Cu Chi get in · How to get in Cu Chi
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How to get in Cu Chi
How to get in Cu Chi
A multitude of tour buses leave Ho Chi Minh City for the Cu Chi tunnels daily. Expect to pay around US$5 for a half day guided trip (not including admission to the tunnels), with 90 minutes travel and about an hour and a half touring the area. Buses mostly leave around 8:00, so consider a private car if this isn't suitable. Tour operators on Phan Dinh Phung will quote from $35 - $50 return by private car, or possibly lower -- don't be afraid to shop around.
If you're making the trip independently, hop on bus 13 from the Ben Thanh bus station. The last stop on the route is Cu Chi. Bus fare is 5,000 VND, and the ride is about 1.5 hours. When you arrive at the Cu Chi bus station negotiate a motorbike driver for the 20-minute ride for around 100,000 VND return (pay attention as starting price could be 200,000 VND or more). It could also possible to take bus 79 but not really sure if it stops near Ben Duoc entrance. Check with the driver.
Admission to the tunnels is 80,000 VND as at May 2011, which includes a guide who may or may not speak English well. While friendly, these guides may attempt to rush the tour or distance you from paid guides/groups -- just indicate that you aren't ready to move on yet and take your time if you feel you're being rushed. Mr. Van Minh provides transport in a modern air-conditioned sedan, and while he speaks little English (your hotel would be able to make arrangements), he drives carefully, rarely uses the horn, and is keen to point out interesting sites along the way. He can be contacted on 09 0856 2927.
There are actually two locations frequented by tourists:
Ben Duoc This is further out from Ho Chi Minh and many local Vietnamese go there. Tour companies can organize a day tour on demand, but you would be better off hiring a motorbike. Entrance is 80,000 dong and a motorbike should cost about $1-2 per hour. The round trip is about 6 hours. A walking tour with tunnels and temple last about 1-2h. The tunnels feature enlarged tunnel segments for you to crawl through and demos of the sleeping, medical and command quarters underground. The ticket office also features two Mig's. The guides here were lethargic and spoke little English. There are many dioramas including a mock village. A starch lunch is served for which a donation box is provided.
Ben Dinh This is the touristed tunnels and you'll be in good company. Note that all the tunnel sections at this site have been specially created for tourists and were never part of the real network. Also note that bats can be found roosting in some of the tunnels, so if you get bitten or scratched by one find a hospital quickly as bats carry rabies.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Cu Chi
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Cu Chi - updated May 2024
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Cu Chi Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.