Things to Do at Imperial City (Dai Noi)

The moat is the first thing - a wide, still channel of water surrounding 520 hectares of walled citadel, with lotus flowers the size of dinner plates floating on the surface. Inside the outer walls, the Imperial City (Dai Noi) shrinks to a more intimate 37 hectares, and inside that, the Forbidden Purple City once held the emperor's private quarters. The American War reduced most of the Forbidden City to foundations - the 1968 Tet Offensive battle for Hue lasted 26 days and destroyed 160 of the citadel's 170 buildings. What survives, and what has been painstakingly reconstructed, is Vietnam's most important historical site. Admission is VND 200,000 (about USD 8). The Thai Hoa Palace (Palace of Supreme Harmony) is the centerpiece - a grand audience hall with 80 ironwood columns lacquered red and gold where Nguyen Dynasty emperors sat on a raised throne behind a curtain of gold silk. The Nine Dynastic Urns outside the Mieu Temple each weigh 2,000+ kg and are cast with landscapes representing Vietnam's rivers, mountains, and resources. The Royal Theater (Duyet Thi Duong) hosts daily performances of Nha nhac, the Nguyen court music recognized by UNESCO. What most people miss: the Forbidden Purple City ruins. Most visitors see the restored buildings and skip the foundation outlines and surviving fragments of the emperor's most private quarters. The stone dragon carvings on the steps and the surviving doorway arches are haunting. Best time is 7:00-8:00 AM when the gates open and the fog sometimes hangs over the lotus moat. Allow three to four hours. Only a local would know: the VND 200,000 ticket includes all royal tombs outside the citadel as a combination ticket valid for two days - ask specifically for the combo. Worth it? This is Vietnam's Forbidden City. Essential.

The Imperial City sits on the north bank of the Perfume River in central Hue. From the south bank tourist area, walk across the Truong Tien Bridge (10 minutes) or take a cyclo (VND 30,000-50,000). Grab from hotels costs VND 15,000-30,000. The main entrance is through the Ngo Mon (Noon Gate) on the south side. Bicycle rental from hotels (VND 30,000-50,000/day) is the best way to combine the citadel with the royal tombs outside the city.