Bach Dang Battlefield

Bach Dang Battlefield is a nationally protected historic site along the Bach Dang River in Yen Giang Ward, Quang Yen Town, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. It marks the location of three famous battles in 938, 981 and 1288 where Vietnamese forces used submerged wooden stakes to defeat invaders. The site preserves stake yards, temples, exhibition areas and memorials commemorating General Tran Hung Dao and earlier leaders, and is recognized as a Special National Relic.

Visitors can expect an open-air riverside historical complex along the Bach Dang estuary with preserved wooden stake yards, excavated stakes displayed in situ and in an exhibition house, memorial temples including Tran Hung Dao Temple and Vua Ba Temple, steles, statues and landscaped grounds. The site includes walking paths, information panels, and a small museum displaying artifacts, maps and models explaining the stake-trap tactics. The setting is flat, tidal riverside with views over the river mouth and surrounding mangrove area.

Bach Dang Battlefield is the site of three major victories in Vietnamese history where wooden stakes planted in the riverbed were used to defeat naval forces. The battles occurred in 938 led by Ngo Quyen, in 981 led by Le Dai Hanh, and in 1288 led by General Tran Hung Dao against the Yuan-Mongol fleet. The 1288 victory is the most celebrated and is associated with the strategic use of tidal knowledge and stake traps. The site was designated a Special National Relic in 2012.

The site is a symbol of Vietnamese patriotism and military ingenuity and is a place of commemoration for national heroes, particularly Tran Hung Dao. Annual festivals and incense offerings are held at the temples within the complex to honor the leaders and soldiers of the Bach Dang victories. It serves as an educational site for history and cultural traditions related to river-based defense.