Long Tan Cross Memorial: History, Location & Visiting Tips: Standing quietly amidst the shaded rows of a rubber plantation in Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, the Long Tan Cross is the most iconic Australian and New Zealand war memorial in Vietnam. Erected to honor the 18 Australian servicemen who lost their lives during the fierce engagement of 18 August 1966, the long tan cross memorial draws veterans, families, and military history travelers from around the world.
In this comprehensive visitor guide, we explore the fascinating long tan cross history—including seven lesser-known Australian unit memorials once built inside nearby Nui Dat Base—provide exact details on the long tan cross location, compare different ways to experience the battlefield, and share essential visiting tips and passport rules.
Table of Contents
Long Tan Cross History: From 18 August 1966 to Today
Understanding long tan cross history begins with the storm-swept afternoon of the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 1966. During a torrential monsoon downpour, 105 soldiers of D Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR) and a three-man New Zealand artillery forward observation party held off an estimated 1,500 to 2,500 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops for over three hours with vital artillery support from Nui Dat, an RAAF ammunition drop, and an M113A1 APC relief column.
Erection of the Original Cross (18 August 1969)
Three years after the battle, during 6 RAR’s second tour of duty in Vietnam, members of the battalion secretly crafted a white concrete cross at Nui Dat Base. On 18 August 1969—the third anniversary of the battle—soldiers carried the heavy concrete cross into the rubber plantation, erected it on the exact battleground, and held a moving memorial service attended by D Company veterans and supporting units.
Removal, Recovery & The Replica Standing Today
Following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, the original concrete Long Tan Cross was removed from the rubber plantation and was later repurposed locally before being rediscovered in the 1980s and preserved at the Dong Nai Provincial Museum in Bien Hoa (and later loaned to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra for special exhibitions). In the early 1990s, local authorities permitted a faithful white replica of the long tan cross memorial to be erected on the exact original spot in Long Tan Commune, surrounded by a neat perimeter fence and commemorative plaque.
8 Australian Memorials at Nui Dat and Long Tan Few People Know About
When researching long tan cross history, few travelers realize that the famous cross in the rubber plantation was only one of eight documented Australian military memorials established across the Nui Dat and Long Tan area during the Vietnam War. While individual units built monuments inside the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) base to remember fallen comrades, seven of those unit memorials stood inside Nui Dat—leaving the Long Tan Cross as the sole battlefield memorial outside the base perimeter:
- D Company, 6 RAR Memorial (29 May 1967): On the day before 6 RAR departed Vietnam at the end of its first tour, D Company held a solemn parade at Nui Dat Base. With Chaplain J. Tinkler and Company Commander Major Harry Smith, MC in attendance, soldiers raised the flag and dedicated a bronze plaque inscribed with the names of fallen comrades, including those killed at Long Tan.
- 7 RAR Memorial (1968): Established within the 7th Battalion sector at Nui Dat to honor members of the battalion who lost their lives during their deployment.
- 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (1968): Erected at Nui Dat in memory of artillery gunners and forward observers who died serving in South Vietnam.
- The Long Tan Cross (18 August 1969): The single battlefield monument outside the base, raised at the Long Tan rubber plantation on the third anniversary of the battle.
- 5 RAR Memorial (1970): Built by the 5th Battalion inside Nui Dat Base to commemorate battalion members killed during their Vietnam service.
- 1 RAR Memorial (1970): Dedicated at Nui Dat to honor fallen soldiers of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.
- 1 Field Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers (1970): Established by Australian combat engineers at the 1 ATF headquarters area in Nui Dat.
- 2 RAR Memorial (1971): Recorded at the 1 ATF headquarters sector at Nui Dat during the final year of Australian combat operations in Phuoc Tuy Province.
Exploring how these seven base memorials connected to the long tan cross memorial adds tremendous depth when visiting Nui Dat Base today.
Long Tan Cross Location & How to Get There
Knowing the exact long tan cross location is essential because the monument sits down a quiet rural lane amidst working rubber trees rather than along a main highway:
- Address / Commune: Long Tan Commune, Dat Do District, Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, Southern Vietnam (approximately 4.5 kilometers southeast of former Nui Dat Base).
- Distance from Ho Chi Minh City: Roughly 85 to 95 kilometers southeast of downtown Saigon (about 1.5 to 2 hours by private car via the Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway and National Highway 51). Read our step-by-step transport breakdown in How to Get to Long Tan from Ho Chi Minh City.
- Distance from Vung Tau & Phu My Port: Only 30 to 35 kilometers northeast of Vung Tau Beach hotels (40–45 minutes drive) and 35 to 40 kilometers from Phu My Cruise Port (45 minutes drive).
Different Ways to Experience Long Tan: Choosing the Right Approach
While most visitors stop at the Long Tan Cross and nearby Nui Dat, how you experience the site determines how much you take away from the journey. Over the years, visits to the long tan cross location have evolved into three distinct styles:
- 1. Memorial Tours: Focused primarily on remembrance, wreath-laying, and quiet personal reflection at the long tan cross memorial—often chosen by families and Australian Veterans Tour Vietnam pilgrims.
- 2. Historical Overview Tours: Designed to provide a broader picture of Australian and Vietnamese history across Phuoc Tuy Province, combining the Cross with Nui Dat Base and the Long Phuoc Tunnels.
- 3. Battlefield Interpretation Tours: The most immersive approach for military history enthusiasts. Using historical maps, terrain analysis, and step-by-step storytelling on the actual ground, a battlefield interpretation tour explains why critical tactical decisions were made on 18 August 1966 and how the rubber plantation terrain shaped the outcome.
Essential Visiting Tips & Memorial Etiquette
To ensure a smooth, respectful visit to the Long Tan Cross, keep these practical guidelines in mind:
- Bring Your Passport (Mandatory Gate Check-In): All foreign visitors must present their original passport (or a clear printed copy/smartphone photo of the passport ID page) for routine security registration at the long tan cross location entrance gate.
- Ceremony & Wreath-Laying Rules: Individual travelers and small private groups can freely visit, lay poppies or small flowers, and observe a quiet moment of reflection. Formal group ceremonies, bugle calls, speeches, or large delegations—especially on ANZAC Day (25 April) and Long Tan Day (18 August)—require advance authorization from local authorities.
- Opening Hours & Admission: The memorial compound is generally open daily from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and there is no commercial entrance ticket fee.
- Dress Code & Weather Gear: Dress respectfully with shoulders and knees covered. Bring insect repellent for the rubber plantation, sun protection during the dry season (December–April), and a light rain poncho during the wet season (May–November).
Plan Your Visit to the Long Tan Cross Memorial
- From Ho Chi Minh City: Book our private full-day Long Tan Nui Dat BattleField Tour or compare historical itineraries in Vietnam War Tours from Ho Chi Minh City: Best Battle Sites.
- From Vung Tau or Phu My Port: Explore our convenient Long Tan Tour from Vung Tau and pier-side Long Tan Nui Dat Tour from Phu My Port.
- Complete Destination Guide: Read our pillar Long Tan Nui Dat Travel Guide for full regional planning advice.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Long Tan Cross Memorial
When was the original Long Tan Cross built and what happened to it?
The original concrete Long Tan Cross was built by soldiers of 6 RAR and erected secretly in the Long Tan rubber plantation on 18 August 1969—the third anniversary of the battle. After 1975 it was removed and later preserved at the Dong Nai Museum (and loaned to the Australian War Memorial), while a faithful white replica now stands on the exact battleground.
Where is the exact Long Tan Cross location?
The Long Tan Cross location is inside a rubber plantation in Long Tan Commune, Dat Do District, Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, Southern Vietnam—about 4.5 km southeast of former Nui Dat Base, 35 km from Vung Tau City, and 90 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City.
Do I need a passport or permit to visit the Long Tan Cross Memorial?
Standard individual visitors and small private tour groups do not need an advance permit, but you must bring your original passport (or a clear copy/photo of the ID page) to register with security staff at the gate. Formal group services or speeches on ANZAC Day and Long Tan Day require prior local government permission.
How many memorials did Australians build at Nui Dat Base excluding the Long Tan Cross?
Excluding the Long Tan Cross on the battlefield, historical records document seven Australian unit memorials established inside Nui Dat Base between 1967 and 1971: D Company 6 RAR (1967), 7 RAR (1968), 4th Field Regiment Royal Australian Artillery (1968), 5 RAR (1970), 1 RAR (1970), 1 Field Squadron Royal Australian Engineers (1970), and 2 RAR (1971).
Is there an entrance fee to visit the Long Tan Cross?
No, there is no admission fee to enter the Long Tan Cross Memorial compound. Visitors are welcome to lay poppies or small flowers and pay their respects quietly during daytime hours.
