The Ancient Beauty Of Hue

[Hue Ecolodge]

In comparison to some biggest cities of Vietnam like Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue has the totally different beauty. This is a land of the outstanding architecture, modest and friendly people, and the simplest things.

Vietnam is a very beautiful country with many attractive destinations to visit. Have a great love for Vietnamese people and culture; I have spent a lot of time travelling in some famous tourism cities in Vietnam such as Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. Although each of these cities has its own beauty, it can be said that they still have same features. In details, all of them have the luxurious and flashy beauty with many large commercial centers and amusement parks. Meanwhile, when travelling Hue, I realized that it is quieter and more peaceful in spite of being known as one of large cities in Vietnam along with Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City.

 

Firstly setting foot in Hue, I had the feeling as I was entering into very quiet, peaceful, and romantic scenery. This ancient capital of Vietnam is full of greeneries keeping for the atmosphere of the city always fresh and cool. In my opinion, when referring to the beauty of Hue, there are two things should be mentioned including the peaceful and romantic landscapes and the ancient beauty of temples and tombs under Nguyen Dynasty. The first attraction in Hue I visited is Citadel City of Hue. I was totally surprised by the special architecture of this ancient attraction. It has four main large gates in which the most impressive and biggest one is Ngo Mon gate (Gate of Noon). Besides, the architectural ensemble here also includes many magnificent palaces such as Thai Hoa Palace, Phung Thien Palace, Kien Trung Palace, etc. Although during war, this place was damaged in some parts, it is still a worthwhile destination where you can get more knowledge of Vietnam history.

To be honestly, I have a strong passion in ancient architectures from all over the world, therefore, visiting Hue royal tombs was listed in my must-to-see list. Due to being chosen as the capital of Vietnam during a century, many Kings of Nguyen Dynasty built their own tombs mainly along Huong River (Perfume River), therefore, a system of royal tombs in Hue is quite diverse. I had to spend nearly one day exploring this diverse system. From my viewpoint, Khai Dinh Tomb, Minh Mang Tomb, Tu Duc Tomb are ones having the more outstanding architecture than the others. However, Tu Duc Tomb impressed me most. Tu Duc Tomb was built during a period from 1864 to 1867 when the King Tu Duc was still alive. Situated around a beautiful lake, Tu Duc Tomb is considered as one of the most beautiful royal tombs of Nguyen Dynasty. The architecture of this tomb is pretty harmonious with nature.

 

To finish the first day in Hue, I entered into a restaurant which served the so-called “a royal banquet”. This will be a very new and exciting experience for who having a trip to Hue, especially if you are travelling with a group of people. The most interesting thing to me when enjoying a dinner at this restaurant is that before starting my meal, I was guided by a waitress to wear the outskirt of Vietnamese Kings. The waitress said to me that this would bring me a truly feeling as I was participating in a real royal banquet. In addition, while I was enjoying my dinner, I also had a chance to listen to traditional music of Hue.

In the next day, I visited Thien Mu Pagoda, a scared pagoda in Hue. Located on Ha Khe Hill and next to Huong River, Thien Mu Pagoda has the beauty which can touch a heart of anyone who visiting. Having the highlighted surrounding landscapes, Thien Mu Pagoda is an ideal place to find a sense of peace in your mind.

 

After visiting Thien Mu Pagoda, I rented a bicycle and cycled through the countryside of Hue. I no longer saw images of magnificent palaces and outstanding architectures of royal tombs. Instead, I felt myself immersing into the nature with the refresh atmosphere of countryside and vast and green fields. I think this is a perfect ending for those days in Hue – my romantic, peaceful, and beloved land in Vietnam.

[Source: Alotrip]