still preserved on the walls.”
The best time to visit Hue is between January and April with sunny weather, suitable for outdoor activities.
If tourists arrive in Hue in June, they can witness the famous Da Nang International Fireworks Festival held annually in the beach city of Danang, around 90 kilometers from Hue. To accommodate the influx of tourists eager to be a part of this festival, airlines are adding several daily flights to Hue.
Hue used to be the feudal capital of Nguyen dynasty, Vietnam's last royal family (1802-1945) and famed for its royal mausoleums and other historic heritages.
Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air have direct flights to Hue every day. Return tickets cost around VND1.4 million ($57.6) from HCMC and VND1.6 million ($66) from Hanoi.
Train services from HCMC to Hue take around 18 hours while the journey departing from Hanoi takes around 13 hours.
The government previously said Vietnam's former imperial capital is set to become a centrally managed city in 2025 alongside Hanoi, HCMC, Hai Phong, Danang, and Can Tho under a newly approved urban planning scheme.
Travel+Leisure’s list also featured other Asian destinations such as Palawan in the Philippines, Takayama in Japan, Red Sea in Saudi Arabia, Incheon in South Korea, Pak Chong in Thailand, Zhangjiajie in China, St. John’s Island in Singapore, Kratie in Cambodia and Cameron Highlands in Malaysia.
Vietnam received 1.23 million foreign visitors in November, up 10.9% from the previous month and marking the highest monthly number so far this year.
The number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam has reached 11.2 million in the 11 months of the year and the country is striving to receive around 13 million by the year-end, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.