This pin marks roughly where we boarded a dragon boat on the Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda. We didn’t book in advance. We simply walked down to the river, spoke directly with a boat driver, and negotiated a return trip on the spot.

The boat took us up the river to Thien Mu Pagoda and back, which made the journey feel like part of the experience rather than just transport. The ride itself was calm and relaxed, and worked well with kids.

While I don't remember what we paid, based on a little google research it should be around 500,000 - 800,000 VND ($27-43 AUD) for a 1-2 hour boat ride with a driver.

Tips for visiting with kids

• This was a calm, gentle ride so it’s easily manageable with children. It actually ended up being our favourite experience in Hue.

• There were no lifejackets provided, so if this is something you're concerned about make sure to take your own.

After our journey up and down the river we popped across the road to Crew Feel Coffee for a drink and some ice cream for the kids.