Demilitarised Zone

The Demilitarised Zone in central Vietnam refers to the wartime zone around the 17th parallel in Quang Tri Province that separated north and south Vietnam under the 1954 Geneva Accords. It was a strategically contested strip of territory and the scene of heavy fighting during the Vietnam War.

Present-day interest focuses on preserved wartime sites and memorials such as river crossing points, battlefields and tunnel systems. Several interpretive sites and museums in and around Quang Tri present wartime history and civil impacts.

The zone was created in 1954 as a political and military separation and remained a focal point of conflict and military operations until reunification in 1975. Since then the region has undergone restoration, commemoration and limited tourism development around its historic sites.

Geographically the DMZ area lies along the Ben Hai River and surrounding districts of Quang Tri Province in central Vietnam, close to the city of Dong Ha and the coastal highway that runs through the province.

• Historic boundary: Established as the de facto political boundary between north and south Vietnam at the 17th parallel under the 1954 Geneva Accords and remained a focus of major military operations during the Vietnam War.
• Visitor focus: Today the area contains a series of memorials, preserved wartime sites and visitor trails related to the conflict of the mid-20th century.

What to See #

• Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River: A bridge and riverside area marking the historic line of division along the Ben Hai River at the 17th parallel, now a memorial space.
• Vinh Moc tunnels: A network of wartime tunnels and civilian shelters where local populations took refuge and that are open to visitors in some locations.
• Memorial sites and museums: Museums, cemeteries and preserved battle sites in the region that interpret the wartime history of the DMZ and the military campaigns fought there.