Hue City Tour: Citadel, Perfume River Boat, Water Park

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (1 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/35

Duration8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Hue's imperial past, a river cruise, and an eerie abandoned water park in one day

This full-day guided tour from Da Nang covers Hue's main historical sites: the Citadel (the former royal capital with the Imperial City and Forbidden Purple City), Thien Mu Pagoda, Khai Dinh Tomb, and the abandoned Thuy Tien water park. Your guide picks you up at your Da Nang hotel, drives you over Hai Van Pass, and includes a 30-minute dragon boat ride on the Perfume River, lunch at a local restaurant, and all entrance tickets. The tour runs 8 hours with an English-speaking guide and a private vehicle with a safe driver.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hue city tour and sightseeing

Pick up from hotel in Da Nang or Hoi An
Transfer via Hai Van Pass and photo stop
Visit Hue Citadel and Imperial City
Boat ride on Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda
Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
Lunch at local restaurant
Visit Khai Dinh Tomb
Visit Abandoned Water Park at Thuy Tien Lake
Return to hotel

The Experience

The day starts with a pickup at your hotel in Da Nang, then a drive over Hai Van Pass with stops for photos before you reach Hue. Your first stop is the Citadel, the seat of imperial power until the French protectorate in the 1880s and the monarchy's fall in 1945. Out of 160 original buildings, 10 major sites remain—temples, courtyards, and the Forbidden Purple City—many still bearing bullet holes from 20th-century conflicts. The complex became a UNESCO site in 1993, and restoration work continues, so some areas may be closed on the day you visit.

Next is Thien Mu Pagoda, the unofficial symbol of Hue, which you reach by dragon boat on the Perfume River. The pagoda is an active Buddhist monastery founded in 1601; inside is a car belonging to a monk who drove to Saigon in 1963 and set himself alight to protest the regime's treatment of Buddhist followers—a stark reminder of Vietnam's modern history. After the 30-minute boat ride back downriver, you'll have lunch at a local restaurant before heading to Khai Dinh Tomb, built between 1920 and 1931 on a steep hill outside the city. This tomb is unique for blending Western and Eastern architecture, a style unlike the other imperial tombs along the Perfume River.

The final stop is Thuy Tien Lake's abandoned water park, where a massive dragon-shaped aquarium dominates the landscape. Once elaborate, the structure now sits covered in moss and dust, its rooms filled with deteriorated equipment and debris. From the dragon's mouth you can see across Thien An hill and the quiet lake beyond—a strange, quiet scene that lingers after you leave. Your guide then drives you back to your Da Nang hotel.

What’s included

Hotel pickup in Da Nang.
private vehicle with a safe driver.
English-speaking guide.
entrance tickets to the Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, Khai Dinh Tomb, and Thuy Tien Lake.
30-minute dragon boat ride on the Perfume River.
lunch at a local restaurant.
bottled water.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Da Nang Hoi An Private Tours & Shore Excursion

Is this one for you?Pick this if you're starting from Da Nang or Hoi An and want to cover the Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, and Khai Dinh Tomb in one day with a driver handling the Hai Van Pass crossing.