Vietnam - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 864

Vinh Moc tunnels
he creation of the Vinh Moc tunnels was
an impressive feat and they're the
highlight of the DMZ. To provide shelter
from constant American air raids, from
1966 villagers spent two years digging
more than fifty tunnels. All were
constructed on three levels at 10, 15 and
20-23m deep, with freshwater wells, a
generator and lights. he underground
village had a school, clinics, and a
maternity room where seventeen children
were born. Families of up to five people
were each allocated a tiny cavern, and
were only able to emerge at night; the
lack of fresh air and the smoke from the
kerosene lamps and cooking caused
respiratory problems, and the lack of
sunlight also impacted on the villagers'
health. In 1972, the villagers finally
abandoned their tunnels and rebuilt their
homes above ground. A section of the
tunnels has been restored and opened to
visitors, with a small museum at the
entrance (daily 7am-5pm; 40,000VND).

UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE
Casualties of the Vietnam War persist to
this day, due to an estimated 350,000 to
800,000 tonnes of unexploded ordnance
and more than 3 million mines that still
remain uncleared. From 1975 to the
present day, unexploded ordnance in
Vietnam has resulted in more than
100,000 injuries and 45,000 deaths. Each
year, around 1000 people die and almost
twice as many are injured, mainly in the
countryside; the number of children and
members of minority tribes is
disproportionately high. Don't stray from
marked paths when hiking and check out
the work of such NGOs as Mines Advisory
Group ( W maginternational.org) and Clear
Path International ( W learpathinternational
.org); the former work to dispose of the
ordnance and the latter help survivors of
landmine and UXO accidents through
various community projects.

11

Tri, Hamburger Hill and other names live
in infamy due to the bloody battles fought
there, so visiting the locations alone is
meaningful enough to those interested in
the country's recent history.

Doc Mieu Firebase
he American front line comprised a
string of firebases looking north across
the DMZ. he most accessible of these is
Doc Mieu Firebase , where a number of
bunkers built by the North Vietnamese
Army (NVA) still stand amid a landscape
pocked with craters. Before the NVA
overran Doc Mieu in 1972, the base
played a pivotal role in the South's
defence, and for a while, this was the
command post for calling in airstrikes
along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
You can explore the DMZ independently,
but it's highly recommended to take a
local guide who will be able to show you
the unmarked sites and will know which
paths are free from unexploded mines
(see box above). he daily DMZ bus
day-trip starting in Hue (from 6am-6pm;
$18 including entrance fees and
breakfast) is the easiest way to see the
most important places and can be booked
at most travel agents. As well as the sights
detailed below (barring Hamburger Hill),
the day-trip takes in the Rockpile , a
230m-high karst used by the US as an
artillery base and lookout, a section of the
Ho Chi Minh Trail and the touristy Van
Kieu Bru minority village . his tour
involves a lot of driving, with short stops
for photographs, and your understanding
of the area depends a great deal on how
good the guide is. For an in-depth tour,
it's better to spend a few dollars more and
hire a car or motorbike and guide from
Hue or Dong Ha.

Con Thien Firebase
he largest American installation along
the DMZ was Con Thien Firebase , which,
in the lead-up to the 1968 Tet Offensive,
became the target of prolonged shelling.
he Americans replied with everything in
their arsenal, but the NVA finally overran
the base in the summer of 1972. From
the single remaining US-built bunker in
the ruined lookout post on Con hien's
highest point you get a great view over
the DMZ and directly north to former
enemy positions on the opposite bank of
the Ben Hai River.