Vietnam’s longest bamboo bridge

TheTruong Giang Bridge, nearly 500m long and 1.8m wide, crossing over the Truong Giang River, linking Duy Thanh and Duy Nghia Commune in Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province in Central Vietnam, is the longest bamboo bridge in Vietnam.

Peaceful moment on the bridge.

Before the bridge was built, the local people living in the eastern area crossed over the river by taking rudimentary ferries that posed many dangers. In the rainy season or on stormy days, the ferries were unable to travel, so the eastern area was isolated, causing difficulties to the locals.

To facilitate traveling, the local people voluntarily contributed bamboo trees and other materials and joined efforts to build a bamboo bridge. It was made from 25,000 bamboo trees, 100kg of nails, 5m³ of wooden planks, and 10,000 worn-out bicycle tires for joining the bamboo stocks. The construction of the bridge involved 50 people a day and was completed after a month. Todate, the bridge has been used for 20 years, contributing to the development of the localities on the two sides of the river. To preserve it during flood season, teams of guards are organized and waste is collected to ensure the flows of the river.

Now a modern concrete bridge is being built several hundred metres away from the bamboo bridge to improve transportation. In the near future, the bamboo bridge will be only a memory.

Vietnam Pictorial introduces images of this longest bamboo bridge.

This bamboo bridge has been closely connected with the local people for 20 years.

By Vu Cong Dien