Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City tour: War history landmarks

Walk through the tunnels where Viet Cong fighters sheltered, then see the city that rebuilt itself.

A shore excursion from Ho Chi Minh City ports combining the Cu Chi Tunnels, a rubber plantation stop, the War Remnants Museum, and colonial landmarks like Notre-Dame Cathedral, with an English-speaking guide, lunch, air-conditioned transport and water included. The tour departs from Phu My, Nha Rong or Hiep Phuoc Port and returns you in time for your ship's departure. Port permit service is available for an extra fee if you want pickup at your cruise ship.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Cu Chi Tunnels2h · entry included
2. War Remnants Museum1h · entry included
3. Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral2h · entry included

Cu Chi Tunnels and Ho Chi Minh City Tour

• Meet guide at port
• Travel to Cu Chi Tunnels
• Explore Cu Chi Tunnels
• Visit rubber tapping facility
• Enjoy lunch in Ho Chi Minh City
• Visit War Remnants Museum
• Explore city landmarks
• Return to port

The experience

The tour starts at your chosen port with pickup by a private guide and air-conditioned vehicle. Your first stop is the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of underground passages used by Viet Cong fighters during the war. You can walk through sections of the tunnels yourself to see how fighters used ingenious techniques to survive, including a secret underground kitchen carved into the earth. The guide explains the history and the perseverance required to maintain the network during the conflict.

Before returning to Ho Chi Minh City, you stop at a rubber plantation to watch the process of latex extraction from rubber trees: Vietnam is the world's third-largest natural rubber producer. Your guide walks you through the daily work of tapping and collection. You then have lunch included in the tour, with options like Pho or Banh Mi, before moving into the city proper.

The War Remnants Museum comes next, a direct account of the war's impact on Vietnam told through footage, artifacts and documentation. The exhibits are unflinching about the destruction and suffering, and the museum frames the Vietnamese response as one of determination and resilience. Your final stops are the colonial landmarks: Notre-Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office, Opera House, City Hall and the former CIA Headquarters building, all reminders of Ho Chi Minh's layered history. The guide times the return to port so you have a buffer before your ship departs.

What’s included

• Lunch with Vietnamese dishes such as Pho or Banh Mi.
• fully air-conditioned vehicle.
• unlimited bottled water.
• all taxes.
• English-speaking guide.
• port pickup and return timed to your ship's departure.

Options for this experience

3 options

Departs from Phu My PortGuide in English · No fixed timePickup is included

Departs from Nha Rong PortGuide in English · No fixed timePickup is included

Departs from Hiep Phuoc PortGuide in English · No fixed timePickup is included

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

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

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 25

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by MAIKA TOURS

Is this one for you?The 8- to 9-hour window gives you time to walk the tunnels, see the museum and explore the colonial city without rushing, which is what makes a full inland itinerary possible inside a single port call. If you want your guide to collect you at the ship itself rather than the terminal, the port permit service ($25 per person) eliminates the walk through the port.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

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

What is the War Remnants Museum like? How graphic are the exhibits?

The War Remnants Museum displays footage, photographs and artifacts documenting the war's impact on Vietnam. The operator notes that some scenes are upsetting, so the exhibits are direct and unflinching about the destruction and human cost. The framing emphasizes Vietnamese perseverance and the country's recovery.

Can I get picked up directly at my cruise ship instead of at the port terminal?

Port permit service is available for an additional fee of $25 per person, which allows your guide and transport to enter the port and pick you up right at your cruise ship. This is optional and arranged at checkout.

Is lunch included, and can the tour handle dietary needs?

Lunch is included and typically features Vietnamese dishes like Pho or Banh Mi. The operator can accommodate dietary requirements if you contact them before the tour.

Which port should I choose for pickup?

You can select from three ports: Phu My, Nha Rong or Hiep Phuoc. All three are departure points for the same tour. Choose the one closest to where your ship is docked.