VIETNAM – HUE

FEBRUARY 28, 2026

We took a tour to HUE. It is a former Imperial Capital. The tour package included a ride on the HERITAGE TRAIN. It was a leisurely 3 hour train ride taking us through the HAI VIN PASS and along LANG CO BAY. We were lucky enough to be sitting on the right side of the train, which allowed us to see some beautiful scenery.

Our guide tried to show us how to speak Vietnamese. Each accent over the vowels has a different inflection. There can be 5 or 6 same spellings of a word but the accent and inflection gives it a different meaning. It was fun trying to sort out if she said ‘horse’ or ‘tomb’.

We passed a construction site that was simply buzzing with activity. We were told it is a new port and resort. One thing I can say for a Communist government, is when they want something built, it is getting built – quickly.

We stopped briefly at an oyster / pearl farm before heading to the Imperial city.

The IMPERIAL CITY was constructed in 1804 and enlarged to its current size in 1833. It had shrines, gardens and offices for mandarins (bureaucratic scholars). During the French colonial period, it mostly served as symbolic place for ceremonial functions. After the end of the monarchy in 1945, it suffered heavy damage and neglect. The Vietnam War saw more damage inflicted upon the site. In 1993 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and restoration began.

We entered through an outer gate then through an inner gate that had a tower on top.

The HALL of SUPREME HARMONY was used for important court receptions and ceremonies. It has 80 lacquered columns and a throne.

The ROYAL THEATRE is one of the oldest traditional theatres in Vietnam. Performances are still held here.

KIEN TRUNG HALL is the newest royal residence building of the Nguyễn Dynasty. It has a distinct European style because the last (13th) Emperor Bao Dai was sent to France at the age of nine for schooling. He returned, briefly, at age 12 when his father died in 1925. Despite now being the official Emperor, he returned to France to continue his studies. Once his studies were complete, he was hesitant in returning to Vietnam because he knew nothing of the country, history or culture of the people he was supposed to be the Emperor of. He returned at age 19 and instituted some huge changes in the political and cultural systems. He was quoted as saying “After many years of living in freedom, I felt as if I am now entering a prison…” He was unpopular because he was viewed as a puppet leader, too friendly with the west and their anti-communist ideas. He abdicated in 1945 and returned to France, where he died at age 83.

The palace facade is decorated with colorful ceramic pieces.

The interior reminded me of Versailles.

There were beautiful gardens, ponds and gazebos near the palace. It was all very lovely, but unfortunately we were not given any time to explore on our own.

We stopped for a lunch break where the food looked as good as it tasted.

THIEN MU PAGODA sits along the PERFUME RIVER, so named because there is green space with flowers on either side. We were a bit early in the season to experience the flowers. The Pagoda is considered one of the oldest and most sacred in the area. Considering Vietnam has 34 provinces, and they consider 120 km a huge distance as the length of a province, I began to wonder just how old and sacred things really were in the grand scheme of things.

It was built in 1601 and has 7 levels and is 31 m (102 ft) high. A 3285 kg (7284 lb) bell and a giant marble turtle are housed in nearby shelters.

Our last stop on the tour was the tomb of the KHAI DINH,12th Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. Remember, the son abdicated and returned to France, so this tomb is of the last full-time Emperor. Although born into the Nguyen Dynasty, he was basically a puppet leader of the French Colonialists. It took 11 years, many deaths and a tax increase of 30% to build his tomb, which would not be fully complete until 5 years after his death. It was really the French who increased the taxes, but the Emperor took the brunt of the criticism. Either way, he was not popular for his extravagance.

The site is built with modern materials such as concrete, steel, iron, and slate. The use of these “modern” materials, as opposed to wood or brick, “was thought to allude power and permanence.” The iron gates at the top of the grand staircase entrance were made in France.

At the top of the staircase is a courtyard with a building that housed a stele touting the great accomplishments of the Emperor.

On either side of that building were double rows of stone statues. They are meant to protect the grave and guide the spirit of the dead to and from the tomb – for shopping trips, I guess. Khai Dinh’s guards were officers and mandarins.

Up another staircase was the main tomb complex.

In the centre of the main room was an alter dedicated to the Emperor. The ceiling was painted with nine dragons. Our guide said that it was painted by foot. When the Emperor found out he was angry that it was painted in this way, but the artist said that was the only way he could have the visual distance to properly accomplish the painting. I think that makes the painting even more special.

Behind the main hall was a temples containing the actual tomb of the Emperor. A bronze statue of him sits on top. It had so many paintings and mosaics it was hard to concentrate on any one part.

The walls in the main hall had beautiful and intricate glass and porcelain decorations depicting the seasons and items from everyday life.

Our guide pointed out the French influence in these designs. For example, one had a clock featured. Vietnam had no such luxury at the time.

Our tour was finished. We headed back to Da Nang by van, not the train.