Cu Chi Tunnels tour with speedboat: Crawl the maze

Glide along Saigon River then crawl through hidden trapdoors of Cu Chi Tunnels.

A half-day tour from Vietnam that combines a luxury speedboat cruise up the Saigon River with access to the Cu Chi Tunnels, where you crawl through the underground maze, watch a 3D film on the war, and eat cassava: the food soldiers ate in the tunnels. Hotel pickup in central districts, English-speaking guide, Vietnamese lunch and entrance fees are included. The tour runs seven hours total.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cu Chi Tunnels half day tour

• Cruise along Saigon River to Cu Chi
• Discover landscapes and Saigon streets
• Watch 3D movie on Vietnam War
• Explore underground tunnel system
• Try tiny hiding entrance in tunnel
• Explore maze of tunnels and facilities
• Watch documentary on tunnel strategy
• Crawl into tunnel
• Optional M16 rifle shooting
• Enjoy cassava food
• Return and drop off at chosen location

The experience

The day starts with hotel pickup in District 1, 3 or 4, then you board a speedboat for a one-hour cruise up the Saigon River. On the way, the guide points out the landscapes along the banks and the busy streets of Saigon visible from the water. The boat brings you directly to the Cu Chi Tunnels site, cutting out the road journey most tours take.

Once there, you watch a 3D film about the largest American ground operation of the Vietnam War, then move into the tunnels themselves. The guide walks you through the complex underground system: the trap doors, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens where Viet Cong soldiers lived between 1961 and 1972. You crawl into a real tunnel entrance, the kind soldiers used, to see how tight the fit was and how they moved through the darkness. The forest above the tunnels is explored too, with a documentary screening on the strategic layout of the whole system. If you want to fire an M16 rifle at the shooting range, that costs extra.

Lunch is Vietnamese, with vegan options available if you request them at booking. You'll eat cassava, the staple food the soldiers ate during the war, along with wheat cake, tapioca and Vietnamese hot tea. On the return journey, the speedboat takes you back down the Saigon River, and the driver drops you at the War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market or your hotel, whichever you choose. Bottled water and wet tissues are provided throughout.

What’s included

• Experienced English-speaking guide.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in central Districts 1, 3 and 4.
• luxury speedboat ride up and down the Saigon River.
• Cu Chi Tunnels entrance fee.
• 3D film screening.
• Vietnamese lunch with vegan options available.
• cassava, wheat cake, tapioca and Vietnamese hot tea.
• bottled water and wet tissues.
• travel insurance.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English08:00 and 08:30

Guide in English08:30

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 dayDepartures at 08:00 and 08:30

AgesAdult (12 to 89 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): 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: “Kim Travel's office ( 17 Thu Khoa Huan, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, HCMC)”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h 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 today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by KIM TRAVEL

Is this one for you?Choose the boat option if you want to skip the road journey and see the Saigon River on the way: the speedboat cuts travel time and adds a different view of the city. The private tour option works better if your group wants the guide's full attention and a flexible schedule, though both include the same tunnels, lunch and guide.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 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 24h before the start.

How long does the speedboat ride take to get to Cu Chi Tunnels?

The speedboat cruise up the Saigon River takes one hour each way. The full tour, including time in the tunnels, the 3D film, lunch and exploration of the forest, runs seven hours total.

Can I actually crawl inside the tunnels, or just look at them?

You crawl into the tunnels yourself. The guide shows you a real entrance the size of a trapdoor, the same kind soldiers used, so you experience how tight and low the passages are. You spend time exploring the maze of tunnels with the guide, moving through the underground system.

What's included in the lunch?

Vietnamese lunch is included, with cassava (the food soldiers ate during the war), wheat cake, tapioca and Vietnamese hot tea. Vegan options are available if you let the operator know when you book.

Where does the tour pick me up and drop me off?

Hotel pickup is included for hotels in central Districts 1, 3 and 4. On the return, the speedboat drops you at the War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market or your hotel in District 1, depending on which option you choose at checkout.

Is the rifle shooting included, or does it cost extra?

Firing an M16 rifle at the shooting site costs extra and is optional. Everything else (the speedboat ride, tunnel entry, lunch, guide and hotel pickup) is included in the tour price.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Children must be accompanied by an adult. If you have concerns about crawling through tight spaces, mention them when you book so the guide can adjust the experience.