Hue
Built on a small hill overlooking the Song Huong (Perfume River), 4km southwest of the Citadel, this seven-storey pagoda is an icon of Vietnam and as鈥
Must-see attractions in South-Central Vietnam
Danang
This wonderfully wacky bridge takes the form of a ginormous, colour-changing dragon, weaving its way across the Han River. If that wasn't attention鈥
Hoi An
Built two centuries ago by an ethnically Vietnamese family, this gem of a house has been lovingly preserved through seven generations. Look out for signs鈥
Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation
Hoi An
Originally a traditional assembly hall (or guildhall), this structure was later transformed into a temple for the worship of Thien Hau, a deity who鈥
Hoi An
Emblematic of Hoi An, this beautiful bridge was first constructed in the 1590s by the Japanese community to link it with the Chinese quarters. Over the鈥
Hue
This hillside monument is a synthesis of Vietnamese and European elements. Most of the tomb鈥檚 grandiose exterior is covered in darkened, weathered鈥
Hue
Taking up the southwest corner of the Imperial Enclosure, this highly impressive walled complex has been beautifully restored. The imposing three-tiered鈥
Demilitarised Zone
A highly impressive complex of tunnels, Vinh Moc is the remains of a coastal North Vietnamese village that literally went underground in response to鈥
Hue
The Imperial Enclosure or Imperial City is a citadel-within-a-citadel, housing the emperor鈥檚 residence, temples and palaces, and the main buildings of鈥
Danang
This small but important museum contains the world鈥檚 largest collection of Cham artefacts, housed in buildings marrying French-colonial architecture with鈥
Hoi An
Built for worshipping family ancestors of the Tran (闄) clan, this chapel (more accurately an ancestral hall) dates back to 1802. It was commissioned by鈥
Hoi An
By Unesco decree, more than 800 historic buildings in Hoi An have been preserved, so much of the Old Town looks as it did several centuries ago. Eighteen鈥
Hue
This tomb (completed in 1867) is the most popular, imposing and impressive of the royal mausoleums, designed by Emperor Tu Duc himself before his death鈥
Hoi An
Founded in 1653, this small temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, an esteemed Chinese general who is worshipped as a symbol of loyalty, sincerity, integrity鈥
My Son
The main kalan (sanctuary), B1, was dedicated to Bhadresvara, which is a contraction of the name of King Bhadravarman, who built the first temple at My鈥
Demilitarised Zone
The site of the most famous siege of the American War, the USA鈥檚 Khe Sanh Combat Base was never overrun, but it saw the bloodiest battle of the war. About鈥
Hoi An
This pagoda (founded in the mid-17th century) is associated with An Thiem, a Vietnamese prodigy and monk from the age of eight. When he was 18, he鈥
Hoi An
There鈥檚 a whole block of colonnaded French colonial buildings on 脨 Phan Boi Chau between Nos 22 and 73, among them the 19th-century Tran Duong House. It鈥檚鈥
My Son
The effusive have described this as Vietnam鈥檚 Angkor Wat, but that鈥檚 hardly fair: My Son contains fewer ruins (and they are very much ruined) within a鈥
Danang
Known to locals as Con Ga Church (Rooster Church) because of the weathercock atop the steeple, the candy-pink, photogenic Danang Cathedral was built for鈥
Hue
Planned during Minh Mang鈥檚 reign (1820鈥40) but built by his successor, Thieu Tri, this majestic tomb, on the west bank of the Perfume River, is renowned鈥
Demilitarised Zone
Quang Tri once boasted an important citadel, but little of its old glory remains. In the Easter Offensive of 1972, North Vietnamese forces laid siege to鈥
Danang
This pagoda has three giant Buddha statues in the courtyard, and an equally imposing large gold one in the temple.
My Son
Group A was almost completely destroyed by US bombs. According to locals, the massive A1, considered the most important monument at My Son, remained鈥
Ho Thuy Tien Abandoned Water Park
Hue
Closed for mysterious reasons in 2006, this long-abandoned water park outside Hue centres on a dramatic dragon head poking from the waters of Thuy Tien鈥
Hue
The principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure is Ngo Mon Gate, which faces the Flag Tower. The central passageway with its yellow doors was reserved鈥
South-Central Vietnam
Quang Tri province was the most heavily bombed part of Vietnam and it remains the most contaminated with ordnance. This museum provides an excellent鈥
South-Central Vietnam
The elegant Cham towers at Chien Dan are located just outside the town of Tam Ky on a wide open field; the only other building nearby is a small museum鈥
Hue
Wildly overgrown but evocative, Ho Quyen was built in 1830 for the royal pastime of watching elephants and tigers face off in combat. The tigers (and鈥
Hue
Overlooking Dong Ba Canal, this pagoda was built under Emperor Thieu Tri鈥檚 rule (1841鈥47) and is celebrated for its four low towers, one on either side of鈥
Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation
Hoi An
Built in 1752, the highlights in this congregational hall are the gleaming woodcarvings on the beams, walls and altar 鈥 absolutely stunning in their鈥
Demilitarised Zone
Hamburger Hill was the site of a tumultuous battle in May 1969 between US forces and the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) over a 900m-high mountain 鈥 resulting鈥
My Son
Buildings D1 and D2 were once meditation halls and now house small displays of Cham sculpture. Preservation has now been completed at Group G, where a鈥
Hue
Located just inside the Citadel ramparts, near the gates to either side of the Flag Tower, are the Nine Holy Cannons (1804), symbolic protectors of the鈥
Hue
This three-tiered esplanade was once the most important religious site in Vietnam, the place where the Nguyen emperors made animal sacrifices and鈥
Hue
Nestled in a pine forest, this pagoda was built in 1843 and later co-opted by eunuchs from the Citadel. Today 70 monks reside at Tu Hieu; they welcome鈥
Hue
In the very centre of the Imperial Enclosure, there's almost nothing left of the once-magnificent Purple Forbidden City. This was a citadel-within-a鈥
Hue
The Royal Theatre, begun in 1826 and later home to the National Conservatory of Music, has been rebuilt on its former foundations. When performances aren鈥
Hue
This 1803 palace is a spacious hall with an ornate timber roof supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns. It was used for the emperor鈥檚 official鈥
Hue
Covering an area of 250 hectares, the cemetery behind the fishing village of An Bang holds an incredible collection of incredibly ornate tombs and鈥
