Music show to celebrate the Liberation Day of Hue at the pedestrian street

A hopeful commencement

For a long time, there has not been a tourist product desired and expected by both locals and visitors like the pedestrian street network of Pham Ngu Lao - Chu Van An - Vo Thi Sau. A limited budget notwithstanding, the authorities of Hue have taken advantage of people’s resources and supports in order to embellish and upgrade the pedestrian network Pham Ngu Lao - Chu Van An - Vo Thi Sau, making it a quarter with uniform infrastructure.

Since its inauguration, the pedestrian streets have always been lively on the occasions of national holidays, Tet, and weekends. The attraction of Hue lies in this liveliness of the colorful cafés and bars, and the stone-paved and well-lighted paths, which are all consonant with integrating form of entertainment such as music, street art and Hue gastronomy.

The bustling and fun activities on Christmas Eve and New Year 2018 in the pedestrian street network Pham Ngu Lao - Chu Van An - Vo Thi Sau promises a popular destination attracting locals and visitors on special occasions of the year.

“The initial achievements prove the launch of this product to be a right direction. We are learning from experience and gradually improving the service to turn the “Western Quarter” into a unique tourism product with its own identity, distinctive from the pedestrian streets in the South and the North of the country,” said the chairperson of People’s Committee of Phu Hoi Ward, Le Thi Thanh Tam.

Commenting on the ambition of the City in the long run, the chairman of Hue People’s Committee Nguyen Van Thanh said, “we certainly can do better than what has been done to make Hue's pedestrian streets more lively and attractive, establishing a ground to turn Hue into a city ‘for those who do not sleep,’ so that visitors can experience and enjoy culture and services, and of course, spend their money, which brings more economic benefits to the city.”

The pedestrian street makes Hue no longer “a city of early sleepers”

A city of “pedestrian streets”

KOICA has reasons to decide to choose a wooden walkway project along the Huong River after reviewing several proposals. This is a project that, according to Professor Ohn Yeong Te – Chair of the project, the Korean consultants have carefully considered and expected to give Hue “a nice gift.”

It is expected that the network of pedestrian streets will be expanded, from the March 2 park, along Nguyen Dinh Chieu street and wooden-paved walkway, to Hai Ba Trung and Ly Tu Trong parks. Planners would like to have a road along the river, starting at Cho Dinh bridge, through Da Vien Bridge park, up to the garden areas of Thuy Bieu.

Moreover, Truong Tien bridge’s mission will be changed. It no longer functions as a common bridge, but a “footbridge,” a connector between the north and south banks of the Huong River, linking Chuong Duong street and Thuong Bac Park, Trinh Cong Son street, the park systems surrounding the Citadel and the roads in the neighborhood.

The success of pedestrian street network Pham Ngu Lao - Chu Van An - Vo Thi Sau is the starting point. It is still a long way towards the completion of a tourism product that is unique and distinctive from its partners in other places.

James Michael, a tourist from England, said that he was impressed by the atmosphere of fun and intimacy in the pedestrian streets. “You need to consider the pedestrian street as a body, which is mobile, lively and colorful, rather than a gathering spot full of tables and chairs for booze and all sorts of mixed sounds,” he added.

To maintain its position on the map of Vietnam tourism and make this one-kilometer-long street an indispensable destination in a tourist’s journey, the pedestrian street must be civilized, friendly, secure and safe.

Story: Quan Phong - Photos: Tam Hue