Dong Ha
Introduction
Đông Hà is a ward in Quảng Trị province, Vietnam. It sits in the central part of the country, within a province known for its wartime history and its position along the north–south route through Vietnam. As a ward, Đông Hà functions as an urban centre for the surrounding area rather than a large standalone city, so your visit here is likely to be quiet and local in character.
Expect a provincial Vietnamese town atmosphere, with the day-to-day life of Quảng Trị province around you.
Getting there
Dong Ha sits on the main north–south route through central Vietnam, so you can reach it by bus or train. Travel agents in Hue sell cheap bus seats to and from Dong Ha as part of their DMZ tours, and the town also has connections onward to Savannakhet in Laos. Minibuses run between Dong Ha and both Hue and Da Nang throughout the day, every day, and vans to the Lao Bao border crossing also depart all day. On the railway, note that the Saigon–Hanoi express trains do not stop at Dong Ha station — only local, slower trains call here, so plan your journey around those services if you intend to arrive by rail.Getting around
Dong Ha has no city bus network, and walking is impractical given the long, dusty, hot roads, so your most workable option within town is a motorbike taxi. You can flag one down or ask your hotel to arrange one, agree a price, and ride pillion to your specific destination. Motorbike rentals are hard to find along Le Duan, so don't count on driving yourself.
For the DMZ and other sights outside the city, arrange a tour that picks you up from your hotel rather than piecing together local transport. Intercity road links are well established: minibuses run to and from Hue and Da Nang throughout the day, every day, and travel agents in Hue offer cheap buses to and from Dong Ha as part of their DMZ tours. Vans run to the Lao Bao border crossing throughout the day, with connections onward to Savannakhet in Laos; tickets for these services are usually arranged directly with the operator or through a travel agent rather than online. Dong Ha sits on the North–South Railway and is served by Dong Ha Railway Station, but only the local, slower trains call there — the main Saigon–Hanoi express services do not stop, so check the timetable carefully if you plan to arrive or depart by rail. The city has no airport of its own; until Quang Tri Airport becomes operational, fly into Dong Hoi Airport or Phu Bai International Airport in Hue and continue by road, for example via the minibus connections from Hue.
Where to stay
Most of Dong Ha's places to sleep cluster around the junction of Nguyen Du and 9B, where you'll find the Hoang Lan Hotel on the east side and the Sao Mai Hotel on the west. Both are simple, affordable options: Hoang Lan has clean rooms with en suite baths, air-con, a fan, Wi-Fi and notably hard beds, while Sao Mai is a cheap, semi-clean guesthouse whose helpful staff speak some English, with en suite baths, air-con, fan, Wi-Fi and inside parking. If you're arriving or leaving by train, the Hotel Ngoc Anh on Le Duan, on the south side of town across from the train station and just up the road from the local bus station, offers nice, new rooms; the very nice lady there will help with tickets or tours, though she speaks little or no English.
Budget travellers have a few more choices. The Violet Hotel on Ba Trieu, opposite the lakeside restaurants and near Tran Hung Dao Street, is a budget place with helpful staff, good air-con, hot showers, a mini bar and TV, though the expat owner is no longer on site and it shows; Tam's cafe can help with directions. The Trade Labor Union Guesthouse is another inexpensive option. Rooms across these places range from singles to doubles, and low-season rates can be lower than the standard ones.
Food & drink
For coffee and drinks, head to Tam's Cafe on Hung Vuong Street, where you'll find excellent coffee alongside a selection of other drinks. The menu also covers some good Western food and basic Vietnamese dishes, so it works equally well for a meal or a break. The owner is very helpful and can arrange tours or assist with anything else you may need, making the cafe a good place to meet other travellers in town.What to see and do
The DMZ makes an interesting one-day outing from Dong Ha, and the town itself holds a pair of museums worth your time. The Mine Action Visitor Center, at Kid First Village, is an excellent museum covering the ongoing effects of unexploded ordnance in the DMZ area; it can be a little difficult to find, so look for the blue sign on Ly Thuong Kiet Street and follow the dirt road past the lake. The Museum of Quang Tri Province provides detailed information about the region, its history including the Vietnam War, its culture, local life and industries. Both are free to enter and open on weekdays.Three days in Dong Ha
Day one: Base yourself in Dong Ha and get your bearings along Le Duan and Nguyen Du, where guesthouses such as Hoang Lan Hotel and Sao Mai Hotel cluster and where both Hoang Lan and its neighbours offer Wi-Fi. Because Dong Ha sits on the North South Railway, you can arrive at Dong Ha Railway Station, and most travellers also reach the town by intercity buses, minibuses or vans from Hue, Da Nang, Dong Hoi Airport, Phu Bai International Airport or Quang Tri Airport. Expect Vietnamese food to be the easy option while you settle in.
Day two: Use Dong Ha as your launch point for the DMZ, the reason many people come here. You can join a tour or take a motorbike, and because the sites are spread out, it is worth planning your day around the DMZ rather than trying to fit it around other stops. It is a long day, so keep the evening simple back in town.
Day three: Travel onward. You can head north to Hue, Hanoi or Laos via Lao Bao and Savannakhet, or south to Da Nang and Saigon, using the railway, intercity buses, minibuses or vans. If you are flying, Quang Tri Airport, Dong Hoi Airport and Phu Bai International Airport are the options to check. As with day one, expect to sort your ticket the day before.