Hue cycling tour — Top 5 best cycling tours in Hue City, Vietnam

Exploring Hue, Vietnam’s historic city is a must if you enjoy nature, culture, and especially cycling. I say this for a variety of reasons. To begin with, Hue is well-known for its easy-going traffic flown, and the city is not too large nor overly hectic when compared to other metropolitan towns such as Hanoi or Saigon. This is a crucial prerequisite for perfect riding. Second, with an abundance of trees, rivers, beautiful mountains, and lakes from center to suburb, Hue is a perfect area with fresh air for physical activity like cycling. Last but not least, Hue is rich in culture and history, which were passed down from the Nguyen dynasty, Vietnam’s last feudalism. Learning about Hue allows you to learn more about the lives of the kings and their royal families, as well as ancient traditions. Now, go on to learn about Hue cycling tour (Hue bicycle tour) — Top 5 finest riding tours in Hue City, Vietnam with Focus Asia Travel.

Text & photos: Phuoc Tai

I strongly recommend the “Hue cycling tour and rentals” team, a professional cycling team that can completely live up to your expectations of how to enjoy the finest cycling trip. I’d want to share information and my thoughts about the bicycle tours I participated in with them. The team has offered various choices that you may be interested in, which are listed below.

1. Cycling, fishing and cooking in 1 day

First impressions are crucial to me, and the crew did not disappoint me on my inaugural trip. Without a question, my favorite tour is this one. In terms of the trip, you will depart from the city center to visit Thanh Toan village, a historic site nestled in a tranquil suburb (about 9km away from the center). It would be interesting to pass through green meadows, temples, and pagodas off the main path. You are welcome to swing by at any moment to learn more about the architecture. In Thanh Toan village, you will observe a local market, local everyday activities, and try to catch fish using traditional equipment. Last, you will join a cooking class at Thanh Toan Eco tour restaurant to learn how to cook Vietnam traditional food and enjoy your results.

2. Start of the trip on Dragon boat

The title of this excursion may raise a few eyebrows: why a “dragon boat” on a bicycle tour? But believe me when I say that you will have some memorable moments on this tour. You and your bike will first board a classic dragon boat at Toa Kham Boat Wharf (Address. 49 Le Loi street, Phu Hoi Ward, Hue City). The boat will take you through magnificent green vistas to the Heavenly Lady Pagoda, one of Vietnam’s oldest pagodas, along the laid-back waters of the renowned Perfume river. When you’re on a boat, the fresh air will relax your thoughts. Following that, you will cycle to Thanh Toan Village, where you will see the old bridge and the agriculture museum, gaining an understanding of the local culture and way of life.

3. Cycling to discover traditional crafts with Hue Artisans

If you enjoy traditional arts, this tour is ideal for you. The journey will begin with a visit to Dong Ba Market, a large local market in the city center. You’ll be amazed by the vibrant colors of local items, the hectic environment, and how locals negotiate. Then you’ll ride to Bao Vinh’s old neighborhood, which evokes nostalgia with its historic buildings along a river. Following that, you will visit Thanh Tien Village and Sinh Village (Address: Phu Mau Commune, Phu Vang District, Thua Thien Hue Province), which are known for their paper flowers and traditional paintings, respectively. These items are utilized in traditional rites or festivals.

4. Cycling to Truc Chi garden

This tour will begin with a cycle around Hue Citadel, which is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, followed by a visit to Truc Chi Garden. Regarding Truc Chi garden (Address: 5 Thach Han, Thuan Hoa Ward, Hue city), where you may approach a sophisticated new form of arts, you will witness and learn how to manufacture goods such Vietnamese wallets, lamps, ornamental images, and umbrellas out of Bamboo Pulp. It would be difficult, but it would be worth a go. Making a product under the guidance of local craftspeople, in my view, will provide you with unique experiences. After that, you’ll ride to Hue’s lovely outskirts.

5. The further you cycle, the deeper understanding about Heritage in Hue you get

This route is ideal for cyclists who wish to cover more ground (more than 20 kilometers). You will ride to four different locations: Thanh Toan village, Hue citadel, Khai Dinh tomb, and Heavenly Lady Pagoda. For further information about the Khai Dinh tomb, this tomb is distinguished from other Nguyen Dynasty tombs by its architectural style, which is an exquisite combination of Western and Eastern styles. After seeing the Heavenly Lady Pagoda, there is a particular location in this trip where you can board a traditional dragon boat to return to the city center.