A few weeks ago, my roommate, Andrew, and I visited Hue, the former capital and Imperial City of Vietnam's Nguyen Dynasty. The Nguyen Dynasty ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. In Hue, we visited the famous citadel (fortress), which served as the palace where the emperors and their families lived. The architecture, art and history of the site were incredible. After exploring the Imperial City, Andrew and I decided we wanted to get off the tourist trail and go on an adventure. We had heard about the many tombs where the Nguyen emperors were laid to rest. All of the tombs seemed fascinating for different reasons, but we only had time to visit one of them. Which tomb should we choose? Andrew and I decided to choose the tomb of the founder and first emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, Emperor Gia Long. Surprisingly, Gia Long's tomb is one of the least visited in the Hue area, despite its historical significance. And this is exactly why we chose this adventure. We wanted to visit a site that was affordable (free entry) and off the beaten path. Neither of us wanted to see flocks of tourists at the tomb. As a general rule, places with fewer tourists are more adventurous and fun.
We embarked on our motorbike journey to the tombs in the morning.
