Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the economic, political and cultural center of Vietnam. It is also a major tourist center with historical sites and museums that mark the glorious revolution of Vietnamese against the French and Americans, in which Cu Chi Tunnels network is one of the most standout destinations in any Vietnam tour package.
How to get there?
Cu Chi Tunnels network is very easy to access from Ho Chi Minh City.
By bus:
Tourists can hop on the bus number 13 from Ben Thanh Market to Cu Chi Market and continue taking the bus number 79 to get to Ben Duoc tunnels. If you would like to come to Ben Dinh sites, take the bus number 13, and get off at An Suong bus station, then take another bus number 122 to Tan Quy crossroads, and then get on the bus number 70. However, if you are not used to the public transportation system in Saigon, booking a package tour with travel agent is a great idea.
By cars/motorcycles:
Go in the direction from An Suong - Highway 22 and follow directions to the Cu Chi Tunnels.
When to visit?
In fact, travelers can visit Cu Chi all year round as the temperatures keep remaining constant. However, you should be careful with the wet season starting from May to late October. Especially, June and July would receive the highest rainfall of the year but luckily, the rain lasts shortly and often occurs in mid-afternoon.
What to see and do?
At each site of the tunnels, visitors are escorted by a tour guide who will explain in detail about the monuments and reappear the historical events. You can crawl through sample sections of tunnels to see the examples of traps, the remnants of bomb craters during fierce war.
Ben Duoc tunnels: Travelers can actually discover the tunnels deep underground, such as the workplace of leaders of the Regional Committee, the High Command of Military Zone Sai Gon - Cho Lon - Gia Dinh, meeting tunnel, surgery tunnel, food and weapons tunnels, secret cap, vent, Hoang Cam kitchen.
Ben Dinh Tunnels: Besides sightseeing the tunnels system, accommodation and meeting place of the leaders of Cu Chi District Party Committee, there is also the system of crisscrossed trenches which can give tourists a comprehensive view of Vietnam War.
Cu Chi Tunnels Firing Range: You can choose the appropriate type of gun used in wartime (AK-47, M16,.30 Caliber Machine Gun, M60, M1 carbine, M1 Garand and Russian SKS).
Paintballing: Besides discovering Cu Chi tunnels, tourists will be offered paintball service. One bullet will cost you only 4,000 VND. It is a very interesting activity to help you relax and improve your health.
After the tour, tourists could visit souvenir shops to buy some war items made from shells such as oil lamps, lighters, ballpoint pens, or sandals made from old tires and also lacquer items.
What to eat?
If visitors travel in group and want to have lunch there, you should contact Ben Dinh or Ben Duoc restaurant for reservation in advance.
On the way back to the city, do not forget to visit Nuoc Mia Vuon Cau to try sugar cane juice with durian flavor which is very tasteful. Cu is also very famous for dishes from the bull. Some restaurants on Highway 22 are highly recommended. With about 200,000 – 250,000 VND per person, you will have a delicious meal.
