Cu Chi Tunnels
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Port
Phu My, Vietnam
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$119.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 10 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
A comfortable motorcoach transports you from Phu My into the surrounding countryside.
As you approach Cu Chi, it is hard to believe you are entering what was once a war zone of incredible strategic importance. This tour focuses on the ingenuity and resilience of the Vietnamese fighters who both lived and fought from underground tunnels.
Originally constructed as a means to fight against the French by the Viet Minh, the Cu Chi Tunnels were later expanded up to 36 feet below ground in hard soil using only rudimentary tools. Most tunnels were only 2 - 2.5 feet wide and 4.5 feet tall, with thick roofs capable of withstanding the weight of tanks or the impact of bombs.
Using dioramas, your guide will explain the underground network. On display are some of the tools and weapons used by the guerrilla fighters. Much of the tunnel complex is now open and ventilated so that you can more easily experience the underground meeting rooms, kitchens, hospitals, and sleeping areas.
More adventurous and agile tunnel explorers can experience an unlit passage, which has not been enlarged for the comfort of visitors. See if you can find the hidden tunnel entrances and learn about the ingenious methods Vietnamese soldiers employed to remain undetected and frustrate their enemies.
Lunch is served during the tour.
Refreshments (at your own expense) and souvenirs are available in the nearby parking area, which also displays some military paraphernalia.
Notes:
The interpretive panels present information from a Vietnamese perspective. After the fall of Saigon, the guerrilla fighters were considered heroes and still are by many older Vietnamese people; while the portrayal of their story may be at odds with American sentiment, it is nonetheless an interesting visit. Wear sturdy non-skid walking shoes. Bring sunscreen and insect repellent. Guests visiting lower levels of the tunnels may get dirty or dusty. Travel time to Cu Chi Tunnels is approximately three hours each way. Minimum height is 2 feet. Maximum age is 70 years.