(all photos & write-up courtesy of Garry Davis!)
Located not far outside Tam Ky, in Quang Nam province, the Ky Anh Tunnels are a network of war-era tunnels that have recently been opened for tourism and are well worth a visit if you are in the area. They are not far outside town and offer a great glimpse into the conditions that existed during Vietnam's 30-year War of Independence and does a great job of showing just how resourceful and determined the brave Vietnamese soldiers were, and how their cunning tactics helped stave off powerful enemies. If you have never visited to famous Cu Chi Tunnels, or the Vinh Moc Tunnels in Quang Tri, these are a great place to have a look at a similar network, albeit on a smaller scale.
One of the entrances (above), the welcome sign, and Garry Davis dropping into one of the tunnels.
To this day, there are still dozens of existing tunnel networks running through the Vietnamese countryside. However, because many of these tunnel networks are either unstable, partially (or mostly) destroyed, or even being kept in a semi-ready state for the next conflict, there are very few in the Da Nang/Quang Nam area that are open to the public. Southeast of Tam Ky, near the port of Ky Ha, are a small series of tunnels built into a hill near the Chu Lai port in Nui Thanh, Quang Nam, that are open to the public, but tunnel networks near Ai Nghia in Dai Loc, near Suoi Da on Son Tra, and near Ho Khe Tan, in Dai Loc are all closed to the public, or are only available for visits during special circumstances. So the fact these tunnels have now been made ready for tourism represents a somewhat rare insight that is not common in this area.
The Ky Anh Tunnel network sits underneath the village of Thach Tan, which is part of the larger Tam Thanh commune, and while there are numerous entrances to the network scattered throughout local villages, the primary access is found in this village. In the past, there were as many as 32 kilometers of tunnels stretch through the area, although the restored portions are much, much shorter, totaling a few hundred meters. There are a couple entrances to the tunnel network, one at the local communal house, or Dinh, and another in the backyard of a local house.
Once inside, there are a variety of chambers and tunnels of varying uses. You can view one of the original command bunkers, a sizable room with a large table inside, as well as several ancillary chambers that were used for a variety of purposes. It is a tight squeeze into a lot of these chambers, showing just how determined the local troops were as they used this network to stand their ground against the South Vietnamese and US forces.
Views inside the tunnel complex (above) and one of the entrances (below).
To visit these tunnels, you need to call 01669620146 about 15 minutes before your visit and let them know you are on your way. There is a small rotation of people who take turns being the tour guide, but whoemever is on duty will have that phone. That person will then meet you at the gate and open it for you and take you on a small tour. Right now you can only really visit a small section of the network, including 5 of the entrances and 2 of the tunnel sections, but it is still enough to get a great idea of how these tunnels worked during times of war. The entrance cost is 50,000vnd per person.
New entrance building and a memorial to fallen soldiers (above), and a hidden entrance under a fire pit (below).
Aside from the tunnels, the other interesting thing of note here is the "unbreakable pillar" that helps hold up the communal house. The story goes that as many as 3 tanks from the USA tried to tear down this pillar during the US-Vietnam War, but even with the might of all three together, it wouldn't come down. The heroic local troops took this as a sign of destiny and it helped them continue to fight. There is still a chain wrapped around the pillar today, and it's interesting to see something historic become mixed with something akin to supernatural beliefs.
Overall, the site is not as expansive or as restored as other tunnel complexes such as Vinh Moc or Cu Chi. However, it is still very interesting to see as it opens a door into understanding the struggles that the Vietnamese troops had to endure on their way to victory over the US and the South Vietnamese Army. If anything, it is a testament to the sheer will and bravery of the local people, and when combined with other area attractions such as the Chien Dan Towers, or the Tam Thanh Art Village, would make a great day trip to the Tam Ky area. Huge thanks to Garry Davis for his info and photos used in this writeup!
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Huge thanks to Garry Davis for sharing his info and photos!
All photos copyright Garry Davis.
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