Dong Hoi, situated along the Nhat Le River which runs into the South China Sea, is an expanding port and seaside city. With a population of about 160,000, Dong Hoi occupies part of the narrowest strip of land in Vietnam. We immediately noticed and appreciated the less congested streets and fewer honking horns of cars and motorbikes. Like many other visitors to the area, we also stayed at this city just prior to our cave and national park adventures.

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Waterfront – The city’s waterfront is both a primary base for the fish and seafood industry and a gathering place for residents and tourists. We saw many walkers enjoy the long waterfront path and occasional benches, residents partake in afternoon yoga classes in the well-manicured park, and visitors stop to take pictures of the statues, gardens, or historical monuments. Even though we didn’t participate in the yoga classes, we did walk the entire length of the waterfront path several times and took pictures along the way.

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Daily Market – Seven days a week merchants sell flowers, vegetables, fruit, breads, grains, legumes seafood, meat, and a few household items at the market at the south end of the waterfront. We visited the market one afternoon and were familiar with many of the flowers and foods sold there. We were surprised, however, to see quite a few different types of fish and seafood in the baskets and live chickens in cages from which customers could choose.

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Street Scenes – During our 5-day visit in Dong Hoi we walked quite a few kilometers as we explored the waterfront and city streets. Below are some of the interesting things we saw that are unique to this city.

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War Zone – Dong Hoi experienced considerable damage during the Vietnam War. The city, close to the dividing line (DMZ) between North and South, served as the staging area for the North Vietnamese Army. On February 11, 1965, American B-52s destroyed the city, leveling it to the ground. After the bombardment only four things remained standing: a water tower, the Quang Binh Gate of the Citadel, a very small portion of the Tam Toa Catholic Church, and a single palm tree. In the years since the war, the city has been rebuilt and grown. We easily found the mostly-destroyed church since it stands near the waterfront. The surviving citadel gate, now flanked by other buildings, was more of a challenge for us to locate.

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Motorbike Ride – Jerry and Eric set off on a two-wheeled adventure one afternoon. Maybe a more accurate description would be a four-wheeled adventure since they each rented a motorbike.  They rode to some of the more outlying areas of the city, including rice fields, a colorful cemetery, and a new housing development area by one or two golf courses. During their excursion Eric’s motorbike ran out of fuel so Jerry drove back to the city center to procure more. Government-approved and safety-oriented gas cans are not common in Vietnam and we saw quite a few motorbike riders transport extra fuel in plastic water or soda bottles. So that is what Jerry did too when taking fuel to Eric. They both had a good time and were eager to ride motorbikes again in the next several cities or towns. 

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