Cu Chi Tunnels Day Trip
Explore the legendary underground tunnel network that played a pivotal role in the Vietnam War — 70 km from Saigon
The Cu Chi Tunnels are a vast underground network stretching over 250 km, built by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War as a base for military operations just 70 km from Saigon. The tunnels contained living quarters, hospitals, weapon factories, kitchens, and command centers — an entire subterranean city hidden beneath the feet of American forces. Today, sections have been preserved and opened to visitors, who can crawl through widened passages, see recreated wartime conditions, and gain a visceral understanding of the ingenuity, endurance, and suffering that defined this extraordinary chapter of warfare. A visit to Cu Chi is the most popular day trip from Saigon and an essential complement to the War Remnants Museum.
70 km
From Saigon
250 km
Tunnel Network
110,000₫
Entry Fee
Half Day
Minimum Time
Getting There
Organized Tour from Saigon
The most popular and convenient option. Organized tours include hotel pickup in District 1, air-conditioned minibus transport (70 km, approximately 1.5 hours each way), an English-speaking guide, entry fees, and a guided walking tour of the tunnel complex. Guides provide essential historical context about the Viet Cong's tunnel network, guerrilla warfare tactics, and the broader Vietnam War. Half-day tours (morning or afternoon) are the most common. Full-day tours often combine Cu Chi with other sites like the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh. Book through your hotel, a reputable tour agency in District 1, or online platforms.
Private Car or Driver
Hiring a private car and driver gives you maximum flexibility — you can depart when you want, stay as long as you like, and stop along the way. Many drivers double as informal guides and can provide commentary during the drive through the Vietnamese countryside. This is the best option for families, small groups, or anyone who wants to avoid the tour bus schedule. The drive itself is interesting — you pass through industrial zones, rubber plantations, and rural villages. A private car for a half-day Cu Chi trip costs 800,000-1,200,000₫, which is excellent value when split between 2-4 people.
Motorbike
For adventurous travelers, riding a motorbike to Cu Chi is an experience in itself. The route takes you through authentic Vietnamese countryside — rice paddies, rubber plantations, and small towns. The roads are reasonably good but traffic leaving Saigon can be intense. You will need an international driving permit (technically), a rented motorbike (150,000-200,000₫/day), and confidence navigating Vietnamese traffic. Google Maps provides reliable directions. This option gives you complete freedom but is only recommended for experienced motorbike riders who are comfortable with Vietnamese road conditions.
What to Expect
Two tunnel complexes are open to visitors, each offering a different experience.
Ben Dinh Tunnel Complex (Most Popular)
Main Tourist SiteThe most visited section of the Cu Chi tunnel network, Ben Dinh has been widened and modified to accommodate tourists while preserving the historical character. The guided tour takes you through a recreated Viet Cong village showing how fighters lived, cooked, and manufactured weapons underground. You can crawl through a section of widened tunnels (approximately 100 meters) — the experience of being underground in a hot, dark, narrow passage is claustrophobic and illuminating. Above ground, displays include various types of booby traps (punji sticks, trap doors), a shooting range where you can fire AK-47s and M16s (extra charge), and camouflaged tunnel entrances that demonstrate how effectively the network was hidden.
Ben Duoc Tunnel Complex (More Authentic)
Less Touristy AlternativeLocated further from Saigon (an additional 15 km past Ben Dinh), Ben Duoc receives far fewer tourists and offers a more authentic experience. The tunnels here have not been widened as much, giving a more realistic sense of how impossibly small the original passages were. The surrounding area includes a memorial temple, a recreation of a wartime village, and a section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The atmosphere is more contemplative and less commercialized. Ben Duoc is the better choice if you want a more genuine historical experience, but it requires a private car or a tour that specifically includes it — most standard tours go to Ben Dinh.
Historical Context
Understanding the history makes the visit far more meaningful.
Origins of the Tunnels
The Cu Chi tunnel network was originally dug by hand during the French Indochina War in the late 1940s, using simple tools — hoes, baskets, and bare hands. The initial tunnels were short and used to hide weapons and communication equipment. During the American War (1960s-1970s), the network was massively expanded to over 250 km of underground passages on multiple levels, creating an entire subterranean city that housed thousands of Viet Cong fighters directly beneath American military bases.
Life Underground
The tunnels contained living quarters, hospitals, kitchens, weapons factories, meeting rooms, and even theaters for propaganda films. Ventilation shafts disguised as termite mounds provided fresh air. Kitchens used smokeless stoves with long chimney systems that dispersed cooking smoke over wide areas to avoid detection. Despite these innovations, life in the tunnels was miserable — extreme heat, lack of oxygen, poisonous insects, and the constant threat of American tunnel-clearing operations.
The Tunnel Rats
The American military's response to the tunnels included specialized soldiers called "Tunnel Rats" — typically small-statured volunteers who entered the tunnels armed only with a pistol, a flashlight, and a knife. Their mission was to explore, map, and destroy the tunnel network. The job was extraordinarily dangerous, with booby traps, armed defenders, and toxic air in the tunnels. The Tunnel Rats' story is one of the most harrowing chapters of the war.
Strategic Significance
The Cu Chi tunnels played a crucial role in the 1968 Tet Offensive, providing staging areas for attacks on Saigon. The tunnels' proximity to Saigon — only 70 km northwest — meant that the Viet Cong could launch operations against the capital and retreat underground before American forces could respond. Despite massive bombing campaigns (the Cu Chi area was designated a "free-fire zone"), the tunnel network was never fully destroyed.
Tour Options & Costs
| Option | Cost |
|---|---|
| Group bus tour (half-day, Ben Dinh) | 200,000-350,000₫ per person |
| Group bus tour (full-day, Cu Chi + Cao Dai) | 400,000-600,000₫ per person |
| Small group tour (max 12, half-day) | 350,000-500,000₫ per person |
| Private car + driver (half-day) | 800,000-1,200,000₫ per car |
| Speedboat tour (via Saigon River) | 700,000-1,200,000₫ per person |
| Entry fee (Ben Dinh or Ben Duoc) | 110,000-200,000₫ per person |
| Shooting range (10 bullets) | 500,000-700,000₫ |
Practical Tips
Wear Appropriate Clothing
The tunnels are hot, humid, and narrow. Wear light, breathable long pants (not shorts — you will be crawling) and a t-shirt you do not mind getting dirty. Closed shoes with grip are essential — the tunnel floors are uneven earth. Bring a small towel and change of shirt for the ride back. Avoid heavy backpacks — they will not fit in the tunnels. Leave valuables at your hotel.
Prepare for Claustrophobia
Even the widened tourist tunnels are tight — approximately 80 cm wide and 120 cm high. If you are claustrophobic, know that there are exit points every 20-30 meters where you can climb out. There is no obligation to complete the full tunnel crawl. The above-ground exhibits and displays are equally informative. Many visitors enter the tunnels, experience the first section, and emerge — that brief experience is enough to appreciate the conditions.
Bring Water and Insect Repellent
The Cu Chi area is hot, even by Saigon standards, and the tunnel crawl is surprisingly physical. Bring at least 1 liter of water. Mosquito repellent is recommended — the forested areas around the tunnels have mosquitoes year-round. Sunscreen is essential for the above-ground portions. There is a refreshment stall at the site selling water, snacks, and tapioca root (a staple food of the tunnel fighters).
The Shooting Range
At Ben Dinh, visitors can fire original Vietnam War-era weapons at a shooting range — AK-47s, M16s, M60 machine guns, and carbines. You buy bullets (approximately 50,000-70,000₫ per bullet, minimum 10 bullets). The experience is loud, powerful, and polarizing — some visitors find it an fascinating historical experience, others find it distasteful given the setting. Ear protection is provided. The decision is personal.
Combine with Other Sights
Full-day tours often combine Cu Chi with the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh (a stunning, psychedelic religious temple of Vietnam's unique syncretic religion) — a worthwhile combination if you have the time. Some speedboat tours travel to Cu Chi via the Saigon River, offering a completely different perspective on the journey. If you have a private car, stop at a local roadside restaurant on the way back for authentic Vietnamese countryside cooking.
Emotional Preparation
While Cu Chi is less emotionally intense than the War Remnants Museum, the booby trap displays and the reality of people living underground in these conditions for years can be sobering. The site presents the war primarily from the Vietnamese perspective — the Viet Cong fighters are portrayed as heroes of national liberation. Regardless of your political perspective, the human endurance and ingenuity on display is remarkable. Take time to reflect on what you see.
More Day Trips from Saigon
Explore more excursions from Saigon — from the Mekong Delta waterways to the beaches of Vung Tau.
Frequently Asked Questions
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