Xeo Quit Historical Site

Xeo Quit (Xẻo Quít) is a historical and ecological heritage site in Dong Thap Province, known for its role as a revolutionary base during the Vietnam War and its setting within a preserved wetland forest. From 1960 to 1975, the area served as a base for the Kien Phong Provincial Party Committee, with offices, meeting areas, shelters and defensive positions hidden among canals and melaleuca trees. Today, visitors can explore the former base by walking along forest paths or travelling by small boat through the waterways, combining an introduction to wartime history with the natural landscape of Dong Thap Muoi.

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Overview

• Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Jv4h9VEBcCpbYDVG8
• Address: Hamlet 4, My Hiep Commune, Dong Thap Province
• Province: Dong Thap Province
• Category: Historical and ecological heritage site
• Opening Hours: 07:00 - 16:30
• Entrance Fee: 25,000 VND per person for visitors aged 16 and above
• Visit Duration: About 1-2 hours
• Best For: History, nature, boat rides, local culture and photography

Pronunciation

Xẻo Quít

Why Visit Xeo Quit

Xeo Quit offers a different way to experience Vietnam War history. Rather than presenting the past through a conventional museum, the site preserves the landscape in which the former revolutionary base operated. Narrow waterways, dense vegetation and simple wartime structures show how geography and local support helped the base function in an area surrounded by enemy military positions.

Things To Do

Take a Boat Through the Forest

A small boat ride along the canals is one of the main experiences at Xeo Quit. The route passes through dense vegetation and gives visitors access to parts of the former base that are separated by waterways. The quiet journey also provides a closer look at the wetland environment.

Walk Through the Former Base

Walking trails lead through the preserved area, allowing visitors to see the remains and reconstructions of facilities used during the war. The paths provide a more detailed view of the site than the boat route alone.

See the Wartime Structures

The complex contains reconstructed and preserved features including meeting halls, working areas, bomb shelters, secret tunnels and defensive positions. These structures illustrate the practical challenges of maintaining a headquarters in a wetland environment during wartime.

Observe the Melaleuca Forest

The historical area is surrounded by a large melaleuca forest and a network of small canals. The vegetation provides shade along the trails and creates habitat for birds, reptiles and other wetland species. Nature is therefore an important part of the experience rather than simply a backdrop to the historical monuments.

Experience Local Rural Culture

The wider tourist area includes services and activities connected with traditional life in the Mekong Delta, including local food and selected rural recreation. These activities can be combined with the historical visit for a broader introduction to the region.

History

Before the war, Xeo Quit was a remote wetland area characterized by swamps, dense vegetation and interconnected waterways. Beginning in 1960, the Kien Phong Provincial Party Committee selected the area as a revolutionary base. Its difficult terrain provided natural protection, while local residents played an important role in supporting the people working at the base.

The base remained active until 1975 despite military pressure in the surrounding area. Officials and other personnel worked from facilities concealed among the forest and waterways. The site therefore became an example of a wartime base that relied not only on its physical environment but also on the support of nearby communities.

Nature and Landscape

The protected area covers approximately 50 hectares, while the wider tourism complex extends to about 70 hectares. Melaleuca trees dominate the landscape, accompanied by canals, ponds, reeds, lotus and other plants typical of the Dong Thap Muoi wetlands. The combination of forest and waterways creates a cool, enclosed environment that contrasts with the open agricultural landscapes found elsewhere in the delta.

Best Time to Visit

Xeo Quit can be visited throughout the year. The shaded forest makes outdoor exploration relatively comfortable, while the wetland landscape changes with the seasons. A visit during the drier period can make walking easier, but travelling during the wetter months offers a different view of the waterways and vegetation.

How to Get There

Xeo Quit is about 6 kilometres from National Highway 30 and can be reached by road from Cao Lanh and other parts of Dong Thap. The site can also be approached by waterway. For most independent travellers, travelling by road and then exploring the protected area by boat and on foot is the simplest option.

Travel Tips

• Wear comfortable shoes suitable for walking on forest paths.
• Bring drinking water, insect repellent and sun protection.
• Follow staff instructions when travelling by boat and remain seated during the trip.
• Do not enter restricted areas or touch historical structures.
• Keep noise low in the forest to avoid disturbing wildlife and other visitors.
• Allow at least one hour for the main historical area, or longer if you want to combine walking, boating and other activities.

FAQ

Conclusion

Xeo Quit combines a preserved wartime landscape with the natural environment of the Mekong Delta, making it a distinctive historical destination in Dong Thap. Exploring the former base by boat and on foot gives visitors a clearer sense of how people lived and worked in a difficult wetland environment during the war, while the surrounding melaleuca forest adds an important ecological dimension to the experience.

Nearby attractions

(Distances shown are straight-line estimates, not actual travel distance.)

• Sa Dec Flower Village - A Traditional Flower-Growing Community in Dong Thap (about 11 km southwest)
• Phuong Nam Cultural Tourism Area - Southern Vietnam History and Culture (about 16 km west)
• Go Thap - Exploring Oc Eo and Funan Heritage in the Mekong Delta (about 24 km north)
• Vinh Long Museum - History and Cultural Heritage (about 24 km southeast)
• An Binh Islet - Mekong River Life and Orchard Culture (about 25 km southeast)
• Van Thanh Mieu Vinh Long - A Historic Temple of Confucian Learning (about 26 km southeast)

• Dong Thap Travel Guide