Dien Bien Phu
Dien Bien Phu is famous as the site of a battle that was truly decisive. The French colonial forces were roundly defeated at the hands of the Viet Minh on 7 May 1954 and the days of their Indochina empire were finally numbered.

Dien Bien Phu, known as DBP for short, now enjoys the prestigious status of provincial city, like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, although it is not quite in the same league. Set in one of the most remote parts of Vietnam, the town is 34km from the Lao border in the flat, heart-shaped Muong Thanh Valley, surrounded by steep, heavily forested hills. The size and look of the city is surprising considering the remote location, especially if you managed to survive getting here overland.

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Getting there & away
The overland trip to Dien Bien Phu can be more intriguing than the actual battlefield sites for which the town is so celebrated. Of course, you miss out on this if you fly.

Land
Bus
The bus station is on Hwy 12, at the corner of Ð Tran Dang Ninh. There is a direct bus service that runs from Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu (120, 000d, 14 hours) leaving at 6am and 8am.

Buses to Muong Lay (35, 000d, three hours) leave in the morning. Daily buses to Son La (50, 000d, four hours) start at 4.30am, but for normal people who like to get up at normal times there are regular departures until noon.

Although the bus is cheap, it’s not really much fun. Buses are so packed that the only scenery you get to admire is the armpit of the person sitting next to you. If overloaded vehicles, bad roads and bad brakes worry you, definitely fly or travel overland by 4WD or motorbike.

Car & motorbike
The 470km drive from Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu on Hwys 6 and 42 takes at least 12 hours (if you’re lucky). Conceivably it could be done in a single direct journey, but almost everyone stays overnight in Son La. Speaking from experience, it’s no picnic hanging on to the hairpins on a motorbike in the dark!

Air
Vietnam Airlines (824 948; fax 825 536; 7.30-11.30am & 1.30-4.30pm) operates daily flights between Dien Bien Phu and Hanoi. The office is just before the airport, about 1.5km from the town centre, along the road to Muong Lay.

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See more Viet Nam

About Hanoi Vietnam | Around Ho Chi Minh City | About Halong Bay Vietnam | Ba Be National Park | Ba Vi National Park | Bac Lieu | Bai Tu Long Bay  | Bo Nau Cave (Pelican cave) |  Beaches North of Nha Trang |  Ben Tre | Buon Ma Thuot | Ca Mau  | Dien Bien Phu | Dong Hoi | Ha Giang | Haiphong | Halong City | Ho Coc Beach | Dong Hoi | Kon Tum | Kim Quy Grotto | Lang Son | Lao Cai | Long Hai | Luon Grotto | Long Xuyen | Mai Chau | Mekong Delta | Mui Ne Beach | My Tho | Phan Rang & Thap Cham | Phan Thiet | Phat Diem | Phong Nha Cave | Phu Quoc Island | Pleiku | Quang Ngai | Rach Gia | Soc Trang | Song Cau | Tam Coc | Tam Dao  | Tay Ninh | Thay & Tay Phuong Pagodas | Tra Co Beach | Tra Vinh | Tuy Hoa  | Van Don Island  | Vinh Long | Vung Tau |