First published August 2025 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle | Read time 14 minutes
Tom Divers is the founder and creator of Vietnam Coracle. In 2005 he moved from his native London to Vietnam, where he has been living, working and travelling ever since. He pays rent in Ho Chi Minh City but is more often on the road, riding his motorbike a quarter of a million kilometres across Vietnam to research guides to the farthest-flung corners of the nation. When he’s not in the saddle, you’ll find him on a beach with a margarita, in a tent on a mountainside or at a streetside noodle house: in other words, at the ‘office’. Read more about Tom: Q&A, About Page, Vietnam Tourism website.
At an unremarkable junction on the Ho Chi Minh Road near Lam Sơn hamlet, not far from Thọ Xuân Airport, is the final resting place of Lê Lợi (1385-1433), one of Vietnam’s most revered national heroes. Hidden amongst tall trees – shimmering with cicadas in the heavy heat of north-central Vietnam – Lam Kinh is an important and atmospheric historical site that, although well-known to many Vietnamese, is rarely visited by foreign travellers. Nestled in a bend in the Chu River, Lam Kinh is an ancient compound comprising temples and tombs of emperors and empresses from the Lê Dynasty (1428-1789), scattered over large, peaceful grounds, including lakes, streams and forests. At the centre of the complex is the mausoleum of Lê Lợi, who founded the Lê Dynasty in 1428 having led a 10-year uprising (1418-1427) to defeat the occupying Ming Dynasty Chinese. Upon victory, Lê Lợi was crowned emperor in Thăng Long (Hanoi) and ordered construction of a citadel and stronghold in his hometown, Lam Sơn, the site of which became known as Lam Kinh. Also referred to by his imperial title, Lê Thái Tổ, the name of Lê Lợi will be familiar to anyone who has travelled in Vietnam: roads are named after him in every town and city in the nation, as well as temples and shrines where he is still worshipped to this day. In the pantheon of Vietnamese national heroes, Lê Lợi stands very near, if not at, the top.
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LAM KINH: TOMB OF LÊ LỢI
Elegant & Dignified Mausoleum Complex of a Revered Emperor
Like many such historical sites in Vietnam, Lam Kinh is well-maintained, attractively presented and low-key. Even if you have little interest in the history, Lam Kinh is still a pleasant place to visit, stroll around and admire the monuments. The entrance is at the intersection of Lê Thái Tổ and Phạm Thị Ngọc Trần streets. Tickets (30,000vnđ) are purchased at the kiosk, where there are also refreshments and souvenirs available. Visitors are issued with an illustrated leaflet (in English) and map of the site. It doesn’t matter which order you explore the complex, and there’s English-language signage throughout. An audio guide is available and you scan QR codes at each monument. Note that Lam Kinh is not just an historical site, it is an active place of worship where many Vietnamese come to pay their respects to Lê Lợi, light incense and make prayers. (See Related Posts for more guides like this, and if you like this article, please support Vietnam Coracle with a donation or become a member of my Patreon community or purchase an Offline Guide & Map.)
CONTENTS:
Setting & Historical Background
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MAP:
Lam Kinh Historical Site
Setting & Historical Background:
Lam Kinh is a 200 hectare (500 acre) site located on the flood plains of the Chu River in Thanh Hóa Province, halfway between the coast and the mountains in north-central Vietnam. The site is a temple and mausoleum complex representing a century of Lê Dynasty emperors, from 1428-1527. Lam Kinh was chosen as the site both for its strong strategic position and according to the principles of phong thủy (feng shui). A form of geomancy which dictates where a structure should be built in relation to its surroundings in order to harness the power and energy of the natural elements, phong thủy often incorporates water, trees and hills, as well as considering natural phenomena such as the direction of the prevailing wind and the position of the sunrise and sunset. Perhaps because of this, the site of Lam Kinh today feels peaceful, pleasant, harmonious and dignified.
The site has been excavated and restored since the 1990s. Indeed, Lam Kinh in its present form has only been open to the public since 2012, and the main temple hall only opened in 2022. The restoration appears to have been sensitive, faithful and successful. Like many such historical sites in Vietnam, Lam Kinh is well-maintained, attractive, unpretentious and surprisingly low-key considering the significance that the figure of Lê Lợi holds in Vietnamese history and national identity.
Lam Kinh is also known as Lam Sơn, the hometown of Lê Lợi. This was the cradle of the ‘Lam Sơn Uprising’, a revolt led by Lê Lợi against the occupying Chinese Ming Dynasty forces in 1418. The revolt lasted 10 yeas until, in 1427, Lê Lợi was victorious and the Lê Dynasty was established. Lê Lợi was crowned emperor is Thăng Long (Hanoi) in 1428, thus founding the Lê Dynasty that would last, in one form or another, until 1789, making it the longest running imperial dynasty in Vietnamese history. However, the initial dynasty only lasted a century, until 1527, when it was temporarily broken by the brief interlude of the Mạc Dynasty. In 1533, the Lê was restored to the throne. This initial 100-year period is known as the Triều Lê Sơ (early Lê Dynasty), and it is this period that the site of Lam Kinh is most closely associated with.
At the time of Le Lợi’s coronation in Thăng Long, the city was also known as ‘Đông Kinh’ (Eastern Capital). In 1430, in order to bestow honour upon his birthplace and the site of his successful uprising, Lê Lợi renamed Lam Sơn ‘Tây Kinh’ (Western Capital), thus raising his hometown’s status and distinguishing it from the imperial seat in Đông Kinh. Today, the name ‘Lam Kinh’ is a combination of these two titles: Lam Sơn and Tây Kinh.
*Please Note: Historical information in this article is based only on my limited reading & understanding of various sources & conversations with people: I am not a historian & I cannot vouch for the accuracy of historical details in this article.
Lê Lợi Mausoleum Complex:
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After passing through the ticket kiosk, bear right going due north across a handsome stone bridge over the Sông Ngọc moat to enter the citadel compound. The pathway leads north passed an ancient well and through stone pillars to the Ngọ Môn Gate. Guarded by stone dragons, the tile-roofed, wood and stone gate is dwarfed by an ancient banyan tree growing over to the west. At 300 years old, this 20-metre high tree is seen as a protector of the temple and tomb. Beyond the gate is a wide, stone-paved plaza, known as the Dragon Yard, leading to stone steps into the main temple, which is a single-storey, wide structure raised up two metres on a brick platform.
Behind the temple, walk along a narrow path through the trees to the tomb of Emperor Lê Lợi. Guarded by carved elephants, tigers, rhinos and court mandarins, Lê Lợi’s grave is simple and elegant: an earth mound encased in a stone perimeter and a fleece of grass growing on top. He died in 1433, aged 48. His body was transported from Thăng Long to Lam Kinh for burial. A frangipani tree grows behind the tomb, its scent mingling with the incense smoke that burns continuously from the royal altar in front of the grave. It is a silent, solemn and reflective mausoleum, not grandiose or gaudy.
A short walk due west of the tomb, along pleasant pathways beneath tall trees, is a wood and tile pavilion enclosing the Vĩnh Lăng stele. This colossal stone tablet (3m high and 2m wide) stands upon the back of a carved turtle. The inscription, composed by the famous contemporary politician and writer Nguyễn Trãi (1380-1442), recounts the life and achievements of Lê Lợi, including his victory over the Ming Chinese in the Lam Sơn Uprising. The stele has become a symbol of Vietnamese national independence and sovereignty.
Surrounding Tombs & Temples:
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A small museum near the entrance to Lam Kinh historical site features exhibits about Lê Lợi, with artifacts and photos from the site’s excavation, including a 15th century Ming Chinese helmet, presumably from a fallen soldier during the Lam Sơn Uprising. In addition to Lê Lợi, several other tombs of early Lê Dynasty emperors and queens are scattered throughout Lam Kinh complex. Among these are the mausoleum of Emperor Lê Thánh Tông (ruled 1460-1497), whose reign is considered one of the most successful in Vietnam’s imperial history. To the northeast of Lam Kinh is the tomb of Ngô Thị Ngọc Dao (1421-1496), mother of emperor Lê Thánh Tông. And, in a peaceful setting hidden by trees near a lake, is the grave of Emperor Lê Hiến Tông (ruled 1497-1504). Just 150m south of Lam Kinh is Lê Lợi temple (Đền Thờ Lê Lợi), established in the early 20th century for the worship of the emperor.
Getting There & Around:
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Within Lam Kinh complex, walking along the pathways beneath the trees is a very pleasant way to get around from one monument to the next. However, it is quite a large site and, during the summer months, the heat and humidity can be punishing. An alternative to walking is to jump on one of the site’s electric buggies and be ferried around the complex. This works best if you’re in a small group. If you’re solo or a couple, you may need to combine with another group.
Lam Kinh is located just off the Ho Chi Minh Road. The best way to visit is to make it a pitstop as part of a longer two-wheeled road trip. Lam Kinh makes a good detour from the Ho Chi Minh Road, Lam Sơn Loop, Ghost Road, Limestone Loops or several of the Saigon to Hanoi routes. If you don’t have your own wheels, you can fly to Thọ Xuân Airport (which is just 10km southeast of Lam Kinh) from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Cần Thơ and Buôn Ma Thuột. The nearest large city is Thanh Hóa, 50km (1 hour) due east, near the coast. Thanh Hóa has good transportation connections – by road and rail – to Hanoi and all other coastal cities to the north and south. Lam Kinh can be combined with Ho Citadel, Pù Luông Nature Reserve, or even Ninh Bình, all of which are 1-2 hours away by road. Hanoi is 180km-200km due north (about 4 hours by road). [You can search and book transportation on Baolau.com]
For more guides like this, see Related Posts below. And if you enjoyed this article, please support Vietnam Coracle or consider purchasing one of my Offline Guides & Maps from the shop. Thank you, Tom
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*Disclosure: I never receive payment for anything I write: my content is always free and independent. I’ve written this guide because I want to: I like this historic site and I want my readers to know about it. For more details, see my Disclosure & Disclaimer statements and my About Page
