QUANG BINH - QUANG TRI DESTINATIONS

1. BANG MINERAL HOT SPRING

Bang Mineral Hot Spring is located 60km south of Dong Hoi City, in Kim Thuy Commune, Le Thuy District, Quang Binh Province. The mineral water with a composition of many precious elements has become an internationally prestigious mineral water source. In addition, this hot spring is potential for resorts. Investments have been made on several ten hectares of land area for the development of swimming pools, spas, and accommodation and tourist services to make Bang Hot Spring a favorite resort and wellness tourism destination of both international and domestic visitors.

2. PHONG NHA CAVE - KE BANG NATIONAL PARK

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is one of the world's two largest limestone regions, and it has been recognised as a world natural heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) at its 27th general assembly session being held in Paris from June 30-July 5, 2003. At the session, delegates from over 160 member countries of UNESCO World Heritage Convention agreed to include Phong Nha - Ke Bang Park and 30 others worldwide to the list of world heritage sites.

3. TIEN SON GROTTO
The site is now on the list to be recommended to UNESCO for recognition as a World Heritage Site. Tien Son Grotto was discovered in April 1935 in the limestone mountain of Ke Bang. It is about 400m away from the famous Phong Nha Grotto and at a height of 135m. Tien Son Grotto is more than 980m long. Going into the cave for about 400m, visitors will see an abyss, about 10m deep. Then comes another part of the cave, about 500m long is rather dangerous for walking. At present, nearly 400m of the cave have been installed with lighting system to make it safe for visitors. Some look like a man or an animal, and there is one that looks like the Learning Tower of Pisa in Italy. On the cave ceiling, there are glittering gold and silver-like veins. Some stalagmites produce an echoing sound when slightly knocked.

4. VINH MOC TUNNELS - DMZ
Situated 13km east of the national Highway 1A and just 6km away from the sea, Vinh Moc Tunnels has become a favourite destination for foreign tourists, especially American war veterans. The spectacular tunnel network stands as a testament to the endurance, wisdom and bravery of the local people in their fight for independence. The tunnels used to be thousands of meters long. But now there remain only 1,700m. This underground network is linked with 13 doors (seven opening to the sea and six to the hills). The structure is divided into three layers, the deepest being 23m underground. They are connected by a 768m main axis that is 1.6 to 1.8m high and 1.2 to 1.5m wide. It is linked to the sea by seven exits, which also function as ventilators and to a nearby hill by another six.

5. QUANG TRI CITADEL
Quang Tri Citadel was built in 1824, during the 4th year of the reign of Minh Mang. The citadel is approximately 60km north of Hue. The citadel had a style of Vauban architecture with its circuit of 2,160m – one door each side. There were four fortresses jutting out from each four corners to control the four citadel gates. Inside was the town palace surrounded by a system of thick walls with circuit of 400m. The town palace was a three-roomed house whose two wings were used as places for the King to worship, and to give promotions to his inferiors or to occasionally celebrate festivals. Outside the town palace, there were a flagpole and castles such as Tuan Vu, An Sat and Lanh Binh and a rice store, etc and under the French domination, soldier camp and tax agency were added. However there are no remains of the past there nowadays – due to the destruction of U.S bombs in the hot summer of 1972.