Are you curious about how to visit the Cu Chi tunnels without a tour? This guide offers an incredibly detailed, step-by-step guide to exploring these extraordinary underground tunnels in Vietnam on your own.
The Cu Chi tunnels are an immense network of underground tunnels that stretch up to 250 km. These tunnels played a pivotal role in the war against the Americans, who tried to destroy them many times but couldn’t. You could even reach Cambodia through these tunnels!
Getting to the Cu Chi Tunnels on Your Ow
Most tourists opt for group tours, but there’s an honest, more authentic way to experience the Cu Chi tunnels. When you venture on your own, you’ll visit the side where Vietnamese tourists go, offering a more genuine experience. Don’t worry about language barriers; you’ll still get an English-speaking guide. Our guide was incredibly engaging and humorous!
Here are the essential steps to get to the Cu Chi tunnels on your own:
- Start at the Pham Ngu Lao bus station.
- Take bus number 13, which will take you to Ben Xe Cu Chi (the last stop).
- From there, catch bus 79 to the Cu Chi tunnels.
Bus tickets cost 7000 Vietnamese dongs each (roughly $0.3), and entrance tickets for the Cu Chi tunnels are 90000 dongs (about $4). This price includes an English-speaking guide.
The visit
Visiting the Cu Chi tunnels offers a glimpse into the resilience and resourcefulness of the Vietnamese people during the war. The tunnels are claustrophobic and incredibly small. It’s astonishing to think that the Vietnamese managed to live for so long in such conditions.
The tunnels were well-designed and thought out, housing hospitals, kitchens, and meeting rooms. If one tunnel was bombed and compromised, the rest of the tunnels would remain intact.
At the end of the visit, you can shoot some guns if you’re interested (we weren’t). There’s also a beautiful temple honoring war victims and Ho Chi Minh. We were fortunate to witness a school trip there, participating in a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh’s honor, singing and waving Vietnamese flags. It was a testament to the enduring patriotism of the Vietnamese people.
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