Hue City Tour: Citadel, Tombs & Hai Van Pass Drive

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/27

Duration9h–10h

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN · VI

PickupAt your hotel

Imperial City of Hue tour: explore 19th-century ruins, royal tombs, and the walled Citadel along the Perfume River

A full-day tour from Da Nang or Hoi An to Hue, Vietnam's former imperial capital, with hotel pickup, professional guide in English or Vietnamese, lunch and entry to the Citadel, Khai Dinh Tomb and Thien Mu Pagoda. The route crosses Hai Van Pass, recognized as one of the world's top ten most beautiful coastal roads, and includes stops at Lang Co Beach and My Khe Beach on the return. The tour runs 9 to 10 hours and suits all fitness levels; children are welcome from age 5.

9h–10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Hue city tour from Da Nang and Hoi An

Pick up at your hotel
Pass by Da Nang city and bridges
Drive through Hai Van Pass
Stop at Lap An lagoon and pearl village
Lunch at local restaurant with optional foot massage
Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
Visit Khai Dinh King tomb
Visit Hue Citadel and Forbidden Purple City

The Experience

You get picked up at your hotel and head south through Da Nang, then climb Hai Van Pass—a winding coastal road with views that have earned it a place among the world's most scenic drives. The pass itself is optional depending on weather or construction, but when it runs, the zigzag roads and dramatic curves make the crossing memorable. A stop at Lap An lagoon breaks the drive; the lagoon is known for its pearl village, built around oyster farms where you can rest briefly before continuing into Hue.

Lunch at a local restaurant comes midday, and a 15-minute foot massage is available as a special offer before or after the meal. The afternoon focuses on Hue's historical sites: Thien Mu Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Vietnam, sits on the Perfume River; Khai Dinh Tomb, a royal burial site of the Nguyen Dynasty, combines multiple architectural styles and is known for Vietnam's largest dragon sculptures carved into its side walls; and the Hue Citadel, a walled fortress and palace that housed the Forbidden Purple City during the imperial era. A professional guide in English or Vietnamese walks you through each site and explains the history of the dynasty that ruled from here.

The return journey takes the Hai Van Tunnel instead of retracing the pass, and you stop at My Khe Beach, one of the most photographed stretches of sand on the central coast. Drop-off is back at your hotel. Transport, all entry fees and taxes are included; lunch is provided. The tour accommodates all fitness levels and infants can sit on an adult's lap during the drive.

What’s included

Professional guide in English or Vietnamese.
hotel pickup and drop-off.
transport in a good vehicle.
lunch at a local restaurant.
all entry fees and taxes to the Citadel, Khai Dinh Tomb and Thien Mu Pagoda.
stops at Hai Van Pass, Lang Co Beach and My Khe Beach.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Dragon Travel Viet

Is this one for you?If your first or free day falls between Da Nang and Hoi An, this tour fills it with the imperial history and coastal scenery of central Vietnam without needing to arrange transport or navigate between sites yourself—the guide handles the route, the timing and the context at each stop.