Emperor Tu Duc enjoyed the longest reign of any monarch of the Nguyen dynasty, ruling from 1848-1883. Although he had 104 wives and concubines, he was unable to father a son Thus, it fell to him to write his own epitaph on the deeds of his reign. He felt this was a bad omen, but the epitaph can still be found inscribed on the stele in the pavilion just to the east of the Emperor's tomb. and had to be brought here from a quarry over 500 kilometers away- Tu Duc began planning his tomb long before his death in 1883. The major portions of the tomb complex were completed from 1864-1867, along with future temple buildings that served as a palatial retreat for Tu Duc and his many wives during his lifetime. Construction of the tomb demanded so much corvee labor and extra taxation that there was an abortive coup against Tu Duc in 1866. This was put down, and for the remainder of his life, Tu Duc continued to use the tomb's palace buildings as his place of residence.

depending on time, we will have a brief stop there for you to take photos from this great vantage point. You will see Da Nang on one side and the beaches and villages on the way to Hue on the other side

Thien Mu Pagoda considered by many as the unofficial symbol of Hue. Thien Mu is an active Buddhist monastery with origins dating back to 1601. One of its most poignant displays is a car belonging to a former monk, who in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime.