Cu Chi Tunnels Half-Day Underground History Tour

The tunnels still hold the objects soldiers left behind: command posts, hidden kitchens, handmade traps built into the walls.

A half-day guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City takes you 60km from the city to an underground guerrilla resistance base used during the Vietnam War. You travel by air-conditioned van with an English-speaking guide who provides historical context during the journey, then explore the tunnel system on foot, visit the command post, learn about wartime traps and structures, and end with traditional tea and cassava root: the food soldiers ate daily. The tour runs about six hours total, including transport.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cu Chi Tunnels half-day adventure

• Board van with tour guide
• Travel 60km from Ho Chi Minh City
• Receive Vietnam War insights en route
• Arrive at Cu Chi and overview history
• Learn about wartime traps and command post
• Explore underground guerrilla base
• Optional walking tunnel experience
• Enjoy tea and cassava root
• Test marksmanship with AK-47 shooting
• Return to pick-up point

The experience

The van picks you up from your District 1, 3, or 4 hotel early, before the site fills with other groups. During the 90-minute drive out, your guide walks you through the Vietnam War's role in Cu Chi and what you're about to see. Arriving at the tunnels, you watch a documentary that explains how the system formed, what it was used for, and how the tunnels were structured. A foundation that makes the physical space make sense when you step into it.

Then you move through the site itself. You see the command post and the cannons still positioned there. You learn about the traps: some obvious once pointed out, others you would have walked past. The walking tunnel experience is optional, but most people do it: you actually move through a section of the underground base, crouched or crawling depending on the passage, to feel the space soldiers occupied. It's tight and low, and the guide explains what each area was for: sleeping quarters, ammunition storage, the kitchen carved into the earth.

At the end, you sit with tea and cassava root, the same food that kept the resistance fed. It's a deliberate pause, a moment to absorb what you've just walked through. If you want to try shooting, there's an AK-47 range on-site where you can fire 10 rounds for an optional fee. After that, the van takes you back to your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from District 1, 3, or 4.
• round-trip transport in an air-conditioned van.
• English-speaking guide throughout the tour.
• entry to Cu Chi Tunnels and all fees and taxes.
• bottled water.
• traditional tea and cassava root at the end of the visit.

Options for this experience

3 options

Guide in English08:00 and 12:00

Guide in English08:00 and 12:00

Guide in English8 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 13:00

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 13:00

AgesAdult (12 to 75 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “Nearby Ben Thanh Market”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Viet Kolors Tour

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move through the tunnels themselves rather than just view them from above. The underground walk is what makes the space real and the history tangible. The early start also means you arrive before the crowds, when the site is quieter and easier to absorb.

Traveler reviews

4.94★★★★★★★★★★

497 verified traveler reviews

5 ★473

4 ★21

3 ★2

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

How far is Cu Chi Tunnels from Ho Chi Minh City, and how long is the drive?

Cu Chi Tunnels is 60km from Ho Chi Minh City, and the drive takes about 90 minutes each way in the van. The tour includes both journeys, so transport time is part of the six-hour total.

Do I have to crawl through the tunnels, or can I just walk around the site?

The walking tunnel experience is optional. You can explore the command post, see the traps, and learn the history without going underground. Many people do both, but the choice is yours.

What's included in the tour price, and what costs extra?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, the English-speaking guide, all entry fees and taxes, bottled water, and the van with air conditioning. Lunch is not included. Shooting at the AK-47 range costs extra if you want to do it.

What time does the tour start, and when will I be back at my hotel?

The tour starts early in the morning with pickup from your hotel. The full experience, including the 90-minute drive each way, takes about six hours, so you'll be back in the afternoon.

What will I actually see inside the tunnels?

Inside, you'll see the command post where soldiers coordinated operations, remaining cannons, the Hoang Cam kitchen carved into the earth, and examples of the traps built into the tunnel walls. Your guide explains the purpose of each space and how the resistance used the tunnels during the war.