Trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels

The Cu Chi tunnels are a series of underground tunnels built by the habitants of Cu Chi during the War with America during the 60s and 70s as a means to protect themselves from the advancing American troops. Nowadays, the tunnels have been preserved and are a popular tourist destination.

We decided to go one Sunday afternoon. There are multiple ways of getting there, and as it turns out, multiple points of entry. There were seven of us so we managed to get a Grab Car there and back for about 200, 000 VND each. The entry to the tunnels were 90, 000 VND. The day costed around 300, 000VND each – roughly the same price as any tour offered by many hostels and tour companies found in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Tour starts with a 15 minute video explaining the tunnels and the habitants of Cu Chi along with their struggle in the American-Vietnam War. A guide then took us through the forest, pointing out various false ant mounds, built as camouflaged look out posts. We were then taken to a clearing in the wood. He beat the ground with a stick, until we heard the thud of metal; it was a hidden door.

The guide removed the lid to reveal a tiny entrance hole into the ground. He decided to choose the tallest and broadest member of our group to enter the tunnel first. There was no way that he would fit into the hole in the ground. The tightest spot was at his shoulders, but with a wiggle and a squeeze he managed to get into the tunnel underground. We couldn’t believe it.

The guide opened a larger door for those too scared to enter into the smaller one. Once in the tunnels, you are hit with heat, darkness, humidity and claustrophobia. The tunnels were tiny! So much smaller than I had expected. You didn’t have to go one your hands and knees but we were hunched over. It was impossible to stand straight or turn round. I had to concentrate really hard on not panicking. The more people who came into the tunnels, the more trapped I felt. I decided to leave once around 10 people were in the small tunnels will me.

Getting out was another issue. You needed upper body strength to be able to haul yourself out. It’s difficult to comprehend how the habitants of Cu Chi lived like this.

Once our team was out we were escorted to another tunnel. This one had a larger, stepped opening, however we still ended up in the tiny, winding arched tunnel which lead to a ‘hospital area’. It was a small room, same dark, dirty interior as the tunnels. This was the place where they took the injured. Hardly hygienic or safe but it was what the Vietnamese had to put up with back then.

We were then taken to various other tunnels that lead to areas used for cooking, sleeping or meeting rooms. We were in one room, when the Guide told us that the next tunnel would be 30 meters long, with a slight gradient, going deeper and deeper into the ground. Many of the group opted out. I was sceptical, but I knew I would regret it if I didn’t. Four of us out of the fifteen tackled the long and winding tunnel. Of course, I got shunned to the back. The fear of something coming up behind me was intense as I had nowhere to run to. We were greeted by spiders and centipedes in that tunnel. Including a small decline which we had to slide down on our bums, getting even more dirty and sweaty. But we made it out eventually!

After a cool down with some sweet potato snack and green tea, we washed up. We were then shown various booby-traps set up by the Cu Chi inhabitants. Spikes of bamboo hidden under the ground, big ditches and other various, painful looking traps. It’s incredible to think of how these people survived and fought for their land.

On the site, there are a couple of shops were you can buy traditional Vietnamese goods and Tourist gifts. It is also possible to have a go at a shooting range. There are many guns that tourists can try out varying from pistols to machine guns. Personally, I thought it was a bit distasteful to advertise a shooting range on a site where hundreds of people died at the fault of guns – but it’s a money maker, I guess. The Tunnels close around 5pm and the Shooting Range closes at 4ish, so get there early if you want to have enough time to see everything.

We noticed that there was also a paint ball court on the site in the forest. At the entrance you can also see a carcass of a war tank and an old helicopter. We made use of our time and took various photos on top if the burnt out war vehicles.

It was an interesting day and definitely worth a visit. Make sure you wear comfortable clothing and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. The tunnels are not spacious and cool; quite the opposite. So expect to get muddy and sweaty.

Photo gallery