Visit Cu Chi Tunnels - Explore the Dark Catacombs of Death Near Ho Chi Minh City

Visiting Cu Chi Tunnels on a tour gives a snapshot into the Vietnam War and what life was like for those fighting. This snaking underground system is important, for both history and the Viet Cong army at the time. Want a great day trip visit the Cu Chi Tunnels? Read on for a rundown of what to expect, plus some tips on how to make the day more enjoyable!

War is a terrible thing, but experiencing the narrow tunnels, the disease and unwelcome vermin made the Cu Chi Tunnels even harder to live in, or attack, depending on what side of the war you were on.

Although it’s quite touristy, the Cu Chi Tunnel tour that leaves from Ho Chi Minh City is a unique look into the history that has helped shape Vietnam, and the world we live in.

From exploring the constricted Cu Chi Tunnels themselves to Vietnam War relics, there’s a lot to learn about the guerilla warfare that took place during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels is a unique insight into the life of the Viet Cong during the war.

You can also fire guns at Cu Chi, if you’re so inclined to do so.

There’s plenty to take in during your Cu Chi Tour of these tunnels and their surroundings. Everything you need to know is below.

What is the history of Cu Chi Tunnels?

The tunnels are maintained for visitors to explore the underground network of Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam — This is one of the entrances to the Cu Chi Tunnels – a little widened for tourists to explore the dark tunnels in Vietnam

Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels is a great way to learn about the history of the area and about the Vietnam War that impacted the country so heavily.

With the United States controlling the air, the Viet Cong army went underground. The preserved section of 121km (75miles) of Cu Chi Tunnels is part of a much larger, countrywide network of narrow dark pathways. During the war, Cu Chi Tunnels and the surrounding area acted as a Viet Cong base of operations.

Not only were the Cu Chi Tunnels and similar networks great at hiding people and traps, but they also acted as a supply network for supplies like food and ammunition.

Currently, there are tours of the Cu Chi Tunnels at two spots along the underground maze. Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc are the two Cu Chi Tunnel display sites open to the public.

What was life like inside the Cu Chi Tunnels during the Vietnam War?

All up, Cu Chi Tunnels are around 250km long! — Cu Chi Tunnels have mounds of dirt created to look like natural holes, but they are vents for the underground network of tunnels

Supplies were scarce in these dark tunnels, and venomous creatures (spiders, scorpions, centipedes) along with vermin were common. During heavy US bombing raids, soldiers of the Viet Cong army were forced to stay underground for days at a time. Once the importance of the tunnels was discovered, extensive carpet bombing of the landscape destroyed any trees camouflaging the tunnel entrances and even made some sections cave in.

Not only were venomous insects a concern, but mosquitos were also just as bad. In fact, malaria was the second most common form of death, only battle wounds claimed more lives during the war.

Tunnels were often booby-trapped. Pits with trap doors filed with spikes were common and would cause infections if they weren’t immediately fatal. Entrances to the cave networks were also booby-trapped and made mapping and investigating the network incredibly difficult.

Navigating and recording these deadly hallways became a speciality. Soldiers who volunteered were trained in tunnel warfare and would become known as “Tunnel Rats”. Armed with just a gun, knife, flashlight and string, these soldiers would enter a tunnel alone and investigate the vast network of tunnels.

How much is a tour to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels from Ho Chi Minh City?

This little display shows how life was supported in the tunnels of Cu Chi — While the Viet Minh began the tunnels during the war against the French, the Viet Cong used the same tactics against the U.S. and allied forces.

A day trip to Cu Chi Tunnels is one of the cheapest tours you will find in Vietnam. There are many Vietnamese tour companies offering day tours to Cu Chi Tunnels. I booked through my hostel, Long Hostel, and they handled everything.

I also visited the Mekong Delta through Hai Travels, and once again, they were totally worth every cent.

During my trip to Cu Chi Tunnel was organized by a company called “Hai Travels”, and while there wasn’t anything special, it was comfortable and easy. They picked up right out front of Long Hostel.

Transport to the Cu Chi is pre-organized, and costs around the 100,000 Vietnamese Dong mark. While this sounds like a huge and expensive number, it translates to around $6 Australian dollars. Pretty cheap right?!

Booking the tour to Cu Chi Tunnels only includes your bus seat to and from the site. Once at the site, the entrance fee of 110,000 Vietnamese Dong is collected by your tour guide. That’s about $4.30 USD. This is paid in cash so.make sure you bring currency with you.

What can you do on the Cu Chi Tunnel tour?

Khu Ban Sung national Defense Shooting Range at Cu Chi Tunnels — Firing a gun is one thing to do while visiting Cu Chi Tunnels – Make sure you bring some hearing protection!

A quick rundown of what’s on offer while visiting Cu Chi Tunnels and activities available:

Be enclosed in an entrance to Cu Chi Tunnels and visit a small section that is preserved.
Take in the sight of a destroyed US Army Tank.
Learn about how the Viet Cong army survived and defended this network of tunnels.
Shoot an M1 Garand Rifle or M60 Machine Gun.

What should I know about the tour to Cu Chi Tunnels?

The entrance fee to Cu Chi Tunnels (110,000 Dong) isn’t included in the original ticket price of transportation (100,000 Dong)
Traffic to and from Ho Chi Minh City can be brutal – give yourself plenty of time
The tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels doesn’t include lunch and finishes around 3:30pm.there is one rest stop either way for snacks and drinks.
The bus picks you up from outside your hotel/hostel.

What can I expect on the day trip to Cu Chi Tunnels?

The U.S. Army Tank is one of the highlights of Cu Chi Tunnels — You can climb over the destroyed U.S. Army Tank at Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam

Once you leave Ho Chi Minh, it’s takes around 2 hours at most to reach the tunnels. While most companies are similar in the operating schedule, double check of pick up time and location when booking.

There is one rest stop along the way where you can stretch your legs, buy food and drink, and go to the bathroom. It was attached to a local art shop, where all the pieces were made by those affected by Agent Orange. A devastating campaign by the U.S. that still causes damage and pain to descendants and veterans to this day. The artworks are priced fairly high as they are made by hand, and most are quite large, heavy and bulky – also too delicate to backpack around with. There are some smaller souvenirs if you’re after something here.

Around 20 minutes after the rest stop/art shop, you’ll reach the Cu Chi Tunnels entrance. Your guide will collect the entrance fee of 110,000 Dong not included in the transportation price and you’ll be given a ticket and instructed to move on inside.

Your tour guide of the Cu Chi Tunnels will take your group around to all the points of interest. First off, you can climb into a little hatch that conceals the entrance to a tunnel connected to the system. Even though it has been widened for tourists, it is still narrow and if you’re claustrophobic, just looking may be a little easier.

Next, there’s a destroyed United States Army tank that ran over a landmine. Climbing onto this blown up relic is allowed, but watch your footing as the fall is a little higher than you may expect.

Walking along, there will be little mounds of dirt that look similar to snake holes. Ventilation shafts were made to blend in with the natural habitat. Cooking would also be done in the morning so any mist in the area would mask the steam coming out of these vents.

A large uncovered pit displayed a lot of uses these tunnels provided to the Viet Cong army. Some soldiers would remodel unexploded bombs dropped by the US into smaller explosives to use against the invading army. Many traps and weapons were on display, showing how the Viet Cong army defended these tunnels.

Once the lid is on the trap door, the entrance is well hidden! — One of the first things to do at Cu Chi Tunnels is to squeeze into the trap door – judging by my face, it is a tight fit!

One part of the Cu Chi Tunnels experience, you can hear from so far away, is the firing range. There are a few weapons on offer to fire. From the M1 Far and rifle, to the M60 Machine gun, if you want to fire a gun at Cu Chi Tunnels, it is a lot of fun. The bullets for the M60 go incredibly fast and the M1 Garand is much slower. Firing a gun at Cu Chi Tunnels is by far the most expensive activity. 10 bullets cost 400,000 Dong! To make this a little cheaper, I went halves with another guy on my tour (5 bullets each for 200,000 Dong). –

One thing to note about the firing range, the group is given spare time for those that want to fire a gun the chance to. The whole waiting area is loud! Very loud! The only hearing protection on offer is for those actually firing the gun. A second tip, firing an AK-47 is no longer possible at Cu Chi Tunnels as the ammunition is too expensive to stock.

The last stop on the day tour of the tunnels of Cu Chi was a movie that detailed the Viet Cong army’s side of events. This movie is short and blunt. The Viet Cong were praised by the number of Americans they had killed. It was interesting to see another side of the coin.

So, is the Cu Chi Tunnels day-trip worth it?

While it is a very touristic day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels is an interesting and educational tour. It is important to learn about the history of a destination as events like war shape a country, people and cultures for decades to come.

How do I book a tour to Cu Chi Tunnels?

More mud vents connected to the tunnels below the surface of the ground — Cu Chi Tunnels is a popular day trip from Ho Chi Min City, and for good reason!

Please note: some of the links below are affiliate links. If you book anything through these links, I receive a small commission. This does not increase the cost for you at all, and is a great way to support this site! Please contact me if you have any questions at all!

There are a few ways to book your tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels:

Book in person. There are plenty of tourist shops throughout Ho Chi Minh City. They all offer pretty similar prices.
You can book through your accommodation in Ho Chi Min City. Many receptions will be able to book and handle everything for you, all you need to do is pay the reception desk and show up.
If you want to reserve your spot in advance, which isn’t a bad idea, check out these tours to Cu Chi Tunnels by Get Your Guide!

Where should I stay in Ho Chi Minh City?

If you’re after a great budget-friendly hostel, check out Long Hostel! The staff is friendly and helpful, and it’s a clean and friendly hostel!

Book Long Hostel in Ho Chi Minh City here!

Have you been to the Cu Chi Tunnels on a tour? Or by yourself? What did you think of It? I’d love to hear about your experiences below!