Hue

Staying
DMZ
I stayed 2 nights at the DMZ hotel - booked through Agoda.com for about $15AUD each night.
When I arrived I was told that as they were very busy and most rooms were full - I have been upgraded to the deluxe "city view" room. I am not sure what exactly made it "deluxe.... maybe that it had a computer in the room? maybe the normal rooms don't have windows? But I got a window, and tiny balcony. The "city view" was more of the big ugly building opposite and nothing else.
The bed was comfortable enough, the bathroom worked and had a luxurious rain shower (although, the toilet was pressed against the shower glass and it was hard to fit!) and the whole room was clean.

hiding out from the midday heat I ordered room service once - prices were reasonable, and the food was actually really tasty (I had pasta) but there wasn't much food, next time I would get 2 courses.

What to do?
Bike ride
I most enjoyed riding a bike around the country-side. It is a very easy bike ride to the Thien Mu pagoda, where you can hop across the river on a boat (with your bike - bargain hard, these guys are much more ferocious boat drivers!). From the drop off point - TURN LEFT (the boat driver told me to ride right, which went against my judgement.... and in fact ended in me backtracking 2km to find the road! It is easy enough to ride to Tu Duc's mausoleum.

Tu Hieu Pagoda

On the way back to Hue, assuming you aren't completely over saturated with pagodas, stop off at Tu Hieu Pagoda. Set on a hill amongst pine forests it features beautiful ponds and gardens. Lovely cool spot to have a rest and sit and contemplate life.

If you want to take a packed lunch - hit up La Boulangerie Francese before you leave Hue. They take in orphans and street children and train them to bake traditional french style rolls and cakes. This is the only place I have had a decent cake!

Tombs

Tu Duc's tomb

I saw Tu Duc's tomb. This one is a pretty easy bike ride as above. I liked it, there a nice breeze, lots of wide open spaces and trees. These are all things I like. A few buildings - houses and theatres with old costumes, jeweled bonsai trees and random artifacts to look at. There is an island near the entrance with monkeys living on it.
For a few dollars you can dress up in imperial clothes and sit on the emperors throne.
There are many many tombs you can go see. I only went to the one (So far) and I feel the tours that visit all 8 would be long, expensive and tedious. But friends of mine visited 3 in a morning, and they enjoyed three - try to go to very varied ones though!

Citadel

Citadel at night during special event.

I saw the citadel at night during a special event, and it was stunning. In the daytime it is very, very hot. please go early morning or late afternoon.... otherwise you just won't be able to appreciate anything! Lots of stone and concrete to be bouncing sun off! but it's interesting, assuming you have an interest in old stuff.






Bars
For some reason, even though I don't like the drinking, partying, backpacker scene.... in Hue, I get into it. Well, I go to a bar I like, and if I meet fun people I might even keep going afterwards!
Hue backpackers Hostel - has a good bar, with good quality alcohol (No metho!) and good music, played at a volume which allows you to talk! The owner is an Aussie, and is often hanging out near the end of the bar. Lovely guy, great for a chat! They are also able to give advice and arrange tours, and I find they tend to give advice about all the ways to travel (e.g. here is the cost of local bus / train; here is a tour; here is a taxi price) rather than just pushing their own tours.
Plus, they have awesome food (I only tried the western food - it had been 3 months since I had a pizza! but I am sure their Vietnamese food is good too!), good cocktails, happy hours regularly, and giant jenga.
You can also participate in the duck egg challenge, or get a variety of favoured shots. Point is - everytime I have been there, I have had a good time!

Spa luxury
Evan - 4 pham ngu lao street
Know that spa services in Vietnam aren't for everyone. Privacy and inappropriate touching locations are not what you would get in a western spa! If you can't deal with getting undressed while someone stands next to you waiting and watching..... go to a fancy hotel with a more expensive spa!

I got the massage and body scrub. It wasn't perfect - I wanted the massage and mudwrap. But I ended up with a scrub and it was good. The woman had very, very strong hands and gave a good strong massage!
But there was a fair bit of one handed massage while texting someone. - I was also told by some friends who got massages later that they felt the massage was too soft, but I don't think any of them told their person the be harder.

But the massage was good, the scrub was nice, and I feel well pampered and soft! The spa has air-conditioning which was very needed! Lockers in the treatment room to store your handbag and very comfortable soft mattresses on the treatment beds.


Scams
Cyclo and motorbike taxi's are extremely persistent here! Much more than anywhere else I have been. However, if you politely say no once, then completely ignore them - or say Toi di Bo (I am walking). they lose interest. If one harrasses you - DO NOT GET IN IT! this just teaches them that if they harass and keep annoying you, you will give in.
I have also heard of people agreeing to go for a one hour cyclo ride around the city, assuming the ride would return to the original place, but instead finding themselves in the middle of nowhere, and the driver demanding more money to take you back. Either stay in the cyclo and refuse to give him more money - (assuming you were clear at the start that the tour would return to the same place). Of get out, and get some other mototaxi, or some other cyclo back. Please don't reward them for their lying and scheming!

Incense making village on the bike ride to Tu Duc's tomb 

Should I travel to Vietnam during Tet?

I spoke with another group of travellers who I met the week after Tet.....
They asked how my Tet was, and I raved excited. Friendly people, celebration, eating, music, eating.
I looked at them closer, They looked tired, and brow beaten... oh, yeah... how has that gone for you guys... I was specifically told not to travel during Tet. Interesting, none of the guidebooks say, in giant red letters (or any letters), do not travel during Tet!

Problems with travelling

Buses and trains are full of people traveling to see families. If buses aren't already full... It's because there are 30 people in an 18 seater. This works by a combination, many people on each seat, and these little metal stools they put in the walkway when they run out of seats. You may also pay a lot more for your tickets. Or if you choose to hire a car and driver instead the cost may be a lot more than you expect!

Reputable businesses, especially tourist companies are closed.
 If the company is open for business, the staff are likely unhappy as they are not making the once year pilgrimage home to see family. And instead of starting the year happy and relaxing, they are working and angry. So, either be ready to tip them well.... or be ready for a tour with a surly tour guide.

It also becomes more impossible to tell, am I paying more because Tet (prices do rise, significantly for some things), am I paying more because white, is it both?


I really felt for this poor family, they had bad travel timing, and by the sounds also the worst luck with people trying to scam them ($5 for a coconut? Seems excessive). but, they laughed about it, remembered the great parts of travelling and had a memorable family holiday!

So, remember... don't try to move around during Tet! Take a few days off to relax in one place, you might even get invited to a local party that way!

So:
Being in Vietnam during Tet is an amazing experience! You will see amazing sites, like motorbikes with whole trees of giant pots of flowers going past. Tet is a time of new beginnings, so people all want to start the year happy, and generously. Any mistakes of the last year or fights with other people are forgotten. Most people have time off work and return to their home village to visit family and pay homage to ancestors.

For me, the atmosphere in Vietnam during Tet was amazing!! - but I wasn't trying to travel around until the 4th day  of the new lunar year and I spent time with local families.

My plans mean I am in Vietnam during Tet..... What do I do?

I would recommend finding somewhere to hunker down. Don't try to travel from one city to another, or if you absolutely must - book in advance! But if you just find a town that you are happy to spend 3 days in, maybe sitting by the beach or in the country. Just stay put. Chances are, if you go walking through the streets, or in the country you will be invited in for Tet Lunch!

If you do go into a house during Tet, eat something. Anything. Otherwise it is quite rude and as if you are snobbing them / their food. This seems easy, but gets harder when you are invited into a dozen homes in a single afternoon! Also, LEARN A FEW WORDS! just hello (xin Chao), and Chuc Mung Nam Moi (happy new year). It isn't THAT hard to learn 2 of three phrases, and is much more polite. Plus, local people will love it if you shout CHUC MUNG NAM MOI in reply to their calls of happy new year!

Lucky Money

It is also traditional to give Tet gifts. Usually only to children and the elderly.... but you can be sure you won't offend if you just give to the children. This is a money gift, amounts vary but 20 000VND for most children is fine. Traditionally these are new crisp bills put into a red envelope. You can buy the envelopes very easily at lots of shops. Or if you don't get the envelopes that's fine too and just give the kids some money. Make sure you have LOTS of 20K notes before you start.... nothing would be worse than running out with two kids left. This is called lucky money and is usually all saved up

Holiday surcharges and tips

Usually at least a few coffee shops or restaurants will be open. Dont worry if the bill seems a little higher - you would expect to pay more in most Western countries on Christmas day, so don't fight it here!
If you seem to be in a very small town and are worried - just buy some bread and jam for the first day of tet. That's the day things are most likely to be closed. After that the little shops will start to return to business.

Be generous with Tips and payment during the first week or so. Traditionally how someones business fairs straight after tet "set's the tone" for the coming year. So make them happy and give a better tip. You might even find that some businesses won't have set prices, you pay what you think they deserve (again, this is setting the tone for the year). So try to forget about your ideas that Vietnam-will-be-incredibly-cheap and just remember what it would have cost you at home -> even with the Tet increase I am sure it is still much much cheaper!!!!

Calendar confusion

Vietnam traditionally used a lunar calendar. They switched to the gregorian calendar to be on-par with the Western world. However still use the lunar calendar for tracking festivals and holidays, as well as the best days to pray etc. The exact date of Tet will vary each year as the Lunar calendar varies.
You also need to be very clear if you are booking something or talking with people about dates. For example, if Tet begins on the 30th of Jan - That is now the 1st day of the lunar year. So if you want to check out of you hotel and say on the 1st we will check out. They may check you out on the 30th Jan, instead on the 1st of Feb. I found that the most confusing part of Tet as in 2014 it fell on the 31st of Jan. So The people I was staying with would be talking about things happening on the first, and we constantly had to clarify, 1st Feb.... or 1st of new lunar year (31st jan)


Most of all, Enjoy the atmosphere, wish people a happy new year, and be generous!