The second tomb that we visited in Hue was the tomb of Emperor Minh Mang. This tomb complex is considered one of the finest complexes of the Nguyen Dynasty tombs. The buildings are laid out along a central axis and are flanked by by two large man made lakes. A third lake separates the main buildings from the actual tomb area. As seen from above, the lakes form the rough outline of a body with the round tomb area where the head would be.
The overall effect of the buildings, gardens and lakes is a serene contemplative atmosphere. Walking trails surround the large lakes and the total length of nature trails is several miles.
The main set of buildings are symmetrical around a central axis with a formal feel. The garden at the end of buildings just before the Tan Nuyet Lake is set in the shape of the Chinese longevity symbol that is a major feature of all the tombs.
As we were leaving this tomb, we greeted a group of Australian tourists that we had seen at the restaurant the previous night. In fact all day, we kept coming across the same people that were on roughly the same itenerary as us. Vietnam is an increasing popular tourist destination for Australians.
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