Litter mars beauty of Vietnam’s scenic Vong Canh Hill after Tet visits

The 43-meter-high hill lies about seven kilometers southwest of the city center, overlooking a sweeping bend of the river that is especially striking at sunset.

The site is surrounded by the Nguyen Dynasty’s royal tombs, including those of Emperors Dong Khanh, Tu Duc, and Thieu Tri, along with other royal mausoleums, and sits opposite the Hon Chen Temple, forming part of Hue’s distinctive cultural landscape.

In recent years, Hue authorities have invested in landscaping, planting more trees, and building stone walkways to enhance the visitor experience.

Despite the improvements, a corner of the pine forest near the path leading up the hill is now littered with plastic bottles, single-use cups, and bags, even next to public trash bins.

Some visitors said that much of the waste appears to come from nearby cafés that have placed tables and chairs under the pine trees without authorization.

After eating and drinking, some customers reportedly left their trash behind.

Nguyen Minh, a tourist visiting the site, said he felt saddened to see waste scattered at such a well-known attraction.

He added that Hue has promoted environmental campaigns encouraging residents and visitors to pick up litter to keep the city clean, yet some individuals continue to show poor awareness.

Le Nhu Chinh, director of the Hue Green Parks Center, said authorities are aware of the situation.

He emphasized that cafés are not permitted to set up tables under the pine forest and promised immediate inspections and corrective measures.

In addition to the trash problem, some visitors reported that motorcycles occasionally enter the pedestrian stone walkways around the hill, with young riders revving engines despite the presence of walkers, posing potential safety risks.