This day tour takes you to the tunnels of Cu Chi and gives you a glimpse of Vietnam War. Travel northwest of Ho Chi Minh City where you will be lead through the jungle as your guide explains the history of the tunnel, the ingenuity of the Cu Chi residents and their daily life during the wartime. Return to the city for lunch, and then enjoy a half day city tour to visit the city’s main landmarks.
Morning, meet our guide at your hotel and transfer about 75 km North-west of downtown Ho Chi Minh City to visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. The driving time is approximately 2 hours.
Arrive in Cu Chi, we explore the tunnels which were once a major underground hideout and resistance base of Viet Cong forces during the two wars against the French and the Americans. The tunnels, entirely hand-dug, formed a highly intricate network of interlinked multilevel passageways at times stretched as far as the Cambodian border and totaling over 120 km in length. Its complexity was beyond imagination containing meeting rooms, kitchens, wells, clinics, schools, depots, trenches and emergency exits all aimed for guerrilla warfare. The tunnels were deep and strong enough to withstand destructive bombings and self-contained enough to outlast prolonged sieges. Afterward, return to Saigon for lunch.
Afternoon, tour in the city with the Reunification Palace, which was formerly the South Vietnam President’s residence and symbol of the Southern Administration’s reign until end of April 1975. Next, stop at Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, a neo-Roman cathedral built over 130 years ago by the colonial French with materials entirely imported from Marseilles. Call in Sai Gon Post Office, a fine colonial building which was designed and built in the early 20th Century by the famous French architect Gustave Eiffel. Move on to Cho Lon or the city’s China Town where you will stop off at the Thien Hau temple. The Thien Hau temple was built in the early 19th Century dedicated to Thien Hau, the goddess of seafarers. A short stop will be made at Ben Thanh Market to buy fruits, souvenir if you want before transfer back to hotel.
Note: in case you want a VC veteran who lived and fought during Vietnam war in this area to know more about the tunnels and their lives during the war. Please request our sales expert to add on the tour for you.
