Take a cruise along Huong river
Huong river is a romantic and poetic river which crosses the capital city of Hue, in the central Vietnamese province of Thua Thien Hue. A trip to Hue would not be complete without a cruise on the Perfume River.
There are two options with different styles to cater to every taste. You cannot walk along the riverbank without noticing the dragon boats puttering past. Adjacent to La Residence Hotel is a small harbour. In the morning you may decide to hop onto a small but long dragon boat to take you sightseeing.
The first stop is Thien Mu Pagoda which takes about 25 minutes to reach. From there, the boat can continue to Minh Mang Tomb which takes about one hour to get to. There are fantastic views all the way along as you meander up the river, resting back in your seat and feeling the cool breeze blowing alongside the boat while watching out for the many water buffalo on the riverbank.
A more romantic alternative would be to embark in the late afternoon to enjoy a relaxing traditional large dragon boat cruise while sipping champagne at sunset. From the harbor, head toward the pagoda before turning around to cruise down the river under both the Truong Tien and Phu Xuan bridges.
Your very own chef and waiting staff can serve either a Vietnamese or Western menu for you to savour. Before heading back to the hotel take part in an ancient tradition of lighting and releasing a candlelit lantern - a sure way to immerse yourself in a time-honoured custom.
