Hue Motorbike & Boat Tour: Countryside, Tombs & Thien Mu Pagoda

See royal Hue the way locals do: by motorbike through villages and temples, then by boat down the river.

A motorbike and boat tour of Hue's heritage sites, led by an English-speaking guide and local driver who takes you through countryside villages, over the wooden Thanh Toan Bridge, and to emperor tombs and temples. You choose how many tombs to visit (one, two or three) and which pagoda suits your time. Tickets are separate from the tour price, and a vegetarian lunch at a Buddhist temple is available if you request it before departure.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Hue Citadel2h
2. Minh Mang Tomb40m
3. Thanh Toan Bridge15m · entry included
4. Tomb of Tu Duc45m
5. Khai Dinh Tomb30m
6. Thien Mu Pagoda30m
7. Perfume River30m

Explore Hue's heritage and countryside

• Ride motorcycle with driver
• Cross Thanh Toan Bridge
• Visit nearby market and agricultural museum
• Tour Hue Citadel with local expert
• Visit Minh Mang Tomb
• Visit Tomb of Tu Duc
• Visit Khai Dinh Tomb
• Explore Tiger Elephant Arena
• Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
• Cruise on Perfume River
• Return to hotel

The experience

You're picked up at your hotel and climb onto a motorbike with a driver who knows Hue. The ride starts in the countryside, crossing the Thanh Toan Bridge: a wooden arch bridge built in 1776 with a tile roof, one of only four covered bridges left in Vietnam. From there you visit a local market and an agricultural museum to see how life works outside the city, then head to whichever emperor tombs fit your itinerary. Minh Mang Tomb spans 15 hectares with separate quarters for the king, queen and his minor wives and concubines after his death; Tu Duc's tomb was built over three years starting in 1864; Khai Dinh's took eleven years to complete and mixes Vietnamese and French architectural styles. Each one tells a different story about the Nguyen Dynasty's power and the labor it demanded.

The tour includes a stop at the Tiger Elephant Arena, a relic from the Nguyen Dynasty where tigers and elephants fought for royal entertainment: a place with no equivalent anywhere else in the world. You'll also visit Thuy Xuan Incense Village, where artisans have made incense for seven hundred years, now in colors ranging from brown and red to a full rainbow of shades. If you choose the Thien Mu Pagoda instead of Tu Hieu, you're standing in front of Hue's most well-known temple, a seven-tiered structure on the Perfume River that served as a spiritual center for the Nguyen court and remains a major cultural site. The pagoda is also where Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, a global peace activist and mindfulness teacher, returned to live after decades abroad.

The day ends with a thirty-minute boat cruise down the Perfume River, passing the Hue Citadel (a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site built from 1804 to 1833) as you drift back toward the city center. Your driver meets you at the dock and takes you back to your hotel. The whole experience runs between four and eight hours depending on which option you book: how many tombs you visit changes the length and the ticket cost, which you pay separately from the tour itself.

What’s included

• The tour includes pickup from your hotel, a local driver and English-speaking guide on motorbike, the boat cruise on the Perfume River, and return transport to your hotel.
• emperor tomb tickets and pagoda entry are purchased separately at the site.

Options for this experience

5 options

Motorbike hire including a driverGuide in English · 12 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:30A tour guide is not included: an experienced driver takes you around and waits while you sightsee, and a tour guide can be added for an extra charge. The route covers the countryside and royal tombs: Thanh Toan Bridge and Market, Vong Canh Hill, the Conical Hat/Incense Making Workshop, Tu Hieu Pagoda, the Tiger Arena, and the royal tombs. The tour lasts about 7 hours, though the actual length depends on your group's pace, and we don't limit your sightseeing time. Food is not included, but it can be bought at local restaurants in the royal tombs area. Inclusions: qualified scooter with experienced driver and helmet, travel insurance covering up to 20,000,000 VND, road tolls, and parking fees. Exclusions: tour guide and dragon boat (available for an extra charge), food and drinks, entry tickets to sightseeing places, and shopping. Pickup is included.

Countryside and 1 Tomb tourGuide in English · 12 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:30Your tour includes an English-speaking guide and an experienced motorbike driver who takes you around for sightseeing while you ride behind. You choose one from the following: Thanh Toan Bridge, Vong Canh Hill, the Conical Hat/Incense Making Workshop, Tu Hieu or Thien Mu Pagoda, the Tiger Arena, or one tomb. The tour lasts about 4 hours, though the actual length depends on your group's pace, and we don't limit your sightseeing time. Food is not included, but you can buy it at local restaurants in the royal tombs area if you wish. Motorbike travel insurance covering up to 50,000,000 VND is included; please send your passport details if you need coverage. Inclusions: tour guide, scooter with experienced driver and helmet, dragon boat cruise, and travel insurance covering up to 50,000,000 VND. Exclusions: food and drinks, entry fees to the royal tomb, tips for the guide or driver, and anything not clearly listed under inclusions. Pickup is included.

Countryside and 2 Tombs tourGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 11:00Your tour includes an English-speaking guide and an experienced motorbike driver who takes you around for sightseeing while you ride behind. Explore the countryside and any two of these: Thanh Toan Bridge, Vong Canh Hill, the Conical Hat/Incense Making Workshop, Tu Hieu or Thien Mu Pagoda, the Tiger Arena, or two tombs. The tour lasts about 5 hours, though the actual length depends on your group's pace, and we don't limit your sightseeing time. Food is not included, but you can buy it at local restaurants in the royal tombs area if you wish. Motorbike travel insurance covering up to 50,000,000 VND is included; please send your passport details if you need coverage. Inclusions: tour guide, scooter with experienced driver and helmet, dragon boat cruise, and travel insurance covering up to 50,000,000 VND. Exclusions: food and drinks, tomb entry fees (150k per person per tomb; we recommend a Combo Ticket if you plan to visit the Imperial City later), and tips. Pickup is included.

See 2 more options

Countryside and 3 Tombs tourGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 11:00Your tour includes an English-speaking guide and an experienced motorbike driver who takes you around for sightseeing while you ride behind. Explore the countryside and the 3 best tombs, plus Thanh Toan Bridge, Vong Canh Hill, the Conical Hat/Incense Making Workshop, Tu Hieu or Thien Mu Pagoda, and the Tiger Arena. The tour lasts about 6 hours, though the actual length depends on your group's pace, and we don't limit your sightseeing time. Food is not included, but you can buy it at local restaurants in some royal tombs areas if you wish. Motorbike travel insurance covering up to 50,000,000 VND is included; please send your passport details if you need coverage. Inclusions: tour guide, scooter with experienced driver and helmet, dragon boat cruise, and travel insurance covering up to 50,000,000 VND. Exclusions: food and drinks, tomb entry fees (150k per person per tomb; we recommend a Combo Ticket if you plan to visit the Imperial City later), and tips. Pickup is included.

Countryside, Citadel and 2 Tombs tourGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 11:00Your tour includes an English-speaking guide and an experienced motorbike driver who takes you around for sightseeing while you ride behind. The route covers the countryside, the Citadel and 2 tombs: the Imperial City, 2 royal tombs, Vong Canh Hill, the Conical Hat/Incense Making Workshop, Tu Hieu or Thien Mu Pagoda, and the Tiger Arena. The tour lasts about 7 hours, though the actual length depends on your group's pace, and we don't limit your sightseeing time. Food is not included, but you can buy it at local restaurants in the royal tombs area if you wish. Motorbike travel insurance covering up to 50,000,000 VND is included; please send your passport details if you need coverage. Inclusions: tour guide, scooter with experienced driver and helmet, dragon boat cruise, and travel insurance covering up to 20,000,000 VND. Exclusions: food and drinks, entry fees to the tombs and Imperial City (150k per person per tomb, and 200k for the Imperial City later), and tips. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day12 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (12 to 80 years) · Youth (7 to 11 years) · Child (3 to 6 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Adventure Journey

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to cover multiple royal sites and countryside villages in one trip. The motorbike reaches places tour buses can't, and you'll return by boat for a different perspective on the same landscape.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 11 years); Child (3 to 6 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is the Thanh Toan Bridge and why does it matter on this tour?

Thanh Toan Bridge is a wooden arch bridge built in 1776 with a tile roof, one of only four covered bridges remaining in Vietnam and considered to have the highest artistic value among ancient bridges in the country. The tour crosses it to reach the countryside villages and agricultural museum on the other side.

Can I choose which emperor tombs to visit, or does the tour visit all of them?

You choose your option at checkout: one tomb, two tombs, or three tombs. The tour includes countryside and Citadel visits in all options, but the number of tombs you see depends on which package you book. Tomb tickets are purchased separately and are not included in the tour price.

What is the Tiger Elephant Arena and what happened there?

The Tiger Elephant Arena is a relic from the Nguyen Dynasty where tigers and elephants fought each other as entertainment for the king, mandarins and people during festivals. It is the only place of its kind in the world and sits in the ancient ruins of Hue.

Is the Thien Mu Pagoda included in every option, or do I need to choose it?

Thien Mu Pagoda is optional. You can choose it instead of Tu Hieu Pagoda, but you need to confirm which one you prefer before the tour departs. Thien Mu is the most well-known pagoda in Hue, distinguished by its seven tiers and its role as a spiritual center during the Nguyen Dynasty.

What happens at the end of the tour?

The tour ends with a thirty-minute boat cruise on the Perfume River, passing the Hue Citadel as you drift back toward the city center. Your driver meets you at the dock and drives you back to your hotel.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, but a vegetarian meal at a Buddhist temple is available if you request it before departure. Food, drinks and tips are separate from the tour cost.