Venture out into the history of divided Vietnam with a day spent exploring the sights of the Demilitarized Zone. From the abandoned airfield at Khe Sanh to the pathways of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the former divide between North and South shows you how the area shaped the country today.

You begin early in the morning with a ride from Hue to the strip of land along the Ben Hai River, which marked an international border until the end of the Vietnam War. Follow the waypoints of the Ho Chi Minh Trail to see the route that the North Vietnamese used to move supplies meant for Viet Cong forces in the south, and look across the Hien Luong Bridge, one of the last structures built by the French before they withdrew from Vietnam.

Along the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone, you can find a collection of combat bases left behind by the United States forces who waged war here for almost a decade. See the citadel at Quang Tri and the tunnel complex of Vinh Moc, dug by local villagers as a shelter from American bombs.

Stop in the town of Dong Ha for lunch before your guide leads you north of the river to visit the airfield at Khe Sanh, which saw some of the fiercest fighting of the Tet Offensive. Meet some of the Paco people of central Vietnam before you depart for the drive back to Hue in the afternoon.