Dien Bien overview

ien Bien Phu became famous the world over as the place the Vietnamese defeated the French army and ended colonial rule. 500km (310 miles) from Hanoi, it is a beautiful valley bisected by the Nam Youm River and surrounded by high mountain peaks. The area is 18km (11 miles) long and 4km (2.5 miles) wide.

Dien Bien Phu was chosen by French General Henri Navarre to confine movement of the "Viet Minh" guerillas. Yet after a siege of almost 2 months, it was the French who surrendered on May 6, 1954. Visitors can still find vestiges of the battlefields: trenches, bunkers, camps and bases on the hills. The old command post of General Christian de Castries was reconstructed to commemorate for the 40th anniversary of the victory in 1994.

The now peaceful and tranquil dish-shaped valley of Dien Bien Phu tours is home to about 60,000 people. The roads snake through the valley, bending around the forest-covered hills and creating many magnificent travel routes.

Dien Bien Phu is inhabited by Thai, Muong, Nung and several other ethnic groups who largely continue to maintain their traditional lifestyles. Traditional clothing is also usually worn, with women resplendent in their beautiful and colorful embroideries and the expensive jewelry. The area is good for trekking, and whole the region constitutes a paradise for sightseeing and photography.

Dien Bien Geography

Dien Bien Province is on the North - West Vietnam. It is next to Lai Chau Travel , Son La provinces, Laos and China tours . The province has many mountains stretching along north-west and south-east direction. Muong Thanh Valley is largest one of this region. The topography includes forests, high mountains, narrow valleys, small plains, and springs.

Climate: Dien Bien is mountainous tropical area. There are the dry and the rainy seasons. The average temperature is about 21ºC - 23ºC.

Dien Bien Tourism

Dien Bien possesses charming natural scenery such as Pa Khoang Reservoir, Tham Bang Cave, Ban Phu Citadel, Museum of Dien Bien Phu Victory.

Dien Bien are also proud of many historic sites: Noong Nhai Vestige, Muong Phang Forest, especially, Dien Bien Phu Vestige with a global well-known victory in 1954.

Traveling from Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu, it takes 1 hour by plane. But by road, travelers go over kilometers of mountainous road and cross Pha Din Pass. The stretch of road goes uphill and downhill alternately with many sharp bends. It is a memorable event for everybody in this superb mountain.

Dien Bien Transportation

The network of road is convenient include:- It takes 478km from Hanoi following National Highway No. 6 to Tuan Giao and then the 279 to Dien Bien Phu.- It is 195km from Dien Bien Phu to Ma Lu Thang border gate (Lai Chau) following National Highway No. 12.- The National Highway No. 279 links Tuan Giao to Tay Trang border gate vise Dien Bien Phu.

Beside that, there is Muong Thanh Airport in Dien Bien Phu, connecting Ha Noi - Dien Bien Phu