With the modern world often being described as a concrete jungle, you will be hard pressed to find accommodation that perfectly marries nature and human living. And yet, such a concept does exist in Hue, Vietnam. The Garden Houses of Hue were built following Feng Shui principles, and consist of typical Vietnamese homes set within beautiful gardens.

Most of the houses trace back to important and influential people in Vietnam’s history, with the houses belonging to descendents of either royalty or bureaucratic scholars who previously owned these houses. Littered with exotic flora and fauna, the gardens are well-maintained and provide a sense of tranquility and calm to anyone who takes a stroll through the gardens.

The gardens, including the houses and their layouts, have been designed to depict the harmony between man and nature, and to reflect the balance of spiritual and material life. The houses here are mainly intricately-carved wooden structures, a testament to nature being home to man, and even contain relics from the Nguyen dynasty. The altars of these homes are especially important, as the theme of respecting forefathers and maintaining traditions is a common thread amongst the choice to live in these ancestral homes. Witness the living conditions that would make any horticulturist envious by visiting the Hue’s Garden Houses.