Dong Ha

Travel guide

Quicklinks	» Book a room now!
» Orientation  » Accommodation  » Food & Drink	» Sights & attractions  » Getting there & away

The Ben Hai River traverses the northern reaches of Quang Tri province, marking Vietnam's 17th parallel, which was used as the demarcation line between North and South Vietnam in 1954. The demarcation was intended as a temporary line between the north and south until the elections, to be held in 1956 would reunify the country.

The elections never took place and Quang Tri saw some of the heaviest fighting in all of Vietnam. By the end of the war, the entire province had been more or less flattened and most of the population had been evacuated. Both Quang Tri town and Dong Ha were totally destroyed -- not a building was left standing in either town, and of the 3,000+ villages that once were dotted over the province, eleven remained.

Given this history, the main "attraction" in Quang Tri province is the legacy of this extreme violence. While many choose to visit the DMZ on an organised tour out of Hue, there is no reason why you can't use Dong Ha as a base instead -- there's no shortage of motorcycle-borne guides and you'll most likely avoid the more packaged feel of the trips out of Hue.

Most tours (regardless of starting point) will cover the remnants of the US base at Khe Sanh, the large military cemetery, Camp Carroll and the Rockpile, though individual itineraries can vary a little. North of the Ben Hai River are the Vinh Moc tunnels, similar to the Cu Chi tunnels near Saigon, but far more interesting, less circus-like and a far tighter fit.

 

At first glance Dong Ha, the capital of Quang Tri Province, appears to be little more than another drab roadside town, and during the rainy season it could easily be mistaken for being amongst the most miserable places on earth.

However, once you get off the main road and go wandering, as with most Vietnamese towns it can be quite enchanting, as you can easily return to the attractive life of rural Vietnam.

There are only two reasons to come here: the first is that Dong Ha is just south of the DMZ, and constitutes an ideal staging area for an independent exploration of 'The Zone.' During the Vietnam War, this town along with the erstwhile provincial capital Quang Tri (now located to the south of Dong Ha), were totally destroyed. Today few choose to stay here, instead opting for the far more traveller-friendly Hue, but if you plan on spending a lot of time exploring the DMZ, then staying in Dong Ha could be a good idea.

The second reason is that it's the departure point for all transport to Lao Bao, and the only town legally sanctioned by the Vietnamese government to offer international bus tickets to cities in Laos.

All you're likely to see of Dong Ha is the nasty bit along Highway 1 -- the road changes name to Le Duan on its way through town. Like many transit points, the denizens here are primed to pounce on passers-by, whether they are hawking tours, meals or banana fritters.

Text and/or map last updated on 21st August, 2009.
Further reading
 » Doing the DMZ from Hue

Considering a tour to Vietnam?



Add to scrapbook

 

 

Book online

Hoang Lan Hotel
193 Highway One Dong Ha
From: US$7.00 with HostelWorld


Phung Hoang Hotel
146 Le Duan Street
From: US$10.00 with HostelWorld

  Search for accommodation

Search for guesthouses & hotels
where in Vietnam?
A Luoi Bac Ha Ben Tre Buon Ma Thuot Ca Na Cam Ranh Bay Can Tho Cat Ba Island Chau Doc China Beach Con Dao Islands Cua Lo Da Lat Da Nang Dai Lanh Dien Bien Phu Dong Ha Dong Hoi Dong Xoai Gia Nghia Ha Long Bay Ha Tien Ha Tinh Halong City Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hoa Binh Hoi An Hon Chong Hue Kon Tum Lai Chau Lao Cai Long Xuyen Mai Chau Moc Chau Mui Ne Muong Lay My Khe Beach My Tho Nha Trang Ninh Binh Ninh Chu North of Kon Tum North of Nha Trang Phan Rang Thap Cham Phan Thiet Pho Rang Phong Nha Phong To Phu Quoc Island Pleiku Quang Ngai Qui Nhon Rach Gia Sa Huynh Sapa Sinh Ho Son La Song Cau Tam Dao Hill Station Tay Ninh Thanh Hoa Tra Vinh Tuan Giao Tuy Hoa Vinh Vinh Long Vung Tau Yen Chau

Sort results by:
Travelfish ranking (best first)
Price (cheapest first)
Name (A-Z)
Show only properties bookable online

 

Fresh off our Asia travel forum

Here are some discussions off the Travelfish forum, perhaps related to Dong Ha. You can find the full forum here.

Topic	Replies	Views
Lao Bao to Dong Ha: How to Hitch a Ride in Vietnam  In Trip reports: by valaria7, last reply by eggewaertslamp	2	895

Dong Ha reviews

Backchat from the Travelfish community

Not a soul has had a thing to say about this place -- why don't you get the ball rolling?

Have your say