How To Travel Around Hue
Get Around - By taxi
Similar to other Vietnamese cities, Hue is overrun with cyclos, motorbikes, and a few metered taxis. Taxi drivers are mostly honest, but make sure they turn on the meter: rides begin at 15,000 dong for the first 2 kilometers and increase by 11,500 dong per kilometer thereafter. Ensure you have a general sense of the distance to your destination, as some meters are inaccurate (displaying up to ten times the actual distance traveled). If the meter is running too quickly, pay an estimate of the fair price at the destination and insist on calling the authorities if the driver refuses to accept the estimate. The driver will retreat. Including waiting time, a metered trip to visit two tombs should cost approximately 300,000 dong (US$18).
If you are traveling with a large group, you should get a private car through Hue hotels or travel agencies. With respect to cyclos and motorcycles, the normal caveats apply: negotiate a price beforehand, and don’t be afraid to walk away if they’re asking too much. No journey in Hue should exceed 20,000 Vietnamese Dong. Many of the motorcyclists are also pot dealers, and you may be asked to purchase marijuana along with your ride.
Get Around - By motorbike
Hue, like many other Vietnamese cities, is crowded with cyclos, motorbikes and few taxis that have meters. Taxi drivers are normally trustworthy; just ensure that they turn on the meter: The first two kilometers cost 15,000 dong and each successive kilometer costs 11,500 dong per kilometer. It is a good idea to have an idea of how far you are going so that you can compare with the fare on the meter as some meters sometimes show up to ten times more than the actual travelled distance.In case the meter seems to be running too fast pay what you think should be a fair price for the journey and insist on calling the police in case your non-metered offer is not accepted at your destination by a taxi driver. He will withdraw.
A round trip of two paid tombs including waiting time should cost around 300,000 dong ($18) using a metered taxi.
When traveling with several people in Hue, you must arrange for a private car through your hotel or travel agent. Cycles and motorcycles are usual exceptions: agree on a price beforehand and walk away if it’s too high. In Hue no tour should ever exceed 20,000 dong. They also conduct drug business in addition to being riders of motorcycles hence may request you to buy marijuana for them during the journey.
Get Around - By bicycle
You can also choose to cycle, and for 80,000 to 150,000 Dong a day (about $4 to $7 in 2021), you have access to numerous bikes. This could be an affordable alternative with a twist when it comes to shorter trips such as the one viewing of Tu Duc’s Tomb which is about an hour away from Hue and has some steep but possible parts. Look at the walking option on your favourite map website. You can keep your bike in front of Tu Duc without charges – just pay 5,000 dong at the entrance. On your way back towards Hue, you may want to grab coffee or soup from one of the many family-owned stores dotted along this route.
Get Around - By cyclo
The local word for tricycle is cyclo, the arrangement being that the passenger faces the cyclist. Get ready to bargain since cyclo drivers like giving prices in an arbitrary manner. The best thing is to agree on a firm price before leaving. Another important note is remember this is for a round trip and not one way trip only. Surely, if schedules change while you are already on road, you must instantly explain to your cyclo driver how this may alter agreed upon costs. Otherwise, according to my view when you get there and he asks for too much money then it means you have been fooled by him. However, there exist some few dishonest cyclo drivers even though most of them in Hue are honest and friendly. If you say “100” make sure that what you mean is 100 thousand Vietnamese Dong dollars and not America dollars at all! Some cyclo drivers also double up as pimps and they could offer locals to sleep with at as low as ten US dollars per hour sometimes
