Cafeography
Huế · Thủy Xuân & Phường Đúc

Cafés in Thủy Xuân & Phường Đúc

Pine hills toward the royal tombs: the incense road, Vọng Cảnh hill and Phường Đúc's bronze casters.

Photo: Dương Nhân, Pexels License

Thủy Xuân is where Huế's streets give out into pine hills and Nguyễn tombs. Since July 2025 it has been a larger ward made of the old Thủy Biều, Thủy Bằng and Thủy Xuân wards, while neighboring Phường Đúc went to Thuận Hóa.1 Tự Đức's tomb, built from 1864 to 1867, was the emperor's palace retreat while he was alive, and he went on living in its buildings for the rest of his life.2

Its cafés run from one that opens at 05:00 to a tea house that keeps afternoon hours. Most are on or near Lê Ngô Cát and Huyền Trân Công Chúa, the route from the center to Vọng Cảnh hill.3

Local tip: Start at Ngói cafe, which opens at 05:00, then ride up Huyền Trân Công Chúa to see the incense sticks fanned out along the road before the heat builds.

At a glance

39Cafés listed
7With opening hours
05:00Earliest opening
22:00Latest closing
  • Opens earliest: Ngói cafe, from 05:00 (Daily 05:00–22:00).
  • Closes latest: MINH Cà Phê, until 22:00 (Daily 06:00–22:00).
  • Most listed streets: Bùi Thị Xuân (5), Đường Lê Ngô Cát (5), Lê Ng. Cát (3).
  • Most common features: open late (10%), wi-fi (10%), open by 6am (5%).

Nothing matches those filters here. See all cafés in Huế.

The incense road

Thủy Xuân's incense makers, about 7 km from the center, have worked the trade for around 700 years, and they set out their sticks along both sides of Huyền Trân Công Chúa.5 A stick has a core of split bamboo dried for days in the sun and a coat of powder mixed from cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and other spices; many households now run machines beside the hand work.5

Tiệm Cà Phê 81 at 81 Huyền Trân Công Chúa has Wi-Fi, and DeChill, open 07:00–21:00, is at number 102, the address given for Vọng Cảnh hill.3

Vọng Cảnh hill

Vọng Cảnh is a 43 m hill about 7 km south-west of the center, above a bend of the Perfume River and ringed with pines; sunset is the favored time to go up.34 Across the river stands Điện Hòn Chén, a temple to the Cham goddess Ponagar, and the tombs of Đồng Khánh, Thiệu Trị and Tự Đức are among those nearby.3

From the center, take Hoài Thanh to Lê Ngô Cát and turn right onto Huyền Trân Công Chúa; the hill is about 4 km along, and VinWonders suggests a taxi or motorbike.3 Two cafés sit on Thanh Hải: Tiệm Cà Phê Dốc Xanh at 29, with Wi-Fi, and Đồi cà phê (coffee hill) at 31.

Phường Đúc's bronze casters

Huế's bronze-casting village spreads across the old Phường Đúc ward and part of Thủy Xuân. Local casters date it to 1636, when Lord Nguyễn Phúc Lan gathered skilled smiths in one place, and 61 workshops were still working in 2023.6 They cast incense burners, bells and gongs, and larger commissions have included a 10.2 m statue of Trần Hưng Đạo.6

Cà phê Chân Cầu, in kiệt 254 off Bùi Thị Xuân, has outdoor seating, and Gió Coffee Bar is in kiệt 106 off Minh Mạng, open 07:00–21:30 with Wi-Fi.

Hours out of town

Ngói cafe opens at 05:00, earlier than any other café in Huế, and MINH Cà Phê starts at 06:00; both serve until 22:00. Vối Cafe at 106 Lê Ngô Cát opens at 06:30 and has Wi-Fi, while CÁT Coffee keeps 07:00–22:00.

Tea House @ Tịnh Trúc Gia keeps afternoon hours only, 12:00–17:30, and DeChill and Gió close by 21:30, so evenings out here are short. VinWonders recommends the dry months, May to September, for a visit to the hill.3

Sources

  1. Nghị quyết 1675/NQ-UBTVQH15 về việc sắp xếp các đơn vị hành chính cấp xã của thành phố Huế năm 2025, LuatVietnam, accessed October 2026
  2. Tomb of Tự Đức, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  3. Đồi Vọng Cảnh Huế (15 July 2025), VinWonders, accessed October 2026
  4. Vẻ đẹp lãng mạn của đồi Vọng Cảnh tại thành phố Huế (8 August 2026), VietnamPlus, accessed October 2026
  5. Nghề làm hương 700 năm (12 January 2020), VnExpress, accessed October 2026
  6. Những làng nghề nức tiếng đất cố đô, bài cuối: Vang danh Phường Đúc bảo vật (16 January 2023), Pháp Luật TP.HCM, accessed October 2026
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In Thủy Xuân & Phường Đúc, also browse: Wi-Fi Open by 6am Open late

FAQ

Thủy Xuân & Phường Đúc cafés: questions

How do you get to Vọng Cảnh hill from central Huế?

Vọng Cảnh hill is about 7 km south-west of central Huế. Take Hoài Thanh to Lê Ngô Cát, then turn right onto Huyền Trân Công Chúa; the hill is about 4 km along, at number 102. A taxi or motorbike is the suggested way there, and sunset is the favored time to go up.

What is the Thủy Xuân incense village in Huế?

Thủy Xuân is a village of incense makers about 7 km from central Huế, where the trade goes back around 700 years. Sticks with split-bamboo cores and coatings of cinnamon, cardamom and clove powder are set out along both sides of Huyền Trân Công Chúa, and many households now use machines alongside hand work.

Which cafés near the royal tombs in Huế open early?

Ngói cafe in Thủy Xuân opens at 05:00, earlier than any other café in the city, and MINH Cà Phê at 06:00; both close at 22:00. Vối Cafe at 106 Lê Ngô Cát opens at 06:30. Lê Ngô Cát is the road out toward Vọng Cảnh hill and the tombs of Tự Đức and Đồng Khánh.

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