Discovering Dien Bien Phu

 

Nguyen Thanh Long, a tour guide at Hoabinhtourist & Convention Tourism Company, said Dien Bien is becoming an attractive destination for his company’s historical tours as the locality is associated with the heroic feats of Vietnamese people. The first destination of the Dien Bien discovery tour is Hill A1, east of the Command Quarters of Dien Bien Phu Base. This is the most important defence high point in the east of Muong Thanh Quarters. French colonists deployed many troops with strong firepower in fortified bunkers. Vietnamese troops confronted huge difficulties and suffered big losses to cross this height. After 39 days of digging a tunnel into the hill, nearly 1,000 kilos of dynamite was implanted on May 6, 1954 to blow up this base. This victory started the general offensive onto the Command Headquarters and secured the eventual victory. Now, visiting the Hill A1, visitors will see the Monument with two 18-tonne tanks left by French colonists in counter-strike attacks on Vietnamese troops in Muong Thanh.

 

The dynamite explosion also left a huge hole on the hill. Visiting this place, you will see the courage of our soldiers and people in the tenacious struggle that ended in a victory that shocked the entire world.

Near Hill A1 is Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum, a place of interest in Dien Bien City. The museum was built in 1984 in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu historic victory. In late 2003, it was upgraded and rearranged the exhibition space to better serve visitors.

 

Le Thi Dung, a museum staff, said the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum has 500 valuable exhibits which retrace the heroic glorious historic victory of the nation. The museum is arranged in four main themes. The first theme depicts the 8-year military and civilian resistance against French colonialists from September 1945 to September 1953. The second theme illustrates French schemes and our Party’s policies. The third theme portrays the entire campaign and the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory. The fourth theme is the impact of the Dien Bien Phu historic victory on Vietnam and the world. The museum upholds the significance of a world-stunned victory and the pride of Vietnamese people in the holy war against French colonialists.

 

The Command Headquarters of Major General Christian de Castries is at the centre of Dien Bien Phu Base in Muong Thanh field, Dien Bien district, Dien Bien province. This command bunker is very solidly built with iron arches, wooden planks, sandbags and dense barbed wire fences. To date, this command bunker remains unchanged from 60 years ago and a must-visit destination in the Dien Bien tour discovery tour.

 

Nguyen Thanh Long said that in addition to Dien Bien Phu, Dien Bien is also attractive to tourists by its famous scenic spots such as Pa Khoang Lake, Hua Pe Hot Spring and Pa Thom Cave.

 

Doan Van Chi, Deputy Director of Dien Bien Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said Dien Bien Phu has long become a national historical relic of special value as it is a clear evidence to one of the fiercest wars in the world. And, hardly any other place on earth has many valuable historic relics as Dien Bien. Hence, there are many other amazing places of attractions in Dien Bien for visitors to discover.

 

Discovering Dien Bien Phu City in particular and Dien Bien Province in general is always an attractive tourist programme for all domestic and foreign tourists. Visiting in May, you will see the atmosphere and spirit of Dien Bien Phu Victory when Vietnam is celebrating the 60^th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory.