The city of Hue is located in the middle of Vietnam, about 700 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City. From 1802 until 1945, Hue housed Vietnam's last royal dynasty. Some of the country's oldest temples and pagodas are here, as well as the Imperial Palace or Citadel, originally the seat of the Nguyen emperors and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During the Tet Offensive, Hue and the surrounding regions saw some of the war's worst battles. Since then, Hue has worked to become known for its artistic community. The Museum of Royal Fine Arts stands here, and the Hue Festival is held every two years in June to showcase local dancers, calligraphers, fashion designers and dramatists. While in town, be sure to check out King's Panorama Bar, located on the top of the Imperial Hotel. From here, you can get a 360-degree view of the city, sip cocktails and appreciate the restored Nguyen Dynasty architecture.
King's Panorama Bar
8 Ð Hung Vuong, South Bank
Hue, Vietnam
+84-54-388-2222
imperial-hotel.com.vn
The Old Quarter in Hanoi is what most people imagine when they think of Asia. Traditional houses have been restored; wooden balconies gleam and inner courtyards provide a calm place to get away from the city's bustle. As families still live in these houses, most are not for touring, but other sights in the Old Quarter, such as the Huyen Thien pagoda and St. Joseph's Cathedral, do offer tours for visitors.
The Old Quarter is especially lively for shoppers. The streets are named for the shops that originally lined each section--Ladder Street was filled with ladder sellers, Silk Street with silk. Now, there's more integration. Storekeepers wearing large, conical hats ply their wares and try to get you to buy things like clothing and hats, loose leaf teas, silver trinkets and religious figurines.
Before leaving Hanoi, check out a show performed by traditional water puppets. These shows are put on throughout Northern Vietnam, but Thang Long is considered one of the country's top companies. Shows are appropriate for all ages and feature Vietnamese folk tales told with the help of a pit orchestra. Puppeteers hide behind screens and control their puppets with long rods that run under water. The puppets appear to be gliding across the waist-deep pool on their own.
Thang Long Water Puppets
57B Pho Dinh Tien Hoang, Old Quarter
Hanoi, Vietnam
+84-3-824-9494
thanglongwaterpuppet.org
Also known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is a bustling commercial center and Vietnam's largest urban area. It is home to both traditional open-air markets and designer malls and has a deep and complicated history.
Those who want to learn more about the Vietnam War can visit the War Remnants Museum, formerly the Exhibition House of American War Crimes. If you'd like a more complete history lesson, tour the History Museum. Here you'll find relics dating back to Vietnam's Bronze Age, Buddhist statuary and a botanic garden, all housed in and around a building that once served as the French consulate.
History Museum
Ð Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
+84-8-3829-8146
