Ho Chi Minh City; Cu Chi Tunnels

The Cu Chi Tunnels are a historical monument located in the Cu Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City; although 60 km from the centre, they are still part of the city.

Underground tunnel systems have been used by the Vietnamese for centuries and are on three levels, with connections between various chambers. The Cu Chi system comprises a large network of connecting tunnels and was the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, including being the Viet Cong Base in the 1968 Tet Offensive. There are two tunnel display sites, the Ben Duoc site and the Ben Dinh site - we visit the Ben Dinh site.

We see a secret tunnel entrance and pass an American M40 tank, which was taken out by a mine, as well as examples of Viet Cong booby traps. We then went into one of the tunnels (widened slightly for tourist access to enable very stooped walking).

It is an excellent visit that provides an insight into local history and a better understanding of the resourcefulness of the Viet Cong and of the war itself (see captions on photos for more details).Read more