Hue - The Imperial City

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 Located in central Vietnam, Hue was the royal capital of Vietnam for approximately 150 years, through the succession of 9 Kings of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945). Even after receiving intense bombing during the Vietnam war, the Imperial Citadel still stands proudly in the center of Hue. In and surrounding Hue are the UNESCO World Heritage designated Hue Monuments, including the Imperial Citadel and the Mausoleums of the Nguyen Lords in the area surrounding Hue city. 

There are many locations worth visiting such as Thien Mu Pagoda where you can see the blue car burning Monk in Saigon in 1963, Perfume River (Huong River), Hue National School which was built in 1896, one of three oldest schools in Vietnam or Dong Ba Market which is offering a great variety of local products and food. 

Hue is also famous for its “royal” cuisine; dishes concocted to please the palates of Nguyen Lords. Hue cuisine includes popular dishes such as Bun Bo Hue (beef noodle soup, Hue style), Banh Beo (water fern cakes), and Com Hen (rice with clams)

 Da Nang is a business and commercial center of central Vietnam. From Hue, you can drive to Da Nang via Hai Van Pass around 110km. The largest city in Central Vietnam, and previously known as Tourane to the French. Staying in the hotel near Han River, one of the symbols of the city is the swing suspension bridge which is lit up at night. Moreover, Da Nang is well known for its beautiful beaches in VN like My Khe beach, An Bang Beach. 

There’s plenty to do right near Da Nang, including Son Tra Peninsula, The Marble Mountain, Bach Ma National Park, and Ba Na Hills, one of the most popular theme parks in Vietnam, where you can see the breathtaking Golden Bridge.

If you’re interested in religions, Da Nang has many temples, pagodas or churches to visit and you can see how Vietnamese people worship our ancestors or Buddha. There are Pho Da Pagoda which built in 1927, Holy See Temple of Caodaism Central Association (1956), Pastel-pink Danang Cathedral (1923) where locals call as the name “Nha Tho Con Ga” - “Rooster Church” because of the weathercock above the steeple.

 Hoi An, developed during the 13th and 14th centuries during the Tran Dynasty, turned into a regional trading center by the 16th century. Since the 1980s, Hoi An Ancient Town has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region, where visitors can see beautiful, ancient Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese inspired architecture. Visitors can spend the morning lounging on the beach at one of the numerous resorts in Hoi An, and after lunch take a bicycle ride through the rice paddies before walking around the old town, buying souvenirs, taking beautiful pictures, and enjoying delicious food for dinner. A boat ride on the river ends the evening on a quiet, peaceful note.

Moreover, Hoi An is a very famous location for making handicraft traditional villages such as making rice papers, Thanh Ha pottery village, Tra Que Vegetable Village, Hoi An Artcraft manufacturing workshop and customized dresses or suits. Spending time at the place you like and making your own souvenirs from Vietnam before going to the next location.