Top 7 historical sites you must visit when traveling to Dien Bien Phu

A1 Hill Martyrs' Cemetery is a national cemetery located at the foot of A1 Hill in Dien Bien Province, established in 1958. It is the resting place for 644 heroes who lost their lives during the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Most of the graves are unmarked, with only four named graves honoring national heroes: To Vinh Dien, Phan Dinh Giot, Be Van Dan, and Tran Can. The cemetery is one of three national cemeteries in Dien Bien Province and was renovated in 1993, transforming into a historical-cultural site spanning over 32,000 square meters. The A1 Martyrs' Cemetery serves as a historical witness, reminding future generations of the sacrifices made by the fallen heroes. It is open daily from morning until evening for visitors from across the country and abroad.

De Castries Bunker, also known as the GoNo Command Post, is located in Thanh Truong Ward, Dien Bien Phu City, Dien Bien Province. During the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, it was at the heart of the French defensive positions, situated 2 meters underground, and positioned strategically away from the attacking Vietnamese forces. The French considered it the most formidable fortress in Indochina, reinforced with solid materials capable of withstanding enemy fire, and protected by advanced military equipment of the time.

The bunker remains in its original form, measuring 20 meters in length and 8 meters in width, divided into four sections for both work and rest. It was surrounded by barbed wire, interspersed with mines, and had four tanks positioned at each cardinal point. This was the location where De Castries hosted high-ranking officials from France, the UK, the US, and dozens of Western journalists. It was also where De Castries and his staff attempted to devise plans to destroy the Vietnamese forces but were repeatedly thwarted by our relentless assaults.

On May 7, 1954, at 3:00 PM, the Vietnamese command launched a full-scale attack to eliminate the French stronghold. After neutralizing key positions surrounding the center, our forces crossed the Muong Thanh Bridge and advanced toward the GoNo Command Post. At 5:30 PM, Captain Ta Quoc Luat, commander of Company 360, Regiment 209, Division 312, along with two assault soldiers, captured General De Castries and his entire staff. The flag reading 'Decisive Battle, Decisive Victory' was raised above the bunker, signaling the historic victory of the Vietnamese forces and people.

Today, the De Castries Bunker, along with other historical sites in the Dien Bien Phu battlefield, has been preserved and restored by the government. It serves as a significant tourist attraction, honoring the historic victory and educating visitors about the heroic legacy of Dien Bien Phu.

The Campaign Command Post is hidden deep within the Muong Phang forest, where General Vo Nguyen Giap issued critical orders that led to the victory at Dien Bien Phu. Located in Muong Phang Commune (Dien Bien City), it served as the command center for 105 days (from January 31 to May 15, 1954). Prior to this, the command post was initially set up at the Tham Pua cave (Chieng Sinh Commune, Tuan Giao District) for 32 days and then at the Hoi He village (Na Tau Commune) for 13 days. On January 31, 1954, it was moved to Muong Phang, nearly 30 kilometers away from the Dien Bien Phu stronghold.

In this forest, 70 years ago, General Giap and his command staff issued the decisive orders that ensured the success of the entire battlefield. The base was strategically positioned along a small stream at the foot of Pú Don Mountain, within a 73-hectare natural forest area. The Command Post was composed of trenches, bunkers, and interconnected shelters. This secluded forest offered the perfect conditions for secretive operations and safety for the command staff.

The information and communication section of the command post ensured rapid, secure, and precise transmission of orders. Nearby shelters were equipped with escape tunnels to the forest in case of emergency. At the heart of the command post stood the shelter and workspace of General Giap, where he stayed for the full 105 days. His simple shelter, like all others in the forest, was made from bamboo, rattan, and leaves. Deep within the post was a 69-meter-long tunnel, nearly 2 meters high, linking General Giap's shelter with the one belonging to Hoang Van Thai. Along the tunnel were small alcoves for communication equipment, which also served as hideouts during enemy raids.

The operations shelter, used for monitoring battlefield developments, was where General Giap issued the final order for a general assault across the entire front, targeting the French command post and capturing General De Castries (De Cat) along with his staff at 3:00 PM on May 7, 1954.

Pha Din Pass, also known as Dốc Pha Đin, is a mountain pass along National Route 6, located at the border between Phong Lai Commune in Thuận Châu District, Sơn La Province, and Tỏa Tình Commune in Tuần Giáo District, Điện Biên Province. The pass is famously mentioned in the poem “Hoan hô chiến sĩ Điện Biên” by poet Tố Hữu, where the line “Dốc Pha Đin, chị gánh anh thồ” immortalizes its place in the history of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.

The pass is 32 kilometers long, with its starting point located 66 kilometers west of Sơn La City and its endpoint 84 kilometers from Điện Biên Phủ City. Today, Pha Din Pass is a popular tourist destination in Điện Biên, attracting many travelers, especially those keen to conquer the “Four Great Passes” of the Northwest: Pha Din, Mã Pì Lèng, Ô Quý Hồ, and Khau Phạ. It is often grouped with other famous mountain passes like Khau Phạ, Hồng Thu Mán (on National Route 4D, in Pa So, Phong Thổ, Lai Châu), Ô Quy Hồ, Hải Vân, and Khánh Lê (Khánh Vĩnh, Khánh Hòa).

During the First Indochina War, Pha Din Pass was a crucial supply route for the Viet Minh forces during the 1954 Dien Bien Phu campaign. It became a symbol of courage, with over 8,000 young volunteers committing to the motto “sacrifice for the nation’s survival.” In 1954, to disrupt this supply line, French General Christian de Castries ordered relentless bombing raids on Route 6 for 48 days, with Pha Din and the Cò Nòi intersection (a national historical site in Mai Sơn, Sơn La) bearing the brunt of the attack. A memorial plaque atop Pha Din Pass today marks this significant moment in history.

The Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum is located on National Route 279, 3rd Street, Mường Thanh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City, Dien Bien Province. The construction started in October 2012 on a site of 22,000 square meters and officially opened to visitors on May 5, 2014, after 19 months of work. The museum is the largest and most impressive modern building in Dien Bien Province. It holds profound historical, cultural, and architectural significance, and its exhibits are carefully curated to match the scale of the ‘world-shaking, famous’ victory.

The museum consists of five exhibition areas featuring 274 artifacts and 122 paintings, each focused on specific themes: The strategic importance of Dien Bien Phu; The enemy’s stronghold in Dien Bien Phu; The Communist Party’s strategic preparation for the campaign; The impact of Dien Bien Phu's victory; and Dien Bien Phu today. Visitors to the museum will also have the opportunity to see the world’s largest panorama painting, “The Battle of Dien Bien Phu,” which vividly portrays the entire campaign in an engaging way. Starting your historical tour at the museum will provide a comprehensive understanding of the historical sites you will visit next.

The Dien Bien Phu Victory Monument commemorates the historic 1954 Dien Bien Phu Battle and is currently the largest bronze monument in Vietnam. Part of the first phase of restoration of the Dien Bien Phu historical site, the project had a total investment of 47 billion VND, with 13 billion VND allocated for infrastructure construction. The monument is considered a key project celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory.

The monument features a group of three soldiers standing back to back, holding a Thai child, with a victory flag raised above them. Standing 16.6 meters tall and made from bronze, the monument's internal structure is reinforced concrete, and it weighs 220 tons. The base of the monument stands at 3.6 meters tall, made from reinforced concrete, and is encased in decorative stone. It consists of three rectangular levels stacked on top of each other. Designed by sculptor Nguyễn Hải, who received the Hồ Chí Minh Award, it is based on his earlier 1960s sculpture of the same name.

The monument is located on D1 Hill, in the center of Dien Bien Phu City, Dien Bien Province. After consulting with General Võ Nguyên Giáp and conducting a survey, the Urban and Rural Planning Institute (Ministry of Construction) proposed D1 Hill as the site for the monument. At 50 meters above the Mường Thanh field, it is strategically positioned to be visible from across the city.

The historical site of A1 Hill is one of the most famous landmarks in Dien Bien, located in Mường Thanh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City, Dien Bien Province. It served as a strategic stronghold for the French army during the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, and its shape resembles the letter 'A,' stretching from northwest to southeast.

During the campaign, A1 Hill held a crucial position and was considered the 'throat' defending the central sector, directly protecting General De Catries' bunker. The name 'A1' was given by our army, though the hill had other names previously, such as Lạng Chượng and Eliane2. On the hill's summit is a fortified bunker that was once a wine cellar for the French colonial governor's office before 1945. After the French forces parachuted into Dien Bien Phu, they reinforced the bunker into a military stronghold. The bunker is divided into two sections, one of which was used by the radio communication team. The structure is extremely durable, with solid brick walls and a thick concrete roof, which could also serve as shelter for dozens of people in emergencies. The hill still bears the marks of a crater created by a 960 kg explosive charge.

Today, when visiting A1 Hill, you can engage in activities such as cooking meals with a Hoàng Cầm stove, pushing a bicycle cart to transport supplies, listening to stories about the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, and learning about the life of soldiers during the battle.