Khai Dinh tomb – a highlight of Hue city tour

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Beside Hue royal palace and Thien Mu pagoda, Hue is famous for the complex of royal tombs located outside of the center. In all of royal tombs in Hue, Khai Dinh tomb is always listed in the itinerary of all tourists coming here because of its unique architecture With special style of construction and decoration, the tomb attracts a big number of people on their journey of doing Hue city tour

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» Thien Mu pagoda in Hue

History of Khai Dinh tomb

Khai Dinh king is the 12th king of Nguyen dynasty. In 9 years ruling the country from 1916 to 1925, the king came to Europe many times and he was influenced by the architecture and the art of western countries. The king then decided to have a unique tomb built in the style he liked for himself to rest in peace. The tomb started to be built in 1920 and finished in 1931. It was the longest time to finish a royal tomb because of the big construction and sophisticated decoration which make Khai Dinh tomb different from the others.

khai dinh tomb
Khai Dinh tombPhoto by Hue Vacations

 

What are special things about Khai Dinh tomb

The first impression on tourists when they see Khai Dinh tomb is a big construction with 127 steps from the bottom to the main palace. The tomb from far distance looks like a castle in Europe hiding itself in a pine forest but when people come closer, they can see eastern details at every corner.

Khai Dinh tombPhoto by Hue Vacations

Oppsite to the black and white color outside, the inside decoration of Khai Dinh tomb has hundreds of colors from ceramic bought from Japan and China. Although the mosaic decoration is the style from Europe, the details of dragons, cloud and flowers are from Viet Nam’s culture. The combination of two style reflects the personality of Khai Dinh king, a Vietnamese king influenced by European architecture and culture. On the ceiling of Thien Dinh palace, the painting “ nine dragons in cloud” is a masterpiece of the country because it was painted by feet. The painter Phan Van Tanh was really talented artist to use his feet to finish a lively painting on the big ceiling. It is still a big question about how a person could create such an amazing artwork.

One more special thing about Khai Dinh tomb is that it does not have any space for the lakes and garden. The whole area is the big building from concrete and ceramic. This is the difference between this royal tomb and the others.

How long is the visit to Khai Dinh tomb?

The tomb itself is not on a big surface ( only 1 hectare) but the construction is big. Tourists have to walk up a lot of stairs to reach the main palace. Besides, the whole construction is full of sophisticated details which impress all visitors. Although it does not take you much time to finish the walk in the tomb, it takes more time to stay there and enjoy its charm and the art here. 40 minutes or 60 minutes is enough to visit this special place and you can use your time for the royal tombs nearby.

Khai Dinh tombPhoto by Hue Vacations

How to visit Khai Dinh tomb?

The tomb is located 11km from city center. Nowadays, the road to the tomb is big and in good condition, so Tourists can use scooter, car or bicycle to reach the tomb. Because it is not so far from the other royal tombs, it is a good idea to organize a trip to visit all famous royal tombs in one day. With Hue city tour full day, tourists can go to the most famous places of interest in Hue and learn many things about Hue from local tour guide. The Hue city tour is the best option for those who want to see many places with the most convenience

When is the best time to visit Khai Dinh tomb

Khai Dinh Tomb has different style from traditional tombs which are rather flat. To visit Khai Dinh tomb, tourists have to climb up 127 steps to reach the main palace. Because it is hot in summer, visiting the tombs from 10 am till 2pm in summer is not a good choice. Early morning or late afternoon are the best time of the day to visit Khai Dinh tomb, which is opened from 7 am till 5pm.

Tour to Khai Dinh tomb

Khai Dinh tomb - Hue city tour
Khai Dinh tombPhoto by Hue Vacations

There are many tours including Khai Dinh tomb in the itinerary such as : biking tour, motorcycle tour, car tour… Biking tour and motorcycle tour are suitable for those who want to see the city and countryside clearly by moving slowly on two-wheel vehicle, car tour is more convenient because it can help tourists avoid the heat in summer and rain in winter. The most popular tour to visit Khai Dinh tomb is Hue city tour full day, which give tourists the chance to see not only Khai Dinh tomb but also many more beautiful places in Hue.

Beside Khai Dinh tomb, Hue has many beautiful landscapes and monuments worth seeing. Taking a Hue city tour will make your time in Hue memorable and meaningful. If you would like to have more information , please contact us, Hue Vacations company