Chuon Lagoon, situated around eight kilometers from Hue, Vietnam’s former imperial capital, is almost untouched by tourism and well worth a field trip. 

When it comes to Hue, people often think about imperial palaces, royal tombs and French-influenced heritage sites, but Chuon Lagoon is a place absolutely not-to-be-missed, many would argue.

The 100-hectare lagoon is part of the Tam Giang brackish water lagoon system in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue, home to Hue, the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), Vietnam's last royal family.

Makeshift bamboo shacks serve as accommodation for visitors who want to get a closer look at local life.

Early morning is the busiest time of the day in the hidden lagoon as fishermen row boats full of fish and other catch back to shore after a night out.

Over the last few years, photographers have been converging on this place, tipped off by word of mouth. It is generally agreed that 5.30 a.m. to 7 a.m. is the most ideal time of the day to shoot pictures at the Chuon Lagoon.

Restaurants in Chuon Lagoon are bamboo stilt houses floating in the water, a distinctive feature of the place.

The lagoon is also an ideal place for visitors to watch dazzling sunsets. 

Fishing is the main vocation of the lagoon’s residents who live in their boats all year round. 

Fishermen start catching fish at around 6 p.m. when the sun goes down, and go on until 6 a.m, bringing baskets of seafood to the morning market.

Banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake) served with kinh fish, a specialty of Hue and caught in abundance in Chuon Lagoon, is a must for food lovers in Hue.

The kinh fish catching season runs from the fourth to the seventh lunar months. A kilogram costs around VND100,000 ($4.3) here, while large shrimp costs VND150,000 ($6.4).