The Cu Chi Tunnels are a historical attraction in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. They are a network of underground tunnels that were used by the Viet Cong guerrillas during the Vietnam War. The tunnels were dug by hand and spanned over 250 kilometers, reaching the Cambodian border. The tunnels served as hiding places, communication routes, supply routes, hospitals, weapon factories, and living quarters for the guerrillas. They also contained booby traps, fake bunkers, and secret entrances to ambush the enemy forces.
The Cu Chi Tunnels are open to visitors every day from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.
The Cu Chi Tunnels’s entrance fee is 110,000 VND (about 5 USD) per person.
Visitors can choose to explore the tunnels by themselves or join a guided tour. There are two sections of the tunnels that are open to tourists: Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc. Ben Dinh is closer to Ho Chi Minh City and more popular, but Ben Duoc is larger and more authentic.
To get to the Cu Chi Tunnels, visitors can take a bus, a taxi, a motorbike, or a boat from Ho Chi Minh City. The bus number 13 goes from the city center to Cu Chi Bus Station, where visitors can transfer to bus number 79 to reach Ben Duoc or bus number 122 to reach Ben Dinh. The bus fare is 7,000 VND (about 0.3 USD) per ride. A taxi or a motorbike can cost around 300,000 VND (about 13 USD) one way. A boat trip can be more scenic and faster, but also more expensive, ranging from 900,000 VND (about 39 USD) to 1,800,000 VND (about 78 USD) per person.
Some tips for visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels are:
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes that can get dirty.
- Bring insect repellent, sunscreen, water, and snacks.
- Be respectful of the history and the people who died there.
- Be careful of the booby traps and the narrow spaces in the tunnels.
- Try the local food and drinks at the nearby restaurants and stalls.
