The town of Dong Ha is the provincial capital of Quang Tri in Vietnam. It is found at the crossroads of two major highways, 1A and 9, and this proved to be the major reason why the town recovered so well after it was overwhelmingly bombed in 1972 in the Northern Vietnamese Eastern Offensive.
Dong Ha is the nearest town to the famous Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and it does not offer any of the tourist comforts that can be found in Hue. It is full of history and can be a sad place to visit when touring the war memorials.
During the Vietnam War this was a place of extreme tactical significance to the US military as it provided easy surveillance of the North Vietnamese across the DMZ border. Today, people who visit Dong Ha are mainly ex-servicemen wishing to visit a place they once served in during the Vietnam War.
Getting There & Away
There is a train station located only a mile south of Dong Ha with services that run to and from other major cities in the country and there is also a bus station. Many tours stop here as it’s the last town before the DMZ. The nearest international airport is in Hue, which is 50 miles from Dong Ha or a 2-hour drive. Hanoi is a 12-hour bus ride from Dong Ha.
Things to Do
Dong Ha Attractions
US armored tanks: there are three old US tanks that attract visitors.