Hue River Cruises: 3 Sailings to Choose From

1.Dragon Boat, Perfume River, Pagoda & Royal Tomb Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 194 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $11Our pick

Travel by private car and dragon boat from Hue to Thien Mu Pagoda, Minh Mang Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb, Tu Duc Tomb, and Thuy Xuan Incense Village. You can book a driver-only option or add an English-speaking guide. Guides such as Long, Austin, Leo, and Anna are known for clear history and friendly local tips.

“Austin was absolutely amazing! He made the whole experience enjoyable, informative and completely stress-free. His knowledge of Hue’s history, culture and landmarks brought everything to life and he explained everything in such a clear and engaging way. We loved the dragon boat ride, the beautiful Perfume River and visiting the pagoda and royal tombs and Austin made each stop feel special. He was friendly, patient and always made sure we were comfortable and having a great time. Honestly, we couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Highly recommend Austin!”

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2.Sunset Cruise along Perfume River

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 72 reviews · from $38

Walk from your Hue hotel to the boat station, then cruise the Perfume River on a traditional dragon boat with an English-speaking guide. You’ll pass old homes, pagodas, churches, villages, and green fields before stopping at Thien Mu Pagoda. Guides such as Nhiên and Hoa are praised for clear explanations and warm service.

“Naien our guide was very nice and gave us lots of explanations of everything we had questions for. During the Pagoda visit there was lots to learn, good experience. The boat ride itself was calm and easy going, very relaxing. Unfortunately due to cloudy weather there was no sunset so we were unable to see that part of the cruise. Overall very relaxing and easy.”

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3.Perfume River Dinner Cruise with Traditional Show

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 38 reviews · 1 - 2 hours · from $15

You’ll spend about two hours on a VIP dragon boat at Hue’s 49 Le Loi Street, with an air-conditioned cabin, traditional singing, flower lanterns, and optional eight-course Hue cuisine. The boat makes a short river circuit, and the entertainment is a major part of the evening. Arrive by 6:45 PM and bring a charged phone for photos.

“Le prix reste assez élevé mais l'activité est super. nous avons bien mangé une série de plusieurs plats, pas très copieux. Le bateau fait plusieurs aller retours entre deux ponts . un groupe de musique traditionnel rejoint le bateau et c'est très sympa. on peut enfiler des costumes traditionnels pour toute la durée du repas.”

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