Pac Bo Historical Site

[Tycho] talk , http://shansov.net · CC BY-SA 3.0

Where Ho Chi Minh re-entered Vietnam in 1941 — jade-green Lenin Stream and Coc Bo Cave beneath Karl Marx Mountain.

Pac Bo sits hard against the northern border, the first stop Ho Chi Minh made on returning to Vietnam in early 1941 after thirty years abroad. He named the stream running through it Lenin, water so clear that every pebble on the bed shows; the peak above he named Karl Marx. Inside the cramped Coc Bo Cave stands the stone table where he sat translating Party history — an image that entered Vietnamese poetry. At the far end of the site is the kilometre-zero marker of the Ho Chi Minh Highway, the start of a road that runs the length of the country.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Pac Bo Historical Site?

September to April

How much does it cost to visit Pac Bo Historical Site?

25,000₫

How long do you need at Pac Bo Historical Site?

2 - 3 hours

What are the opening hours of Pac Bo Historical Site?

07:00 - 17:00

Did you know

It marks kilometre zero of the Ho Chi Minh Highway.
Classified as a Special National Relic of Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh arrived here on 28 January 1941 after 30 years abroad.
He personally named both Lenin Stream and Karl Marx Mountain.
About 52km north of Cao Bang city.

Travel tips

Electric shuttles run inside the site if you would rather not walk the 2km.
Come early — low morning light is when Lenin Stream shows its colour best.

Source: https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khu_di_tích_Pác_Bó

Updated: 2026-08-05