A visit to Hue City is not complete without drifting on the Huong River to come face to face with the beauty of the imperial land. With an eco-tour along the Huong River by bicycle and kayak, we had a chance to learn more about the daily life of the locals living on the riversides and to admire the simple beauty of Phu Mong-Kim Long Garden, Thien Mu Pagoda and Sinh folk painting village.
The tour can be booked at the Hue Festival Service Center under the management of Huong Giang Tourist Company.
Departing at 7:30 a.m. by bicycle for Phu Mong-Kim Long Garden, we savored the lush greenery at either side of our path and the ongoing lullaby sung by the Huong River, as well as Truong Tien Bridge and Ngo Mon Square. Over 6km of pedaling gave us time to consider the Nguyen Dynasty in the cool of morning.
In 30 minutes we were there. The Garden of Eden couldn’t have been much nicer than this. The eye-soothing carpet of green and the comforting scent of native tress in the prime of their lives make the perfect background for the bright colors of the fruits and flowers and the sounds of the birds on the wing. Nature does not provide all the art as here there are samples of man’s creativity carved permanently into stone. Scattered randomly around the garden are many old wooden houses which are worth looking into for the sake of their style.
From the garden we headed for Thien Mu Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hue City which was built during the Nguyen Dynasty. Located beside the picturesque Huong River, the pagoda adds its considerable charm to this beautiful natural setting.
After discovering the pagoda’s well preserved original architecture with its accompaniment of elegant embellishments and recharging ourselves with the comforting peace of its sanctuary, we folded our limbs into kayaks for a trip along the Huong River to see Sinh folk painting village. Drifting on the river for nearly an hour, we had a chance to join the residents of Hen Islet in their trading at Dong Ba Market and to contemplate the charm of Bao Vinh old city.
We landed at Tien Non Wharf in a peaceful swathe of bamboo covered countryside. To get into the center of the folk painting village, we mounted bicycles again and started out on a tree lined path and pushed on through the shafts of sunlight.
At the village, we visited artist Ky Huu Phuoc at his home. It was educational to see the artisans painting with traditional materials and tools and then to see the local farmers working the rice fields, the vegetable patches and the flower gardens.