Hue covers about 28 square miles and is home to approximately 345,000 people. It is a city located in central Vietnam where the Nguyen Dynastic emperors resided from 1802 until1945. The 19th Century Citadel is a major attraction and is surrounded by a moat with thick, stone walls. It encompasses Imperial City, which houses several shrines and palaces. This includes the Forbidden Purple City, which was once home to the emperor himself. You will also find a complete replica of the Royal Theater.
Weather
The weather in Hue differs slightly from the cities we have already covered in this book.
There are seven months of summer from April thru October. However, two of their summer months, September and October, see heavy rain. November December and January may also see quite a bit of rain. The coldest month in Hue is January and like the majority of Vietnam, the hottest month is July113.
Transportation
Believe it or not, this small town actually has its own airport. It is designated as an international airport and offers a few domestic flights per day.
However, if you are looking to getaway from town for a couple of days, the best transport is probably via train. From Hue you can get to Ninh Binh, Dong Ha, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Vinh. Overall that should suffice considering one of the end destinations is Ho Chi Minh City and you can pretty much get anywhere from there.
In Hue, you will also see a lot of motorbikes, scooters and bicycles. The city also allows the Cyclo transports. As far as gas, storage and fees for vehicles go, once again the motorbike is the preferred method of travel as it is much cheaper. Most expats have motorbikes because it is far less costly to own and operate in Vietnam.
To get around town, you also have the option to catch the bus or use a taxi.
Food
The imperial roots in Hue has gifted the city with a cuisine that is quite distinct from most other cities in Vietnam. It is actually one of the most unique in all of Asia.
The best eateries in Hue are what most Westerners might consider sketchy or “hole-in-the-wall” types of places.
Finding Western cuisine is a little more difficult in Hue than some cities in Vietnam. Though, let’s face it, you probably haven’t decided to become an expat in Vietnam to have that back home cooking feel when it comes to food. If you do decide to move there it is because you most likely enjoy Vietnamese food. That being said, there are some restaurants that offer Italian, Mexican and even American style food. However, it is important to note that non-Vietnamese food is more expensive than local. So, if you haven’t tried food that is native to Vietnam yet, you might want to start now.
On the subject of food, there is one place that is a favorite with the locals and it is the Ba Do Restaurant. It is pretty simple on the inside and Madame Do (the owner) is known for being very friendly. She is eccentric and always loves a good laugh. She also lets people take a peek inside the kitchen to see just how all those famous Hue dishes are made.
So, if you decide to visit or make Hue your home, make sure the Ba Do restaurant is on your list of places to eat knowing you will meet quite a few locals and some fellow expats as well.
Nightlife
As far as nightlife is concerned, Hue is a little more reserved than some other cities in Vietnam and most locals are headed to home by eleven at night. If you are the type that likes the bar scene, there are a few venues that might be of interest. Most of the bars are located on Pham Ngu Lao Street though they don’t cater to the backpacking crowd nor do they offer much in the way of expensive wines and alcohol. The locals tend to hang out in the smaller cafes all around town and head home early.
Shopping
There are lots of places to shop in Hue and one of the best places to find everything you will need is the Dong Ba market. It is situated on the bank of the Perfume River not far from the Hue Citadel. The market literally has hundreds of stalls selling local food, fruit, Vietnamese wine, housewares, clothes and shoes. Whatever you can think of can probably be found at the Dong Ba market.
Another market that caters mostly to locals and some expatriates is the Tay Loc Market. Non-locals will have a hard time haggling on prices with the people running the stands, but it is worth a visit. Once you get to know them, and are considered a local yourself, you will find it much easier. Tay Loc offers food, fruit and alcohol as well, so you should be able to find many of the things you need for your residence in Hue.
Recreational activities
Choosing to live in Vietnam, including Hue, means you will experience month after month of warm sunshine. With that comes the ability to find numerous things to do outside. If you become friendly with the locals and other expats, you will be able to find things to do within those groups.
When you first arrive there also are many wonderful excursions you can go on. There are fishing trips, bike rides around the lagoon, boat tours, local historical tours, ATV and nature tours as well.
The scenery in Hue is absolutely stunning and while you are acclimating to the culture, it is great to get out and experience all that Hue has to offer.
Cost of living
The cost of living in Hue is slightly higher than in Hoi An. Below you will see the comparison cost of a Hue one bedroom apartment, fully furnished at approximately 900 sq ft.
- An apartment in the centre part of town will run approximately 8,929,972.91 VND per month
- An apartment outside the centre part of town will run approximately 5,850，142.96 VND per month
- Utilities including Electric, Heat and Water is about 1,250,000 VND per month
- Internet at 60 Mbps with cable is 250,000 VND per month.
In the way of other expenses, we were able to find the cost of owning a car in Hue and thought it would be a good place to mention it as well as to remind future expats how expensive it is to own and operate a car anywhere in Vietnam.
- One gallon of gas is approximately 64,879.51 VND
- The cost of owning a Volkswagen Golf is an astounding 1,000,000,000.00 VND. That is the purchase cost to acquire that car new in Hue.
- A Toyota Corolla or equivalent is 779,250,000.00.
The major cost consideration for buying cars depends on its size. An interesting fun fact regarding transportation in Vietnam is that the most commonly purchased imported car is the Range Rover.
Overall, the cost of living in Hue is comparable to the larger cities in Vietnam. It doesn’t have the bustling nightlife like some others do with the majority of locals and expats retiring early each evening.
Hue has the small town feel as made more apparent by the lack of things going on at night. However, some expats prefer quiet and if so, Hue just might be the place for you