Nightlife in Hue

Night Streets (Phố Đêm)
As the city gives its breath to the night and cleanses all these dust of life in the daylight, it becomes more beautiful and serene by its sole lover with its face covered in the alluring makeup of light and sparkle from the night streets. Running 400 meters along Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street, the night streets will welcome you warmly and formally as long as you enter with three beautiful designed entrances of traditional architectural form lit up by colorful lanterns in the night. Just like what they are called, the “night streets” live their nightlife with excitement and give the city the breath of youth that nowhere can you find the second beat of this unique and youthful concerto. These have long become the dearly home for generations of young people who want to express their thoughts and feelings maybe through a song, a painting or even a poem written on the paper. Acoustic Huế, Fipor, Bazooka and many other young bands are used to gathering here every single night to share their voice to the audience and the sympathetic souls. Especially on annual Huế Festival, more and more things will come to give you an explosion of emotion. Not to mention, you can also be the crowd’s star to give the audience whatever you have got despite a good or a not-so-good singer you may be.

The reason I call them “night streets” despite the fact that they are built solely on Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street is because of their structure which includes three parts. On the left of Trường Tiền Bridge (Cầu Trường Tiền) are the shopping and cuisine areas. With the total of 122 kiosks of goods filled with Huế’s souvenirs and other kinds of specialties so I doubt that you will return bare hand from the night streets. What interests me about this part of the night streets is the mixed design of all these kiosks: whereas some are plain and simple, the others called “beam houses” (nhà rường) are traditionally and opulently designed. Walking on this path, you will feel like being lost in another dimension of time with all the ancient and reminiscent royal architectures. This is also a good opportunity if you want to try out the delicious Huế’s cuisine such as sweetened porridge (chè), Huế’s beef noodle (bún bò Huế), Huế’s traditional cakes (bánh Huế) and so on. The second part lying on the right of Trường Tiền Bridge is where you can enjoy acoustic and live music from young bands and participate in hundreds of exciting activities in the 3^rd February Park. The atmosphere of the right side is totally in opposite to the left. Visiting here, you will instantly feel the beat of young hearts connected to one another by the same passions and interests. The real human bronze statue, portrait drawing (just 10.000vnd/painting) and calligraphy are all offered by young people and students coming from different universities in Huế. To the farther right is the walking street mainly for foreign visitors with high-class restaurants, bars, and pubs.

Especially, coming to the night streets, you can also experience the intriguing feeling of floating on Perfume River (Sông Hương) in the local boats with a cheap price of 10.000vnd/person/round. These boats will take you one way from Trường Tiền Bridge to Dã Viên Bridge but if you ask them to take you to where the ceremonial concert is being held, they will ride you there and return after the show ends. To sum up, it will be such a pity if you do not visit the night streets when arriving in Huế.

Ceremonial Songs on Perfume River (Ca Huế trên Sông Hương)
Ceremonial songs have been the traditional and cultural value of Huế and its people. For Huế, ceremonial songs are its soul and characteristic and that they speak for the heart of the city. Without them, Huế can never be completed and be itself anymore. Huế’s traditional ceremonial songs are the perfect and elegant combination of folk and royal rhythm of the North and South: while the North’s is joyful and exciting, the South’s is covered in a plaintive melody. As soon as the city lights up all of its colors in the night and Trường Tiền Bridge becomes alluring and glittering than ever, those Dragon Boats start setting sail calmly and silently along the flow of Perfume River (Sông Hương). Floating gently on the Perfume’s stream, you will be engulfed in the pleasure of beauty and floating colors of lanterns of the citadel standing out in the night sky. If in the past, artists and musicians just performed traditional songs then at present, modern pieces of melodies have been added in to meet the need of their audience, especially the foreign visitors. You can listen to Huế’s songs in two ways: in the Dragon Boat or in the Imperial Citadel. However, I personally recommend ceremonial songs in the Imperial Citadel since the experience is closer and more real. The price for a shared boat is 100.00vnd for local visitors and 150.000vnd for the foreigns (this price includes listening to two shows from 19:00 pm to 21:00 pm). Besides, there are also other boat renting services such as sightseeing boat tour with 250.000vnd/hour for single boat and 350.000vnd for the double. You can also float flower garlands on Perfume River for luck and protection. People usually say that if you come to Huế but have not listened to its ceremonial songs then you have not come to Huế at all”. Therefore, take your chance to enjoy a unique experience you have ever had on the charming Perfume River.

“Ground” Café (Cafe bệt)
“Ground” Café is another unique feature of Huế City. Simple, friendly and different, “ground” café easily attracts its customers and leaves them the unforgettable impression of a warming Huế. Whether you are a student, a worker, an intellectual or if you are poor or rich, irrespective of your background, “ground” café is a place you can drop by at anytime that no one is rejected or judged. In fact, there are many different “ground” café spots all around Huế City but these three places are far more popular: on the night streets, near Dã Viên Bridge (selling mainly milk tea) and on Tôn Đức Thắng Street (this is the most popular). “Ground” Café on Tôn Đức Thắng is also known as Lake-side “Ground” Café (Café “Bệt” Bờ Hồ). As long as you come here, believe it or not, you will not even notice if it is a café since there is no chair, no table, no sign, just a pack of people sitting around on pieces of cardboard on the ground. This “ground” café spot usually opens in the morning, afternoon and becomes the most crowded in the evening. The menu is also very simple: black coffee (café đen), milk coffee (café sữa), bottled drinks and cigarette with the price that everyone can easily afford. Coming to the “ground” café has soon become the daily routine of Huế’s people. Maybe there is nothing more joyful and relaxing than gathering with your young friends, old friends, girlfriend or boyfriend to have a cup of coffee for just 3.000vnd – 4.000vnd and chit chat the whole night about whatever happening in the world.

Walking on Trường Tiền Bridge
The night falls and the daylight shuts on the shoulders of the city; long shadow silently covers the rooftops of small houses and people rush on their way home after work. Trường Tiền lies down to its “Perfume bed” and starts the colorful night-dream of blue and purple. Still, romantic and calm, it brings different lives and strangers to a coincident encounter and even sometimes connects their fate of a lifetime. Maybe, there is no feeling that is more reminiscent than walking on Trường Tiền Bridge at night, looking at the whole city in the yellow light reflecting on the glass windows. At this time of the day, you will easily see couples of lovers hand in hand walking on Trường Tiền Bridge. You can either walk or rent a bike to ride on the bridge, get some fresh air and a view of the whole city. This is also a favorite spot for Huế’s people for its relaxing and private atmosphere. Trường Tiền Bridge is even more interesting to tourists with hundreds of small food kiosks with delicious snacks such as noodles, sweetened porridge, and baguette on the right-side foot that will easily weaken your hungry stomach at night.

Huế’s Children Palace
The Children Palace is one of the familiar places for children in Huế. However, people and children of all ages can also come to enjoy a joyful atmosphere and play all the fun games. Especially at night, the palace is even more crowded since kids and their parents will get together to play in the palace’s yard. There are also many interesting games as well as thrilling ones if you are the one who craves for thrills. Huế’s people like taking their children here in the evening since the air is breezier and more pleasant.
Address: #8 Lê Lợi Street, Vĩnh Ninh Ward, Huế City, Thừa Thiên Huế Province

Imperial Citadel’s Yard and Quốc Học Memorial Stele
Quốc Học Memorial Stele is a place to memorize the bravest soldiers who passed away in the great war. The front of the stele was carved with the name of 31 French and 78 Vietnamese soldiers. The back though has been considerably destroyed but in general, the stele can still remain its shape with the out-standing ancient architecture. The Imperial Citadel’s Yard and Quốc Học Memorial Stele are favorite playing areas for Huế’s teenagers and the locals also enjoy coming here in the evening. Although there are many activities taking place, the most favorable are skate-boarding and roller-skating. The Imperial Citadel’s Yard and Quốc Học Stele are quite close to each other so you can go from one place to another easily.
Quốc Học Memorial Stele
Address: Lê Lợi Street, Vĩnh Ninh Ward, Huế City, Thừa Thiên Huế Province