The simplest way to reach Thuy Xuan incense village is by taxi or Grab from central Hue: about 7 km, roughly 20 minutes, and around 100,000 to 130,000 VND each way in 2026. Ask for the incense village on Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street, on the road to Tu Duc Tomb.
A motorbike or bicycle works too, since the route is short and mostly flat until the pine hills. Public buses do not serve it usefully. The harder part is not getting there but finding a family at work once you arrive, which is covered at the end of this guide.
Skip the transport question entirely
Our half day collects you at your Hue hotel, takes you into a working incense yard and brings you back. Private car, licensed local guide.
★Thuy Xuan Incense Village Half-Day TourRoll your own incense with a Thuy Xuan family, then Tu Hieu Pagoda among the pines and the lake pavilion of Tu Duc Tomb. · About 4.5 hoursSee the tour →Hue Craft Villages Full-Day TourIncense at Thuy Xuan, lunch in a Kim Long garden house, a private dragon boat down the Perfume River and woodblock prints in Sinh village. · About 8.5 hoursSee the tour →Your options at a glance
| Option | Time from central Hue | Cost (September 2026) | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi or Grab car | about 20 min | about 100,000–130,000 VND each way | most visitors |
| Grab bike | about 20 min | roughly half the car fare | solo travellers travelling light |
| Rented motorbike | about 20 min | around 120,000–150,000 VND a day | confident riders combining several stops |
| Bicycle | about 35–45 min | hotel bikes are often free or cheap | fit riders in the cool morning |
| Private car and guide | door to door | see our tour pages | anyone who wants the yards, not only the road |
By taxi or Grab
Grab works well in Hue and shows the fare before you book. Enter “Lang Huong Thuy Xuan” or Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street as the destination. If you want to continue to Tu Hieu Pagoda or Tu Duc Tomb, ask the driver to wait; many will for a modest extra, which saves hunting for a return ride in the pine hills.
Coming back is the weak point. Cars are easy to call from the incense road in daytime but can take longer in the late afternoon, so agree a return with your driver if you are staying past five.
By motorbike or bicycle
From the Perfume River, follow Dien Bien Phu Street southwest, then the signs towards Tu Duc Tomb. The road climbs gently into the pine hills and the incense displays appear on both sides. Traffic is light by Hue standards, but the road is shared with tour coaches, so ride defensively.
Cycling is pleasant before nine in the morning. By midday in summer the heat on the open stretches is hard work, and the rain from October to December makes the road slick.
What to do when you arrive
The first displays you see are set out for photographs, and the families there will welcome you. To see incense actually being made, walk a little further along the road and look behind the houses for trays of paste and people on low stools; ask politely before entering a yard. Mornings are when most families roll. Our complete guide to Thuy Xuan explains what you are looking at.
Want someone to arrange the yard?
We collect you at your hotel, take you to a family that is rolling that day, and translate the whole visit. Tu Hieu Pagoda and Tu Duc Tomb follow on the same road.
Thuy Xuan Incense Village Half-Day TourAbout 4.5 hoursSee the tour →Hue Craft Villages Full-Day TourAbout 8.5 hoursSee the tour →Getting there: common questions
Is there a bus to Thuy Xuan?
Not a practical one. City buses do not run a useful route to the incense road, so a taxi, Grab or motorbike is the realistic choice.
Can I walk from Hue?
It is about 7 km each way on roads without much pavement. It is possible, but most of the walk is along traffic rather than through anything worth seeing.
Where exactly should I tell the driver to go?
Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street in Thuy Xuan, the incense village on the road to Tu Duc Tomb. Most drivers know it by name.
How long should I plan in total?
Allow about 20 minutes each way plus at least an hour in the village if you want to see incense being made, more if you continue to Tu Hieu Pagoda or Tu Duc Tomb.
From your hotel lobby to the incense yard
Choose your tour and group size. Free cancellation up to 3 days before; every ticket and workshop included.
★Thuy Xuan Incense Village Half-Day TourRoll your own incense with a Thuy Xuan family, then Tu Hieu Pagoda among the pines and the lake pavilion of Tu Duc Tomb. · About 4.5 hoursfrom$44/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$115BOOK →2 guests$135BOOK →3 guests$155BOOK →4 guests$175BOOK →See the full tour page →Hue Craft Villages Full-Day TourIncense at Thuy Xuan, lunch in a Kim Long garden house, a private dragon boat down the Perfume River and woodblock prints in Sinh village. · About 8.5 hoursfrom$93/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$235BOOK →2 guests$280BOOK →3 guests$325BOOK →4 guests$370BOOK →See the full tour page →Fares and travel times checked in September 2026; taxi and Grab prices change with demand and traffic.