The Battle of Dien Bien Phu is a well-known historical event symbolising the glorious victory of the Vietnamese people and army. It took place on the west side of Dien Bien district, in Lai Chau province, 500 km northwest of Hanoi.

Dien Bien Phu is surrounded by mountains and lies in the Muong Thanh valley, a 20-km-long and 6-km-wide heart-shaped basin. The Nam Rom river runs across the valley, making it a fertile place. After 1953, French expeditionary corps occupied Dien Bien Phu and set up a group of fortresses equipped with many state-of-the-art weapons.

The Dien Bien Phu victory created a great echo in the world. The heroic struggle of the Vietnamese people's army against he French expeditionary corps in 1954 lasted 56 days. General de Castries and his entire command were taken alive and 16,000 enemy troops were out of action.

The relics of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu include Doc Lap hill, the airport, and the command tunnel of General de Castries.

Dien Bien Phu is a fast developing in Lai Chau province, north west Vietnam, about 500 km from Hanoi. It is built on the large heart-shaped plain of the Muong Thanh valley, 18 km long by 8 km at its widest point. The population in the whole valley is about 60,000.

In 1993, Dien Bien Phu was made the capital of Lai Chau province and this new status is no doubt a factor in drawing increasing numbers of visitors. Its main attraction, though, lies in the town's historical legacy. 45 years ago, Dien Bien Phu was the scene of a decisive victory of the Vietnamese over the French which ended the 8-year-long war of resistance against French colonialism, and gave inspiration to progressive anti-colonial fighters across the world.

Seen from the plane as you arrive, Dien Bien Phu reveals itself suddenly from thick cloud cover, ringed by mountains with mist still clinging. Two or three main roads link a widely dispersed settlement whose houses edge an intricate patchwork of fields of brown and green, looking healthy after a dose of morning rain.

But it wasn't Dien Bien Phu's potential for cultivation, which made it so important for the French. To them its was a place of the utmost strategic significance because of its position at thejunction of roads linking Lai Chau in the north east as well as Tuan Giao, Son La and Na San in the east and south east, Luong Prabang in the west and Sam Neua in the south. As General Vo Nguyen Giap, commander of the campaign, writes, Dien Bien Phu was seen as "a strategic position between northern Vietnam, Upper Laos and the South West of China, capable of becoming an infantry and air base of extreme efficiency in their scheme of aggression in Southeast Asia."

The town is dotted with reminders of the war, with French guns now rusting in fields. A good place to start, though, is at the Historical Museum. This includes military relics from both sides and examples of the imagination of the Vietnamese army in utilising inadequate equipment. There is an anti-tank gun that had lost its sight piece and had to be aimed through the barrel. Also displayed is one of many ordinary bicycles that helped carry nearly 300 kilos of supplies each. The museum also houses a model of the battlefield so you can see how the campaign developed.

Opposite the museum is A1 Hill (called Elaine 2 by the French) which boasts an excellent view of the town from all sides. A reconstruction of a French bunker helps you to picture the scene of the battle, as does a discarded tank which children now use to play on.

Nearby is the newly built cemetery. The stately gardens form a fitting memorial to hundreds of unknown soldiers who gave their lives for the country's liberation as well as four named graves of men who showed outstanding acts of bravery. On the evening of the May 7, the actual day of the victory in 1954, the spacious forecourt in front was used to launch 45 rocket-shaped balloons, an exiting spectacle enjoyed by a large and young crowd.

A short trip from here to the site of the battlefield leads to the de Castries' bunker. This was the nerve centre of the French battle plan and has been carefully restored to give an idea of what life was like there. Walking through the damp, musty smelling corridor you can get a good impression of how the French command must have felt towards the end of the battle.

On the road that leads west to the Lao border is a striking memorial sculpture and relief in memory of 144 civilians of Noong Nhai Village who were killed by French bombs on April 25 1954. Most of the victims were women and children since most of the men were fighting at the front.

A few km further along this road and off on a side road is an interesting and peaceful break from the battle-associated relics. Here a temple has recently been built in honour of Hoang Cuong Chat (1737-1769). He was an army leader from Thai Binh province sent to Lai Chau to fight off rebels. Visitors from many parts, especially from Thai Binh come to honour this local hero with incense burning and prayers.

Over half of the people of Dien Bien Phu are of Thai ethnic origin. Twenty other ethnic minorities are also represented. The thriving Thai culture is very much in evidence in the colourful dresses and headgear of the women and a special kind of friendliness and warmth in welcoming visitors.

Visiting a Thai village (Ban Thai) is fascinating part of a trip to Dien Bien Phu. Traditionally Thai people live in beautifully made wooden houses on stilts with no walls and thatched roofs, ideally suited to the climate. Apart from a TV and radio now present in some houses, you get the impression of witnessing a way of life which has not altered greatly over the centuries. Farming and cattle raising are the mainstay of the economy. Production of silk and brocade goods is a side activity, mainly for families' own needs but with a surplus for sale. In a Thai village, visitors can see these products being made and purchase some beautiful and unique souvenirs.

Development in Dien Bien Phu is an ongoing process. After the battle the infrastructure was largely undeveloped due to the effects of the war and the unfavourable terrain but there have been great improvements thanks to government investment in Lau Chai province. For instance, large sections of main road in the town are now very good although they become poorer.

Education policy includes a plan to eliminate illiteracy by the 2000. Enough food is currently produced for self-consumption but there is an initiative to promote the farm economy and small-business. Future plans include protecting cultural relics and the forest environment, planting industrial crops such coffee and exploiting the area's mineral resources.

Part of any plan to develop tourism must rest on the stunning views provided by the mountainous scenery. Before the great battle of Dien Bien Phu, a friendly Polish writer, travelling with the Vietnamese army, was resting by a brook in the moonlight under a French parachute. "Nature is very beautiful," he said, "The view is very peaceful." General Vo Nguyen Giap replied, "I myself find the scenery here very beautiful, I rarely write poems but this view is truly poetic. We are about to do battle to make the whole country as beautiful as it is tonight."

Looking out over the now bustling town of Dien Bien Phu from Hill A1 , it's a wonderful thought that these words have come true in his own lifetime.

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