VISITING KY ANH TUNNELS BY BICYCLE

Ky Anh Tunnels, formerly part of Ky Anh Commune (now Tam Thang Commune), is located 7 km northeast of Tam Ky City and 75 km from Da Nang along the coastal road. It is a nationally recognized historical site and one of Vietnam’s three largest tunnels, following Cu Chi Tunnels in Ho Chi Minh City and Vinh Moc Tunnels in Vinh Linh, Quang Tri. While Cu Chi and Vinh Moc are widely known tourist destinations, Ky Anh Tunnels remains relatively undiscovered.

On the last Sunday of 2020, during a cycling trip to visit the Vietnamese Heroic Mother Nguyễn Thị Thứ Monument in Tam Ky, we passed by Tam Thang Commune and noticed a sign leading to Ky Anh Tunnels. Excited to explore, we decided to save this visit for the first cycling trip of 2021, making it even more meaningful.

On January 2, 2021, despite the cold and rainy weather, we kept our promise to visit this historical site and set off from Da Nang by bicycle. The tunnels had been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we were fortunate to meet Mr. Huỳnh Kim Ta (67 years old), the site’s caretaker. Born and raised in Ky Anh, he had witnessed the intense wartime struggles firsthand. Thanks to him, we had the rare opportunity to explore every corner of the tunnels and listen to incredible stories about its history.

As he welcomed us into the Ky Anh Tunnels Exhibition Room, Mr. Huỳnh Kim Ta shared that during the fiercest period of the war against the U.S. (1964–1975), the people and military of Quang Nam, especially Ky Anh Commune, fought fiercely. To withstand enemy attacks, the local Party and people secretly built an extensive underground tunnel system. Located beneath Thach Tan and Vinh Binh villages, the tunnels was designed like a maze, with winding, interconnected paths. It was 0.8–1 meters wide and 1.2–1.5 meters high.

During this season, some parts of the tunnels were flooded due to heavy rain, but we didn’t hesitate to crawl inside and experience life underground. It was hard to imagine the extreme hardships endured by the people of Ky Anh, who, for years, held firm to the motto: “Not an inch lost, not a step back.” The tunnels not only sheltered revolutionary forces but also served as a launching point for surprise attacks that led to remarkable victories. Every person, every bunker, every artifact, and even the surrounding trees seemed to be living proof of Quang Nam’s heroic history, famously known as the land of “Bravery and resilience, leading the fight against the Americans.”

Mr. Huỳnh Kim Ta also revealed that, during the war, Thach Tan village had only 140 households, yet it sacrificed 203 martyrs and had 59 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers. In total, Ky Anh Commune had 1,252 martyrs and 300 Heroic Mothers.

During our visit to Ông Tân’s Bunker, we unexpectedly met Mother Nguyễn Thị Bồng (81 years old), the daughter of Ông Tân. She was living in a house built by Vietcombank in 2007 on her father’s land, where two bunker entrances connected to the Ky Anh Tunnels still remain. We also visited the homes of former female guerrilla fighters, now nearly 70 years old, who were working hard to revive the traditional mat-weaving craft of Thach Tan. Their handmade mats are still transported and sold across Quang Nam.

Another fascinating story involved the village well, a nearly 2-meter-wide structure made of laterite stone with crystal-clear water. This well once served as a secret communication system for the tunnel. Mr. Huỳnh Kim Ta demonstrated how villagers used to send messages: if enemy soldiers were approaching, they would drop the bucket three times, and if the soldiers retreated, they would drop it twice. The echoes of the bucket hitting the water signaled those inside the tunnels to prepare accordingly.

Additionally, Thach Tan village is home to a massive, ancient rỏi tree, so large that it takes two people to encircle it. This tree, known for its extraordinary hardness, once served as a natural observation post for guerrilla fighters. According to Mr. Huỳnh Kim Ta, the tree is over 500 years old and dates back to the early Thanh Hoa settlers who followed Lord Nguyễn to Quang Nam. The name rỏi symbolizes resilience and embodies the unwavering spirit of the Ky Anh people.

Cycling nearly 150 km in the cold rain on the first day of the new year was challenging yet deeply rewarding. We not only experienced the historical tunnel firsthand but also listened to extraordinary stories of resilience and ingenuity. The Ky Anh Tunnels stand as a testament to the unwavering spirit of its people during the war against the U.S.—a symbol of courage, creativity, and perseverance.

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Mr. Old Man, 01/2021