Dien 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. Dien Bien Phu was chosen by French General Henri Navarre to confine movement of the "Viet Minh" guerillas. Yet after a seige 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 roads snake through the valley, bending around the forest-covered hills and creating many magnificent travel routes.
Tour itinerary:
Day 1: Ha Noi (L,D)
Pick up at hotel transfer to Noi Bai airport for flight to Dien Bien Phu at 12h00 by VN 492 (Vietnam airlines).
13h20: Arrive DienBienPhu city, tour guide and car pick up at Muong Thanh airport and transfer to hotel. Have lunch.
PM: Haft day tour around the battlefields. You see the museum of Dien Bien with exhibits collected during the fiercest war in Indochina during the 1950s, then we visit the vestiges of bunkers and fortified stations of over 16,000 French Expeditionary troops (including Elliane Hill and De Castries bunkers…). You will also be able to see the headquarter of Vietnamese army (Viet Minh) which lies some 30km away. And finally you will understand why the French lost here and ended their attempt to control Indochina. You will visit A1 hill, Muong Thanh bridge. Have dinner at restaurant, overnight at hotel in Dien Bien Phu city.
Day 2: Dien Bien Phu - Ha Noi (B, L)
AM: Haft day of sightseeing or trekking into villages of the ethnic minority Thai people, boat trip in Pa Khoang lake. Have lunch before transfer to airport for flight back to Hanoi by flight VN 493 at 14h00. Bus pickup and transfer to hotel. Finish tour.
Include:
ü Accommodation at Muong Thanh Hotel, Superior (double/twin sharing in Dien Bien Phu
ü Transportation
ü English/ French speaking tour guide
ü Meals
ü Permission and visiting fees
ü Airfare Hanoi – Dien Bien – Hanoi
Exculde:
ü Visa to Vietnam
ü Departure at airport tax
ü Personal expenses
ü Tips to drivers and guides
