Things to do in Quảng Trị

Embark on a guided full-day tour and discover the historically important Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the Quang Tri Province and get a deeper understanding of the Vietnam War on the local culture. Choose from a shared group tour or a private tour.   Get picked up by your driver and guide at the lobby of your hotel in Hue central and then travel to the town of Dong Ha, stopping to visit important historical sites along the way.  Arrive at Dakrong bridge located along Highway 9 and the starting point of Highway 15, one of the main branches of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Admire the bridge’s graceful architecture against beautiful backdrops of rivers and mountains. Next, visit the Khe Sanh Combat Base, a United States Marine Corps outpost south of the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) used during the Vietnam War. Enjoy a lunch break at a traditional restaurant and then head off to Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River, an important landmark in the splitting of the country into a northern and a southern zone along the 17th parallel by the Geneva Accords of 1954. Make your last stop at Vinh Moc tunnels, an underground miniature village, now a museum, which is the largest historical tunnel in the DMZ of Vietnam.

09h00: Our guide and car will pick you up at your hotel in Hue central, then transfer to Vietnam Demilitarized Zone in Quang Tri province. Ready to start the DMZ Tour Hue. Visiting places: Long Hung Church: one of the very few existing buildings remains in Quang Tri town during “Fire Summer” or Eastern Offensive in 1972. It is a National Relic in the town of Quang Tri Vietnam – BA5453. Quang Tri Ancient Citadel: is seen as an eye-witness of fierce battles during the anti-American resistance war in 1972. During the 81-day fighting, the citadel was almost destroyed by thousands of tons of bombs released by the US army. Nowadays, the citadel becomes a place to mark immortal victories of the Vietnamese army and people and to educate youths about the nation’s revolutionary tradition and its patriotism. Have lunch (light takeaway lunch). After lunch, our guide and car take you back to the war sites, including: Hien Luong Bridge – Ben Hai River: The Geneva Agreements on Vietnam signed in 1954 divided Vietnam into North and South with the 17th Parallel where the Ben Hai River runs through the central province of Quang Tri as a borderline. Hien Luong Bridge, also knows as the Peace Bridge, was built by the French in 1950, across Ben Hai River. It is 178 m long but it took 21 years for Vietnamese people from the North and the South to be united. Vinh Moc Tunnels and Tunnels Museum: The most highlight part of DMZ Tour during Vietnam War. The complex of Vinh Moc tunnel located deep in the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone and sheltered Vinh Linh county people from the intense bombing. The tunnels were a success in saving the villagers’ lives and providing them the necessary living conditions to fight back the American enemy. 15h00: Tour ends at hotels in Hue.

Start with pickup in the morning from your accommodation in Hue. From there, head to Dong Ha town where the local guide will board the vehicle to begin the tour. The first stop is Doc Mieu Base, one of the front lines. Learn how the Americans set up a group of firebases on a ridge of hills looking across the DMZ and the Ben Hai River. Gain a deeper knowledge of the history and listen to meaningful stories from your English-speaking guide. Continue to the next stop, Hien Luong Bridge. This bridge is located in the 17th Parallel and during the Vietnam war, it was bisected between South and North Vietnam. Go to the last stop and one of the main highlights, the Vinh Moc underground tunnels. Hear how they were used as a refuge to survive from all the bomb attacks during the war. Before heading back to Hue City, stop by a local restaurant to have an authentic Vietnamese lunch ( you pay for yourselfs). The tour ends with a drop-off service back to your accommodation.

Your private tour guide will pick you up from your accommodation in Hue. You will then set off to Phong Nha. On the way, you will make a rest stop at the famous Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River, where the border between South & North Vietnam was located during the war. Next, you will stop by a local restaurant where you will tuck into authentic Vietnamese dishes. After lunch, sail along a river by boat to reach the iconic Phong Nha Cave. This cave is truly a marvel of nature and is hidden away in the dense jungle of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Central Vietnam. Admire the dramatic rock cliffs and wealth of flora and fauna in the area. After visiting the cave, you will start the return journey back to your hotel in Hue, where you will arrive at around 7.30 PM.

Start the tour with a convenient pickup from your hotel in Hue and depart on a round-trip private experience to the Vinh Moc tunnels. With the careful guidance of your friendly driver, your first will visit will be to La Vang Holy Land, considered to be one of the most important places of pilgrimage for Roman Catholics in Vietnam due to its history and iconic statue of Mary. Next, see the Hien Luong Bridge, the bridge spanning the Ben Hai River that connected the former North and South Vietnam and symbolizes the unity between the two warring areas of the country. Arrive at the main attraction of the tour, the Vinh Moc tunnels, a complex of underground tunnels that were strategically made and sheltered hundreds of villagers during the war. After stopping at all destinations on your Hue to Vinh Moc tunnels trip, your driver will take you back to Hue city and drop you off at your hotel.

Trip Notes: - Paradise Cave Tour will departure on even number days of the month, and Phong Nha Cave Tour will departure on odd number days of the month. - This is a Budget Group Tour, and services would be in basic standard - The distance from Hue to Phong Nha Cave/Paradise Cave is about 217km, so it takes around more than 4 hours to arrive at Phong Nha cave. Itinerary: Morning: Pick up guests at the meeting point in Hue from 06:45 to 07:15. Depart for Quang Binh, visit La Vang Holy Land. Stop to take photos at Ben Hai River and Hien Luong Bridge. Noon: Have lunch at a local restaurant with Vietnamese dishes. Afternoon: *Phong Nha Cave: You will visit Phong Nha Cave and discover the beauty that is considered the First Wonder of the Cave with the largest and most beautiful Dry Cave, then take a boat on the Son River to visit The longest water cave. *Paradise Cave: You will visit visit Paradise Cave with a fault leading by a 1km long winding wooden staircase to admire the stunning stalactites called the Royal Palace in the Earth. Then you depart back to Hue. 15h30: You will return Hue. We arrive at your hotel in Hue city at around 20:00 and finish the Hue to Phong Nha Cave/Paradise Cave.

Take a 3-hour ride from Hue to Phong Nha Cave. On the way we stop to visit some of the most famous battle-field in the Vietnam War, Ben Hai River, Hien Luong Bridge, lying in the Demilitarized Zone of the Vietnam War. The bridge is located right on the 17th parallel, crossing the Ben Hai River at the section running through Hien Luong Village, Vinh Thanh Commune, Vinh Linh District, Quang Tri Province, Central Vietnam. During the 21 years of the Vietnam War, from 1954 to 1975, Hien Luong Bridge was the boundary dividing Vietnam into two regions: the North managed by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the South by the Republic of Vietnam..Have lunch at a local restaurant then get on boat and cruise along the river to Phong Nha Cave which is designated as Unesco World Heritage Site in 2003. The deeper one penetrates, the more magical are the natural aspects of the caves. After that, you will take a 25-minute ride to the water cave walk to discover the dry cave for 500m more. You will have a chance to explore the remain of Cham Altars and Inscriptions inside.

07h30: Our guide and car will pick you up at your hotel in Hue central, then transfer to Vietnam Demilitarized Zone in Quang Tri province. Ready to start the DMZ Tour Hue. Visiting places: Horror Highway: May 1, 1972, will never be forgotten by people in Quang Tri and Thua Thien provinces not because it is International Labor Day, but because of the horrible carnage on Vietnam Highway 1, the Horror Highway. Thousands of civilians, mostly the elders, women, children, and scores of soldiers were killed by artillery and infantry weapons in hours of shooting. Long Hung Church: one of the very few existing buildings remains in Quang Tri town during “Fire Summer” or Eastern Offensive in 1972. It is a National Relic in the town of Quang Tri Vietnam – BA5453. Quang Tri Ancient Citadel: is seen as an eye-witness of fierce battles during the anti-American resistance war in 1972. During the 81-day fighting, the citadel was almost destroyed by thousands of tons of bombs released by the US army. Nowadays, the citadel becomes a place to mark immortal victories of the Vietnamese army and people and to educate youths about the nation’s revolutionary tradition and its patriotism. Dakrong Bridge: the bridge was considered the beginning of the Ho Chi Minh Trail network, and during many years of Vietnam War, this access point was hotly contested. The Dakrong Bridge fell many times. Now it’s a grand suspension bridge, a proud thumbed nose as if to say, “You can’t knock down my bridge anymore.” On the way, tourists also have chances to meet Paco minority village. Ta Con Airport: now is the Khe Sanh Combat Base Museum, contains a boneyard of several captured U.S. tanks and aircraft destroyed during the Battle of Khe Sanh. According to the official accounts provided by the museum, 197 U.S. planes were shot down or captured during the 170-day battle. Free snacks. Enjoy the local Khe Sanh coffee (own expense). After break, our guide and car take you back to the war sites, including: Hien Luong Bridge – Ben Hai River: The Geneva Agreements on Vietnam signed in 1954 divided Vietnam into North and South with the 17th Parallel where the Ben Hai River runs through the central province of Quang Tri as a borderline. Hien Luong Bridge, also knows as the Peace Bridge, was built by the French in 1950, across Ben Hai River. It is 178 m long but it took 21 years for Vietnamese people from the North and the South to be united. Vinh Moc Tunnels and Tunnels Museum: The most highlight part of DMZ Tour during Vietnam War. The complex of Vinh Moc tunnel located deep in the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone and sheltered Vinh Linh county people from the intense bombing. The tunnels were a success in saving the villagers’ lives and providing them the necessary living conditions to fight back the American enemy. 18h00: Tour ends at hotels in Hue.

Start with an early morning pick-up from the hotel in Hue and drive along the coastal area to Quang Tri. We will first visit Dakrong Bridge – one of the starting points of Ho Chi Minh trails leading you to Hamburger Hill and Ashao Valley. Our main stop in the morning is Khe Sanh Combat Base, a large U.s Marines base attacked by The N.v.a Forces in early 1968 before Tet Offensive. Dmz(Demilitarized Zone) is set in the rugged, jungle-shrouded mountains along the Vietnam - Laos border of South Vietnam. Take a rest at a local restaurant and have lunch. In the afternoon, we will head to Hien Luong Bridge and the Seventeenth Parallel - the former borderline between North and South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. After that, visit Vinh Moc Museum and Vinh Moc Tunnels, which were used to shelter people from the intense bombings during the Vietnam War and Con Tien Firebase area. Today, the tunnels are a tourist attraction and can be visited on organised tours. Continue with a trip to Con Tien Firebase and Quang Tri Citadel before going back to your hotel in Hue.

Spend a day visiting the DMZ region to gain an insight into this fascinating and difficult part of Vietnamese history. You can choose between the standard or premium tour option. With the standard tour option, you will visit Lavang Holy Land, Long Hung Church, Doc Mieu Base, the Ben Hai River, Hien Luong Bridge, and the Vinh Moc Tunnels. Throughout these stops you will learn more about their important history - for example, the Long Hung Church was once important in the protection of Quang Tri Town and now is the site of a memorial to the brave soldiers who fought there. On the premium tour, you will also visit Rock Pile Hill, where five major valleys intersect. The hill was once used by marines as an observation post to find and track Northern Vietnamese troops infiltrating into south Vietnam through the DMZ. In addition, you will go to Dakrong Bridge, which formerly marked the beginning of the Ho Chi Minh Trail.