At an altitude of nearly 1,700m, Pu To Co peak was once an important observation deck of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. From here, the Campaign Command can oversee the Dien Bien basin, monitor the strongholds and airfields of the French army.
Pu To Co belongs to Kha village, Muong Phang commune, Dien Bien province. If the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command in Muong Phang is likened to a "heart", Pu To Co can be considered the "eyes" of the battlefield.
From the top of the mountain, you can observe the central area of the Dien Bien Phu stronghold Group, including the airport, military strongholds and the entire basin.
According to the Thai ethnic language, "Tó Cọ" means "dragon-catching cage" (thuồng luồng). According to local people, this area used to be used to trap dragons, so it is called Pú Tó Cọ.
During the Dien Bien Phu Campaign in 1954, reconnaissance soldiers chose this dangerous mountain peak to place the observation deck. The location was near the Command Headquarters, with favorable terrain to keep secrets, and at the same time for wide observation range.
From here, General Vo Nguyen Giap and the Campaign Command repeatedly went to grasp the battlefield situation. The information collected contributed to serving command work and making decisions in the campaign.
Up to now, to get to Pu To Co Observatory, visitors must start from the front guard station area of the Campaign Command in Muong Phang, then walk about 9km of forest road. The journey takes about 3-4 hours, through many steep sections and dangerous terrain.
This distance makes Pu To Co a suitable destination for trekking and exploration lovers. From the top, visitors can observe Dien Bien basin, Dien Bien airport, Pe Luong lake, Hong Khen lake and Pa Khoang lake.
In recent years, Pu To Co has been sought after by survey teams, Famtrips and tourists. However, the terrain is still a major obstacle for the elderly, veterans and tourists who cannot walk long distances.
The Dien Bien Phu cable car complex project combined with cultural and historical tourism is expected to change access to this relic site.
The project has a total investment of about 2,076 billion VND, implemented in Muong Phang and Pu Nhi communes, with a total area of more than 35ha. Items include departure station, arrival station, cable line corridor and commercial, service and technical infrastructure works.
The cable car line is expected to be more than 5km long, with a capacity of about 2,500 passengers/hour. The departure station is oriented to be located near the relic of the Victory Announcement Meeting of Military Branches, while the arrival station is located on the top of Pu To Co.
According to the plan, the travel time to the summit will be reduced from 3-4 hours walking to about 15 minutes.
The project is expected to serve about 15,000 visitors per day, the basic construction and operation time is about 5 years, and the operating term is 70 years.
