Hang Tam Co (Eight Ladies Cave) Memorial
A cave on Road 20 where eight young volunteers died in a 1972 bombing, sealed in by a landslide. The most moving wartime site in the park.
Free · free, donations welcome · checked June 2026
Is it worth it?
Half an hour, free, deeply moving. Ride out on a motorbike or pair with the Ho Chi Minh Trail loop. Bring incense if you want to pay respects.
Common questions
What happened at Hang Tam Co (Eight Ladies Cave)?
On 14 November 1972, eight young volunteers from Youth Brigade 759 sheltered in the cave during a US bombing raid on Road 20. A bomb collapsed the entrance, sealing them inside. Rescue attempts failed and all eight died, aged between 18 and 22. The site is now a national memorial.
How do you visit Eight Ladies Cave?
It's on Road 20 inside the park, around 60km from Phong Nha town, free to enter with donations welcome. You can ride a motorbike, take a Ho Chi Minh Trail tour, or hire a car with driver for around $40-60 (1,000,000-1,500,000 VND/day, prices checked June 2026). Allow half an hour at the site.
What's appropriate to do at the memorial?
Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered), keep voices low, and don't climb on the memorial structures. Most visitors light incense at the small altar, available for a few thousand VND donation. Photos are fine, but skip the smiling selfies.
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