Đông Hà

October 4, 2024

Hồ Xá lies just north of the demilitarized zone declared after the Geneva Accords in 1954. When the objective of the accords (national UN supervised elections and the reunification of Vietnam) was made impossible by contraventions by both the south and the north, this area became a focal point in the conflict that ensued.

We had two places we wanted to visit. First the well known tunnel complex at Vịnh Mốc followed by the bridge over the Bến Hải River which served as the dividing line between the north and the south and with the DMZ stretching six to ten kilometers on either side of it.

This meant that today's route would take us on lovely quiet roads but through a sombre setting.

The tunnels are worth a visit. Dug up to thirty meters below the surface into a hillside above the beach, it had three levels containing living quarters, kitchens, a clinic, a maternity area and storage areas. Amazingly the sixty families living here didn't suffer a single loss of life during the heavy bombing they had to endure,

One of the nine entry points to the tunnels.

The tunnels were carved into the basalt hillside by hand, usually under the cover of darkness to avoid detection. The excavated rock and soil was taken to the adjacent beach to be carried away by the tide.

The area was heavily bombed because the community was supporting the North Vietnamese army on Cồn Cỏ Island.

The ride to the bridge over the river was hilly compared to the mostly flat riding we have been doing so far in Vietnam but it was cloudy and cool (only about twenty six degrees) which made for pleasant riding.

At the bridge is an enormous flag. Apparently one has flown here continually since 1956. There is also a museum with many of the usual patriotic stuff often found at these war relic sites. The Hien Luong Bridge over the river is a beam bridge built from steel by the French in 1950. After the partition, the northern portion of the bridge was painted red and the southern portion yellow. The bridge was damaged by American bombardment in 1967 and American jets destroyed the bridge on 5 April 1972 in order to delay invading North Vietnamese forces during the Easter Offensive. It has since been rebuilt alongside a modern bridge.

Another monument stands on the southern side of the river.

The last fifteen kilometers to Đông Hà were back on the QL1A but we seem to have become immune to its noise and traffic. The wide shoulder, usually marked with the words Xe Ðạp which means Bicycle, makes for stress free if not quiet riding.

We are fast approaching Huế, sooner than we expected, so we are planning a short day tomorrow.

Today's ride: 52 km (32 miles)
Total: 761 km (473 miles)

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