Khe Sanh—a name that echoes like a voice rising from the earth, a lingering hymn of fire-red sediment. On this windswept highland, clouds drift endlessly over the border peaks, while at its foot lies the Tà Cơn Valley—a place once scarred by a 170-day battle that shook the very foundations of the world. Stepping through the gates of this historic site, one does not merely enter an “airfield” long asleep in the past, but a living museum of history. Here, every inch of soil still resounds with the echoes of gunfire, and each rusting helicopter seems ready to take flight again—in the imagination of generations to come.

Ta Con – The Iron Fortress in a Storm of Fire

Between 1966 and 1968, Ta Con Airfield was part of the Khe Sanh combat base complex, a strategic military stronghold of the U.S. and the former Saigon regime. It became the stage of the Route 9 – Khe Sanh Campaign, a battle that international media once described as the “second Dien Bien Phu.”

For 170 days and nights, earth and people merged into one amidst the flames of war. When the campaign ended, U.S. forces withdrew—leaving behind a blazing sky of memories and a landmark forever etched into the pages of history.

The Remaining Traces

Today, Ta Con Airfield has been restored and preserved to keep those memories alive:

• The Museum: home to hundreds of artifacts—from uniforms and maps to archival photographs—recounting each day of fire and smoke.

• The Runway: metal sheets glistening under the sun, like fragments of time, evoking the distant roar of engines across the horizon.

• Weapons on Display: CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters, A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft, artillery, and tanks—all standing weathered yet defiant, like rusted but heroic statues.

• Reconstructed Zones: bunkers, command posts, and trench networks that recreate the battlefield atmosphere, letting visitors step half a century back in time.

• “Red Rain” Film Set: a modern addition, where war movies have been shot—offering younger generations a vivid picture of both devastation and sacrifice.

Experiences at Ta Con

Visitors here do more than just observe—they can listen to guided narratives, watch documentary films, descend into bunkers and trenches, and let their imagination drift back to the atmosphere of 1968. Many find themselves standing on the windswept runway, gazing toward the border mountains, suddenly sensing that history is not distant at all—but still breathing beneath the very soil at their feet.

Best Time to Visit

You can visit Ta Con Airfield year-round, but the most captivating time is during the mild sunny days from March to August. The endless blue sky and gentle light cast over the runway, bringing the steel aircraft into sharp relief—harsh yet strangely poetic.

Suggested Itinerary

Combine your visit with stops at Khe Sanh town, Van Kieu ethnic village, Dakrong suspension bridge, or continue along the western branch of the Ho Chi Minh Trail to reach Sa Mu Pass and Chenh Vênh Waterfall.

This journey blends the epic echoes of history with the poetic beauty of nature—turning a trip into more than just travel, but a quest to rediscover the very soul of the Truong Son mountains and its people.

Visitor Information

• Location: Tan Hop Commune, Huong Hoa District, Quang Tri Province.

• Distance: About 3 km from Khe Sanh town, right on National Highway 9 toward Lao Bao, very easy to find.

• Entrance Fee: Around 30,000 VND per adult; free for students and war invalids/martyrs’ families (subject to change).

• Opening Hours: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily.

Ta Con Airfield is not merely a destination—it is an immortal epic of the nation. Here, history has left us not only rusting steel relics, but also enduring lessons of resilience, sacrifice, and the longing for freedom.

Visiting Ta Con, one does more than admire a relic; one listens to the echoes of the past, realizing that today’s peace was built upon countless lives laid down for independence.

📌 Contact Information

Phong Nha Viet
📍 Address: 46 Bà Triệu Street, Đồng Hới, Quảng Trị, Vietnam
📞 Phone: +84 911 367 789
📧 Email: phongnha.vie@gmail.com
🌐 Website: https://phongnhaviet.com

✨ Book your tour with Phong Nha Viet – where every journey is not only an adventure of discovery, but also a moment to touch history and hear the epic songs of the Truong Son mountains echo through the soul of Vietnam.