Phu Yen district, Son La province was strategically important as it leads to the Viet Bac revolutionary base. Nhot village forest is located on an arterial route for the Dien Bien Phu campaign in 1954, in which the Vietnamese military earned a decisive victory to end French colonial rule in Vietnam, a historic milestone of Vietnamese history in the 20th century.
 Nhot village forest (Photo: sonla.gov.vn) |
On January 5, 1954, General Giap and his troops took a rest at Nhot village forest on their march to the battlefield.
After the Dien Bien Phu victory which “resounded throughout the five continents and shook the world,” local people named the forest after General Giap to pay tribute to his tremendous contributions.
Hoang Van Hoi, a Nhot villager, said, “The General Vo Nguyen Giap forest is very beautiful. General Vo Nguyen Giap temple is spacious. The General and Vietnamese soldiers once lived in this area during the Dien Bien Phu campaign.”
The forest is rich in flora and fauna. This primeval site is an ideal place to teach the younger generations about Vietnam’s revolutionary traditions.
Dinh Manh Khuyen, who lives nearby the forest, told VO, “We have been living here to care for the forest since 1993. All of the locals share responsibility for protecting the sacred forest as well as the water and the green environment . Giant trees are rampant. Colorful flowers bloom along the path running through the forest. It’s typically pleasant in spring when shiny green leaves, multicolored blossoms, and bird chirps are everywhere, a perfect setting for your photo shoot.”
 The General Vo Nguyen Giap temple |
The 150-square-meter General Vo Nguyen Giap temple is built at the climax of the whole forest complex. The altars worshipping General Giap and President Ho Chi Minh are placed at the middle of the worshiping hall while the commanding officers and fallen soldiers are honored on the two sides.
Mui Van Ly, a manager at the General Vo Nguyen Giap temple, said, “The temple was built in 2020 and officially inaugurated in December, 2021. The inauguration ceremony attracted a huge crowd of visitors. They are allured by the terrain and the surrounding landscape of this temple.”
Phu Yen district has started a project on forest protection and promotion. The project is a testament of the tradition “drinking the water, remembering its source” of generations of the Vietnamese people.