On the afternoon of July 8th, at Co Mat Vien - Tam Toa, Hue Festival 2026 Organizing Committee officially launched the photography contest ‘Hue - Ancient Capital, New Experiences’. The competition is part of Hue Festival 2026 and aims to promote Hue as a city of heritage, culture, ecology, scenic beauty, and hospitality to both domestic and international audiences.

On the afternoon of June 30, Hue Monuments Conservation Center and Hue International General Hospital signed a strategic cooperation agreement. On the same occasion, the hospital announced a VND 300 million sponsorship for the “Hue - Ancient Capital, New Experiences” Photography Contest, one of the activities within Hue Festival 2026.

With over 120 kilometers of coastline and a vast lagoon system bestowed by nature, Hue is home to numerous attractive seafood markets, including Phu Hau Market and Ngu My Thanh Floating Market, and Vinh Hien Market… In this issue of Hue Today Weekly, we would like to take readers to the fish market of Thuan An through a series of photos taken by Duc Quang, a reporter, offering a glimpse into the vibrant daily life of a coastal fishing community.

Vietnam in the post-war years, the old streets of Hanoi and Saigon in the early 1970s, and the simple rhythms of life during the country's early years of economic reform are vividly brought to life through 27 remarkable photographic works by three French artists at the exhibition “Vietnam Crossroads”, which opened on the afternoon of June 13th.

In recent days, the road leading to Ha Cang, now part of Dan Dien Commune (formerly Quang Phu Commune), has been busier than usual, as streams of visitors arrive to explore local golden cantaloupe farms. Coming here, visitors can enjoy free check-in opportunities, try freshly harvested melons right in the greenhouses, and leave with not only vibrant photos but also plump, fragrant cantaloupes to take home.

At the end of the academic year, when flamboyant trees begin to burst into fiery red blossoms, yearbook photography services also enter their busiest season, allowing students preserve their school memories.

In the early summer morning mist, while the weather still carries a hint of chilly breeze, many people passing by Tinh Tam Lake inside Hue Citadel feel as though they have “wandered into a serene space”, where some brew tea, some enjoy tea, others gently pick lotus blossoms, while locals and visitors take the opportunity to pose for photos with the blooming lotus flowers… Tinh Tam has long been a famous scenic spot, once listed by Emperor Thieu Tri as one of the “Twenty finest landscapes of the Imperial Land”. Contributing greatly to the fame of this landmark is the white lotus, also known as the “royal” lotus.

On the afternoon of March 7, the art photography exhibition themed “Perspectives on heritage” offered the public an emotionally rich artistic space, featuring 90 works by photographers from Hanoi, Hue, and Ho Chi Minh City. The event is part of a literature and arts exchange program closely following the traditional relationship of “Hanoi - Hue - Saigon”, which has been maintained since 2023.

To extensively promote national territorial sovereignty and spread the image of the nation’s borderlands, the Central Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization has launched the 4th National art photo contest and exhibition themed “Pride in a border strip”.

Tam Giang - Cau Hai Lagoon system in Hue City is the largest brackish water ecosystem in Southeast Asia, stretching 68 km, covering a total water surface area of approximately 216 km2. The area is renowned for its poetic sunsets, rich biodiversity, and serves as a popular destination for eco-tourism, photography, and enjoying local seafood specialties.