Ho Chi Minh: Cu Chi Tunnels & War Remnants Museum from Port

Inside the Cu Chi Tunnels: What Soldiers Endured in 100 Meters

You're picked up at the port and driven to Cu Chi Tunnels, where you crawl through a 100-meter passage used during the Vietnam War or walk the grounds; stop at a rubber tapping facility and eat traditional lunch; then visit the War Remnants Museum to see historical photographs and artifacts. Your English-speaking guide handles timing so you return to the ship on schedule.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cu Chi Tunnels and War Museum Tour

• Meet at Hiep Phuoc Port
• Travel to Cu Chi Tunnels
• Crawl through Cu Chi Tunnels
• Explore tunnel kitchens and sample food
• Visit rubber tapping facility
• Sample traditional lunch of Pho or Banh Mi
• Visit War Remnants Museum
• See Requiem Gallery photos
• Return to port and cruise ship

The experience

The tunnels open up in front of you: narrow, dark, engineered for survival. You're standing at Cu Chi, about 40 kilometers northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, where the Viet Cong built an underground network that still feels impossible to navigate. Your guide meets you at Hiep Phuoc Port with a name sign and an air-conditioned vehicle waiting, and the drive out takes you past rubber plantations and rural villages before the site itself appears. The tunnels have been widened slightly for tourists, but crawling through the 100-meter passage still gives you a real sense of what soldiers faced: the low ceilings, the weight of earth above, the kitchens hidden in the walls where they cooked during the war. You can walk the scenic route if crawling isn't for you, but most people try it. The historical weight of the place sits differently once you've actually been down there.

After the tunnels, there's a stop at a rubber tapping facility where you learn how latex gets extracted: Vietnam produces more natural rubber than almost anywhere else, and watching the process happen is oddly absorbing. Then lunch arrives: traditional pho or banh mi, and the guide will have already asked about dietary needs when you booked, so there's no scrambling. The meal breaks up the day and gives you time to process what you've seen. Everything moves on a tight schedule because you're returning to the ship, and the guide knows the port timing down to the minute. That's the one thing you don't have to worry about.

The War Remnants Museum is the final stop, and it's not easy. The exhibits show the civilian cost of the war through photographs, artifacts, and documentation that most Western museums don't display. The Requiem Gallery holds work by photographers like Tim Page and Larry Burrows: images that are historically significant and often difficult to look at. Your guide walks you through the context, which matters. Without it, the museum can feel overwhelming. But that's the point. Understanding what happened here, and how the country rebuilt after it, changes how you see Ho Chi Minh City itself. The drive back to the port is quiet, and you arrive with time to spare before departure.

What’s included

• Fully air-conditioned vehicle.
• port pickup and return to ship.
• English-speaking guide.
• unlimited bottled water.
• traditional lunch with pho or banh mi.
• entry to Cu Chi Tunnels and War Remnants Museum.
• visit to rubber tapping facility.
• all taxes.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English07:30

Guide in English07:30

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 dayDeparts at 07:30

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

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by MAIKA TOURS

Is this one for you?Book this if you're docking at Ho Chi Minh City and want to understand the Vietnam War's human cost without arranging transport, tickets, or timing yourself. The guide handles the port schedule so you don't miss the ship.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

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

Can I skip crawling through the tunnels?

Yes. You can walk around the site and view the tunnels from above without entering them.

What's included in lunch?

Traditional pho or banh mi. Dietary requirements can be accommodated if you mention them when booking.

Is the War Remnants Museum graphic?

Yes. The exhibits document the civilian impact of war through photographs and artifacts. Some images are historically significant and difficult.

Do I need to bring anything?

Sunscreen, hat, insect repellent, light jacket, and a flashlight or torch for the tunnels. Dress respectfully with knees and shoulders covered.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

The vehicle and museum are wheelchair accessible. The tunnels themselves require crawling or walking through tight spaces, so accessibility depends on the specific passage.

Will I make it back to the ship on time?

Yes. The guide is trained to keep to port departure schedules and will return you to the ship with time to spare.