In 2024, Dien Bien province hosts the National Tourism Year and celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory. It is expected that this year, Dien Bien province will welcome about 1,3 million visitors.
In the first 4 months of this year, the number of tourists coming to Dien Bien reached 845.000.
As noted by the reporter People intellectual, in the last days of April, the sun is scorching hot, but every day at the relics of the Dien Bien Phu battlefield such as General De Castries' bunker (General De Cat), A4 hill... there are always thousands of tourists coming to visit. .
Ms. Nguyen Thi Dao, an officer of the Dien Bien Provincial Monuments Management Board, said that on a normal day, Do Cat Tunnel welcomes about 2.000-3.000 visitors. Particularly on Saturday and Sunday, the number of visitors to Do Cat tunnel increases by about 7-6.000/day.
Tourists flock to the Do Cat tunnel area and are so crowded that many times they have to wait to get into the tunnel.
Ms. Dao commented that in 2024, the number of tourists coming to Dien Bien province is the largest ever. To serve the needs of tourists, the Dien Bien Provincial Monuments Management Board mobilized more forces, worked overtime and with the help of students and young volunteers.
Covering a distance of 450km, after more than 10 hours of traveling by passenger car, the group of Veterans of Cay Xan village, Duc Ninh commune (Ham Yen district, Tuyen Quang province) was present at the Do Cat tunnel area.
Present in Dien Bien Phu City on historic days, Mr. Nguyen Duc To, Head of Cay Xoan Village Veterans Association, said that when they arrived in Dien Bien Phu City, everyone was very happy and excited.
Mr. Nguyen Duc To read historical information about Do Cat tunnel.
At 17:30 p.m. on May 7, 5, Mr. Ta Quoc Luat, Captain of Company 1954, Regiment 360, Group 209 captured General De Cat alive at his desk in the command bunker. General De Cat and his 312 entourage officers surrendered unconditionally and walked out of the bunker between two lines of guns of Vietnamese Army soldiers.
Ms. Ngo Thi Lai, tour guide of the Dien Bien Provincial Monuments Management Board, introduces each location of the tunnel to visitors.
Currently, the structure and layout of the basement remain the same. In this bunker, General De Cat welcomed many high-ranking officials such as French Prime Minister Joseph Laniel, the US President as well as international journalists.
A1 Hill these days is always crowded with tourists from early morning to late evening. At Hill A1, there is a mass grave of unknown martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives 70 years ago.
Hill A1 is located in Muong Thanh ward, Dien Bien Phu city, and is the most important base in the group of French colonial bases in Dien Bien Phu. A1 is the symbol that the Vietnamese army gave to the hill. After many extremely fierce battles that took place here, at 4:7 a.m. on May 5, 1954, the Vietnamese army captured Hill A1.
Relic A1 is about 500m west of the headquarters of the French colonial stronghold Dien Bien Phu group as the crow flies.
The attack on hill point A1 was one of the most glorious battles of our army and people in the Dien Bien Phu campaign.
After 39 days and nights of heroic fighting, on the morning of May 7, 5, our troops took complete control of base A1954, paving the way for the final general attack on the headquarters of the colonial Dien Bien Phu stronghold group. France won a victory that was "illustrious in five continents and shook the earth".
Along with hill A1, hills C1, C2, D1, D3, E1 also witnessed many fierce battles of our army during the Dien Bien Phu campaign.
Most veterans who visit A1 hill take commemorative photos here.
Ms. Le Thi Thanh Huyen (residing in Nam Dinh city) brought many items such as ammunition boxes, army helmets... to take souvenir photos at the barbed wire fence area on A1 hill.
Ms. Huyen confided that to prepare for the trip to Dien Bien Phu, she and many people in the group prepared items such as ammunition boxes, rice bags, bicycles, army helmets... to be able to take commemorative photos. Beautiful memories at A1 hill.
At night, in the central area of Dien Bien Phu city, many cultural activities take place, including campfires and dancing to the tunes of the Thai ethnic people, attracting thousands of tourists to participate.
