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Lam Pavilion in the
UNESCO-listed Hue Citadel
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Bach Ma National Park Chosen by the French as the location of a hill station then established as a national park in 1986 , Bach Ma stretches from the coastline south of Hue to the Annamite Mountains . Summit Hai Vong Dai , one of the park ’ s highest points , offers great sea views . Visitors can hike to Rhododendron Waterfall , and swim in the fivetiered Ngu Ho lakes . |
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images : ALAMY ; GETTY |
HISTORY
As capital of the Dang Trong region from 1738 to 1775 and the national capital from 1802 to 1945 — serving as the administrative hub until Ho Chi Minh evoked the Democratic Republic and shifted the center of power to Hanoi — Hue is unrivaled as a gateway to discovering dynastic Vietnam . Everything refers back to the Nguyens , who reigned sovereign from 1802 to 1883 and continued exercising nominal power over select territories throughout the French colonial period .
The Nguyens ’ ancestral seat until 1945 , the Imperial City is situated inside the Hue Citadel or Dai Noi , a vast complex of palaces , gates , temples and elegant pavilions separated from the rest of Hue by a moat . Dedicate at least two hours to wandering the labyrinthine grounds , entering via the grand Meridian Gate . Highlights include Can Thanh Palace , with its luminous red and gold niches , and the Hien Lam Pavilion , home to nine bronze urns cast in tribute to the nonet of emperors . The once-impenetrable
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Purple Forbidden City , an inner sanctum encased by nine-foot-high walls , contains the sublime Palace of Supreme Harmony ( currently under renovation and set to reopen in August 2025 ).
As impressive as Hue ’ s royal living quarters are , they ’ re rivaled by the ornate edifices fashioned as final resting places for the Nguyen emperors . Known collectively as the imperial tombs , there are seven mausoleums flung across Hue ’ s pastoral countryside , and each one offers a glimpse into the character and leadership style of its interred ruler .
Continue to the outskirts of Hue to cross the Thanh Toan Bridge , an 18th-century wooden structure with a tiled roof , and to tour the An Dinh Palace , Emperor Bao Dai ’ s private residence before he abdicated the throne . It doesn ’ t require much imagination to conjure up images of courtiers in their flowing ao dai tunics and khan van turbans promenading on the Nam Giao Esplanade , a huge ceremonial ground built in 1803 as a stage for the emperor ’ s springtime rituals .
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An Bang Cemetery Also known as the ‘ city of ghosts ’, An Bang is a sprawling post-reunification cemetery that contains an estimated 3,000 opulently decorated graves and mausoleums . Visitors are welcome to wander the 618-acre area and admire the glazed tiles and dragon carvings .
Thuy Tien Lake Once a popular family getaway , the abandoned water park on Thuy Tien Lake is now a playground for thrill-seekers . After seeing its main attraction — a derelict aquarium topped with a giant dragon sculpture , its tail coiled around a glass dome — roam around the overgrown paths to discover old water slides , eerie sculptures and a deserted stadium .
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WINTER 2023 • 79 |