Khai Dinh's tomb is the last great monument of the Nguyen dynasty, and it is an odd, brilliant mixture of east and west. The emperor, who reigned from 1916 until 1925 under French protection, began building it in 1920 and it took more than a decade to finish, completed by his son Bao Dai. It sits on the slope of Chau Chu mountain, a few kilometers south of Hue, and is reached by a steep flight of stone stairs guarded by dragon balustrades and rows of stone mandarins, soldiers and horses.
Inside, the tomb breaks with tradition. It is built mostly of reinforced concrete, a modern material at the time, rather than the stone and brick of earlier tombs, and the interior is covered with a dazzling mosaic of broken porcelain and colored glass. Dragons coil across the ceiling, and paintings of nine dragons float above a gilded bronze statue of the emperor. The style mixes Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian and European elements, including Gothic columns and Roman arches. Critics at the time found it excessive, and the emperor was unpopular for taxing the people to build it, but today it is one of the most photographed sights in central Vietnam.
The ride from Hue is a pleasant one. The tombs lie along the Perfume River in a countryside of pine, rice fields and low hills, reached by narrow lanes that feel a long way from the city. In the morning the light is soft and the traffic light, though the road can be busy with tour buses by midday. The wet season runs from September to December, when typhoon rain and flooding are common, and the best months for riding are from February to May.
Hue, only about seven kilometers away, has fuel stations, cafes and a good range of food, including bun bo Hue, a spicy beef noodle soup that is a local pride. The climb to the tomb takes a short time and the heat can be considerable, so bring water. A small entrance fee applies.
When you reach the top, turn around. The view over the valley and the roofs of the pagodas is a quiet reward.