Huế
Huế, the former imperial capital of Vietnam, holds a deeply special place in my heart. My mom grew up in neighbouring Quảng Trị province, so the distinct giọng Huế (Huế tone)—with its rich, deep intonations and unique vocabulary—was an exotic, familiar backdrop within my family. As I’ve worked on connecting with my roots, visiting her home region felt like finding missing pieces of my own puzzle.
Compared to the fast-paced energy of Hà Nội, Huế instantly felt more easygoing and serene. The locals are warm and honourable, the history is captivating, and the food, especially the endless varieties of delicacy cakes (bánh) and spicy noodle soups, makes Central Vietnam my absolute favourite region for eating.
Stay
Meliá Vinpearl Hotel: Located in Downtown Huế, this hotel offered a comfortable, central home base with sweeping city views, making it easy to relax after long days of sightseeing and family exploration.
Activities
Huế Historic Citadel (Đại Nội): A majestic enclosed imperial city surrounded by grand stone walls, historic temples, and royal gardens. Walking through the complex felt like stepping onto the set of a royal historical drama. To make it unforgettable, my family and I put on traditional royal costumes for a hilarious 15-minute photoshoot under the severe tropical humidity!
Finding the Perfect Jade Bangle: Jade bangles traditionally signify status, health, and protection, but because my hands never fit "standard" Vietnamese beauty standards, trying to squeeze into one always used to hurt. During this trip, my mom bought me a meaningful jade bangle for my birthday that fit comfortably without squeezing, and my đẹp trai gifted me two stunning bangles, a classic dark green and a translucent white jade with subtle emerald veins.
Đông Ba Market: Located along the river, this vibrant market is the ultimate destination to browse traditional handicrafts, jade jewelry, local spices, and specialty rice-vermicelli sheets (bánh rế).
Eats
Bún Bò Huế: The iconic spicy beef noodle soup born right in this city! We woke up early to try the local morning version at Quán Bà Hòa. Served đặc biệt (special style), it featured tender beef, pork hock (giò heo), Vietnamese sausage (chả), thick rice noodles, and a rich, lemongrass-infused chilli broth.
The Specialty "Bánh" Experience: Huế is famous for its array of savoury steamed rice cakes, and we enjoyed an incredible spread for breakfast at Maison Trang:
Bánh Bèo: Delicate little half-bowls of steamed rice cake topped with dried shrimp, scallions, mashed mung bean, and crispy pork skin.
Bánh Ướt: Soft steamed rice rolls stuffed with smoky grilled pork and fresh herbs.
Bánh Lọc: Chewy, translucent tapioca dumplings wrapped in banana leaves and stuffed with whole shrimp and pork belly.
Bánh Nậm: Flat rectangular rice cakes topped with minced shrimp and pork, scraped straight from the leaf.
Bánh Khoái: The Central region’s crispy, bite-sized fried pancake served with rice paper, pickled veggies, and fresh herbs.
Bánh Canh Cua: A comforting, rich crab and shrimp soup served with thick, chewy tapioca noodles and quail eggs at Bánh Canh Cua Hương.
Nem Lụi & Nem Rán: Fragrant lemongrass pork skewers (Nem lụi) grilled to perfection and served with peanut-chilli dipping sauce, along with crispy fried spring rolls made with fine vermicelli sheets instead of standard rice paper.
Cơm Hến: A signature regional dish made with rice, tiny river clams, crispy pork rinds, peanuts, and chilli paste. We enjoyed ours at Cơm hến Hoa Đông on Cồn Hến islet, the historical home of river clam farming!
Matcha Muối Coffee: Vietnamese coffee culture is endlessly creative. At local spots like Cafe Trầm and da:mê cafe, I tried matcha salted cream coffee (matcha muối), a rich, savoury-sweet brew that was completely addictive.
Exploring my mom’s roots in Huế through its royal heritage and incredible flavours was a deeply meaningful chapter of our journey. Next, we travelled down the coast to the glowing, lantern-lit streets of Hội An. Follow along in the next post as we explore tailor-made fashion, ancient architecture, and romantic river walks!
