In addition to being home to thousands of Viet Cong guerrillas, the Cu Chi tunnels were also a complex network consisting of numerous trenches, bunkers, booby traps, bomb shelters, and a spectacular air ventilation system. It is one of Ho Chi Minh Ci
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
How to get to Ho Chi Minh's Cu Chi Tunnels?
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Opening Hours and Entrance Fee at Cu Chi Tunnels
In addition to being home to thousands of Viet Cong guerrillas, the Cu Chi tunnels were also a complex network consisting of numerous trenches, bunkers, booby traps, bomb shelters, and a spectacular air ventilation system. It is one of Ho Chi Minh City's best day trip choices in your Vietnam holiday packages, and makes a perfect history lesson for the tourists coming here.
The Cu Chi tunnel network, located some 60 kilometers northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, is an vast labyrinth of underground tunnels extending all the way to the Cambodian border. These were constructed over a span of some 25 years, and the Viet Minh started initial construction during the war against the French in 1948. The tunnels were a means of communication between villages back then, and they also helped the Vietnamese evade French soldiers who were scouting the region.
In those tunnels, soldiers cooked, ate, slept, worked and even went to school while war raged above. Believe it or not, in this amazing tunnel network, there were hospitals, theatres, schools, kitchens. Cu Chi has also been used as a base for infiltration of Saigon by sabotage teams and intelligence agents.
How to get to Ho Chi Minh's Cu Chi Tunnels?
When it comes to transportation to the Cu Chi tunnels, you have several choices-car, bus or speedboat!
By Car
Of course you can rent yourself a car for the day and drive to the Cu Chi tunnels. Although it's fun and exciting, we don't recommend it – mostly because you're going to miss out on the awesome things along the way!
Therefore, you should do a tour organized by the trustworthy local tour operator. It takes about one and a half hours to enter the Ben Dinh tunnels, the length is mostly half-day tours (about five hours), and they drive you back from the Ben Dinh entrance.
By Boat
If you are interested in the waterway route, there are a few boat tour services that offer service to the Cu Chi Tunnels, such as the Saigon Boat Company or the Saigon River Tour. Les Rives is also another popular name you hear giving the Cu Chi tunnels a full boat experience. Or you can contact Threeland Travel via What'sapp at +84342620068 to book any service to Cu Chi tunnels.
By Taxi
You can even take a cab to the Cu Chi Tunnels but it's going to be super expensive. So really a waste, cos you 're not getting anything more out of it. Just comfortable. As it is a 120-kilometer trip, you can expect to pay around 60 USD in both directions. By being adventurous you'll be saving a lot of money!
Opening Hours and Entrance Fee at Cu Chi Tunnels
All the entrances to Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc have the same working hours but different entrance fees apply.
Opening hours: daily from 8 AM to 5 PM, even Sunday!
Entrance Fee:
Ben Dinh: VND 110,000 / person
Ben Duoc: VND 90,000 / individual
What to do at Cu Chi Tunnels
At Cu Chi Tunnels there's a lot of things you can do. Explore the town, go underground, watch documentaries, watch exhibitions, explore traps, take photographs, and fire a gun of course!
When you enter, a video showing the lives of the Viet Cong and the people in the surrounding villages were during the war will inform you immediately. And then begin the displays.
Shooting range
Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc both have shooting ranges that encourage visitors to fire a few rounds. The catch is that to be able to participate in this activity you must be in a good health condition and at least 16 years old.
The bullets are sold in sets, with around 10 ballets of the same type in each set. Below is the price list for the different forms of sold ballots:
- M16: 35,000 VND/1 bullet (1.6 USD)
- AK 47: 40,000 VND/1 bullet (1.8 USD)
- Machine gun M60: 40,000 VND/1 bullet (1.8 USD)
- Garand: 30,000 VND/1 bullet (1.4 USD)
- Machine gun M30: 30,000 VND/1 bullet (1.4 USD)
- CARBIN: 25,000 VND/1 bullet (1.1 USD)
Try Nuoc Mia Sau Rieng - Sugarcane Juice with Durian taste
Sugarcane juice is a popular Vietnamese beverage. It is fresh and sweet and is always a good choice when wandering around to boost your energy and get hydrated. It is even savorier when mixed with durian! Yet you would be a durian lover to enjoy it like this.
Have a taste for Boiled Tapioca with peanuts, coconut and sugar
This is what the Viet Cong soldiers ate when food was scarce during the war. Try it for yourself, it's pretty tasty and satisfying, with some tea particularly.
This dish can be found in the only "restaurant" at any place of the Cu Chi Tunnels. Imagine becoming a prisoner on a rainy day when eating this, trapped within the dark and dusty caves, unaware about how your life could end, with American troops roaming about on the surface looking for you and your mates. It is extremely impossible to understand the pain that the troops were feeling – from both sides. Fighting is bloody.
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