Near the central Vietnamese city of Danang, which is so frequently visited by Koreans that it is referred to as 'Gyeonggi Province Danang City,' lies the ancient capital of Vietnam, Hue.
Although it is not as widely known as resort areas like Danang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc, it was the capital of the last Vietnamese dynasty, the Nguyen dynasty, until 1945. It is filled with historical and cultural heritage that reflects its past glory and can be compared to Gyeongju in South Korea.
Hue will be promoted to a centrally governed municipality on Jan. 1 next year. It will be the sixth such city following the capital Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Can Tho, and Danang.
In line with this promotion, Phu Bai International Airport in Hue recently completed expansion work and has reopened. It can accommodate 5 million passengers annually, with plans to nearly double this capacity by 2030. I visited Hue, which is preparing for its second revival, earlier this month.
◇ A dedicated infinity pool overlooking a vast lagoon… healing within the resort
Since there are currently no direct flights to Hue, I boarded a night flight to Danang. From Danang, there are options to travel by bus or train, or after touring Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, to take a domestic flight.
As I approached Hue, driving 60 kilometers (about an hour) from Danang International Airport, I arrived at the Vedana Lagoon Resort and Spa, which features 92 rooms scattered along the largest lagoon in Southeast Asia, Tam Giang Lagoon. Notably, the water pool villa embodies 'Vietnam's first water bungalow' and is a particularly unique spot.
Walking along the private walkway into the interior, a 160㎡ (about 50 pyeong) space with a king-size bed (or twin beds) and a glass floor revealing the tranquil lagoon stands out. The adjoining large terrace features a private infinity pool (6.3mx2.5m) to enjoy swimming while overlooking the lagoon, along with a sun deck and a net-like hammock. It was perfect for enjoying healing in a tranquility that felt detached from the outside world.
From free yoga and tai chi programs enjoyed while overlooking the lagoon to the garden of 150 peacocks and parrots the resort owner has collected, there are plenty of options for pure enjoyment within the resort.
The biggest merit is the price. The hillside pool villa (including a private pool, 210㎡), which overlooks the lagoon, can be booked for around 210,000 to 220,000 won during the off-season like now. Compared to the price of similar conditions in five-star resorts in Danang (500,000 to 600,000 won), this is less than half the price. This accommodation can rise to about 400,000 won during peak seasons when it is heavily frequented by locals.
A hotel industry official working in Vietnam noted, 'Since Hue is not yet widely visited by outsiders, its prices are around 50 to 80% lower than those in Danang for comparable standards, offering good value for money.'
◇ From Hue Citadel to Dong Ba Market… a little luxury in the city center
If you come to Hue, you must visit the Hue Citadel. Registered as the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Vietnam in 1993, the Citadel is a landmark of Hue that attracts the most tourists. Most of it was destroyed during the Vietnam War, but restoration work is actively ongoing. The Thai Hoa Palace, where the Nguyen dynasty king and officials held important ceremonies and meetings, completed restoration last November and has begun welcoming visitors.
The Hue Citadel, surrounded by a large wall and moat extending up to 10 kilometers, also known as the Citadel, can take about half a day to explore even if you only visit key attractions using a buggy (a form of transport similar to a tuk-tuk).
I moved my luggage to Pilgrimage Village Resort and Spa, located a 10-minute drive from the Hue Citadel. This place is close to major historical sites, including the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh, Thien Mu Pagoda, and Dong Ba Market, the oldest traditional market in Hue, all within 5 kilometers.
The resort provides the feeling of entering a quiet garden covered in lush greenery. This place, which modernizes traditional Vietnamese architecture and houses, offers a variety of room sizes, accommodating from two guests to large families, with a total of 173 rooms, providing a more reasonable choice.
Rooms sized at 35㎡ can be reserved for approximately 120,000 won (off-season rate) including breakfast, while the 63㎡ pool access rooms (directly connected to the pool) can be stayed in for around 200,000 won. Deluxe rooms (mid-range) are the most popular. Many reviews comment that 'the price is good and the staff is friendly.' Enjoying a small luxury with a 60-minute (or 90-minute) massage to relieve the fatigue of the day is well worth it.
Don't miss the chance to try traditional Central Vietnamese cuisine. Dishes like banh beo, which consists of rice cakes topped with fried shrimp powder and served with nuoc mam sauce, banh khoai (Vietnamese pancakes) which are fried with shrimp, eggs, and bean sprouts, banh bot loc, which is made with tapioca starch and shrimp wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, and banh xeo, where rice paper wraps shrimp, perfectly match our palate with their chewy texture and slightly sweet flavor. If time does not allow for finding a restaurant, consider utilizing the resort's breakfast buffet or restaurant.
If you are looking for more than just relaxation while in Vietnam, Hue, with its many sights, can be a great alternative. However, the lack of direct flights means you need to go through other cities or coordinate your schedule, which is its only drawback. Considering how much Danang has grown since it was designated a centrally governed city in 1997, one might hope that Hue will follow suit.