Ca Hue-one of the most revered genres in the traditional Vietnamese music-is difficult to overlook.

This journey into local music will extend your experience of Hue charming culture. As the evening has worn on every main streets of Hue City, you are likely to enjoy the purr of scooters, and cyclos, calls of street vendors, chatting and laughter around roadside stalls, and clicks from camera shutters as goggle-eyed tourists capture the city's balmy atmosphere.

However, if you find yourself wandering along the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Walking Street near the Perfume River, or the Park 3/2 located on Le Loi Street, another impressive sound might catch your ear. Being different from dan ca, a popular form of folk music that used to be demonstrated by the villagers, and enjoyed by throughout the festivities, hat a dao, ca hue, and don ca tai tu have origins as high-class entertainment, and are categorized as the forms of chamber music specific to northern, central and southern Vietnam respectively.

During the Vietnamese historical timeline, hat a daoor also called ca truis an ancient music genre that is very popular in Northern Vietnam, remaining its existence from Ly Dynasty until the period of the Later Le Dynasty, and the reign of Trinh Lord. When the Nguyen Dynasty decided to move the capital from Thang Long in the North to Thuan Hoa (it is Hue today) in central Vietnam, many far-reaching consequences and influences followed.

Particularly, this movement contributed to the social, and cultural transformation. Many elites, and cultured men including musicians, singers, and composers were attracted to leave the North, and settle in the new capital. Hue therefore became a haven where they were able to express, and nurture their talents, as well as pursue their career. It madehat a daoof the North finds its way to reach Hue capital; however, it was then adapted, and integrated with the local linguistic elements, as well as regional stories, themes, and local culture of Hue. This created a new music genre of ca Hue. For many scholars, and ethnomusicologists, ca Hue is a version of hat a dao belonging to Hue people. So if you want to try this local musical performance, you can rent a dragon boat with the local artists playing for you.