uclarobin

Hello,
How many days did you spend in Hue, and was that suitable? We have 13 days (not enough!)to see the entire Vietnam this June, so this is the best allotment

My two options: take an overnight train from HCMC and arrive in Hue at 1:30 pm. OR
fly early flight from HCMC and arrive in Hue in the a.m.
Either way, I will leave Hue the NEXT day on a night train at 8:00 p.m. So, I can either spend 1.5 days/ 1 night OR 2 days / 1 night in Hue.
The benefit of taking the HCMC - Hue night train is that it will be my only overnight train experience, and I would love to see the scenery from the train (only chance to see that scenery, too).
I don't have a clear understanding of if the sights in Hue are actually in the city, or do we take a day-long excursion out of the city, which makes 1/2 day in Hue useless?

I would like your advice on how long you spent in Hue, did you hire a guide, or is it doable on your own?

Thank you for all your help!

Robin

Mitch04

What about Hoian? Re Hue ... 2 days and one night are prolly sufficient. But don't miss Hoian.

thursdaysd

Some of the sights in Hue are in the city, some are outside, and require close to a day trip. If you're catching a night train out of Hue, how would the Saigon-Hue train be your only chance at an overnight train?

Rrose

Hi Robin-
You're right- 13 days is not really enough to do Vietnam justice. That said, we only had 10 days, but had to skip the north, except for Hanoi and Halong Bay. With so little time, I would recommend using a tour, which is something I normally avoid like the plague. But four of us had a private van, so it was a private tour essentially. We used Hanuman Travel in Phnom Penh (http://www.hanumantourism.com/vietnam/index.html)- they have a website with suggested tours. Even if you choose to not use them, you might want to peruse their itineraries.

Re Hue: Give it 2 days if possible. It was a former imperial city and some sites are a boat trip down/up(?) river and worth seeing. If you like to photograph, it's rich territory especially. The main city also has imperial sites. At night there's not much to do except eat so find the restaurants specializing in a the local version of sizzling 'pancake' or crepe- there are several together with similar names and one has a mention in LPlanet, so the others are copycatting.

The only hotel we were displeased with was in Hue: the Century Riverside. 4 years ago it was in need of a facelift, so try something else if you can.

You really should consider stopping in Hoi An. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tho I hear that it's become very 'touristy'. The scenery between Hoi An and Hue includes the Hai Van Pass with great views of the South China Sea, so flying will probably miss that.

Happy Trails,
Susan

uclarobin

To Thursdaysd,
Sorry for the confusion. As the poster, I will clarify. I will be taking an EVENING (not overnight) train out Hue. It is a five-hour trip. I will be taking an overnight train to get to Hue. I think I want the experience of sleeping on a train.
Thank you.
Robin

Bisbee

I would fly to Hue and save the time. VN trains aren't that special. And if you're on the overnight train, you'll be missing half the scenery anyway due to darkness/sleeping.

I also think you should visit Hoi An if you have the time.

glorialf

I would definitely go to Hue and spend two days. I, however,do not share other people's enthusiasm about Hoi An. If you have lots of time it's fine to spend half a day or a day there -- much too fake and touristy.

thursdaysd

Thanks for the explanation - I figured you were taking the train on to Hanoi. I have to agree that the Vietnamese trains are not particularly exciting, or comfortable, and the leg from Saigon to Hue is longer than Hue to Hanoi. Count me among those not enthralled by Hoi An, although in June it may not be so crowded with tourists.

MoreTravel

Hello UCLARobin.

We were in Hue last year during the Hue Festival. It was a big treat. I believe one night and two days in Hue is good. I highly recommend you to pick a good tour guide. You could also visit Hue with a tour group which is very economical. If you have a group of 3 or 4 then a good taxi driver could do it too. Naturally you could do all the arrangements your self and sometimes it will be the most exciting and challenging thing during travelling and I am sure that it could be the most fun and memorable trip.Several things we did when we were in Hue:
a) Royal tombs
b) The citadel and the royal palace
c) Several Bhudist temples.
d) Local foods.

We loved them all!!!

Hue is very hot during June so be prepared. WATER -WATER -WATER.

I did not have much experiences with Viet Nam public rail system but we did took a nigh train from Hanoi to Sapa via the Oriental Express train operated by the Victoria hotel group. It was one of the best high point of our tip.

Have a good time in Viet Nam