The base was known as the 'Secret Base' because its dense melaleuca forest canopy obscured it from aerial surveillance.
During the conflict, the area was flooded for much of the year, necessitating the use of hidden tunnels and elevated platforms.
The base served as the provincial revolutionary committee's headquarters, organizing major political and military operations.
The site features a preserved 'tiger trap' and various booby-trap demonstrations used for perimeter defense.
The forest is home to several rare bird species listed in the Vietnam Red Book.
The ground remains largely marshy, requiring complex wooden walkway networks that total over two kilometers in length.
Khu Di tích Xẻo Quít is a former Viet Cong revolutionary base located within a 50-hectare lotus-filled forest in Dong Thap province. The site served as a strategic military command center during the Vietnam War, particularly from 1960 to 1975. Visitors explore the base via winding, narrow footpaths constructed from melaleuca timber or by small wooden sampan boats through flooded mangroves. Remnants of the base include reconstructed thatched bunkers, trenches, and underground conference rooms hidden beneath the dense jungle canopy. The area functions as a living history museum that highlights the resilience of guerrilla warfare tactics in the Mekong Delta. The site is part of a protected ecological zone managed to preserve both its historical architecture and the native melaleuca wetland ecosystem.
The central junction where the primary lotus pond meets the entrance to the forest canopy.
Apply mosquito repellent thoroughly before entering the forest trails.
Choose the sampan boat tour for a more immersive view of the flooded forest landscape.
Wear light, breathable clothing and comfortable walking shoes suitable for humid, damp environments.
Do not wander off the marked wooden walkways, as the surrounding terrain is uneven and boggy.
Maintain a quiet demeanor as the site serves as a memorial to historical combatants; do not touch preserved military artifacts.
