Overnight Hanoi to Hue
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| Seating on a typical night bus in Vietnam |
When travelers purchase tickets from hotels or tour companies they end up riding tour buses - filled with mostly tourists, not locals. Rates can be higher but the standards are generally better. Most offer a pick up service from your hostel or hotel, saving money on cab or moto trips to the bus station. For some reason many bus stations in Vietnam - and in SE Asia generally - are not centrally located in cities. Even in towns they are often on the outskirts, requiring you to pay for local transport into the city centre. I remember specifically a trip in Laos where we rode a minivan for 8 hours, then had to pay nearly one third of that price just for a 10 minute ride from the station into the city.
So although the tourist buses may be a few dollars more, the quality and convenience are better. It is also an easy way to meet fellow backpackers during the journey. On the trip to Hue I met an American and two French travelers, and we ended up staying at the same hotel. I roomed with the American guy, saving us a couple bucks on lodging.
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| A good map of Vietnam - Hue is in the middle, not far from Da Nang and Hoi An |
The first day the four of us actually took a trip outside the city. The coastal road between Hue and Hoi An was touted as one of the most beautiful stretches in the country, so we all rented moto bikes and went for a drive. Initially the ride wasn't all that fun. Driving through crazy traffic and getting stuck behind semis on the national 'highway' (simply a two lane road) isn't my idea of scenic. But further into the drive the traffic subsided and the ride was much more enjoyable.
By far the most beautiful stretch of road was just north of Danang. The pass winds along a small mountain overlooking the sea, then descends on Danang with incredible views of the city. Here are a few photos:
On my way up the mountain I heard a popping sound, and soon realized I had a flat tire! Upon examination I found the culprit sticking in the rubber - a bent metal key! Fortunately at the top of the pass there were a couple of restaurants and souvenir shops. I'd been told that in Vietnam nearly everyone can fix a bike, and I was not disappointed. Within a minute of stopping and showing off my flat tire a local was on the scene with a homemade repair kit. Even though the price was inflated (for a foreigner), it was only 5 dollars for the repair! And a near tire would have only cost 10 - not bad. So in a matter of minutes I was back on the road, catching up with the others.
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| These shops are everywhere in Vietnam; even if you can't find one chances are any Vietnamese person you ask will know at least one mechanic. My favorite part of this picture is the chicken just hanging out! |
It's about 140 miles (225 kilometers) from Hue to Hoi An, but in small motorbikes the trip could take the whole day. Factor in stopping for pictures and breaks, and we didn't have enough time to do the entire loop. Once we reached the city of Danang, some 2/3rds of the way to Hoi An, we decided to turn back around and head to Hue. After getting a bite to eat and resting on the surprisingly empty beach we were back on the road.
We made it to within 20 kilometers of Hue before dark. The ride was going smoothly but then I felt raindrops...oh no! Driving in the rain sucks! I had on only a sleeveless top to protect me from the rain. Raindrops may not hurt when you are walking, but pick up speed on a motorbike and they can feel like needle pricks on exposed skin. I know I already mentioned this in a previous post, and I know the pain isn't unbearable, but hey, it hurts! Luckily we were close enough to the city that we didn't have to drive much further in the rain.
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| I need one of these! |
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| Wow, impressive...just don't fall over! |
Now, back to Hue...
Hue was an important imperial city in Vietnam, home to a royal court and emperor. The Hue emperor wasn't always the emperor of Vietnam - the country has fractured and changed leadership many times over the years - but he succeeded in uniting the country under his rule in the early 19th century. Hue was technically the national government until the end of WW2 1945. The de facto situation was different, however, as France began taking away power from the emperor and court starting in the mid 19th century.
The royal palace grounds occupy a large portion of central Hue and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Unfortunately much of the royal city was destroyed during the Vietnam war. Situated near the north-south Vietnamese border, Hue found itself in a vulnerable and unenviable position. When Communist forces took the city during the 1968 Tet Offensive thousands of 'American sympathizers' and intellectuals were killed in what was to be known as the massacre of Hue. To make matters worse, in order to oust the Communists and retake the city US troops resorted to heavy bombing, destroying much of what remained. An American general famously said "we had to destroy the city to save it."
Initially following the war the Communist government did little to restore the lost grandeur of Hue. The Nguyen dynasty, rulers of Hue and much of Vietnam during the 19th century, was seen as "feudal and reactionary." Actually the Communists were not too far off on that one, but the statement could apply to nearly all the previous regimes. More recently the government has recognized the historical significance of Hue and is putting resources toward restoration of the imperial grounds.
Some of the many pictures I took around the palace grounds:
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| Josh in front of the palace entrance (under renovation) |
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| apparently the king was a tennis fan! |
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| This map in the palace reception hall was very interesting; it asserts that China has no claims to the Spratly Islands, contested by several countries in the region. Their total land area is a whopping 1.5 square miles (4 square kilometers) and no natives inhabit them. However they are spread over a vast area in the South China Sea which offers rich fishing waters and potentially large reserves of oil and natural gas. |
Although the old palace grounds were largely destroyed I would definitely recommend a visit. Restoration projects are numerous but I find them tasteful. Aside from the old walled city, however, there is not much to see in Hue. Sure the city has history, but not much is evident once you venture away from the centre. I enjoyed wandering the streets and getting away from the other tourists (as I usually do), but if you are crunched for time don't spend more than two days here.
Two days were all that I was planning, but as it turned out we wanted to leave Hue during a school holiday and all the buses were full. So we had to stick around for one more, not a huge deal for me but potentially a big hit to someone with limited time. That's why I like having an open schedule and at least a few days' flexibility when traveling. Trips often take longer than expected or there may be more things you discover and want to check out along the way.
I didn't mind spending one more day in Hue - one more night out to Brown Eyes, the only late night spot where most of the backpackers ended up, one more night where I was offered weed by about a dozen locals. Seriously, I got offered weed there more than in the rest of Vietnam combined. For some reason nearly every moto or cyclo driver in the city has a stash to sell after the sun goes down. Just an FYI, I would recommend staying away. You never know when a local is conniving with the police to frame a tourist and make an extra buck.
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| The one spot we found for late night drinks in Hue |
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| Cyclo driver by day, drug dealer by night! |
With that I'll say goodbye to Hue and then it was on to Hoi An!
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