War Zone D - a land of history rising up

Coming to the land of the War Zone D in Dong Nai during the dry season of March, visitors not only get to hear heroic historical stories and experience the unique cultural nuances of the Choro people, but also get to explore and immerse themselves in the vast green space of the primeval forest and admire the colorful "flower road" on Highway 761 stretching from Ma Da to Ba Hao...

The road of colorful flowers on Provincial Road 761. Photo: Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve

Reviving the historic land

During the resistance war against the US, War Zone D was a fierce battlefield between us and the enemy. With its central position bordering the provinces of the Eastern region, dense forests, deep streams, and rich flora and fauna, War Zone D was an ideal area for gathering forces, hiding treasures, weapons, and developing all aspects of a long-term resistance base. Therefore, the Central Bureau, the Regional Party Committee, and the Military Region Command chose it as a place to stand and build the Southern Central Bureau base (1961-1962), the Southeast Regional Party Committee base (1962-1967) and the Suoi Linh Tunnel base, from which the leaders and commanders of the armed forces of the region coordinated with the main forces of the region to overcome difficulties, break many enemy sweeps, and fight major battles such as Hieu Liem, Phuoc Thanh, Binh Gia, Dong Xoai, Dat Cuoc, Bau San, etc.

After the war, the forest area of ​​Chien Khu D, which had been heavily damaged by bombs, gradually revived. The forest contained important ecological and historical values ​​for Dong Nai and the entire Southeast region. Therefore, in 1997, Dong Nai province had a policy of closing the natural forest, in 2004 Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve and Monument was established (now Dong Nai Nature - Culture Reserve, abbreviated as the Reserve), to carry out the task of protecting the remaining forest area intact, restoring and continuing to enrich the forest. Along with that, it is necessary to protect and promote revolutionary historical relics, protect the environment and upstream water areas, promote the value of the inland wetlands of Tri An Lake and the lower reaches of Dong Nai River to serve the strategy of sustainable economic development and environmental protection of Dong Nai and the entire Southeast region.

One of the solutions for sustainable tourism development is to encourage communities in buffer zones and core zones to participate in forest management and protection in a co-management mechanism that benefits both parties. At the same time, they can directly or indirectly participate in tourism activities through the provision of tourism services and products.

Along with protecting the forest ecosystem, historical revolutionary sites located in the heart of the old forest are also preserved and promoted. Over the past 50 years (1975-2025), with conservation efforts, the appearance of relics from the system of trenches, tunnels, shelters, offices, working houses to temples, monuments, memorial steles, martyrs' cemeteries, traditional exhibition houses... have been restored, embellished and the relics have become important red addresses in the journey to the source of people from all walks of life inside and outside the province.

In the War Zone D at that time, on the edge of the old forest, there was also a Choro ethnic village, which hid and nurtured many revolutionary soldiers, and which had to endure countless tons of bombs and toxic chemicals from the US. However, the Choro people still steadfastly clung to the village, clung to the forest and fought with the revolution until the day the South was completely liberated. The country entered a period of reconstruction, and the Choro people continued to overcome economic difficulties, gradually stabilizing their lives and production.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the revival of the historical land is the “flower road” - a unique idea and tireless work of the Conservation Area for more than 10 years, aiming to create a soft, lively look for the landscape along Highway 761. Flowers bloom all year round, but bloom from February to May, the dry season in the South, the sun and wind make the clusters of bougainvillea/frangipani flowers show off their brilliant colors. Seen from above, the bougainvillea/frangipani road, more than 30km long, looks like an endless silk strip adorning the old forest.

Developing ecological - cultural - historical tourism

Director of the Center for Ecology - Culture - History of the D War Zone in the Reserve, Mr. Nguyen Van Ha shared: “Since the Reserve was established, in parallel with the research and protection of the forest ecosystem, activities to develop source tourism and eco-tourism have been promoted. When visiting the Reserve, tour guides will take visitors to experience the forest and return to the resistance period with touching stories about people and events that have gone down in the history of the nation's struggle... Thereby helping visitors understand the historical and cultural values ​​of the locality, contributing to fostering patriotism and educating revolutionary traditions, love of nature and awareness of environmental protection”.

In recent times, the Center for Ecology - Culture - History of the War Zone D has actively organized many useful activities such as: Contest to learn about the historical value of the War Zone D, Contest to learn about biodiversity and the environment so that students can love the forest, love nature and be more aware of environmental protection. Many schools in and outside the province have had interesting experiences at the Conservation Area, and the students have created quite impressive and meaningful products. These are emotional articles or recycled items that create handicraft souvenirs...

Thanks to that, the work of preserving and promoting the value of natural and cultural heritage here has had many positive changes. According to statistics, if in 2017 the number of visitors was 23,000, by 2024 the number of visitors had increased to more than 55,000 (an increase of 139.1%).

On December 29, 2023, the People's Committee of Dong Nai province issued Decision No. 3489/QD-UBND approving the Ecotourism, Resort and Entertainment Project of the Conservation Area, period 2021-2030. The Conservation Area has quickly and actively implemented the project with the following tasks: developing a plan for product development and connecting tourist routes/destinations; widely announcing the leasing of forest environments for ecotourism, resort and entertainment business; calling on organizations and individuals to coordinate in establishing investment projects for ecotourism, resort and entertainment by self-organization, association or leasing of forest environments in accordance with the approved project. It can be seen that the project is a new direction, a premise for tourism development in the Conservation Area in particular and Vinh Cuu district - Dong Nai in general.

The results achieved are the motivation for the Reserve to continue implementing solutions for sustainable tourism development. These include periodic maintenance to prevent degradation of relics; restoration of natural landscapes, planned locations for eco-tourism development at Ba Hao Lake, Tri An Lake, the Central Office for Southern Region, the Southeast Regional Party Committee, the War Remnants Area, Suoi Linh Tunnels, Rang Waterfall, Stone Park, Bau San Landscape, Red Cross Landscape, Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, Southeast National Medicinal Plant Conservation and Development Garden, etc.

Xuan Nam

Miss H'Hen Nie experiences planting forests at War Zone D.

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202503/chien-khu-d-vung-dat-lich-su-vuon-minh-17e273d/