Huế, Vietnam

Huế is a historic city in central Vietnam, home to roughly 650,000 residents along the banks of the Perfume River. Serving as the imperial capital of Vietnam under the Nguyễn Dynasty from 1802 to 1945, it forms a UNESCO World Heritage cultural complex. The walled Imperial City contains the Forbidden Purple City, modeled after Beijing's imperial palace and enclosed by moat-ringed stone ramparts. Upriver, the seven-story Thien Mu Pagoda stands on a hill overlooking the water alongside ornate royal tombs of emperors such as Minh Mạng and Khải Định. Visitors take boat trips down the Perfume River, sample imperial court cuisine, and walk through traditional garden houses.