VIETNAM'S HIDDEN DESTINATIONS DIEN BIEN PHU The name Dien Bien Phu will always be linked with battle, for it was here that Viet Minh soldiers overran a French garrison on May 7th 1954 and ended French colonialism in Indochina. To achieve this legendary victory, Vietnamese forces under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap dismantled heavy anti-aircraft guns, lugged them up the sleep slopes overlooking the town of Dien Bien Phu and reassembled them. Encircled by artillery, the French could not receive supplies or reinforcements.     Today, most visitors who reach this outpost come for the history. But along with the old army headquarters, a museum and monuments, Dien Bien Phu offers pristine mountain scenery and fascinating minority cultures. Those who go overland will travel through some of Vietnam’s most rugged and spectacular mountains.   THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS Travellers eager to get off the beaten track would be well advised to head for Vietnam’s Central Highlands, a remote plateau near the border with Cambodia and Laos. Along with old-growth forest and pristine rivers, waterfalls and hidden lakes, this region is home to some of the country’s most isolated and culturally distinct ethnic minority peoples.   Buon Me Thuot, the capital of Dak Lak province, is famous for its coffee plantations. In the surrounding hills, visitors can hike, ride elephants and tour various remote ethnic minority villages. The highland towns of Plei Ku and Kon Tum are also gateways to minority villages and long-houses. The Central Highlands allow visitors a rare glimpse into the traditional customs of many ancient tribal peoples.

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