Tomb Raiding in Hue

On the way to the Imperial City of Hue, our bus stopped at the Marble Mountains; five majestic volcanic (extinct) peaks famed for extraction of it's namesake. We entered what seemed to be a small hole in the front of the mountain only to walk into a tardis. The cave stretched all the way through and all the way up, making the mountain practically hollow!

The journey between Denang and Hue was stunning; the mountains were thick with greenery and, shrouded in mist, the leaves flashed silver as the light reflected against the undergrowth. Certainly the further north we travel in Vietnam, the more beautiful the landscape becomes.

The imperial city of Hue itself is surrounded by a huge seven metre-high wall to protect the inner city (although ironically the town was a major target for US bombers during the war). It looked like the Vietnamese version of Chester! Our day in Hue was spent sailing the Perfume River and exploring the UNESCO sights along the banks. The tombs of the former emperors of the Vietnamese dynasties were interesting but we were all 'tombed out' by the end of the day and glad to be heading to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.