The Infamous Tunnels in Vietnam

The Cu Chi Tunnels always sounded so forbidding. Strangely linked tunnels carved mostly by hand networking underground where US military were constantly at risk of Vietcong rising out of them to make a quick attack and then disappear as rapidly as they appeared. I wasn’t sure what to expect on this trip to the infamous Tunnels.

We drove approximately 40 kilometers from Saigon, taking nearly two hours to arrive in the countryside. A US base once was located near here, but our guide, Quang, said that it’s still a military base and it is off limits. So our only visit was to the tourist part of the Cu Chi Tunnels. We walked through the jungle and there was evidence of bomb droppings.

The above mound was a ventilation shaft for the Tunnels. They were everywhere. In order for tourists to understand the complexity of the Tunnels, they excavated certain areas and put canopies over so we could get a glimpse inside.

This was a dining area although no one ate together in case a bomb fell on the site.

The guide showed us how they climbed in a tunnel.

They would go down in one area and pop up in another. Terri climbed in a tunnel to demonstrate.

We went through a tunnel that they had enlarged the entrance to make it easier for the tourists. The Vietcong were very small in stature and most of us would not have fit in the original hole.

That’s me coming up from the tunnel. They had mannequins dressed in Vietcong garb.

A soldier was busy making traditional sandals.

The Cu Chi Tunnels go three layers down but of course we were only allowed to explore one small section.

On our return to Saigon for our last afternoon, we walked the streets and alley ways.

Now we are off on the Avalon Saigon for a week on the Mekong River.