Vietnam - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 197

Around Hue

Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)

From 1954 until 1975, the Ben Hai River served as the dividing line between South Viet-
nam and North Vietnam. The DMZ, 90km north of Hue, consisted of the area 5km on
either side of the line.
Many of the 'sights' around the DMZ are places where historical events happened, and
may not be worthwhile unless you're into war history. To make sense of it all, and to
avoid areas where there's still unexploded ordnance (UXO), take a guide. Group day tours
from Hue cost from US$15 for a budget bus trip to up to US$120 for a specialised car tour
with a Viet vet.

Sights

Vinh Moc Tunnels
(admission 20,000d; 7am-4.30pm) A highly impressive complex of tunnels 110km northw-
est of Hue, Vinh Moc is the remains of a coastal North Vietnamese village that literally
went underground in response to unremitting American bombing. More than 90 families
disappeared into three levels of tunnels running almost 2km in all, and continued to live
and work while bombs rained down around them.
Most of the tunnels are open to visitors, and are kept in their original form (except for
electric lights, a luxury the villagers certainly didn't have).

HISTORICAL SITE

Khe Sanh Combat Base
(museum 20,000d; museum 7am-5pm) The site of the most famous siege of the American
War: about 500 Americans, 10,000 North Vietnamese troops and uncounted civilian
bystanders died around this remote highland base. Today the site is occupied by a small
museum . Khe Sanh is 3km north of the small town of Huong Hoa.

HISTORIC SITE

Truong Son National Cemetery
An evocative memorial to the legions of North Vietnamese soldiers who died along the
Ho Chi Minh Trail, this cemetery is a sobering sight. More than 10,000 graves dot these

CEMETERY