Must-see attractions in South-Central Vietnam

  • Dragon bridge in Da Nang, Vietnam.

    Dragon Bridge

    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…

  • hue, vietnam. 12th june, 2023: views of thien mu pagoda in hue city, vietnam
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    Thien Mu Pagoda

    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…

  • Tan Ky House in Hoi An.

    Tan Ky House

    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…

  • Japanese covered bridge

    Japanese Covered Bridge

    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…

  • To Mieu Temple complex, Hue, Vietnam.

    To Mieu Temple Complex

    Hue

    Taking up the southwest corner of the Imperial Enclosure, this highly impressive walled complex has been beautifully restored. The imposing three-tiered…

  • Entrance to Vinh Moc Tunnels, Quang Tri, Vietnam.

    Vinh Moc Tunnels

    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…

  • Ngo Mon Gate leading into Imperial Enclosure of Hue Citadel.

    Imperial Enclosure

    Hue

    The Imperial Enclosure or Imperial City is a citadel-within-a-citadel, housing the emperor’s residence, temples and palaces, and the main buildings of…

  • Hue, Vietnam - March 16, 2021: Hue, Vietnam - March 16, 2021: Facade View Of Tomb Of Emperor Khai Dinh. Tomb Of Emperor Khai Dinh Is A Part Of The Complex Of Hue Monuments.
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    Tomb of Khai Dinh

    Hue

    This hillside monument is a synthesis of Vietnamese and European elements. Most of the tomb’s grandiose exterior is covered in darkened, weathered…

  • Giant Makaras in Museum of Cham Sculpture.

    Museum of Cham Sculpture

    Danang

    This small but important museum contains the world’s largest collection of Cham artefacts, housed in buildings marrying French-colonial architecture with…

  • Tran Family Chapel

    Hoi An

    Built for worshipping family ancestors of the Tran (陳) clan, this chapel (more accurately an ancestral hall) dates back to 1802. It was commissioned by…

  • People walk down the colonial streets in historic old town Hoi An.

    Hoi An Old Town

    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…

  • Raining on pond and lotus flower. Tu Duc Tomb, Hue. Pavilion of  imperial tomb Nguyen dynasty - Vietnam; Shutterstock ID 28059859; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; Project no. or GL code: 56530; Network activity no. or Cost Centre: Online-Design; Product or Project: 65050/7529/Josh Vogel/LP.com Destination Galleries

    Tomb of Tu Duc

    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…

  • Khe Sanh Combat Base

    Demilitarised Zone

    The site of the most famous siege of the American War, the USA’s Khe Sanh Combat Base was never overrun, but it saw the bloodiest battle of the war. About…

  • Vietnam,Danang,The Cathedral

    Danang Cathedral

    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…

  • Tomb of Minh Mang

    Hue

    Planned during Minh Mang’s reign (1820–40) but built by his successor, Thieu Tri, this majestic tomb, on the west bank of the Perfume River, is renowned…

  • Quang Tri Citadel

    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…

  • Ngo Mon Gate

    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…

  • Mine Action Visitor Centre

    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…

  • Ho Quyen

    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…

  • Nam Giao Esplanade

    Hue

    This three-tiered esplanade was once the most important religious site in Vietnam, the place where the Nguyen emperors made animal sacrifices and…

  • Tu Hieu Pagoda

    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…

  • Purple Forbidden City

    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…

  • Royal Theatre

    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…

  • An Bang Ghost City

    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…

  • Confucius Temple

    Hoi An

    Behind an impressive gate emblazoned with Chinese chu nho characters that simply translate as 'Confucius Temple', this magnificent temple to the west of…

  • Halls of the Mandarins

    Hue

    Located immediately behind Thai Hoa Palace, on either side of a courtyard, these halls were used by mandarins as offices and to prepare for court…

  • My Khe

    Danang Region

    Across the Song Han Bridge, My Khe is fast becoming Danang’s easternmost suburb. In the early morning and evening, the beach fills up with city folk doing…

  • Ben Hai River

    Demilitarised Zone

    Once the border between North and South Vietnam, Ben Hai River’s southern bank now has a grandiose reunification monument, its stylised palm leaves oddly…

  • Dien Tho Residence

    Hue

    The stunning, partially ruined Dien Tho Residence (1804) once comprised the apartments and audience hall of the Queen Mothers of the Nguyen dynasty. The…

  • Phung Hung Old House

    Hoi An

    Just a few steps down from the Japanese Covered Bridge, this old house has a wide, welcoming entrance hall decorated with exquisite lanterns, wall…

  • Precious Heritage Museum by Réhahn

    Hoi An

    Hoi An–based French photographer Réhahn has conceived this cross between museum and gallery, combining his outstanding photos of Vietnam's hill tribes…

  • Thanh Toan Bridge

    Hue

    A classic covered Japanese footbridge in picturesque countryside, this makes a lovely diversion from Hue. The bridge is in sleepy Thuy Thanh village, 7km…

  • Truong San Residence

    Hue

    In 1844, Emperor Thieu Tri described this as one of Hue's most beautiful spots, but it was devastated by war. Check out the superb entrance gate with…

  • Chuon Lagoon

    Hue

    Hire a scooter and head out to this picturesque spot on the edge of the lagoon either at sunrise or sunset, when there are beautiful views of the rising…

  • Interior of Quan Cong Temple.

    Quan Cong Temple

    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…

  • Group B

    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…

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    Phuoc Lam Pagoda

    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…

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    Tran Duong House

    Hoi An

    There’s a whole block of colonnaded French colonial buildings on Ð Phan Boi Chau between Nos 22 and 73, among them the 19th-century Tran Duong House. It’s…