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| Displaying and introducing com hen, bun hen (mussel rice and noodles) |
The City has yet true food tours in a proper and structured manner
At the beginning of 2025, Hai Sapa TV, a youtuber, embarked on a journey to explore Hue’s culinary scene. Many of the videos uploaded by this YouTuber gained high views and engagement, with food experiences such as “eating all things in Dong Ba Market” capturing the audiences’ interest. Many people shared that a trip to Hue is not just about exploring its landscapes and culture but also about discovering its unique cuisine.
“From the reviews and recommendations of Youtubers and Tiktokers, I was inspired to try Hue’s cuisine. As an out-of-town visitor, it can be quite overwhelming to find the best local eateries and signature Hue dishes if I only rely on general information available online,” shared Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tan, a tourist from Bac Giang.
Mr. Tran Thanh Tu, Vice President of the Tourism Association and Director of Tu Tran Trading & Tourism Co., Ltd., stated that aside from sightseeing tours that incorporate culinary elements, there are still no dedicated food tours in practice. Some businesses have developed tourism products for international visitors in the form of cooking classes integrated into tours, as well as experience-based activities where guests can cook and eat or watch and eat. However, a true food tour program is something often talked about but not yet realized.
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| Tourism operators in Phuoc Tich Ancient Village guiding and introducing visitors to the traditional dish “quai vac cakes” |
In searching for answers as to why Hue still lacks dedicated food tour programs and products, even long-time tourism professionals like Ms. Duong Thi Cong Ly, Vice President of the Tourism Association and Director of the Hue branch of Vietnam - Hanoi Tourism Joint Stock Company have expressed her concerns. Ms. Ly shared that during the At Ty Lunar New Year, while visiting her husband’s hometown, she discovered a delicious traditional cake made by the elderly in the village, something she had not known before. As she inquired further, she realized that behind the dish lay a fascinating story. Putting herself in the shoes of a tourist to experience various experiences, she found it absolutely captivating.
The story shared by the tourism company’s branch director led me to the realization that food tours have yet to be fully developed because many businesses have either overlooked this type of tourism or have not implemented it effectively. According to Ms. Ly, one of the reasons is that food tour products attract a certain number of selective customers. Additionally, organizing such tours requires meticulous planning, incurs high costs, and demands a significant amount of time for travelers to fully experience them, while the time in Hue of visitors is often too short. Furthermore, media promotion has not been effective. Some businesses claim food tours are simply about eating, but in reality, they encompass many fascinating stories and creative concepts. These combined factors have contributed to the absence of fully developed food tours, with most existing food experiences in Hue remaining self-guided by independent travelers.
The more it is attractive, the more tourists will come
Speaking about food tours, Mr. Le Tan, Vice President of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, expressed great enthusiasm. He affirmed, “Hue’s culinary brand is indisputable. Everyone wants to visit Hue to enjoy its cuisine, but there has yet to be a proper food tour in Hue because the market is still unfamiliar with the concept and it requires the involvement of travel businesses to develop structured products”.
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| Guiding visitors in making phu the cakes |
According to Mr. Tan, Hue possesses a diverse culinary heritage, including royal cuisine, once enjoyed by the nobility, folk cuisine, street food, vegetarian cuisine, and macrobiotic dishes. Each of these culinary traditions is unique, but to develop them into tourism products, it is essential to incorporate storytelling and experiential elements. For instance, the story of the Vu Lan (Ullambana) Festival could be used to create a vegetarian culinary tour.
Ms. Duong Thi Cong Ly emphasized the importance of incorporating storytelling into experiences, making the tours compelling enough for visitors to seek them out. She suggested that instead of simply taking tourists to a well-known eatery to enjoy a bowl of Hue beef noodles and providing brief introductions, tour organizers could enhance the experience by bringing visitors to a traditional noodle-making shop. There, they could learn about the origins of Hue beef noodles, from its recipe and preparation process to its historical background. Beyond just sharing knowledge, it is crucial to create interactive experiences for tourists. “Why does Hue beef noodles use lemongrass and fermented shrimp paste instead of star anise and cinnamon like Pho? What is the significance of its ingredients in relation to the yin-yang philosophy in Vietnamese cuisine? There are so many fascinating stories that can make people realize that a food tour is not just about tasting dishes but about discovering and experiencing the deeper cultural narratives behind them”, Ms. Ly shared.
The Department of Tourism has been digitizing Hue’s cuisine in 3D and implementing various promotional strategies to elevate the city's culinary culture. Beyond effective promotion, this is the time to take stronger action in researching and collaborating with travel agencies to develop Hue food tour products, creating unique and distinctive experiences that leave a lasting impression on visitors. The goal is to make tourists fall in love with the “taste” of Hue and inspire them to return.