Cu Chi Tunnels Ho Chi Minh City: Half-Day Guided Tour & Pickup

Inside the Cu Chi Tunnels: What 220 Kilometers of Underground War Looks Like

You get picked up from your hotel, driven 60 kilometers west to Cu Chi, watch a war documentary, then crawl through or walk above the 220-kilometer tunnel network with a local guide who explains the history, weapons, and daily life of soldiers. The tour includes pandan tea before your return to the city, and takes about four to five hours total. No need to arrange transport, find the entrance, or navigate the site alone.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Cu Chi Tunnels and War History

• Pick up from hotel
• Travel west to Cu Chi (1.5 hours)
• Watch Vietnam War documentary
• Visit living areas inside tunnels
• Learn about weapons and traps
• See bomb craters and soil layers
• Crawl through underground Cu Chi Tunnels

The experience

"How deep do we actually go?" That's the question most people ask before crawling into the Cu Chi Tunnels, and honestly, it's the right one. The tunnels stretch 220 kilometers west of Ho Chi Minh City: a maze of living quarters, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers built by Viet Cong soldiers during the American-Vietnam War. You don't need to be a history buff to feel the weight of it. After hotel pickup, the drive takes about 1.5 hours to reach Cu Chi. Once there, you'll watch a documentary that frames what you're about to see, and then your guide (someone with a real connection to the land), walks you through the tunnels themselves.

The crawling part is the thing people remember. You'll move through military supply tunnels, duck under camouflaged trapdoors, and peer into storage areas that still feel frozen in time. The soil above is only 10 to 13 feet thick, which is almost impossible to imagine when you're underground and a 55-ton tank's weight was once pressing down on it. Your guide points out the handmade weapons and traps, explains the daily life of soldiers living in those spaces, and shares stories that textbooks don't cover. If claustrophobia is a concern, you can see the tunnels from above ground instead: the experience shifts but doesn't disappear.

Before heading back to the city, you'll have pandan tea and tapioca, the same food Viet Cong soldiers ate during the war. It's a small detail, but it grounds the half-day in something tangible. The whole tour runs about four to five hours total, including the drive and the documentary, so you're back in Ho Chi Minh City by early afternoon or late morning depending on which time slot you choose. If you want to add an AK47 shooting range experience, that's available at your own cost, but it's optional.

What’s included

Your half-day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Ho Chi Minh City, a 1.5-hour drive to Cu Chi, a war documentary screening, a professional local guide with personal connection to the land, access to the 220-kilometer tunnel network with the option to crawl through military supply tunnels or view from above ground, pandan tea and tapioca (traditional Viet Cong war food) before returning to the city, and all entry fees and taxes. The AK47 shooting range is available separately at your own cost.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30 and 12:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (9 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 8 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by PAPA HOLIDAY VIETNAM

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main Cu Chi story in half a day without arranging your own transport, finding the site, or timing the documentary and tunnel sections yourself. The guide handles the pacing and the history, which is what makes four hours feel complete.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 8 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the Cu Chi Tunnels tour from Ho Chi Minh City?

About four to five hours total, including the 1.5-hour drive each way, documentary, and tunnel exploration.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, pickup from your Ho Chi Minh City hotel is included in the tour price.

Do I have to crawl through the tunnels?

No. If you have claustrophobia or prefer not to crawl, you can view the tunnels from above ground with your guide.

What time does the tour start?

Tours run in morning or afternoon slots. Confirm your preferred time when booking.

Is the AK47 shooting range included?

No, it's optional and available at your own expense if you want to add it.

What's included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup, professional local guide, all entry fees and taxes, documentary screening, and pandan tea with tapioca before return.

How far are the Cu Chi Tunnels from Ho Chi Minh City?

About 60 kilometers west, roughly 1.5 hours by car.