Dien Bien History & Culture Tour 1

PROGRAMME SUMMARY: HISTORY TOUR – ETHNIC VILLAGES (2 DAYS – 1 NIGHT) Reasons you will love this programme? Explore the natural landscapes of Dien Bien. Travel the long road to Muong Phang commune. Walk along the forest trail to visit the Command Headquarters of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Mingle with the Thai ethnic community; discover the culture, customs and traditions of the local people; savour traditional cuisine; take part in and immerse yourself in the striking music, songs and melodies… Visit the historical relic cluster in the Dien Bien Phu valley, where the traces and feats of the past are still preserved; take in the full panorama of the 56 days and nights of battle and the indomitable, heroic spirit of Vietnam’s army and people. Distinctive dishes such as: Pa Pinh Top grilled fish; five-coloured sticky rice; cham cheo dipping sauce; Mac Khen spice; and a set menu of enticing local specialities… Sample sau chit liquor, ground-bee honey wine and many other street snacks at the city market. Plenty of distinctive souvenirs woven and crafted by the hands of the local people…

Morning: The group transfers to Noi Bai Airport. Your guide welcomes the group at Dien Bien Phu Airport. The group transfers to the hotel, checks in and has lunch. Afternoon: The group sets off for the Command Headquarters of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign at Muong Phang: visit the working huts and bunkers of General Vo Nguyen Giap, Chief of Staff Hoang Van Thai, the Chinese Military Advisory Group and the various offices of the Campaign Command… On the way back, stop at the Che Can ethnic village – one of the village’s most distinctive features is its traditional, ancient stilt-house architecture. In the beliefs of the Black Thai people of the Northwest, stilt houses are usually set on high, airy ground, backing onto the mountains and facing rivers, streams and rice fields. Thanks to its convenient location near Pa Khoang Lake and the Muong Phang historical relic site, local residents have developed community-based tourism that combines cultural, historical and ecological travel. Have dinner in Che Can village to enjoy the traditional dishes of the Thai ethnic community. Here, guests may arrange a performance featuring traditional music, the xoe dance and the bamboo-pole dance (at your own expense). After dinner, the group returns to the city. Overnight at the hotel. DAY 2: VISIT THE HISTORICAL RELIC CLUSTER IN THE DIEN BIEN VALLEY (BREAKFAST, LUNCH) Morning: The group sets off to visit several wartime relic clusters: • Pay respects at A1 Martyrs’ Cemetery: the resting place of the officers and soldiers who fought valiantly and laid down their lives in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. • The Dien Bien Phu Historic Victory Museum. In particular, visitors will see the Panorama painting – the largest historical-theme panorama painting in Southeast Asia. • Visit the A1 Hill relic, the De Castries Bunker, Muong Thanh Bridge and the Dien Bien Phu Victory Monument – landmarks that resonate with heroism and mark important milestones in the nation’s history. • The vehicle takes guests to the Central Market, where you are free to shop for Dien Bien specialities as gifts for friends and family. The group has lunch at a restaurant, then returns to the hotel for a midday rest. Afternoon: The group checks out of the hotel. The vehicle takes the group to the airport. We bid the group farewell and the programme concludes. Other useful information: – In Dien Bien Phu city there are restaurants serving Thai ethnic cuisine, sturgeon, salmon, mountain-and-forest specialities and thang co (traditional highland stew)… – Specialities: Dien Bien rice, honey, sau chit, smoked buffalo meat, cham cheo, bamboo shoots, rattan and bamboo products, embroidery and brocade weaving…