The Tunnels

The Cu Chi Tunnels are located approximately 60 kms north of Saigon. Tours or hiring a private car and guide are the only way to get to the tunnels so we chose the latter for $39/person.

The introductory video indicated that the tunnels were built for the War with the Americans, but they were in place before this war started. Even so, the way they were used in the Vietnam War - I mean the American War, was ingenious.


The Viet Cong and their sympathizers lived in these tunnels and used them for protection from the invading armies. There were three levels that offered protection from chemical warfare and the constant bombing, with the deepest level going to 18 metres.


The tunnels were interesting in themselves, but the booby or hidden traps on display were disturbing. I guess the movies on the American War were more realistic than I thought.








The most interesting attraction was a hidden entrance to the tunnels. As I have said before, Vietnamese people are tiny and the entrances were built for their body size. Our guide liked to say that if the Americans followed they would often get stuck.








Fred is not a big man, but even he felt closed in and uncomfortable.

We were told that the area around Cu Chi is called "White Land" by the locals because rice and fruit trees can no longer grow there. Tom, our guide, blamed it on Agent Orange because this area was one of the heaviest bombed areas in the South.

Rubber trees have been planted and they are now a thriving business around Cu Chi.


At the end of the day we tried something new, tapioca. It tastes much like a mushy potato and probably will be left on my plate from now on.