Private & tailor-made · 1–4 guests
Hue Imperial City Tour from Da Nang or Hoi An, Private Day Trip
A long day, and worth doing properly: over the Hai Van Pass by the old road, Khai Dinh Tomb and lunch in Hue, then two and a half hours inside the Imperial City instead of the usual dash. Every entry fee and the lunch are paid before you travel.
A sample day at a glance
What changes when the day is yours
A private car for your group alone
Private, 1-4 guests, and nobody outside your party is added to it
Your own licensed local guide
Fluent in English and explains the story behind each building — to your group alone, not twenty strangers
Collected at your own hotel
Anywhere in Hoi An or Da Nang. No meeting point to reach on your own
Every entry fee prepaid
The Imperial City, Khai Dinh Tomb, lunch and the guide’s on-site fees are arranged for you. Nothing is collected from you at any gate
No shop stops, in writing
No detour to a souvenir showroom that pays to have you delivered
The citadel gets the afternoon, not an hour
Two and a half hours inside the walls, because that is what you came all this way for
Duration
About 10.5 hours from Da Nang, 12 from Hoi An
Departure
07:00 Hoi An, 07:45 Da Nang
Pickup
Any Hoi An or Da Nang hotel
from · $111 · / person · ›Check your price ›
Choose your group size · price is the total for the group
Solo traveller$300 BOOK →2 guests$340 BOOK →3 guests$380 BOOK →4 guests$445 BOOK →Free cancellation up to 3 days before · every tour tailored on request
The day, stop by stop
This is a sample day: add, skip or linger over any stop and we will adjust it. Times are from Hoi An; pickup in Da Nang is about 45 minutes later and you are home about 45 minutes sooner.
Hotel pickup · 07:00 Hoi An or 07:45 Da Nang · at your own hotel
The Hai Van Pass by the old road
08:30 · about 20 minutes · short walk at the top
No entry fee at this stop
1 photo · tap to enlarge
Most traffic now takes the tunnel. We take the old road over the top, to the remains of a 19th-century gate that once marked the border between two kingdoms. On a clear morning you look back over Da Nang bay.
Lap An lagoon
09:20 · about 20 minutes · flat, by the water
No entry fee at this stop
1 photo · tap to enlarge
A calm lagoon at the foot of the pass, crossed by long rows of bamboo poles where oysters are farmed. A pause to stretch before the last hour to Hue.
Khai Dinh Tomb
10:55 · about 1 hour · more than 100 stone steps
Entry fee included — no ticket booth for you
1 photo · tap to enlarge
It sits on your way into Hue, so we take it first. Built from 1920 to 1931 in concrete, with every wall of Thien Dinh palace covered in broken porcelain and coloured glass. There is no lift; if the steps are too much, your guide stays with you in the lower courtyards.
Lunch in Hue
12:20 · about 1 hour · seated
Lunch included
1 photo · tap to enlarge
A sit-down lunch of Hue dishes at a local restaurant in the city, with no shared coach tables. Tell us about vegetarian needs or allergies when you book.
Hue Imperial City
13:20 · about 2 hours 30 minutes · on foot
Entry fee included
4 photos · tap to enlarge
The Noon Gate, the throne hall of Thai Hoa, the nine bronze urns and the Forbidden Purple City, with time to take them slowly. Your guide fills in what the wars of 1947 and 1968 took away and explains how the court actually lived here.
Drive home through the Hai Van tunnel · about 2 hours 15 minutes to Da Nang
Back at your hotel · around 18:15 in Da Nang or 19:00 in Hoi An
That is the whole day
No stops we did not tell you about, nothing to pay at any gate, and any part of it can be changed.
Group total · everything included
Solo traveller$300 BOOK →2 guests$340 BOOK →3 guests$380 BOOK →4 guests$445 BOOK →Price is the total for the group · free cancellation up to 3 days before
WhatsApp · +84 368 938 081Want a different route, pace or group size? We will plan your day and send you an all-inclusive quote. ›What is in the price
Included
- Private air-conditioned car and driver, hotel to hotel in Hoi An or Da Nang
- Licensed local guide, fluent in English, for the whole day
- Tickets for the Imperial City and Khai Dinh Tomb, and the guide’s on-site fees
- Sit-down lunch in Hue
- Bottled water
Not included
− Drinks beyond the water we provide
− Anything you choose to buy along the way
− Royal costume hire for photos
− A tip for your guide and driver — never expected, always welcome
− Travel insurance, which we recommend you carry
Is this the right tour for you?
A good fit if
You are based in Da Nang or Hoi An and have only one day for Hue.
You want real time inside the Imperial City, and not a stop on a crowded schedule.
You are happy with about five hours in a comfortable car in exchange for that.
You want one price that covers the car, guide, tickets and lunch.
Look elsewhere if
You dislike long days. From Hoi An this one runs about twelve hours; it is better to sleep a night in Hue and take the half day.
You are one person on a tight budget. Shared coach tours do this route for much less.
More than 100 stone steps are a problem and you do not want to wait below at Khai Dinh.
You are moving on to Hue with luggage. Tell us and we will plan a one-way day instead.
Sleeping in Hue instead? See the half day in the Imperial City or the full day with the tombs. Or tell us what you want to see, and we will plan a day around it.
Questions before you book
About the day
How long is the tour and when does it start?
About 10.5 hours from Da Nang, 12 from Hoi An, door to door. Pickup is at 07:00 in Hoi An or 07:45 in Da Nang, and you are back around 19:00 or 18:15.
Where do you pick us up?
At your own hotel, anywhere in Hoi An or Da Nang, with no meeting point to reach on your own. Your guide waits in the lobby for 20 minutes.
How much driving is there?
About five hours in all, split by the stops on the way out and about two and a quarter hours through the tunnel on the way home.
How much walking is there?
About three kilometres in the Imperial City, flat but with little shade, and more than 100 stone steps at Khai Dinh Tomb with no lift. Your guide can keep to the lower courtyards there.
Can we change the route or the pace?
Yes. This is a sample day and every part of it can be adjusted: swap Khai Dinh for Thien Mu Pagoda, skip the pass, or end at a hotel in Hue. Tell us before you book and we confirm the plan and an all-inclusive price in writing.
Does the guide speak good English?
Yes. Your guide is a licensed local who speaks fluent English and explains the customs and the story behind each building as you go.
Booking and practicalities
Is the price per person or for the whole group?
For the whole group, from one to four guests: four people pay less each than two, and the car is the same car. Children under 5 travel free and do not count towards the group size; from 5 a child counts as one guest; groups of five or more travel in a larger vehicle — message us for a quote.
How do I pay, and when?
Two ways: pay the full price online by card, or pay a 30% deposit online and the rest in cash on the day of the tour, in US dollars or Vietnamese dong. We can also send a secure payment link on WhatsApp. The booking is confirmed once the online payment goes through, and your pickup time and guide’s name arrive in writing.
Can I cancel or reschedule?
Yes — free cancellation up to 3 days before departure for a full refund, and free rescheduling subject to availability. Within 3 days of departure, 30% of the tour price is charged because the car and guide are already committed. Date changes are arranged over WhatsApp.
What about food allergies?
Tell us when you book. Lunch can be vegetarian, and shellfish, peanut or fish-sauce allergies need to be known in advance because Hue cooking uses all three.
What should I wear and bring, and do I need cash?
Shoes for stone steps, a hat and shoulders and knees covered for the palaces and the tomb. You do not need cash at any gate; if you chose to pay the balance in cash, bring it for your guide.
What happens if it rains?
Rain does not stop the tour. In bad weather we take the Hai Van tunnel instead of the old road over the pass, at the same price and with no partial refund. If the monuments are officially closed, as they have been during autumn floods, we move your date free of charge or refund you in full.
Book your day trip to Hue
Private car and licensed local guide, hotel pickup, every fee already settled.
Group total · everything included
Solo traveller$300 BOOK →2 guests$340 BOOK →3 guests$380 BOOK →4 guests$445 BOOK →Price is the total for the group · free cancellation up to 3 days before
WhatsApp · +84 368 938 081Want a different route, pace or group size? We will plan your day and send you an all-inclusive quote. ›