Metal　oxide　nanotubes　are　believed　to　be　promising　materials　with　adsorption　functionality　for　water　purification　due　to　their　synergistic　effect　of　the　overall　microscale　morphology　for　easy　separation　and　nanoscale　surface　characters　providing　enough　surface　active　absorption　sites.　This　work　shows　the　synthesis　of　uniform　hierarchical　porous　CeO2　nanotubes　via　nanowire-directed　templating　method　and　describes　the　adsorption　behavior　of　CeO2　nanotubes　for　a　typical　azo　dye　Congo　red　which　has　resistance　to　oxidation　and　decoloration　in　natural　conditions.　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　spectra　provided　the　evidence　that　Congo　red　was　successfully　coated　on　the　surface　of　CeO2　nanotubes　by　both　bidentate-type　bridge　link　of　Ce4+　cations　from　sulfonate　SO3-groups　and　the　electrostatic　attraction　between　the　protonated　surface　generated　by　oxygen　vacancies　and　dissociated　sulfonate　groups.　The　adsorption　kinetic　data　fitted　well　to　the　pseudosecond-order　kinetic　equation,　whereas　the　Langmuir　isotherm　equation　exhibited　better　correlation　with　the　experimental　data.　The　calculated　maximum　adsorption　capacity　from　the　isothermal　model　was　362.32　mg/g.　In　addition,　the　prepared　CeO2　nanotubes　exhibited　good　recyclability　and　reusability　as　highly　efficient　adsorbents　for　Congo　red　removal　after　regeneration.　These　favorable　performances　enable　the　obtained　CeO2　nanotubes　to　be　promising　materials　for　dye　removal　from　aqueous　solution.