The Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum in Dien Bien Phu city is a must-see destination for tourists exploring Dien Bien.

Visitors are impressed by a panoramic painting depicting the famous Dien Bien Phu battlefield. It’s the largest painting in Southeast Asia and the third-largest in the world. It describes the progress of the Dien Bien Phu campaign and the historic victory of the Vietnamese army and people 70 years ago.

Kieu Thi Trang, a tourist from Son La city, said she felt moved and proud when visiting the museum. “The display helped me understand the hardships and losses our ancestors traded for today’s independence. I hope to return someday to learn more about our glorious history,” said Trang.

The Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum, one of dozens of places associated with the famous feats of arms, is the centerpiece of any tour of Dien Bien province.

Well-known for its diverse ethnic identities and great potential for eco-tourism, resorts, and community-based tourism, Dien Bien province has organized many programs around the local culture. The Hoa Ban (Bauhinia Flower) Festival, for example, is held in the middle of every March.

Last year Dien Bien welcomed 1 million tourists for the first time. Reaching this milestone has inspired even more tourism growth and Dien Bien is now hosting National Tourism Year - Dien Bien 2024.

Nguyen Minh Phu, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that one million tourists is a good sign, but Dien Bien airport had to be temporarily suspended for upgrades and repairs. “Tourism growth is due to responsible involvement by the entire political system and improved awareness on the part of the community,” according to Phu.

Themed “Glorious Dien Bien – Infinite Experiences”, the national tourism year is an opportunity for Dien Bien’s tourism sector to take off and create a breakthrough in socio-economic development.

Le Thanh Do, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, says 170 events will be held within the framework of the year-long tourism campaign. “Dien Bien is ready to welcome tourists to experience the scenic beauty and cultural identities of 19 ethnic groups and to visit historical relics of the Dien Bien Phu military victory that occurred 70 years ago,” said Do.

To make tourism a key economic sector, Dien Bien is developing tourism in the direction of professionalism, quality, and efficiency and sets a new goal of receiving 1.3 million tourists this year.