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What is a dragon boat dinner cruise on the Perfume River?

A dragon boat dinner cruise on the Perfume River isn’t your typical touristy dinner thing — it’s a mix of slow moments, old Hue charm, and just enough quirky surprises to keep you from zoning out. You’re not here for the food alone, but the whole vibe: the boat, the river, the music, the feeling of being somewhere else.

See more details >>> Dinner Cruise on the Dragon Boat with Hue Folk Songs on the Perfume River

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Let me paint it for you. You hop on one of these long, narrow boats carved and painted to look like a dragon — the kind you’d see in a Vietnamese folk painting or on some old imperial decor in the citadel. They’ve been around for decades. Not the same boats, of course, but the tradition. Locals still call them “thuyền rồng.” The seats are basic. Nothing fancy. Some have been retrofitted with LED lights — borderline tacky, but charming in their way.

The cruise usually kicks off around 6:30 pm from the Toa Kham wharf, right in the middle of Hue. That stretch of the river is calm, kind of glassy. In the dry season (say, March to August), the water’s low and quiet. In the rainy season, especially October and November, the river gets a little wild — wouldn’t recommend going during a downpour.

Now, the dinner part. You’ll get a set menu — think steamed rice, grilled pork skewers, fried spring rolls, stir-fried vegetables, and maybe a bowl of lotus seed soup for dessert if the boat’s feeling fancy. Prices vary. Basic tours go for about 250,000 VND per person (~ USD 10), but if you want something more private or have more than four people, you can book a full boat for around 1 million VND. Don’t expect fine dining. But the food’s warm, the beer’s cold (usually), and there’s something oddly comforting about eating while the boat gently sways under dim lanterns.

What makes it special — or at least different — is the live ca Hue performance. That’s traditional chamber music from Hue. Think soft vocals, a bit melancholic, usually played with dan tranh (16-string zither), dan nguyet (moon lute), and sometimes a monochord. The singers wear áo dài, the old-school kind with long sleeves and graceful, slow movements. It’s not loud or showy. It’s the kind of music that makes you pause mid-bite and just sit with whatever you’re feeling.

Once, in April 2025, I was on a boat with two Japanese travelers and a family from Da Nang. It started raining halfway through. Drizzle. The kind that blurs out the city lights just enough to make it all feel like a dream. We stopped talking. Just listened. No one said a word for maybe fifteen minutes. That moment stuck.

There are nights when the cruise feels magical. Others, when it drags a bit, especially if you’re tired or not into traditional music. But if you’re the kind of person who enjoys watching the city from a different angle, hearing a bit of history in song, and letting the slow pace wash over you, this might be your kind of night.

Skip it if you’re after a wild party. Try it if you’re in the mood to slow down and feel Hue breathe a little.