Palaces and pagodas, tombs and temples, culture and history make up Hue, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The once-capital of the Nguyen emperors still resonates with the glories of Imperial Vietnam, even though many of its finest buildings were destroyed during the war.
Vietnam’s Demilitarized Zone (or DMZ) was established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam as a result of the first Indochina war. This trip to the DMZ region will bring up many memories and images of wars. But seeing Vietnam as it is now, meeting friendly people with happy faces, and a beautiful country at peace will give not only veterans but everyone the chance to reach closure to their Vietnam War experience. The stories of war might move you and make you appreciate the present much more.
Main destinations: Truong Son cemetery, La Vang Holy Land, Ben Hai River and Hien Luong Bridge
After breakfast, our guide will pick you up at hotel in Hue for a drive northwards about 100km to Quang Tri province, a fire and sword land during the Vietnam War. You will visit Truong Son national cemetery, the largest soldier's cemetery in the DMZ area, dedicated to people who died along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. More than 10,000 graves dot the 16 hectare isolated area, each marked by a simple white tombstone headed by the inscription liet si (martyr). Many graves lie empty, simply bearing names, representing a fraction of about 300,000 soldiers missing in action.
After visit Truong Son cemetery, proceed to La Vang Holy land, Ben Hai River which once marked the border between North and South Vietnam. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a narrow band of terrain extending from the Laos border to the coast, 5km on either side of the river, roughly on the 17th parallel. Hien Luong Bridge, which crosses the Ben Hai River at the middle of the DMZ was frequently bombed during the war. Nowadays, there has a grandiose reunification monument on the southern bank and a reconstructed flag tower and a small museum full of war mementoes on the other side.
