Tiger Arena
Tiger Arena
3.5
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3.5
60 reviews
Excellent
19
Very good
16
Average
18
Poor
4
Terrible
3
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TengCorrea
Manila, Philippines374 contributions
Jan 2023
My hostel reception told me it is not possible to go here on DIY because they have to call the guard to open it. But did so anyway and I'm glad I did. This is a unique arena as it was used for training elephants to fight with tigers. If you have sensitivity though on how animals were treated in the past, maybe this is not the site for you. Such gentle animals were trained to be weapons and tigers apparently were removed of teeth and claws. Also, it was intended for defense but eventually, it was for entertainment.
Access-wise, I was not able to get in the arena itself but was told by the locals hanging out in the area that I could go through the gate to go to the audience platform atop. Just be careful please to not hurt yourself as the gate grills are rather pointy. This is not a scam. These guys won't ask for your money. I think they just want to make sure your quick trip there is worth it.
One of them even said "elephants, elephants" which led me to this nearby temple I didn't know about. Dedicated to elephants that fought in the arena, this almost abandoned place called Long Chau is another site if you prefer the off the beaten track.
Access-wise, I was not able to get in the arena itself but was told by the locals hanging out in the area that I could go through the gate to go to the audience platform atop. Just be careful please to not hurt yourself as the gate grills are rather pointy. This is not a scam. These guys won't ask for your money. I think they just want to make sure your quick trip there is worth it.
One of them even said "elephants, elephants" which led me to this nearby temple I didn't know about. Dedicated to elephants that fought in the arena, this almost abandoned place called Long Chau is another site if you prefer the off the beaten track.
Written 15 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Blues Traveller
21 contributions
Mar 2024 • Solo
It is a little hidden, but close to the main road, with Google Maps you can't get lost, when I went the doors were closed, but some kids who were playing soccer against the main door told me how to easily sneak through a railing. Basically it is a small coliseum where they fought elephants against tigers. Good conservation, you can see the system of gates they had to access the sand, the animals and the rooms.
Written 24 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul D
Adelaide Hills, Australia61 contributions
Jun 2024 • Solo
Really interesting place to visit, unfortunately the gates to both the upper and lower areas were all locked but some friendly locals told me to jump the gate to the upper deck, which I did.
Worth reading the history of the arena, fairly sad from an animal welfare perspective but things were much different culturally in the 19th and early 20th century.
Well worth a short trip out of town if you're into history.
Worth reading the history of the arena, fairly sad from an animal welfare perspective but things were much different culturally in the 19th and early 20th century.
Well worth a short trip out of town if you're into history.
Written 30 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nguyễn Đức Nguyễn
Hanoi, Vietnam135 contributions
Mar 2024 • Solo
It's free to go and not too far from the main town and some of the tombs.I hope the government would open it back soon and turn into a tourist site with 3d display of how the tigers and elephants fought.
Written 22 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kon n
bkk1,975 contributions
Mar 2014 • Solo
Hổ quyền or Tigers Arena was the arena where show elephants fright tigers before the Emperor and family. It is provide for the amusement of The Nguyen Dynasty around 74 years.from 1830 (King Minh Mang)-1904(King Thanh Thai). Ho Quyen stand on the south bank of the Perfume river at 388 Bùi Thị Xuân, Thủy Biều, Hue, Huế, Vietnam, 4 km from the citadel.
A construction be solidly built as a citadel, open air. This Ancient Arena is a specail building that is not roman's property but is roman style building which be a rarity in the history of Asian architecture. It consists of two thick, circular walls around an earthen rampart, with stairs leading to the top of the wall, one set reserved for the Emporer and his family, and another for the rest of the court and commoners. Opposite the royal rostrum there are five tiger cages where there are still claw marks visible in the plaster walls.
In fighten game, elephant will alway win tiger. If it can't battle tiger, new elephant will be change till tiger is lose although tiger was drugged and had its claws and fangs removed first.
This animal combat is symbolic represents the power of Emperor through elepahant is the monarchy and tiger is rebellion!
Nowaday, royal vietnamese colosseum is decline, people can't walk to a top and arena's entrance gate locked. However, you can ask to inside from one authorities who see at here and imagine to the Nguyen Emperor's glorious day...
A construction be solidly built as a citadel, open air. This Ancient Arena is a specail building that is not roman's property but is roman style building which be a rarity in the history of Asian architecture. It consists of two thick, circular walls around an earthen rampart, with stairs leading to the top of the wall, one set reserved for the Emporer and his family, and another for the rest of the court and commoners. Opposite the royal rostrum there are five tiger cages where there are still claw marks visible in the plaster walls.
In fighten game, elephant will alway win tiger. If it can't battle tiger, new elephant will be change till tiger is lose although tiger was drugged and had its claws and fangs removed first.
This animal combat is symbolic represents the power of Emperor through elepahant is the monarchy and tiger is rebellion!
Nowaday, royal vietnamese colosseum is decline, people can't walk to a top and arena's entrance gate locked. However, you can ask to inside from one authorities who see at here and imagine to the Nguyen Emperor's glorious day...
Written 14 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tong C
Hue, Vietnam11 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
Bricks for Tiger Arena in Project United for Wildlife
(Should write names of sponsors and players on every bricks)
Trophy 🏆 should be elephant 🐘 or tiger 🐅 (we protect them)
Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc is supporting United for Wildlife from Prince William
Written 4 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Morten Dahl L
Copenhagen, Denmark13 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
We went there before noon - by foot. Interesting walk through the outskirts of Hue - but we shouldn't have gone at all.
The sight seems closed - maybe it is being restored?
It definetly has the potential of becoming interesting, especially if they do something like the VR experience at the Palace.
But now it just isn't worth the trip!
(The neighbours seem friendly though)
The sight seems closed - maybe it is being restored?
It definetly has the potential of becoming interesting, especially if they do something like the VR experience at the Palace.
But now it just isn't worth the trip!
(The neighbours seem friendly though)
Written 15 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
benjamin h
Toowoomba, Australia182 contributions
May 2018 • Friends
We went to see this but it was all locked up being restored. I hope it is made authentic when they fix it and doesn’t detract from the authenticity of it.
Written 14 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ciaraandgary
Ireland89 contributions
Feb 2016 • Couples
This is one of the out-of-the way sights that not a lot of tourists see. Here the emperor Minh Mang used to pit his elephants against tigers (the tigers were de-clawed just before the fight so that the elephants would win - tigers were a sign of revolution against the emperors, therefore could never be seen to win). These gladiator-style fights took place yearly.
inside the arena you can see the tiger enclosures, complete with tiger claw marks on the walls - absolutely huge markings.
just further along the road you can find the elephant shrine at Long Chau temple - quite rundown and has some cows grazing on it, but it is where the elephants used to be taken to bathe afterwards, and were buried nearby when they died. Quite an interesting little place.
inside the arena you can see the tiger enclosures, complete with tiger claw marks on the walls - absolutely huge markings.
just further along the road you can find the elephant shrine at Long Chau temple - quite rundown and has some cows grazing on it, but it is where the elephants used to be taken to bathe afterwards, and were buried nearby when they died. Quite an interesting little place.
Written 21 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wanderer22628690181
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam2 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
Fantastic place, but you'll need a guide to get a security chap to let you in. We were advised to offer 30,000 VND, which he seemed happy with.
Written 3 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tiger Arena is one of destination-to-go in Hue city. You can book a full-day tour to visit this place. This trip starts at a local coffee shop for welcome and tour briefing. Then you can continue your tour by riding to Thuy Bieu village to visit Tiger Arena and The Palace of Crying Elephants and having lunch with locals. After that, come back to the city by boat.
Written 23 November 2017
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