Why to visit Cu Chi Tunnels
The hidden war tunnels in Cu Chi Tunnels preserve Vietnamese soldiers' residential spaces and conflict sites. Hundreds of kilometres below Ho Chi Minh City lay these authentic tunnels, which show how determined and inventive the Vietnamese people were during wartime.
What's Special About the Cu Chi Tunnels
- Excellent Engineering: The Cu Chi Tunnels include several tiers extending beyond 250 kilometres to include underground living quarters, storages, and trap doors, demonstrating advanced wartime building methods.
- Historical Significance: During the Vietnam War, the soldiers used these subterranean pathways to protect themselves, navigate supplies, and launch unanticipated offensive strikes.
- Interactive Experience: Guests at the Cu Chi tunnels have three interactive options: examining tight spaces, sampling war-period meals made from tapioca and handling original weapons at the shooting venue.
- Preserved War Relics: Numerous war artefacts, including command centres and wartime equipment, can be seen at the site, offering precise insights about what life was like during the war.
Things to Do at Cu Chi Tunnels
- Explore the Tunnels: Travel through dugout tunnels kept to their original size and see what life was like for soldiers during the combat days.
- Visit the Exhibits: Visitors can discover tunnel-building processes, wartime strategies, and daily activities by examining the informational exhibitions.
- Shooting Range: Guests can have an optional experience at the shooting range by testing their skills with famous guns (additional fee required).
- Tasting War-time Food: You can taste Viet Cong soldiers' essential war-time food items.
Unknown Facts About Cu Chi Tunnels
- The excavation required hand operation and essential hand tools extending across several decades.
- Construction of the multi-level system featured wards for sleep, hospital treatment areas and stove-equipped kitchens to prevent enemy detection during the Vietnam War period.
- Air ducts serving as termite nest networks served to ventilate the tunnels.
- Tiny and strong soldiers were the only personnel who could navigate through the tunnel system's extremely tight collapsed sections.
- Directed by traps and innovative camouflage methods, the Viet Cong defended their tunnels.
Entry Fee
- Adults: 90,000 VND (approximately $4).
- Children: 45,000 VND (approximately $2).
Timing
Open Daily: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Average Duration to Explore
2 to 3 Hours: Visitors can allocate 2 to 3 hours to fully appreciate the underground passages, displayed artefacts, and surrounding visitor sites.
Distance from Key Locations
- From Ho Chi Minh City Center: 50 km (approximately 1.5 hours by car).
- From Tan Son Nhat International Airport: 40 km (approximately 1 hour by car).
Nearby Tourist Spots
- Ben Dinh Tunnels (0.5 km): Visitors to the Cu Chi Tunnels can access a reduced network version through Ben Dinh Tunnels.
- Tay Ninh Holy See (50 km): A unique temple of the Cao Dai religion with colourful architecture.
- War Remnants Museum (45 km): An emotional insight into Vietnam's war history.
- Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica (50 km): A beautiful colonial-era cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City.
