Imperial City of Hue hosts culture games from 20 November
Published on 10/18/2026 at 08:23 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Imperial City of Hue (Dai Noi) will host court and folk games from 20 to 23 November 2026 as part of Vietnam Culture Day activities in Hue, Vietnam. The wider programme runs from 20 to 24 November, with its main day on 23 November.
Imperial City of Hue sets court games for 20 November
The programme is organised by the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre as a series of activities marking Vietnam Culture Day. The official city listing places the court and folk games space inside the Imperial City from 20 to 23 November 2026.
The listed activities include traditional court games called Dau ho, Bai vu, Xam huong and Tha tho. The wording of the programme presents them as activities for visitors to try, linking the event directly to the palace enclosure rather than to a separate city venue. The official programme for Vietnam Culture Day activities also names events at other locations in Hue.
Vietnam Culture Day connects games with the royal palace
The same programme gives 23 November a central role. At 4pm, Kien Trung Palace inside the Imperial City is scheduled to host the closing of an international sculpture residency and a painting exhibition titled Hue Landscapes. A special artistic programme celebrating Vietnamese cultural heritage and Hue royal court music is also listed for that day, although its venue is elsewhere in the city.
This arrangement places the games within a historic royal setting and adds a contemporary art element at Kien Trung Palace. The connection is significant because the Imperial City is not an isolated monument: it sits inside the wider Hue Citadel, where royal residences, palaces and ritual buildings formed part of a planned capital.
UNESCO records that Hue became the capital of unified Vietnam in 1802 and remained the political, cultural and religious centre under the Nguyen dynasty until 1945. The Perfume River runs through the capital city, Imperial City, Forbidden Purple City and Inner City. The UNESCO description of Hue identifies the Hue Monuments complex as a World Heritage property.
Visiting Imperial City of Hue: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The court and folk games are scheduled inside the Imperial City from 20 to 23 November 2026. The wider Vietnam Culture Day programme runs in Hue from 20 to 24 November 2026.
- The 23 November programme includes a 4pm closing event and painting exhibition at Kien Trung Palace inside the Imperial City. The listing does not state a separate access change for the games.
- The site is in Hue, central Vietnam, within the historic capital complex associated with the Perfume River. Vietnam’s official language is Vietnamese and its national currency is the dong.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Imperial City of Hue on social platforms
These links open searches for Imperial City of Hue on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Imperial City of Hue
When do the Vietnam Culture Day games take place at Imperial City of Hue?
The court and folk games are scheduled from 20 to 23 November 2026. They form part of a wider Hue programme running from 20 to 24 November 2026.
What is Imperial City of Hue?
It is the royal palace enclosure within the Hue Citadel and part of the UNESCO-listed Complex of Hue Monuments. The wider capital was established in 1802 and served the Nguyen dynasty until 1945.
Where is Imperial City of Hue and how do you get there?
It is in Hue, central Vietnam, within the historic capital complex crossed by the Perfume River. The official programme identifies Kien Trung Palace and the Imperial City as venues for activities on 23 November 2026.
