Vinh Moc Tunnels In Quang Tri, Vietnam

Introduction

Vinh Moc Tunnels is a well-known historical site in Quang Tri province. This underground village assisted the soldiers and people of Quang Tri in hiding and defending their forces throughout the fierce resistance war.

The work began in early 1965 and was completed on February 18, 1966. It was located in the heart of a red basalt hill running close to the sea edge.

The special thing is that the commander of this project, at that time, had just finished primary school. Currently, he is a former lieutenant colonel living in Dong Ha City and is blind due to the effects of his wartime injuries.

Today, this tunnel is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world. Please read the following article from Culture Pham Travel to learn more about Vinh Moc Tunnels’ distinctive architecture.

Where Are The Vinh Moc Tunnels?

Address: Vinh Moc village, Kim Thach commune, Vinh Linh district, Quang Tri province.

Vinh Moc Tunnels is a part of DMZ Vietnam. It was a military and civilian base during the Vietnam War against the Republic of Vietnam and the United States of America. This is a robust and sturdy tunnel with three floors and circular staircases that remains intact to this day.

How To Visit To Vinh Moc Tunnels Vietnam?

If you stay in Hue, you should book the Vinh Moc Tunnels Tour such as Hue DMZ Tour. This is a great day trip exploring La Vang Holyland, Hien Luong Bridge, Ben Hai River, Vinh Moc Tunnels, etc.

What if you stay in Da Nang or Hoi An? Yes, you can also explore all the DMZ Quang Tri highlights by booking the Da Nang to DMZ by private car or Hoi An to DMZ by private car.

Ideal Time To Visit Vinh Moc Tunnels

Vinh Moc Tunnel is located in Quang Tri Province, so it is influenced by the weather here. The best time to visit Vinh Moc Tunnels is during the dry season, which runs from March to September. The weather is now sunny, dry, and cool, making it ideal for sightseeing.

Vinh Moc Tunnels Entrance Fee And Opening Hours

Opening hours to welcome visitors start at 7 am to 5 pm every day of the week.

Vinh Moc Tunnels entrance fee:

• Adults: 40,000 VND/ticket.
• Children over 1m2: 20,000 VND/ticket.
• Children under 1m2: Free.

History Of Vinh Moc Tunnels Vietnam

The Vietnamese people’s history of fighting invaders is incredibly valiant and well-known throughout the world. One of the factors that created the success of that war was the network of tunnels in Quang Tri.

In particular, Vinh Moc Tunnels still exist intact to this day. This displays the Vietnamese army and people’s endurance, intelligence, and courage in their fight for national freedom.

Back in the mid-1960s, this area was still a wasteland that was continuously bombed by American forces. To reduce deaths and protect people, local soldiers devised the idea of living underground.

Furthermore, the initial intention was to create a U-shaped tunnel along the seaside bluff. This original network acted as a base to defend against enemy landings in Vinh Linh as well as a supply center for nearby Con Co Island.

In addition, the Vinh Moc tunnel complex was built in many stages, starting in 1966 and being completed 2 years later. This underground village is quite fully equipped, including a well, kitchen, living room, clinic, meeting room, etc. There are around 60 families, and 17 children were born inside the tunnels.

Vinh Moc Tunnels Architectural Specification

The entire dome-shaped tunnel system is 0.9m x 1.75m and has a total length of 2,034m, including various branches connected by the main axis, which is 870m long.

The tunnel has 13 doors, of which 6 doors are connected to the hill, 7 doors open to the sea, and 3 vented wells. Moreover, the cellar doors have wooden columns to prevent collapse and landslides, discreetly camouflaged, and sloping in the direction of the wind to ensure ventilation.

The ground level of Vinh Moc Tunnel was dug 5m above sea level, inclined from 8 – 120 degrees from South to north and from West to East for easy drainage and not being stuck in the tunnels.

Daily life activity was still happening normally, even in the rainy season. As a result, the clay in the tunnel is becoming increasingly hard, preserving the Vinh Moc Tunnel Vietnam construction almost entirely.

Entering the tunnel, visitors will be surprised because it is very cool. Ventilation is a necessary safety factor; ensuring hundreds of people live and fight in the tunnel is the most important element of the tunnels.

This is not only a simple fighting tunnel, as with other works, but also an underground dwelling place for soldiers and locals. They have turned the underground into sturdy fortresses with three connecting levels. The first level is 8 – 10m deep for maneuvering combat and shelter.

The second level, from 12 to 15 meters from the ground, is the villager’s residence. The third level, which is more than 23 meters deep, is utilized to store food and weaponry for Con Co island, as well as the troops and inhabitants of Vinh Moc tunnels.

What Makes It Special?

It can be said that the Vinh Moc Tunnel is an underground village with all facilities such as wells, rice storage, Hoang Cam kitchen, guard station, telephone station, infirmary, operating room, bathrooms, etc.

Inside the tunnels, there is also a hall used as a place for meetings, performances, and films, with a capacity of up to 50 people.

Vinh Moc Tunnel Vietnam is evaluated as a typical work of the system of Vinh Linh village’s tunnel. Tunnels are initiated from wells and then radiated into tunnels. The tunnels often run zigzag in a Z shape to create solid folds, using the ground wall to block the path of the bombs.

In the nearly 2,000 days and nights of existence in the tunnel, no one was injured and 17 babies were born. It is enough to prove the value and meaning of Vinh Moc tunnels and the miracle of the sacred land and people here.

Travel Tips

• It is forbidden to write anywhere inside the tunnel.
• Maintain good hygiene and avoid indiscriminate waste disposal.
• Furthermore, the tunnel’s entrance is narrow and tight, so visitors should not play around inside it for their safety.
• Vinh Moc Tunnels is a complex tunnel system; therefore, go as a group to avoid getting lost.
• The environment within the tunnel is particularly moldy, with little light and air; therefore, pregnant women and individuals with a history of asthma shouldn’t participate.
• In addition, visitors can prepare water to avoid thirst while visiting the tunnels.

Conclusion

In short, the Vinh Moc Tunnels are intertwined with Vietnam’s great history of battling foreign invaders. This area exemplifies the Vietnamese people’s great vitality and fighting spirit in their pursuit of national independence.

That is all the important information about Vinh Moc Tunnels that Culture Pham Travel wants to share with readers. Come here once to learn more about Vietnamese history and feel the suffering that the Vietnamese people faced during the war years.