HUE |
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Set on the Perfume River , whose sobriquet is said to come from fragrant flowers falling into the water in autumn and being carried downstream , Hue is synonymous with opulence . Vietnam ’ s last royal capital promises visitors a rare peek into the imperial past , starting with the city ’ s centerpiece , the walled citadel , where for just shy of 150 years the Nguyen dynasty administered the country . Follow the emperor ’ s footsteps through the Purple Forbidden City , then explore the string of lavish mausoleums on Hue ’ s fringes where each successive leader was laid to rest . Court music , woodblock printing and needlework are among Hue ’ s living cultural traditions , showcased in the city ’ s museums and spotlighted at the biennial Hue Festival , next scheduled for April 2024 . |
It might be tempting to think of Hue as a memory box , but time marches on and the city matches its historical monuments and ancient pagodas with modern markets , contemporary galleries and a superlative street food scene . Many of Hue ’ s signature dishes — fragrant soups , delicate dumplings and seafood specialties — were dreamed up in the palace scullery before being exported around Vietnam .
Today , the city is home to around half a million people . It ’ s an unrushed interlude between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City , helped by its location in the coastal Thua Thien Hue province , almost exactly halfway between the two metropolises . Backed by limestone and granite mountains and with a run of tranquil beaches on its doorstep , it doubles as a base for exploring Central Vietnam ’ s most spectacular landscapes .
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Clockwise from above : Perfume River at sunset ; Phuoc Duyen Tower in Thien Mu Pagoda ; eating street food at Dong Ba market ; a boat station at Perfume River
Previous pages : Two women wearing Ao Dai dresses next to a gateway to the Purple Forbidden City
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images : ALAMY ; GETTY ; awl images |
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