Lam Kinh Royal Complex

Lam Kinh was the home ground of the Le family, who took the throne in the fifteenth century and had their ancestral temples and burial ground laid out here rather than in the capital. The plan survives more clearly than the buildings: a stream crossed by an arched bridge, a paved approach, the excavated foundations of the main halls, and behind them a scatter of low grass-covered tomb mounds, each reached between pairs of small stone officials, tigers and rhinos worn smooth by weather. Several stelae stand on stone tortoises, the largest carrying a long inscription. Old trees shade most of the site, which is unusual and welcome in this part of the country.

What to look for

• Vinh Lang stele - a tall inscribed slab on a stone tortoise near the first of the tombs.
• The tomb avenues - low mounds flanked by small stone officials and animals.
• The main hall foundations - excavated column bases and platforms, partly rebuilt in timber.
• The stream and arched bridge - the old approach across the water into the complex.

When to go

October to April is the comfortable season. The site is large and mostly shaded, making it one of the few places in Thanh Hoa that stays bearable in warmer months. Mornings are quiet apart from school outings. The Le festival falls in the eighth lunar month and brings crowds and processions. Allow two hours plus the drive.

Before you go

The main hall is a modern reconstruction on old foundations, which sits awkwardly beside the genuinely old stelae and tombs. The tombs themselves are plain grass mounds rather than monuments. Signage is in Vietnamese with limited English. Reaching the site without a car is awkward, and the complex is spread out enough to involve a fair amount of walking.

Nearby

The Ho dynasty citadel is under an hour to the northeast.