Från Hoi An/Da Nang: Hue Imperial City Tour via Hai Van Pass

I almost skipped this experience due to the duration - it is a long day but it was made really smooth with our amazing guide Ellie and our great driver! Hue was amazing, all the stops we made were incredible! It is very hot during July so pack a hat and sunscreen. Really enjoyed this experience!

On arrival in Huế, we began our sightseeing with a visit to the Ancient Imperial Citadel, a vast complex of palaces, temples and ceremonial buildings constructed by the Nguyễn Dynasty in the early 19th century. This extraordinary site - now recognised by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage treasure - offered a powerful glimpse into Vietnam’s imperial past. Walking through its imposing gates, moss‑covered walls and beautifully restored structures, we could feel the weight of history and the legacy of the emperors who once ruled from within its fortified grounds. From the citadel, we embarked on a scenic drive into Huế’s countryside, passing through peaceful villages, lush gardens and expansive green rice fields. The rural landscape provided a serene contrast to the grandeur of the citadel and set the tone for our visit to the Tomb of Emperor Minh Mạng, one of the most beautiful and architecturally harmonious of all imperial tombs. The complex featured elegant pavilions, tranquil lakes, courtyards and temples arranged in perfect symmetry - reflecting the emperor’s philosophical beliefs and the refined artistry of the Nguyễn era. In the late afternoon, we enjoyed a leisurely boat trip along the Perfume River, a gentle and scenic waterway that has long been central to Huế’s cultural identity. The soft light, quiet ripples and surrounding greenery created a peaceful atmosphere as we made our way to the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, one of Vietnam’s most historic and recognisable religious landmarks. Its seven‑storey tower rising above the riverbank was a striking sight, and the pagoda’s serene grounds offered a moment of reflection before concluding the day. We returned to our hotel in Huế for an overnight stay, enriched by the history, beauty and cultural depth of Vietnam’s former imperial capital.

Great day out . wonderful bus. perfectly timed . plenty of time in each place we visited . Highly recommended.

This was a really great day trip from Hoi An. Visiting Hue was an incredible experience. The guide was really knowledgeable.

We were staying in Hoi An and wanted to have one night in Hue and then back to Hoi An. Alex turned up on time and was a nice, safe driver who spoke good English. We went to Hue via the Hai Van Pass. On the way we said we would like to see the Hue sites before coming back to Hoi An. This was organised easily and Alex picked us up the next morning as scheduled. Saw the sites and back to Hoi An. Cannot recommend Alex or VM Travel enough. 👍

Our guide An was fantastic, great information and open to questions about culture and surroundings.

It was an amazing experience worth the travel time to get there from Hoi An. Our guide Cong was informative and very friendly. The Citadel tour was expansive and educational including the history of the last emperor. The other sites visited were also very important in Hue’s history - the tomb and pagoda. The included lunch was delicious as well. All in all a great day trip that everyone should experience.

We had a great day trip to Hue organized by VM travels. Our guide(Ray Nguyen) was really great, he was very informative & his planning was perfect which enabled us to see all the 3 places listed on the tour at a reasonable pace. The set menu lunch that was organized for us was authentic Vietnamese which we enjoyed a lot(was the only tour we got to enjoy a truly Vietnamese lunch - all other tours had buffet & the food was a step down from this). Ray was also nice enough to drop us & our luggage off at our hotel in Da Nang which saved us a trip from Hoi An to Da Nang. Overall the best day trip we had in Vietnam. Highly recommended.

We did the tour of hue from hoi an. It is about a 3 hour journey by car. We made a stop on the way there but not on the way back. This was not mentioned as you were rushed on to the mini bus after the last stop. The tour packed in some main attractions - citadel, temple and tomb with lunch in the middle. It felt rushed and there was no time to get water or snacks - so I would make sure you pack what you need for the tour with no expectation that you will be able to top up on the way. The tour guide gave water - 2x 500ml bottles but if you need more than that for an 11-12 hour trip I would bring more. We travelled as a couple and there was no acknowledgment of this at lunch from the guide which meant we had to sit with other people. Not the end of the world but would have need nice to sit with the people you travel with. They made accommodation for food allergies and checked when at the restaurant as well. Over all a good day trip - long journey with rushed sight seeing but I think that would be the case when visiting hue from hoi am on a group tour due to the travel distance.

We were staying in Hoi an and want to visit Hue in the last day of our stay. Found this tour which is perfect for the time allow. It was just right to cover a broad sense of the function of Hue's ancient past. The highlight was our tour guide Minh aka Tony :) He was passionate about his country and explained so much history about all the attraction points. It took 30-40min from hoi an to Da Nang and then 2.5 hours to Hue, so lot of travelling but it was ok because Tony made it very interesting, we had a toilet break half way so it was perfect. The van is the standard tourist Van, not too flash but it was comfortable. Lunch was great, it covers all the Hue signature dishes, I think it was fine. You can pay extra for additional beverages. It was a fun day, we ended up back to Hoi an at around 7pm, so just in time for the start of the night market :)