Vietnam recreates forest village to recall wartime life in U Minh Ha

The Vo Doi Forest Village, launched by the Ca Mau Eco Ecotourism Site, features clusters of thatched stilt houses built from local Melaleuca wood, each about 20 square meters. 

Wooden walkways wind through the forest, and reconstructed trap systems evoke the strategies used during the resistance wars.

Inside the houses, life‑sized mannequins dressed as revolutionary soldiers depict daily tasks such as cooking, setting traps, and making rudimentary arms.

The installation aims to give visitors – particularly young people – a sense of how communities lived while resisting foreign forces.

"To rebuild this space as accurately as possible, I met with many veterans and historical witnesses," said Ngo Huynh Trang, director of Ca Mau Eco. 

Several donated personal artifacts that are now part of the exhibit.

Forest villages in this region served dual roles during wartime: bases for military operations and centers for community life and education. 

From 1958 to 1960, informal schools were held deep in the forest as part of efforts to increase literacy and prepare the population for the struggle.

Visitors say the site brings history to life. 

"My grandfather lived in a forest village," said Duong Pham Vu Tuan, from Ca Mau. 

"Seeing this model, I can see how hard life was — making weapons, cooking secretly, setting traps."

Nguyen Ngoc Huyen, another local visitor, said, "I feel like my father's stories are here again. I'm proud of the sacrifices of the earlier generation."

Since opening, the site has drawn many students. 

Trang said she hopes more support from schools and local authorities will help expand the project. 

"We want young people to understand the cost of today's freedom," she said.

Vo Doi Village was declared a national historical site in 2018. 

During the peak years of the resistance war, forest communities such as these were widespread in Ca Mau, functioning as both shelter and civic center.

As sunlight filters through the U Minh Ha canopy and wooden paths wind through undergrowth, Vo Doi offers more than scenery — it is a place where history is visible and lived.