HÔ CHI MINH RUNWAY

The city of Sepon, or Xepon, is one of the starting points to cross the Ho Chi Minh trail. The many debris still visible are minute compared to the countless anti-personnel mines hidden by the surrounding vegetation and scattered throughout the territory. To really understand the extent of the bombings and this period of history, one must get off the beaten track and follow a local guide. The accommodations and restaurants of the circuit are present but sketchy.
The Ho Chi Minh Trail is a complex network of trails and dirt and gravel roads linking Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. In Laos, it starts east of Savannakhet and runs along the Vietnamese border. Used in particular by the Viet Minh in the 1950s to infiltrate the south of the territory occupied by the French, this trail is mainly associated with the Indochina War (1963-1974) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The Vietnamese long denied its existence, even when the Americans were continuously bombing the region. It was used by the Vietnamese People's Army to supply South Vietnam. It passed through the areas that were then under the control of the Pathet Lao. The Ho Chi Minh Trail, also known as the Truong Son Trail, has a total length of over 2,000 km.

Recommendation: Never venture off the tracks alone! Because many unexploded bombs on impact (UXO) are still buried in the ground and could explode. Extreme caution must be exercised.