Situated in a suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City, the Cu Chi tunnels, where there are parts of an enormous network of connecting underground tunnels, which were used by the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War, are one of the big tourist attractions in Ho Chi Minh City. mekong cruise
Taking a special tourist bus is one way to travel from district 1 (the backpacker district) in Ho Chi Minh City to the Cu Chi tunnels. It is possible to buy the ticket for the tourist bus at many places, for example at hotels, hostels and tourist agencies. Although at some hostels it is sold for $7, supposedly you can also get it for $5. The tourist bus will directly take travelers to the tunnels and drive them back to district 1.
Taking the public bus is another option. The possibility of visiting the tunnels on your own pace without following the itinerary of a big group is the advantage of this option. In addition to much lower price than the tourist bus, as the only tourist on the bus, you will be likely to experience a local bus ride. A journey from district 1 to the Cu Chi Tunnels and return costs altogether 18,000 VND (~$1).
Travelers choosing to travel by public bus will have to take the bus No 13 first, which leaves the bus center in the first district in Ho Chi Minh City and goes all the way to the final station in Cu Chi. Once coming to the Cu Chi bus station, travelers will have to switch to bus No 79, which directly takes them to the tunnels. Do not worry about missing this site as along the way, there are several signs saying Cu Chi tunnels.
Journey times and ticket prices for the public buses:
Bus 13 to Cu Chi District: 5000 VND, journey time around 1 hour
Bus 79 to Cu Chi tunnels: 4000 VND, journey time around 30 minutes
To get to the tunnels, the entrance fee is 80,000 VND ($3.5) (which is NOT included in the price of the special tourist bus).
You can spend half a day walking around the quiet big area around the tunnels, which offers several attractions such as a temple with a big Ho Chi Minh statue.
From the ticket counter, take an about 15 minute walk away then you will reach the entrance to the actual parts of the tunnels which are frequently visited by travelers. Here, they will present an introduction video that however has less information, more like an old propaganda video from the Vietnam War. This old black and white film in low quality praises, for example, the so called “American killing heroes” from Cu Chi, who fought and won dozens of Americans. After watching this video, you will be shown around in the tunnels area and have the guide explain a bit. For example, you will see the traps which were used by the Cu Chi fighters. ho chi minh city to phnom penh by boat
Actually crawling through the tunnels is the most interesting part of a visit to the Cu Chi tunnels. To get through some really tight sections, you will have to crawl on your knees while bats are hanging over your head, and you will get an idea on how it must have been difficult for the Cu Chi fighters to live there for several months or even years.
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