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Dien Bien Phu
Country Fact: North Vietnam
Dien Bien Phu was the battle field
between the French and Viet Minh where the harshest fights took place. It
was here in 1954 defeated the beleaguered French garrison after 57-day
siege, forcing the French government to surrender and its colonial control
over Indochina; this marked the end of French Rule in Indochina region.
The vestiges from the war can still be seen in the battle sites: trenches,
bunkers, camps, and bases on the hills. The old command post of General
Christian de Castries was reconstructed in 1994 to commemorate the 40th
anniversary of the victory.
Passed its hard time during the war, this
heart-shaped valley of Dien Bien Phu becomes an isolated place embraced by
the steep forested hills near Laos's border with the area of 18 kilometers
long and 4 kilometers wide. The area is the peaceful home of hill tribe
people, notably Thai and Hmong who largely continue their traditional
lifestyle.
Situated 500 kilometers from Ha Noi, Dien
Bien Phu can be reached by plane, but the most impressive way is taking a
drive trip along the roads snaking through the beautiful valley, offering
spectacular view of the region. Although a 5-day round trip is required,
it is worth doing it.
To experience the lesson from the war,
you can visit the town's museum which hosts a display of weaponry as well
as photo exhibits of the catastrophic war or trek around the battle sites
where the real events would take place. Trekking to the ethnic villages is
also a possibility in this region.
North
Vietnam: Hanoi | Ha
Long | Hoa Lu | Hoa
Binh | Ha Tay | Sapa |
Dien Bien Phu
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Country Facts
This article is authored
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by Royal Exclusive Travel
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