Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, in Vietnam

Vietnam It is a destination known for its beaches but also for its contemporary history, the almost epic battle it had with the United States for almost a decade. That is why it has earned a well-deserved place in world history.

The legacy of that war is varied and ranges from freedom to the drama of the war itself: the widows, the orphans, the mutilated. But the stories of that war survive and make travelers come from all over the world to see it. And one of the mandatory destinations is the Cu Chi tunnel network.

Where are the tunnels

This network of tunnels underground they are not far from Ho Chi Minh city. To some 70 kilometers nothing else, heading northwest. Ho Chi Mnh is the ancient Saigon, capital of the old French colony of Indochina and the largest city in the country. It is estimated that within a decade the population will be around 14 million people.

It has been called like this since 1976, in honor of the first leader of North Vietnam during the war I mentioned earlier in which the north, supported by China and communist, and the south, supported by the United States, fought. It is located in the southeastern region of the country just over 1700 kilometers from Hanoi, another important Vietnamese city. It is only 20 meters above sea level and only 19 kilometers from the Cambodian border.

Ho Chi Minh has a subtropical climate very humid and the year is divided into two main seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. The first runs from May to October and the second from December to April. The average temperature is 28 ° C So no matter what time of year you go it's always hot as hell. Of course, in summer it is worse.

The distance between Ho Cji Minh and the Cu Chi Tunnels is around 40 kilometers so the trip takes just over an hour. One way to get there is to sign up for a tour. They are numerous and cheap and you can join a half day tour for about 100 dong plus the entrance to the tunnels. In general, these types of tours pick you up at 8 in the morning and return you to the city around 2 pm.

Another way to get there is by using the public bus.  There are two sections of the tunnels and going on your own allows you to know a section of the tunnels, the Ben duoc, which tourism agencies generally do not include (they focus on the section Ben dinh, especially tourist and, worth the clarification, they were never a real part of the tunnel network). They say they take you there because the tunnels are bigger and more convenient for the body size of Westerners).

Meanwhile the Ben Duoc tunnels are the most visited among the Vietnamese and they are somewhat further away than the others, but the good thing is that they were indeed part of the famous tunnel network. You can take local buses from Ben Thanh Station right in front of Ben Tanh Market. Until a few years ago you could take the 13 bus, but today you have to make a turn: you take bus 88 there and get off at the next stop, in parking lot 24/9. That's where bus 13 passes so you take it and drops you right outside the Cu Chi station.

The bus fare is around 7,000 dong. The ticket is bought upstairs directly, from an agent who approaches the seats and always has change. If you are hungry or thirsty or want to bring something for the visit, you can buy it on top of the bus because there are always street vendors. Fortunately these buses are comfortable and have air conditioning and they even have TV. The trip takes an hour and a half.

Once at Cu Chi station you can ignore all the "tour operators" who will want to capture you as guides and start haggling. You will get a good price with transportation included between Cu Chi station and the tunnels. From there you take bus 79 And be sure to tell the driver to tell you where to get off, so sit close to him. These vehicles also have air conditioning and the trip lasts 50 minutes.

If you have the road in your sight you will see that at one point you are approaching an intersection with a big blue sign It indicates to the left the Ben Duoc tunnels and to the right those of Ben Dinh. If you want to visit the Ben Dinh you must get off there and walk the rest of the trip, if you do not continue on the bus to Ben Duoc. In order not to be mistaken, it is best to ask everyone if you are on the correct bus.

Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels

The entrance to the Ben Duoc tunnels It is around 90 thousand dongs and consists of two tickets. One costs 70 thousand and another 20 thousand and you cannot not buy both. They include a tour and there is an exhibition of American weapons and bombs. You can't stay there for long because a guard comes right away and forces you to go on the tour.

The visit begins with a display of uniforms and weapons, on mannequins, and the projection of a 15 minute black and white video which recounts a summary of the war not very friendly to the Americans. Then yes, the tunnels begin. There are several sections and you are always warned about claustrophobia. They are divided into quite short segments and yes, they are small since these tunnels in particular, as I said above, are not the most touristy.

Luckily they were reinforced with concrete and they are safe. They also give you a Lantern one of those that are hooked on the head and the guide himself goes with a flashlight so it's very good. You pass through corridors and mini rooms that served as meeting rooms and hospitals. You'll see traps, enemy detection methods and entrances to the network heavily camouflaged on the ground, weapons, old photographs and plans and of course, souvenirs. A marvel.

To return you just take bus 79 again (which runs only until 5:30 pm). If you lose it you can go by motorcycle to Cu Chi station but it will cost you more. And there yes, bus 13 to the city. Now, if your intention is to know the ben dinh tunnels, bigger and better adapted to tourism, what you do is get off at the intersection of the route and walk towards the entrance.

I just have to tell you that here there are always more people and that all the tunnels have been adapted to receive tourists. Remember they have never been a real part of the original network. Lastly, insect repellent is essential and so are water bottles.


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