Relic places and beautiful landscapes

Dong Nai lies in a favorable ecological environment of subtropical and monsoon peninsula, it enjoys a temperate climate and has plentiful vegetation and animals. In the old days, Dong Nai was a good land where society developed continuously and as such many relics have been left behind with their great value for science, history, culture.

Early morning in Cat Tien National Park

Dong Nai lies in a favorable ecological environment of subtropical and monsoon peninsula, it enjoys a temperate climate and has plentiful vegetation and animals. In the old days, Dong Nai was a good land where society developed continuously and as such many relics have been left behind with their great value for science, history, culture.

• Evidence of the Paleolithic Era has been found at the following places: Hang Gon, Dau Giay, Doc Mo, Cam Tien, Phu Quy, Binh Loc, Nui Dat (Earth Mountain)…
• The Neolithic Era – Evidence of the Bronze Age has been discovered in many places such as: Iron bridge, Linh Stream, Binh Da, Cai Van, Phuoc Tan, Go Me, Cu Lao Rua (Rabbit island), Long Giao, Hang Gon, Bung Bac (belong to Ba Ria- Vung Tau province at present), Cai Lang, Rach La (Leave Channel), Hung Thinh, Doi Mit (Jack-Fruit Hill), Doi Xoai (Mangoes Hill) etc.
• Evidence of the Iron Age has been found out at: Phu Hoa, Suoi Chon (Fox Spring), Hang Gon etc.
• Evidence of the Ancient multinational Age has been discovered in the following areas: Cat Tien, Dak Lua, Dak Lak, Vinh Tan, Rach Dong (Eastern Channel), Cau Hang (Hang Bridge), Ben San, Go Buong, Chieu Lieu, Cay Gao, Dong Bo, Mieu Ong Chon (Fox temple), Doi Ran (Snake Hill), Tan Hanh etc.

By surveying and excavating at archaeological sites, tens of thousands of specimens and objects have been discovered, made from various materials such as stone, pottery, bronze, iron, glass and precious stones. Living tools dominate the majority of finds which reflect the primitive life of Dong Nai’s ancient inhabitants.

Basalt splinters, which were called as bifocal and Clayton, have been found in the following basalt places: Xuan Loc, Dau Giay, Doc Mo, and Cam Tien by Archaeologists. These discovered objects show Dong Nai’s ancient people existed half of million years ago. These also provide proof of Dong Nai’s pre-historic civilization.

Up to now, Hang Gon Engrave has been ranked a national archaeological relic place. So, this engrave is being protected and restored. It is a big ancient engrave with its age of 2,500 years that is the symbol of the world model.

Communal house, which is a specific vestige of Viet community establishment, is an original temple. Dong Nai’s Communal houses worship Saints, perform the living activities of Viet Community and show traditional union and "to be grateful to one’s benefactor" culture and spiritual beliefs.

Regarding the artistic factor, Communal houses in Dong Nai are mainly ancient temples, with various features of unique decoration, embossment, beautiful pottery, pictures and statues these hang in front of some temples (in particular, Tan Lan Temple). These features show valuable and specific decorative art of attractive relic places in Dong Nai.

Architecturally, most of Dong Nai’s Communal houses were built according to the 4 column - house model, some of which were imitate kingpost building models. Below is a list of important communal houses in Dong Nai which worship well-known men who served their country:

• An Hoa Communal house , which is located in An Hoa commune, Long Thanh district, is a specific ancient architectural work in Dong Nai.
• Binh Kinh Communal house worships Nguyen Huu Canh
• Tan Lan Communal house worships Tran Thuong Xuyen
• My Khanh Communal house worships Nguyen Tri Phuong
• Phu My Communal house has been worshiping the former president of Ho Chi Minh since October 1969.

Royal tomb of Trinh Hoai Duc, which is located in Trung Dung ward, Bien Hoa city, is a buried place of a famous civilizer in Dong Nai and the South of Vietnam.

Engrave of Nguyen Duc Ung Military commander and 28 soldiers is located in Long Thanh district

Engrave and temple of Doan Van Cu and 16 soldiers is located in Tam Hoa ward, Bien Hoa City

A vestige of Monument, which is located in Trung Dung ward, Bien Hoa city, was built in 1923 by French colonialists. This unique architectural work which was built by pottery craftsmen in Bien Hoa, is a vestige of cruel French colonialists and was denounced on indictment of colonization by Nguyen Ai Quoc.

Other relic places include Tan Lan communal house, Dai Giac pagoda, An Hoa communal house, Long Thien pagoda etc.

A vestige of ancient Bien Hoa City with its walls made of red laterite was built in 1837. But it was made of soil in 1861.

Dong Nai is a land rich in tradition of revolutionary fighting and marks glorious feat of arms of the Vietnamese military in the national liberation and protection movements. The following relic places, which are special traits, have never faded from Vietnamese’s memories:

• A vestige of D Base : D Base, which partly lies in Vinh Cuu district has been ranked a national relic place by the Government. It is one of the famous revolutionary war zones in the South of Vietnam during both of French Colonialism and American Imperialism resistance wars.
• Spirits Pagoda (Buu Long Tu) is located in Quang Vinh ward, Bien Hoa city and worships 9 leaders of the Lam Trung camp, who fought against French Colonialists and were killed. Bien Hoa’s revolutionary leaders used to hold many secret meetings here with the aim of discussing preparation works for the August Revolution in 1945.
• A vestige of Toa Bo (the former location of Dong Nai People’s committee) is the place of seizing power from French Colonialism in the August Revolution as conducted by Bien Hoa’s insurrectionary committee.
• Pho River Spare is a place where ceremonial meetings used to occur and welcomed the first provisional revolutionary power in Bien Hoa on August 27^th, 1945.
• Binh Truoc House is a place where the first conference was held for setting up the provincial committee of the Party in Bien Hoa in September 1945.
• A vestige system of La Nga Victories (located in Dinh Quan district) is the location of the biggest transportation ambush in the Southeast of Vietnam in March 1948.
• A vestige of Green House (located Thong Nhat ward, Bien Hoa city) is the location of the first fighting against the American troops on the night of July 7^th and early in the morning of July 18^th, 1959.
• A vestige of Tan Hiep prison is the location of a historical insurrection of destroying the prison on December 2^nd, 1956.
• A vestige system of Xuan Loc Victories is a location that marked many glorious feat of arms from the military and people, crushing the Eastern solid entrance way of the former Sai Gon’s puppet troops in the historical Ho Chi Minh Campaign for liberating Sai Gon city and full of the South of Vietnam.

Sac forest: boasts wonderful rivers, trees and nature. The ancient people appeared approximately 3,000 years ago and left their vestige in some places. In the old days, Nguyen Hue took advantage of Sac forest with its difficult terrain in order to sink a fleet of warships and kill Admiral Manuel. During the anti-French and anti-American resistance wars, Sac forest was used during the fighting of the revolutionary commandos who recorded uncountable glorious feats of arms by sinking warships, firing petrol store and destroying the weapon stores of enemies.

Dong Nai river is a big and unique endogenous feature in the countryside. Falling from 1,500 meters above sea level, Dong Nai River runs over 500 kilometers through fields, ravines, and valleys, down immense deltas and finally streaming out the sea. This river is not only majestic and gentle but also unobtrusive.

Tri An Fall is the last stream of Dong Nai River. At present, this place is separated from Dong Nai river for use by Tri An Hydraulic Power Plant, with its beautiful and attractive scenery Tri An lake stretches more than 35,000 hectares and contains 42 islands.

Xuan Mai Fall located Tan Phu afforested ground. La Nga river is an estuary of Dong Nai river. This fall spreads over than 4 kilometers and includes various wonderful caves and accumulated stones. This area is very popular with tourists.

Ba Giot Fall, which is located in Phu Vinh commune, Dinh Quan district, is a majestic and wild scenery. There is a lake at the bottom of the fall stretching more than 3 hectares with its clear water, and gently sloped sandbanks this area makes a beautiful beach.

My Quoi, Thanh Hoi (rabbit), Tan Trieu, Pho, Ong islands here are planted many special fruit-trees such as grapefruit, betel, strawberry and cane.

Cat Tien National Park, which the biggest in Vietnam spreads approximately 74,000 hectares and is located through Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc and Lam Dong provinces, it includes hundreds of unique precious vegetation and animals as well as being one of the national nature museums.

Accumulated stones (located Dinh Quan district) Is a huge and majestic natural statue that has existed for hundreds of millions of years.

Hang Gon Ancient Engrave was built by assembling large marble formed rectangles and long stone columns. This engrave, which is over than 2,500 years old, is wonderful record of Dong Nai ancient people.

Other beautiful sceneries: Buu Long (located in Bien Hoa city) , Bamboo Spring (located in Long Khanh district), Dong Nai rubber forest etc.

Bien Hoa Lake is a section of Pho River with a width over 1000 meters it lies in the middle of Dong Nai river and runs through Bien Hoa city.