Cu Chi Tunnels

Where is Cu Chi Tunnels and how to get there?

Cu Chi tunnel is located 45km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. From the city center, you can use a car, motorbike, bus or boat to get there

• By waterway

You can take a boat or canoe from Tan Cang pier through the Saigon River to Cu Chi. It is about a 1-and-a-half-hour drive. On the way to Cu Chi, you will have the chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery along two river banks. You had better take a morning boat at 7:30 AM

• By private motorbike or car

You can use your own motorbike, car or rent one to get to Cu Chi. The road is quite complicated ad hard to drive, but you enjoy the scenery along the way. If you start from Ben Than, you can go along the Cach Mang Thang Tam street to the An Suong overpass, you will get 22 Highway. Following 22 Highway, you can reach Cu Chi Tunnels. The entire route will take you nearly two hours.

• By Taxi

Taxi is the most convenient to travel to Cu Chi. One-way taxi from the center to Cu Chi is around 60 USD. You can use the Grab application to save your money.

• By public bus

The bus is the cheapest way to get to the Cu Chi tunnel. The bus ticket is around 1 USD, and it will take around 2 hours.

• From Ben Thanh Market take Bus #13 to Cu Chi Bus Station.
• From Cu Chi Bus Station take Bus #79 to the Cu Chi Tunnels.
• From Cho Lon Coach Station take Bus #94 to Cu Chi Bus Station.
• From Cu Chi Bus Station take Bus #79 to Cu Chi Tunnels.

The History of Cu Chi Tunnel

The Cu Chi Tunnels network was built within 25 years from 1948 during the war against the French. The work was carried out by soldiers and people of Tan Phu Trung and Phuoc Vinh An communes to hide, store weapons and troops, and serve as a means of communication between villages and help the Vietnamese to evade scouting French soldiers.

At first, each village here had its own base bunker, however, due to the need to travel, they connected to each other to create the tunnel system. The current Cu Chi tunnels connect 6 northern communes in Cu Chi. Using this tunnel system, the military can easily communicate and travel from one village to another during the war. Therefore, it became one of the important parts of Viet Cong fighting troops’ strategy and also the home for thousands of soldiers.

From 1961 to 1965, this system was developed more with many branches connecting with each other. The top of this building is also equipped with many holes, bell tunnels, minefields... to fight against the enemy.

Currently, about 120 km of the tunnels are preserved and work as a captivating attraction in Ho Chi Minh City

Cu Chi Tunnels' special structure

Cu Chi tunnel is a very special architecture and structure in Vietnam, which contains hospitals, schools, theatres, kitchens, and many other rooms underground. This tunnel plays an important role in Vietnam’s history. Without the tunnel, then the Vietnamese could not win the victory over their enemy. 

It has 3 separate levels: The first level is 3 meters underneath, the middle is about 6 meters, and the bottom is more than 12-meter depth. It has many entrances. Most of them are covered with a secret wooden door and camouflage leaves above. They are small that the US army can not enter. These tunnels were built isolatedly and had different escapes out to the Saigon River, counterfeit bunkers, and booby traps. Besides, there are many skillful deadly and dangerous traps that were arranged to keep safe for those insides

Things to do at Cu Chi Tunnels

• Explore the underground world of Cu Chi tunnels

The main reason that many tourists come to visit Cu Chi tunnel is to explore the 250-kilometer-long underground tunnel system. Entering the underground world of Cu Chi tunnel, you can see hospitals, kitchens, bedrooms, schools, working rooms, weapon warehouses, and anything that need for people living in the tunnel. There are exists every 20 meters, so you can get out of the tunnel whenever you want. It can be dark, hot, and dirty inside the tunnel, but the visit helps you to understand more about the Vietnam war, and appreciate peaceful life more.  

Cu Chi Tunnel

• Take part in exciting games

Most of the tourists are expressed by shooting gun games. You can choose the appropriate guns most of which had been used during the war and you can use them to try shooting with the animal-shaped target under the staff’s instructions.

Visit Cu Chi Tunnel

• Enjoy Cu Chi specialties

When in Cu Chi, do not miss Cu Chi specialties. Boiled cassava with coconut milk was a favorite food in Cu Chi during wartime. The boiled cassava is cooked in coconut milk until it becomes soft. This kind of food is not only cheap but also soft, sticky, greasy, and lightly sweet.