Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta tour from Ho Chi Minh City

Underground tunnels, river sampans, folk music and cassava tea in one long day

A small-group guided tour from Ho Chi Minh City combines two major sites: the Cu Chi Tunnels, where you walk through the wartime network and learn how Vietnamese guerrillas lived underground, and the Mekong Delta, where you cruise the Tien River and travel by wooden sampan through narrow canals. Hotel pickup, lunch, entrance fees and an English-speaking guide are included. The tour runs about 11 hours and returns to the city around 7 PM. Groups stay under 15 people on the standard option, or you can book a smaller group of up to 9.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta Tour

• Pick up from hotel
• Travel 1.5 hours to Cu Chi Tunnels
• Watch introduction video
• Explore tunnel network and living areas
• Learn about traps and wartime facilities
• Taste special tea and cassava
• Have lunch at local restaurant
• Visit My Tho city
• Cruise along Tien River
• Visit coconut candy mill
• Ride wooden sampans on small canals
• Savor seasonal fruits and honey tea
• Enjoy local folk music performance
• Return to Ho Chi Minh City

The experience

The day starts with a 1.5-hour drive from your hotel to Cu Chi, where a short video orients you to how the tunnels were built and what life was like during the war. You then walk through the remaining sections of the network: kitchens and bedrooms carved into the earth, weapon factories, storage rooms, command centers and field hospitals all connected underground. The guide explains the trap doors and booby traps the guerrillas used to defend the maze. Before leaving, you taste cassava and special tea, the everyday food of the fighters who lived there.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you head to My Tho city and board a motorboat for a leisurely cruise along the Tien River. The route takes you past the landscape of the southern Delta, then to a family-run coconut candy mill where you can watch the work. From there, locals pole you through small canals in wooden sampans: the narrow waterways let you see the rhythm of the region up close. You sample seasonal fruit, sip honey tea and listen to folk music performed by people who live along the water. The return drive to Ho Chi Minh City takes the evening, arriving around 7 PM.

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off in the center of Districts 1 and 4, so no separate transport to arrange. Your guide speaks English throughout. Children from age 3 are welcome, though the tunnels involve crawling and climbing, and the long day suits travelers comfortable with a full schedule.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in central Ho Chi Minh City.
• entrance to Cu Chi Tunnels.
• motorboat cruise on the Tien River.
• wooden sampan rides through the Delta canals.
• lunch at a local restaurant with Vietnamese specialties.
• seasonal fruit and honey tea.
• folk music performance by locals.
• professional English-speaking guide for the full day.

Options for this experience

3 options

Large group, up to twenty-five travelers, meeting point onlyGuide in English · 07:00Travels in a twenty-five seater, with pickup and drop-off only at the SST Travel Office.

Small group, minibus pickup in Districts one and fourGuide in English · 07:00Hotel pickup and drop-off in Districts one and four, travelling by a sixteen or eighteen seater vehicle.

Very small group in a luxury limousine, hotel pickup across four districtsGuide in English · 07:30

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

Before you book

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

AgesAdult (8 to 80 years) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

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: “Note: This is a group tour. Please arrive at the meeting point at least 10 minutes before pickup time. Pick-up and drop-off are available at Ben Thanh Market or SST Travel office.”

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SST TRAVEL

Is this one for you?Choose the small-group tour for a slower pace through the tunnels and river, or the larger group if you prefer traveling with more people: both include hotel pickup from District 1 or 4 and a guide who speaks English.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 7 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens on the Mekong Delta part of the tour?

You cruise the Tien River by motorboat, visit a family coconut candy mill, then travel through small canals in wooden sampans. Along the way you taste seasonal fruit, drink honey tea and hear folk music performed by locals who live in the Delta.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food will I eat?

Yes, lunch at a local restaurant is included and features authentic Vietnamese cuisine and specialties. The meal happens after Cu Chi and before the Mekong Delta section.

What's the difference between the small group and VIP group options?

The small group tour accommodates up to 15 people, while the VIP group keeps the party to 9 or fewer, making for a more intimate experience with the same itinerary, guide and inclusions.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour suits all physical fitness levels, though the tunnels involve crawling and climbing through narrow spaces, and the full day runs about 11 hours with multiple stops and boat rides. It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

What time does the tour end and how do I get back to my hotel?

The tour returns to Ho Chi Minh City around 7 PM, and hotel drop-off in Districts 1 and 4 is included, so you don't need to arrange separate transport home.