3 places · Vietnam
The citadel of the last Nguyen dynasty on the Perfume River: Ngo Mon Gate, the throne hall, gardens and the Purple Forbidden City. Vietnam's first UNESCO site.
Price: 200,000 ₫; "citadel + 3 tombs" combo 530,000 ₫
Insider tip: The ticket office takes cash only. Allow 3 hours and go in the morning: after 11 am the grounds bake. In the evening the gates are beautifully lit.
A seven-tier 17th-century tower on a hill above the Perfume River, the symbol of Hue. Monks still live here, and the garden holds the car in which the monk Thich Quang Duc drove to his protest in 1963.
Price: Free
Insider tip: Arrive by dragon boat from the riverside: an hour on the river; haggle for the price of the whole boat. Cover shoulders and knees, as this is a working monastery.
The most unusual of the imperial tombs: concrete, porcelain-and-glass mosaics and a view over the hills.
🔒 Secret spot: details and the map pin are in the full guide