How to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels

In the messy quagmire that was the Vietnam War, the USA and the southern government that it was supporting had numerous advantages – including better military technology, air superiority, and more money.

Yet still, they ‘lost’ the war to North Vietnam (however you define ‘losing’).

How was the north able to win against the military might of the US? Well, there were a lot of complicated reasons, but one of them is quite simple – tunnels!

One of the most popular things to do in Ho Chi Minh City is to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, and it’s here that you can see why they were such an important factor in the Vietnam War.

This network of underground passages were used by North Vietnamese forces (Viet Cong) within South Vietnam. Essentially, they were places to hide during the day, waiting to launch surprise attacks at night.

The US didn’t know where they would appear from because there were so many tunnels entrances hidden in the jungle. And as soon as they’d attacked, they would be back down the tunnels, so the US couldn’t retaliate.

One of the reasons for this element of surprise was that troops and equipment were able to move long distances underground and avoid detection. In total, the tunnels used by the Viet Cong spanned over 250 kilometres!

The Cu Chi Tunnels are just one section of the whole network – named because they are in the district called Cu Chi.

They are now the most famous because visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels is easy from Ho Chi Minh City, so tourism infrastructure has been developed and the tunnels have been preserved or restored.

Climbing down into one of the tunnels, I squeeze through the narrow passage that has been carved through the earth. It has been expanded slightly for tourists, but even so, there’s very little room.

I find the most comfortable way to move through is to crouch down and lean forward, shuffling through as my small backpack scratches the ceiling above.

It would be possible to crawl, but your hands and knees would get dirty.

I wouldn’t describe myself as skinny, but I’m also not particularly overweight, yet it’s still tight. The reality is that some people would struggle to fit through these old Viet Cong tunnels.

They were not easy to dig so the North Vietnamese only made them as wide as necessary. The people who lived down here during the war were naturally skinny, plus food was limited and illness very common.

If you are concerned you might not fit, or don’t like the idea of crawling through a small space, don’t worry. Going down into the underground passages is just a small part of visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels. Most of the things you’ll see here are on the surface.

No war is pleasant. No war is clean. But it’s easy to sometimes forget all of that when you’re focused on the overall direction or the geopolitical ramifications of a conflict.

Taking a tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels reminds you how primitive parts of the Vietnam War were. As well as the tunnels, there are examples of the booby traps that were built here – just really simple but damaging contraptions like nails in wood or metal in holes.

While one side of the war was dropping expensive bombs and deadly chemicals, the other was developing basic – but ingenious – protection systems in the jungle, like underground trap doors and air filtration systems.

In a proxy war between the USA and the USSR over diametrically-opposed visions for the world, a single fight on a particular day sometimes just came down to a group of men jumping out of a hole dug between trees in the jungle.

Seeing this for yourself – climbing into the holes, shuffling through the tunnels, feeling the humidity – is an excellent way to understand more about the brutal reality of the Vietnam War.

In a moment, I’ve got lots of information about how to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, including the best tours from Ho Chi Minh City (and, yes, I do recommend taking a tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels because it’s so far away).

But, first, I want to run through some useful background information.

History of the Cu Chi Tunnels

Although it’s the Vietnam War that is generally associated with the Cu Chi Tunnels, they were actually first built in the late 1940s during the First Indochina War. This war took place when France was still in control of Vietnam and there was resistance against them by local anti-colonial forces.

This first network was smaller and was even simpler than what you see today when you visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. The tunnels were initially dug by hand using simple tools, with the soil carefully dispersed to avoid detection.

Over time, though, the network expanded and became increasingly sophisticated, featuring living quarters, kitchens, storage facilities, hospitals, and even weapon factories.

The tunnels still remained typically narrow and low – partly, as I’ve discussed, because they didn’t need to be wider, but also because it made it more difficult for enemy soldiers (who were often larger) to navigate.

During the Vietnam War, the Cu Chi Tunnels became a critical element in the Viet Cong’s strategy. They grew from isolated patches of tunnels used for shelter and became a vast network connecting different towns.

To get a full picture of the network, you need to imagine more than just a single tunnel. In fact, many parts of the Cu Chi Tunnels had three floors – three metres, six metres, and twelve metres underground. This gave the Viet Cong versatility to repel attacks.

The US military became frustrated by the tunnels and launched several campaigns to destroy them. This included the use of explosives, flooding, and gas attacks. But the different levels, equipped with blast doors and ventilation, was able to withstand most of them.

Eventually the US and its allies trained specialised teams of ‘tunnel rats’, soldiers trained to navigate the booby-trapped tunnels with just a torch, knife, and pistol. Overall, they weren’t able to break the system in any meaningful way.

The Cu Chi Tunnels were used right up until the end of the Vietnam War. When the conflict ended, it was, of course, North Vietnam who finished victorious. Because the tunnels were such an important part of their success, the government preserved them.

That’s why today you can still visit the Cu Chi Tunnels and see them yourself – because they were used by the victors, who want to tell their story… even 50 years on!

Ben Dinh vs Ben Duoc

Now… at this point, I want to explain a couple of important things about where the Cu Chi Tunnels are, because it’s actually a little more complicated than you might realise.

The whole network of Viet Cong tunnels spreads across an area about 250 kilometres long, and the name ‘Cu Chi Tunnels’ refers just to the part within the Cu Chi district.

But within the Cu Chi district, there are several different sections that have their own names. The two best known sections for visitors are called Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc.

When someone says they are ‘visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels’, it could be to either (or both) of those sections. But often the average tourist doesn’t realise that there is more than one location.

When you choose a Cu Chi Tunnels tour to go on, you may not be giving much thought to which one you will visit, even if you know that there is more than one option.

So, what’s the difference between Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc?

Ben Dinh

The most popular Cu Chi Tunnels site is Ben Dinh, and this is where most of the tours will take you.

There’s lots to see here, with all of the main aspects you’ll be expecting, including holes to climb in, tunnels to crawl through, demonstrations of booby traps, and a shooting range.

But there are lots of tourists here, so you do end up having to wait around sometimes to go into the tunnels or holes, and it can be a little frustrating if you’re trying to take photos or have a more leisurely experience.

Some of the key details about Ben Dinh are:

• Busier, with more tourists and tour groups
• More preservation more and modifications for tourists
• A smaller site overall
• Closer to Ho Chi Minh City (about 50 kilometres away)

Ben Duoc

Mainly because it’s further away, Ben Duoc ends up being much quieter. You’ll notice the difference, especially as it doesn’t get as many large tour groups that move around as a pack.

It also feels more authentic and is known for trying to preserve the tunnels in more of an original state. Some of them have been widened for tourists, but not all of them.

Having said that, it is still quite similar. The site actually spreads over a much larger area but you can only visit with a local guide (included with the entry fee) who will take you to fairly similar things as Ben Dinh.

Some of the key details about Ben Duoc:

• A bit quieter, especially when it comes to large tour groups
• Fewer modifications for tourists, which means a bit more authentic
• A larger site overall
• Further away from Ho Chi Minh City (about 70 kilometres away)

Ultimately, if you choose to take one of the tours to the Cu Chi Tunnels, I would recommend just going with the one that suits you best (whether that’s because of price, timing, etc), even if it’s not to the section that sounds best. That’s because I think they are similar enough that it probably doesn’t really matter.

However, if everything else is the same and you can choose between the two, I think you’ll have a slightly better experience at Ben Duoc, mainly because there are fewer tourists.

If you’re travelling independently, Ben Dinh is 20 kilometres closer, so might be a better option if you’re on a bike, for instance. But it requires three buses, if you’re going by public transport.

On the other hand, Ben Duoc only requires two public buses so it’s a little simpler even though it will take longer.

I would recommend Ben Duoc if you have more time to spare, but I also don’t think you’ll be disappointed with Ben Dinh.

Things to do at the Cu Chi Tunnels

When you visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, you’ll find that there’s more than just the tunnels themselves, because over the years, both Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc have grown into busy tourist destinations that essentially act as large open-air museums.

As a visitor, you’ll follow a pretty standard trail through the jungle that leads you past remnants of the Viet Cong infrastructure, to small exhibitions about the war in this region, small huts where you can watch videos, and some other attractions designed for international tourists.

I thought it might be useful to give you an idea of the kind of things you can do at the Cu Chi Tunnels.

I’ll use examples for what you can do at Ben Dinh, because it’s the most popular of the two sights. But if you’re going to Ben Duoc, you’ll find the offerings are fairly similar.

Tunnels

The first (and obvious) thing you can do at the Cu Chi Tunnels is to… well, see the tunnels.

Within the site, there are a couple of different sections of tunnels that have been enlarged and reinforced with concrete so they are safe to crawl through. They are each less than 100 metres long, with exits approximately every 20 metres, so you don’t have to go the whole way.

A set of steps leads down into a small room that you can stand in (maybe slightly crouched) and then the tunnel connects to another small room, and so on.

If you think you are ‘average’ sized, then you’ll have no difficulty fitting through the tunnel, although it will feel a bit awkward because you’ll have to crawl or shuffle forward while hunched down.

If you consider yourself to be ‘large’ than you may find it more uncomfortable or even not be able to easily fit.

Also, keep in mind that whatever your size, you’ll definitely need to be able to crawl, crouch, and climb up some steps, so the tunnels won’t be accessible if you’ve got mobility issues.

Entrance holes

As well as the tunnels themselves, there are quite a few entrances that have been maintained even though they now don’t lead to anywhere.

Essentially, these look like holes – but they’re closed with a wooden board on top that is covered with leaves, so an enemy patrolling the jungle would not notice it’s there – even if they trod on it!

These entrance holes are one of the most popular things to see at the Cu Chi Tunnels, partly because they offer a great photo opportunity. You can hop down into it and put the cover over.

You need a certain level of strength or fitness to be able to get it and climb out, but it’s not nearly as claustrophobic as the tunnels because you can stand up and have your head above ground, if you don’t want to crouch down for the full experience.

The biggest issue is the crowds because it takes a minute or so for each person to get in the hole, so you usually have to wait for your turn.

Booby traps

During the Vietnam War, the American forces focused on the area around the Cu Chi Tunnels because they knew the Viet Cong was hiding here. The northern forces weren’t going to make it easy for the US to find them, though.

As well as hiding the entrance to the tunnels, they set up lots of booby traps in the jungle. Some of them are on display here.

In one section, you’l find a whole row of booby traps lined up, with names like ‘window trap’ and ‘folding chair trap’. A worker will demonstrate how each of them works.

The concept of all of them is quite basic. There’s usually a hole in the ground covered by things like twigs and leaves. When the enemy steps on it, they fall though, and there’ll be some combination of wooden, metal, nails, and spikes that will inflict a bad wound.

War memorabilia

Throughout the Cu Chi Tunnels site, there are lots of war remnants on display – some directly related to the tunnels, and others placed here just because it’s a tourist attraction.

For instance, there’s an American tank (an M41, to be exact) that was hit by a mine in 1970. It’s popular for photos and people climb all over it these days.

There are also quite a few weapons on display, including large artillery guns. (Although none of it compares to the War Remnants Museum in HCMC).

Some areas have exhibits directly related to life in the tunnels. Mannequins are used to recreate scenes of Viet Cong fighters in a room making traps, for example, or sitting outside with radios and maps.

It’s interesting to see and does help you imagine the war period, even though none of it is particularly authentic. More than anything, these dioramas are useful for a tour guide to refer to something as they tell you about the story of the tunnels.

Shooting range

I’m still undecided on whether it’s appropriate or not to have a shooting range at the Cu Chi Tunnels. While I can see the connection to the history of the site, it seems a little insensitive considering how many people died in the war.

Still, it’s here, and it’s very popular with lots of visitors.

Essentially, the shooting range lets you fire different types of guns that were used during the Vietnam War. There’s about ten to choose from, including the M16, AK47, and M60 machine gun.

You pay per bullet – 60,000 VND (US$2.40) for each one – so it gets quite expensive if you want to fire a lot.

The most annoying thing about the shooting range is that it’s really loud! If you’re in a tour group, you’ll probably have to wait around for about 15 minutes… and it started to give me a headache.

Still, there are shops, food, and drink here, so at least you can find something to do if guns aren’t of interest.

Shopping

Although it’s an area that I tend to just walk straight through, I thought it would be useful to mention that there’s a decent-sized shopping area at the entrance/exit to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

With plenty of souvenirs for sale, you’ll be able to find items related to the Cu Chi Tunnels as well as some general Vietnam memorabilia like t-shirts and artwork.

Not surprisingly, the prices are quite high and this isn’t the best place to do your souvenir shopping if you’ll have time in Ho Chi Minh City – you’re much better off going to Ben Thanh Market.

There are also restaurants and cafes, so you can have lunch here or grab a drink.

Cu Chi Tunnels tours

It is possible to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels independently from Ho Chi Minh City, and I’ll have a bit more to say about that in the next section.

But the reality is that trying to do it alone is time-consuming and complicated. For most people, the best way to visit is by taking one of the tours to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

In general, I think the tours are reasonably priced and very easy, and I would recommend doing it that way in most situations.

The main upsides of the Cu Chi Tunnels tours is that they are very convenient, they will save you a lot of time, and you’ll have a guide who will give you a lot of context for what you’re seeing.

The main downsides of the tours is that you’ll be slowed down a bit by being in a group (waiting for each person to climb into the tunnels, for instance), and you won’t be able to explore at your own pace.

There are a lot of companies that offer tours to the Cu Chi Tunnels, and most of them are pretty similar. But there are always a couple that are a little dodgy and will try to make extra commissions by taking you to shops and cut short your time at the site.

I would recommend you don’t go with any super cheap Cu Chi Tunnels tours, because there’s always some kind of catch.

For a great value standard tour with easy transfers and a good guide, I recommend this tour to Ben Dinh from Ho Chi Minh City.

If you would prefer to go to the quieter section of Ben Duoc, there is this great tour from Ho Chi Minh City, which costs just a little more. This is a really good option to avoid the crowds.

Or there are some other good tour choices here:

Many of the companies also offer combo tours to both the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta.

They are not near each other at all, so this combo isn’t offered for geographic convenience. It’s basically just because they’re the two most popular trips from Ho Chi Minh City, so you can save time by getting them both done on the same day.

If you’re interested in doing that, I would recommend this well-organised day trip.

Another option is a private tour, where things will be more comfortable and you’ll have a bit more flexibility. I think this private combo tour is worth having a look at.

Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels

Being able to see – and crawl through – this much authentic war heritage makes visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels one of the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City.

I would definitely recommend you visit, even if you don’t have too much time. While modern Saigon is full of fun things to do, this is a really interesting way to connect with the country’s history.

Because it’s more than an hour’s drive from central Ho Chi Minh City, a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels will take at least half a day, regardless of how you do it.

If you take a tour, you’ll probably spend about two hours at the site. If you’re on your own, I would suggest about the same.

As I’ve covered in detail above, there are two different places that are referred to as the ‘Cu Chi Tunnels’ – one is called Ben Dinh and ones is called Ben Duoc.

They are about 20 kilometres apart but generally have very similar things to see and do. The main difference is that Ben Dinh is much busier because it’s closer.

If you want a quieter experience, then Ben Duoc may be the better option, even though it’s further away, which means it takes longer to reach and the tours a bit more expensive.

Getting to the Cu Chi Tunnels independently by public transport is possible but a little complicated because you’ll have to change buses at least once.

Ben Duoc can be reached with just two buses, while Ben Dinh needs three buses. Either trip takes about 2.5 hours each way.

For this reason, I would strongly recommend taking a tour instead. Yes, it will cost a little more, but you’ll save a lot of time, which can be used for other activities back in Ho Chi Minh City.

Having a guide is also really useful for somewhere like this to get the context of what you’re seeing. Most tours will use the drive out to the site to give you lots of really interesting background.

If you just want to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels at Ben Dinh, I recommend this very good and affordable one.

If you want to combine the Cu Chi Tunnels with some time on the Mekong, then this full-day tour is a great option.

Or any of these tours are also really good:

As with most places outdoors in Vietnam, make sure you come prepared for the weather! You’ll need sun protection on sunny days and a raincoat if it’s wet.

There are shops at the entrance to the Cu Chi Tunnels, as well as at the shooting range inside, where you can buy food and drinks. But I would recommend at least bringing some water and snacks for the trip out there.

Bring insect repellant is a good idea as well.

If you’re going to climb through the tunnels or into the entrance holes (which I would recommend, if you’re able to), you will get a little dirty. It’s not that bad, but you may want to consider that when you choose what to wear.

If you are hungry, there are restaurants at the main entrances to the Cu Chi Tunnels. There are also shops where you can buy snacks and drinks.

There are not really any other tourist things to do in the Cu Chi district other than the tunnels.

However, there are lots of tours that combine a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels with other activities – a visit to the Mekong being the most popular.

This is nowhere near, so there’s a long drive between. The main reason you would combine them is if you would’ve done both on separate days otherwise, because you save a lot of time by not having to go in and out through the hectic HCMC traffic.