DESTINATIONS ASIA | VIETNAM
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Forbidden Palace, Dong Ba Market and Imperial City, all Hue; Dragon Bridge, Da Nang; Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An PICTURES: Shutterstock/Stephen Chung, Hien Phung Thu, Richie Chan; Tamara Hinson
buildings out of a list of 22; payment must be made in cash and contributes to the preservation of the city’s heritage. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given Hoi An’s compact
size, many visitors base themselves in Da Nang, though with several new hotels popping up here recently, there are more options to stay in the city. These include the Moire Hoi An, Vignette Collection, a 128-room property that opened in December. Clients craving luxury should consider the beachfront Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An, which is four miles south of the city centre. With its huge spa – treatment pavilions sit above a lake – it’s perfect for those seeking R&R, and also hosts practitioners specialising in different aspects of wellbeing.
HUE Hue (pronounced ‘Hway’) is easily accessible from Da Nang. Clients can opt for a two-and-a- half-hour train journey or a spectacular two-hour road trip past mist-topped hills and stunning beaches; one-way taxi fares cost about £45. It’s also a popular stop-off for river cruises, including itineraries with Wendy Wu Tours. In many ways, this riverside city blends Da Nang and Hoi An’s best bits – its centre is packed with beautifully preserved heritage buildings, but it has also evolved to cope with
38 2 OCTOBER 2025
the growing numbers of tourists flocking to its Unesco-listed monuments. Recently opened hotels include the Best Western Premier Sky Hue and the Kobi Onsen Resort Hue, a local property ‘affiliated’ to the Meliá group. The star of the show is the Forbidden Purple
City, built in the early 1800s following the ascension to the throne of the first Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. It’s at the heart of the Imperial City, a citadel filled with listed monuments. Visitors enter the Forbidden Purple City via a gate on the citadel’s southern side (and given that its moated perimeter wall is more than one and a half miles long, mistaking an exit for an entrance can be time-consuming). Clients will need at least a couple of hours to explore this complex of palaces, temples and courtyards, once used exclusively by emperors and their families. Decent walking shoes are essential. Recently, there’s been increased investment
in renovations, as well as in activities for tourists. For about £5.50, visitors to the Forbidden Purple City can pose on a replica throne flanked by servants, or hire Nguyen Dynasty-style outfits to wear as they explore the site. A VR experience was also added last year, which allows visitors to play an archery-based game that dates from the Nguyen Dynasty. Exploring farther afield in Hue, often
overlooked landmarks include the octagonal Thien Mu Pagoda, built in the 1600s, and Dong Ba Market, which dates back to the 1700s and is next to the city’s Trang Tien Bridge. It’s colourful and chaotic, and a great place to gain an insight into local life – as well as a brilliant spot to pick up souvenirs, including nón lá, the traditional conical hats. Although how your clients will squeeze these into their suitcases is anyone’s guess.
TW BOOK IT
Intrepid Travel’s 12-day Vietnam Real Food Adventure travels from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, via Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An. Prices start at £1,616 for a November 9 departure, including accommodation, domestic travel, activities and some meals, but excluding international flights.
intrepidtravel.com
Luxury Gold’s 12-day Spirit of Vietnam small- group itinerary includes visits to Hue and Hoi An as well as Hanoi, Halong Bay and Ho Chi Minh City. Prices lead in at £4,625 for a November 1, 2026, departure, including hotel accommodation, transfers, taxes and tips, most meals and Wi-Fi. International fights are extra.
luxurygold.com
travelweekly.co.uk
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