Vietnam is a country of huge diversity; the attractions of a Vietnam holiday include its rich history and culture, the natural environment, the people and the cuisine. At the end of each day, sometimes it is quite sufficient to just relax and reflect on the previous few hours. The ancient imperial capital of Hue offers so much that there is little need to seek out a lively nightclub to finish the day. In Hue, the nightlife is fairly restricted anyway but it matters not. Vietnam travel packages regularly include Hue within their itineraries and travellers are more than happy simply to relax in a bar or restaurant as night falls. After all, the next day will bring more wonderful sights and sounds.

It doesn’t mean that you can’t have a fun evening. There are plenty of bars where tourists and locals mix, as well of course as restaurants. Here is a list of places to seek out in the evening:

•    Brown Eyes Bar is certainly a fun place; it is in Chu Van An Street and has a large dance floor and a wide range of music creating a good atmosphere. It opens early and closes late if you have not got an early start in the morning.

•    Le Gouverneur Bar is in La Residence Hotel and Spa overlooks the Perfume River. There is plenty of style in this old colonial setting, and ideal place to relax in comfortable to enjoy a drink from its extensive menu.  

•    Les Garden Hue in Pham Nou Lao Street is largely for backpackers but it is worth a visit to hear the experiences of travellers spending more than a couple of weeks on a Vietnam tour.

•    Secret Lounge is interesting for a similar reason; an open-air bar in a lovely garden in Nguyen Cong Tru Street.

•    DMZ Bar gets its name from the ‘’Demilitarised Zone’ of the 17th Parallel. It offers food and drink and as it is in the main restaurant street, it gets plenty of visitors though drinks are more expensive than in some other bars.

•    Hangout Coffee and Bar is open long hours and is one of the few places offering draught beer. It is on 3 floors with good snacks and live music.

•    Oasis Bar in Le Loi Street is a beach bar in a central location but by night it has a happy hour, lasting three hours, music and drinks promotions well into the night.

Hue is also known for its coffee culture and there are numerous cafes serving coffee from very early in the morning, close in the afternoon and then reopen to catch workers on their way home, and remaining open until late at night. There is plenty of variety, fairly weak to very strong so take your pick. Go for strong but as for extra hot water in case it is too strong. Alternatively, you can get iced coffee and if you ask for black, the usual way to serve it is very sweet. You don’t have to end the day with alcohol after all.