What is the Truong Son National Cemetery?
Truong Son National Cemetery is the official resting place of over 30,000 North Vietnamese soldiers who lost their lives during the Vietnam War—most of them while fighting or supporting operations along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The cemetery was built after the war to gather the remains of soldiers buried across the central and southern battlefields into one unified memorial.
The site is located in Quang Tri Province, within the area that once formed part of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). Set on a quiet forested hillside, it’s not just a military graveyard—it’s a national symbol of sacrifice and remembrance. Many of the graves are unnamed, yet each one represents a life lost in the war, and a family that never fully returned to peace.
History of the cemetery
Built After the War to Honor the Fallen
Truong Son National Cemetery was established in 1977, two years after the end of the Vietnam War. Its purpose was to gather and honor the remains of North Vietnamese soldiers who had died on the southern and central battlefields—particularly those along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a key supply and infiltration route during the war.
Bodies were recovered from remote forests, battle sites, and temporary burial grounds throughout the region and reinterred here in one central, solemn location. The cemetery became a national project of remembrance, built to ensure that those who gave their lives for reunification would not be forgotten.
A Place of National Mourning
For Vietnamese families and veterans, Truong Son is more than a cemetery—it’s a symbol of sacrifice, unity, and national memory. Many families visit the site to honor loved ones, even if the exact location of their relative’s grave remains unknown. It’s common to see incense burning quietly at tombstones, especially during remembrance days or Tet.
The cemetery holds over 30,000 graves, but many of them remain unnamed. Identification was difficult due to the circumstances of war and the harsh conditions in which many soldiers died. Despite the lack of names, each tomb represents an individual who contributed to what Vietnam sees as the struggle for independence and reunification.
Symbolic Layout and Structure
The cemetery is laid out in a structured and symbolic way. The graves are organized by the soldier’s home province, showing how people from across the country came together for a single cause. At the center stands a large memorial monument, rising above the rows of tombstones like a watchtower of remembrance.
The location of the cemetery—in the hills near the former DMZ—also carries meaning. It marks the area where so many lives were lost, and where the boundary between North and South once stood.
Visiting the cemetery
Visiting Truong Son National Cemetery isn’t like visiting a typical tourist destination. There’s no crowd, no souvenir stalls—just quiet hills, rows of tombstones, and a sense of scale that speaks for itself. Whether or not you have a deep knowledge of the Vietnam War, walking through this place gives you a more personal view of the war’s human cost.
The cemetery is large, and most visitors start at the central memorial monument, which overlooks the surrounding landscape. From there, paths lead you through the grave sections, where over 30,000 tombstones are neatly arranged by province. Some have names and birthplaces, while others remain anonymous, marked only with a simple inscription.
Scattered throughout the cemetery, you’ll also find sculptures, carvings, and smaller memorials, often placed by local provinces or military units. The layout is easy to follow, and the site is well maintained, with stone paths and shaded areas that make walking comfortable even in the heat.
While there are no guided tours, the setting itself tells the story. It’s not dramatic or heavily curated, but that’s what makes it impactful. If you’re visiting DMZ war sites like Khe Sanh or Vinh Moc, this cemetery offers a different, more reflective perspective.
How to Visit Truong Son National Cemetery
Location
Truong Son National Cemetery is located in Quang Tri Province, in what was once the southern edge of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). The site sits in a quiet area surrounded by hills and forests—not along the main highway, but still fairly accessible with a bit of planning.
From Hue, it’s about 110 km and takes around 2 hours by car. From Dong Ha, the nearest town, it’s about 30 km and roughly 40 minutes away. The Vinh Moc Tunnels are also just 30 km from the cemetery, making it a logical stop if you’re exploring other nearby war sites.
While it’s a slight detour off the main coastal route, it’s much closer and easier to reach than remote spots like Khe Sanh Combat Base. If you’re already traveling between Hue and Phong Nha, you can take an alternate route that passes near the cemetery without adding much extra time.
Day Tour from Hue
Truong Son Cemetery isn’t typically included in standard DMZ tours from Hue, which usually focus on Vinh Moc Tunnels and Hien Luong Bridge. However, some longer or private DMZ tours that also go to Khe Sanh may include the cemetery as part of a full-day itinerary.
Visiting with a guide adds value, especially if you want historical context or insight into Vietnamese war memorial culture. Some guides may also help translate inscriptions or explain the layout of the cemetery.
Private Car with Driver
Hiring a private car with driver is the most flexible way to visit Truong Son. This allows you to combine it with other sites like Khe Sanh, Vinh Moc, or Hien Luong Bridge at your own pace.
Keep in mind that drivers are not guides, and most will only provide basic English for logistics. If you’d like a more detailed explanation, you can arrange a guide separately or request one through your travel agency or hotel.
Tip: Include in Transfer Hue – Phong Nha
If you’re already planning to travel between Hue and Phong Nha, you can turn the trip into a sightseeing transfer by including Truong Son Cemetery along the way. It doesn’t require a major detour and offers a peaceful, thought-provoking stop between destinations.
This is a good option for travelers who want to explore more than just the major DMZ sights and prefer to travel with more purpose than simply getting from A to B.
Other Vietnam War sights in the DMZ
Visiting Truong Son National Cemetery is often part of a broader journey through the DMZ region, where several key war-related sites can be explored in a single day or across multiple days. Each place offers a different perspective on the Vietnam War—ranging from civilian survival to military strategy and the long-term impact of unexploded ordnance.
- Vinh Moc Tunnels – An underground tunnel complex where entire families lived to escape U.S. bombings. Unlike the Cu Chi Tunnels, these were built for civilians and are high enough to walk through comfortably.
- Hien Luong Bridge – Once the dividing line between North and South Vietnam, this bridge spans the Ben Hai River and includes a museum, monuments, and old propaganda loudspeakers.
- Khe Sanh Combat Base – The site of one of the war’s longest and most intense battles. You can visit abandoned aircraft, bunkers, and a small museum located at the old Ta Con airstrip.
- Mine Action Visitor Center – A small museum in Dong Ha that highlights the legacy of unexploded bombs in Quang Tri Province and the ongoing work to make the area safe.
