Our journey to Hue from nearby city Danang in Central Vietnam had us go through a mandatory discomfort in a small, cramped bus (and being puked on by a seat mate) before finding peace in another old city that lives in the present.

By the time we arrived in Hue, it was nighttime but we drowned our worries of dealing with overbooked dormitels by eating heaps of rice and beef.

We didn’t have to worry, really. Hue City Hostel (40 Chu Van An Street) had more than enough space for two weary travelers. The hotel staff was friendly and accommodating; their chic dorm room (with paintings and red/white wall decals) was unbelievably cheap for its kind.

That’s how we ended up sleeping until ...

Mắm ruốc là món ăn đặc trưng, nổi tiếng và phổ biến của vùng đất cố đô. Nó có mặt từ các bữa cơm bình dị hàng ngày đến mâm cỗ ngày lễ tết long trọng của người dân xứ Huế từ xưa đến nay. Bởi vì lẽ đó, người dân Huế thường tự coi mình là “dân mắm ruốc” và Huế lâu nay cũng được nhiều người coi là "miền mắm ruốc".

Mắm ruốc Huế được làm từ những con ruốc biển tươi ngon, theo công thức gia truyền và với phương pháp lên men tự nhiên, sở hữu hương vị đặc trưng và vô cùng thơm ngon. Ai đã từng đến Huế và có cơ hội được thưởng thức ...

A person can eat so very well in the Vietnamese city of Hue. Located in the center of the long, narrow country, between the Perfume River and the East Sea, it served as the country’s capital until 1945, and is still known as the Imperial City. Hue was also the site of some of the most destructive and mind-changing battles of the Vietnam War (known locally as the American War). With such a rich history, the city claims several distinctive dishes — from small and delicate creations originally created to please the appetites of Nguyen feudal lords, emperors (and their hundreds of wives) — to lusty, fiery street-level soups and sausages with complex, explosive and satisfying flavors. Here are the ...

There is a well worn tourist trail in Vietnam, and yes, the Vietnamese can be quite aggressive when it come to tourism and selling you things, but once you step out of those tourist districts – you can find a very different experience. Sure – you will still stick out and probably still pay higher prices due to the color of your skin – but you won’t be catered or pandered to.

If you take some time, the Imperial City of Hue fits in that class of tourist city that with a little digging you can find a more local experience.

Due to its history ranging from the ancient Nguyen Dynasty to the infamous war battles – it’s a main ...

The central Vietnamese city of Hue, once the capital of Vietnam and still known as the Imperial City, has a distinctive cuisine full of diminutive rolls, savory pancakes, dumplings, skewers and other snacky bites.

Standing in contrast is the mighty Bun Bo Hue, a soup that starts with pork and beef bones, gets a kick from lemongrass, annatto and shrimp paste, and finishes the job with a tangle of herbs, a squeeze of lime and a few delicious add-ons like sliced brisket, crab balls and, in some cases, cubes of congealed pig’s blood.

Phew! As with a ragu Bolognese, most cooks can agree on the basic structure of the dish, but everyone makes it with slight variations — and there’s no end ...

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