Cu Chi Tunnels Tour - private

General information

Destination	Category
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam	Sightseeing Tours

Program details

Embark on an exhilarating journey full of culture, history, architecture and beauty. This fascinating tour visits the Cu Chi's incredible Tunnels (70km northwest of HCM City), an amazing complex of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War. The Cu Chi tunnels were built by local fighters during the Indochina conflict as a base from which the Viet Cong could operate from close to the Southern Vietnamese capital. Initial construction started in 1948 when the Viet Minh required somewhere to hide from French air attacks and by 1965. The Cu Chi tunnel complex was estimated to consist of 200km's of incredible tunnels. Discover the shocking remains of hospitals, schools, meeting rooms, kitchens and sleeping quarters. You will find out how life was difficult for the inhabitants and to protect themselves against outside intruders bobby traps were laid throughout the complex. American soldiers used the term ''Black Echo'' to describe the conditions within the tunnels. For the Viet Cong, life in the tunnels was difficult. Air, food and water were scarce and the tunnels were infested with ants, poisonous centipedes, scorpions, spiders and vermin. Most of the time, soldiers would spend the day in the tunnels working or resting and come out only at night to scavenge for supplies, tend their crops, or engage the enemy in battle.

Your guide will tell you all about these stories while you wander round the amazing tunnels where history has happened. You will learn more about the conditions the Vietnamese people lived in, the hardships they faced and the amazing ingenuity employed to maintain life in the tunnels.

The Cu Chi Tunnels have been widened in places for visitors, (and the traps have been marked for your safety!), however they can still be dark, hot and claustrophobic inside so please bear this in mind if you do not like enclosed spaces. For those who choose to stay above the ground there are plenty of easily accessible rooms and excavated areas to visit. Above-ground attractions include caged monkeys, vendors selling souvenirs, and a shooting range where visitors can fire a number of assault rifles, such as the M16 rifle or AK-47, as well as a light machine gun like the M60.

This fascinating tour is essential on any holiday itinerary for those who love history, culture and are up for some adventure!

Meeting/pick-up point: Pick-up at hotels in Ho Chi Minh City.
Duration: 4 hours.
Start/opening time: Available at 8am or 1pm.
Languages: English speaking guide.