The citadel was oriented to face the Huong River (Perfume River) to the southeast. The entire complex was the seat of power until the imposition of the French protectorate in the 1880s. Thereafter it existed mostly to carry on symbolic traditions until the monarchy was ousted in 1945. At the time, the Purple Forbidden City had many buildings and hundreds of rooms. Once vacated it suffered from neglect, termite ravages, and inclement weather including a number of cyclones. Nonetheless the Imperial City was an impressive sight. Most destructive were man-made crises as evidenced in the bullet holes still visible from the military conflicts of the 20th century. Out of 160 buildings only 10 major sites remain, such as the Thái Hòa and Cần Thanh temples, Thế Miếu, and Hiển Lâm Các. The city was made a UNESCO site in 1993. The buildings that still remain are being restored and preserved, so some areas may not be available to visit.

Thien Mu Pagoda which is considered by many as the unofficial symbol of Hue. To reach the Pagoda, we will take one of the local Dragon Boats and cruise up the Perfume River to the Pagoda. Thien Mu is an active Buddhist monastery with origins dating back to 1601. One of its most poignant displays is a car belonging to a former monk who in 1963 drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime and its cruel treatment of Buddhist monks and followers.

30 Minute Boat ride on Perfume River

Khai Dinh Tomb. There are seven significant imperial tombs along the Perfume River and surrounding countryside but this tomb is unique as it is a blend of Western and Eastern architecture.It was built for Khải Định, the twelfth Emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty. It was built from 1920 to 1931 taking 11 years to complete. It is located on a steep hill outside of the capital city of Huế.

The aquarium with a beautiful dragon shape is the main structure of Thuy Tien lake’s abandoned water park. The aquarium was once built elaborately but becomes ruined, clinging to dust moss. Entering the dragon, you can realize the substantial deterioration of the building with patchy areas, rusted and unused equipment, and rooms filled with dust and trash. Outside, the grass grows wild. From the dragon mouth, you can observe the panorama of Thien An hill and Thuy Tien lake. A quiet lake, lush green forest, and clear sky create a pleasant and memorable landscape. The aquarium used to have a crocodile farm with three crocodiles (the heaviest was 45kg, and the lightest was 35kg). When Thuy Tien park was abandoned, they were still in the old place, so people had to write words to warn tourists.