Hue Morning Food Walk: Com Hen, Banh Beo & Bun Bo Hue
Day tour
Food tour
Standard
Departure point
→
Destination
Hue, Vietnam
Hue
1N (Participation Duration)
Walking (Transportation)
English (Language)
Number of participants 0/10
0 booked
Tour description
Hue was the seat of the Nguyen emperors and its food still behaves like court food: many small dishes rather than one big one, presented carefully, and hotter than anywhere else in Vietnam. Locals will tell you the imperial kitchen had to produce fifty dishes a day for one man, and the habit never went away.
We start in Dong Ba Market, the city's central market on the Perfume River, when it is still a market rather than a photo opportunity. Your guide walks you through the shrimp pastes, the chilli, the fermented fish and the rice papers, with a first bowl of bun bo Hue - the beef and pork noodle soup with lemongrass and shrimp paste that this city invented and that every other version in the world is a copy of.
Then across the bridge to Con Hen, the small islet in the river where com hen comes from: cold rice with tiny river clams, their broth, crackling, peanuts, herbs and a spoonful of shrimp paste, assembled at the table. It costs well under a dollar and it is one of the best things in Vietnam.
We finish with the banh set - beo, nam, loc, ram it - five small steamed and wrapped rice cakes eaten in a specific order.
Small group, maximum 10 guests.
We start in Dong Ba Market, the city's central market on the Perfume River, when it is still a market rather than a photo opportunity. Your guide walks you through the shrimp pastes, the chilli, the fermented fish and the rice papers, with a first bowl of bun bo Hue - the beef and pork noodle soup with lemongrass and shrimp paste that this city invented and that every other version in the world is a copy of.
Then across the bridge to Con Hen, the small islet in the river where com hen comes from: cold rice with tiny river clams, their broth, crackling, peanuts, herbs and a spoonful of shrimp paste, assembled at the table. It costs well under a dollar and it is one of the best things in Vietnam.
We finish with the banh set - beo, nam, loc, ram it - five small steamed and wrapped rice cakes eaten in a specific order.
Small group, maximum 10 guests.
Meeting point:
View on map
Dong Ba Market, Tran Hung Dao Street, Hue
We meet at the Tran Hung Dao entrance to Dong Ba Market, on the river side. Your guide will have a small sign with your name.
Detailed itinerary
Stop 1 - Dong Ba Market: The city's central riverside market, where the tour guide will introduce various types of shrimp paste, Hue chilies, fermented fish, and why this region's cuisine is the spiciest in the country.
Stop 2 - Bun bo Hue: A flavorful noodle soup with beef and pork, lemongrass, and shrimp paste, featuring thick round noodles, congealed blood curd, and a pork knuckle. This is the birthplace of the dish.
Stop 3 - Hen Islet: Walk over to the small river islet that supplies baby clams, with an introduction from the guide on how local families ply their trade.
Stop 4 - Com hen: Cooled rice mixed with small river clams, clam broth, crispy pork cracklings, peanuts, banana blossoms, herbs, and shrimp paste - tossed right at the table and eaten immediately.
Stop 5 - Banh beo, nam, loc: Savory rice cakes steamed in small saucers topped with minced dried shrimp and pork cracklings, flat rice dumplings wrapped in banana leaves, and translucent tapioca dumplings stuffed with whole shrimp.
Stop 6 - Banh ram it: A soft glutinous rice dumpling set on a crispy fried base, served with shrimp paste and dipping sauce.
Stop 7 - Hue sweet soups and coffee: A variety of Hue sweet soups (che) - including the famous version filled with candied pork fat - capped off with a cup of Vietnamese coffee.
Stop 2 - Bun bo Hue: A flavorful noodle soup with beef and pork, lemongrass, and shrimp paste, featuring thick round noodles, congealed blood curd, and a pork knuckle. This is the birthplace of the dish.
Stop 3 - Hen Islet: Walk over to the small river islet that supplies baby clams, with an introduction from the guide on how local families ply their trade.
Stop 4 - Com hen: Cooled rice mixed with small river clams, clam broth, crispy pork cracklings, peanuts, banana blossoms, herbs, and shrimp paste - tossed right at the table and eaten immediately.
Stop 5 - Banh beo, nam, loc: Savory rice cakes steamed in small saucers topped with minced dried shrimp and pork cracklings, flat rice dumplings wrapped in banana leaves, and translucent tapioca dumplings stuffed with whole shrimp.
Stop 6 - Banh ram it: A soft glutinous rice dumpling set on a crispy fried base, served with shrimp paste and dipping sauce.
Stop 7 - Hue sweet soups and coffee: A variety of Hue sweet soups (che) - including the famous version filled with candied pork fat - capped off with a cup of Vietnamese coffee.
Tour price includes
• Small-group English-speaking local food guide
• All food and drink tastings listed in the itinerary
• One local drink at the final stop
• Bottled water and wet wipes throughout the walk
• All taxes and service fees
• All food and drink tastings listed in the itinerary
• One local drink at the final stop
• Bottled water and wet wipes throughout the walk
• All taxes and service fees
Tour price excludes
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off unless stated
• Additional drinks beyond those included
• Personal travel insurance
• Tips for your guide (appreciated but never expected)
• Meals and purchases outside the programme
• Additional drinks beyond those included
• Personal travel insurance
• Tips for your guide (appreciated but never expected)
• Meals and purchases outside the programme
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours are non-refundable. During the September to December flood season we may reroute away from the river islet; if the city floods we cancel and refund in full.
Other notes
Runs daily at 07:00. Com hen and several of the banh shops are morning-only and sell out.
Flooding: central Vietnam's rain and typhoon season runs roughly September to December, and Hue was the worst-affected city in the major floods of late 2025. Con Hen islet is low-lying and floods first. We monitor conditions and will contact you.
Addresses: Vietnam abolished the district tier in July 2025, so addresses are now street, ward and province. Street numbers are unchanged and your guide will not get lost.
Spice: Hue food is properly hot. Your guide will tell you which dishes to approach carefully and nobody is pressured.
Dietary needs: tell us at least 48 hours ahead. Hue has a serious Buddhist vegetarian tradition thanks to its pagodas, so a fully vegetarian version of this tour is genuinely excellent rather than a compromise.
Michelin's Vietnam guide covers Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang only - it does not cover Hue, so treat any Michelin claim here with suspicion.
About 2.5 km of walking including a bridge crossing.
Flooding: central Vietnam's rain and typhoon season runs roughly September to December, and Hue was the worst-affected city in the major floods of late 2025. Con Hen islet is low-lying and floods first. We monitor conditions and will contact you.
Addresses: Vietnam abolished the district tier in July 2025, so addresses are now street, ward and province. Street numbers are unchanged and your guide will not get lost.
Spice: Hue food is properly hot. Your guide will tell you which dishes to approach carefully and nobody is pressured.
Dietary needs: tell us at least 48 hours ahead. Hue has a serious Buddhist vegetarian tradition thanks to its pagodas, so a fully vegetarian version of this tour is genuinely excellent rather than a compromise.
Michelin's Vietnam guide covers Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang only - it does not cover Hue, so treat any Michelin claim here with suspicion.
About 2.5 km of walking including a bridge crossing.
Detailed price list
| Guest type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | $45 |
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