Step inside Cu Chi Tunnel - Vietnam's historic underground network. Learn about the wartime tunnels, trapdoors, shooting range, and how to get there from Saigon.

Cu Chi Tunnel is a set of tunnels under the ground in Cu Chi district, about 70 kilometers northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. It is open every day from 07:00 to 17:00. A foreign adult pays about 135,000 VND at the ticket counter in 2026. That price is the entrance fee plus a guide fee. The visit takes two to three hours, and the drive from District 1 takes 1.5 to 3 hours each way, depending on traffic.

Cu Chi Tunnels is one of the most visited war sites near Ho Chi Minh City. It is a major tourist attraction in Ho Chi Minh City for people who like Vietnamese history. A visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels suits first-time and return visitors.

Two parts are open to the public. Ben Dinh is closer to the city center and gets most of the tour buses. Ben Duoc is farther away from the city center and is quieter. This travel guide explains the history, ticket prices, opening hours, ways to get there, what you see on the visit and the best time to go.

 

1. What are the Cu Chi Tunnels

Cu Chi Tunnel in Vietnam is one of the best-known war sites in the country. The Cu Chi Tunnels are part of an underground network that villagers and soldiers dug by hand during the war. Today the tunnels site is a historic place with marked paths, displays and guides for foreign visitors.

1.1 Location in Cu Chi district

Many travelers search for Cu Chi Tunnel Saigon or Cu Chi Tunnel Ho Chi Minh City. Both lead to this district on the northwest edge of the city. The district is next to the Saigon River. Most of the land is farms, rubber trees and small villages.

In Vietnamese the name is written Củ Chi. During the war this area was on the way to Saigon from the Cambodian border, so it was important for the army. Local areas changed in 2025, and Ben Duoc is now in An Nhon Tay commune. New maps may show that name next to the old name Phu My Hung.

1.2 History of the tunnels during the war

The first digging began in 1948, during the war against the French. Villagers dug the tunnels by hand to hide from patrols. In the 1960s local fighters expanded the tunnels as the Vietnam War grew. They linked villages and added rooms for living and fighting. Cu Chi during the war was bombed heavily, and people called the district the land of steel.

Vietnamese soldiers and villagers lived underground for long periods. The passages sheltered soldiers during the war and stayed in use throughout the war. People cut kitchens, wells, field hospitals, command rooms and sleeping areas into the clay.

The kitchens used during the war were built to hide smoke. Viet Cong units used the tunnel passages to move between villages and to hide from air raids. The same passages protected fighters who faced US forces and the army of South Vietnam. The tunnels played a part in the plans for the 1968 Tet Offensive, and some rooms from that time still exist.

Vietnamese sources say the total length of the network was more than 200 kilometers at its largest, and some say 250. About 120 kilometers are thought to remain. Every meter was dug by hand, and the soil was carried out in baskets. This makes the tunnels one of the largest underground tunnels among Vietnam War sites in Southeast Asia.

1.3 How the tunnel system is built

The tunnel system has three levels. The deepest level is more than 10 meters below the ground. Builders hid trapdoors under leaves and made air vents look like termite mounds. They placed kitchens so that smoke came out far from the fire.

Each tunnel section could be closed off from the next. Narrow links limited damage from a collapse or a raid, and small water traps stopped gas and flooding. Sections open to tourists have been made wider, but the paths are still low, dark and warm.

 

2. Two sites to choose from

Two sites are open to visitors, and both are protected historic places. The routes look alike, but each site feels different. A short comparison can help you choose.

2.1 Ben Dinh tunnels

This part is about 50 to 60 kilometers from central Saigon and gets most of the tour groups. The paths are in good shape. Several tunnel sections have been made wider for adults.

A pier on the Saigon River lets river tours stop close to the gate. The shooting range is here, so you can hear gunshots in some areas, mostly after 10:00. The site fits a short trip and is the usual choice for group tours.

2.2 Ben Duoc tunnel and Ben Duoc Memorial Temple

The Cu Chi Tunnel Ben Duoc part is about 70 kilometers from the city and is bigger. It keeps more of the original underground area. The tunnel passages are narrower. There are bunkers once used by the Saigon, Cho Lon and Gia Dinh command, an operating room and an A-frame bunker built to take the shock of nearby bombs.

Above ground, the memorial temple is a war memorial. Its walls carry the names of 45,666 people who died in the war. A restaurant on the grounds makes lunch easy. Maps list the memorial as Ben Duoc temple Cu Chi, which helps when you tell a driver where to go.

2.3 Which site to choose

The closer part is better for travelers with little time or those who join a guided tour, since transport and timing are simple. Ben Duoc is bigger than Ben Dinh Tunnels and has more room to walk and read, so history fans often prefer it. A private car lets you see both sites in one day, because the 13 kilometers between them take about 15 to 20 minutes by road.

 

3. Cu Chi Tunnels opening hours

The Cu Chi Tunnels opening hours are 07:00 to 17:00 every day, at both sites. Ticket counters usually stop selling at around 16:00, so you have time to finish the tunnel walk before closing. A few other websites list an 08:00 start, so ask your driver or tour company first if you plan to arrive very early.

The tunnels attract larger tour groups after 10:00. Weekends and Vietnamese public holidays bring the most visitors. Before 10:00 the paths are calmer, and a tunnel visit at that hour means short lines at each stop. Hours can change around Tet, so check before you travel in late January or February.

 

4. Cu Chi Tunnels entrance fee, entry fee and tickets

The Cu Chi Tunnels entrance fee for a foreign adult is about 135,000 VND in 2026. It has two parts. All visitors pay a 35,000 VND entry charge. Foreign visitors also buy a 100,000 VND service and guide ticket, which includes a site guide for the walk. The official site notice, as tour companies report it, lists the new guide fee from 1 February 2026.

4.1 Cu Chi Tunnel ticket price

Older websites still show 110,000 or 125,000 VND, and some show 70,000 VND, so Cu Chi Tunnels entry fee figures differ a lot. The table below shows the prices most operators give now. The counter sets the final price, and children pay less, so confirm when you arrive.

4.2 Cu Chi Tunnels tickets and extra costs

Cu Chi Tunnels tickets are sold at the counter near the gate, and cash in Vietnamese dong is the safest way to pay. Group and private tours usually include the ticket in the price, so check your booking before you pay twice.

Drinks, snacks and souvenirs cost extra, and the shooting range is optional. The guide that comes with the foreign visitor ticket gives short talks, so many travelers hire a separate guide for the tunnel walk to hear more of the history.

 

5. How to get to Cu Chi Tunnels from Ho Chi Minh City

Cu Chi Tunnels travel time depends more on traffic than on distance. Most road tours leave District 1 between 07:00 and 08:00, when the morning rush builds on the roads to the northwest.

On a clear run you can reach the tunnels within 1.5 hours. A safer guess for a morning start is 2 to 3 hours. It helps to check the weather before your trip since the route to Cu Chi Tunnels crosses open countryside, and heavy rain slows the roads.

5.1 Private car with driver

A private car is the easiest way to plan your own day. The driver picks you up at the hotel, waits while you walk the site and drives you to the next stop. Families, small groups and travelers who want both sites gain the most, because you choose the start time and the order of stops. You can also stop for breakfast or coffee on the way out of the city. People traveling to Cu Chi Tunnels by car can leave at any hour they like.

5.2 Public bus

Buses are the cheapest way, but they take the longest. The fare is only a few thousand VND to get to Cu Chi from the city center. For the quieter site, take bus 13 from the 23/9 Park bus station near Ben Thanh Market to Cu Chi bus station.

Then change to bus 79 to Ben Duoc Tunnel. For the closer site, ride bus 13 as far as An Suong, change to bus 122 for Tan Quy, and finish on bus 70, which stops close to the gate. A round trip by bus takes most of a day.

5.3 Speedboat on the Saigon River

Some operators run boat trips on the river that skip the highway. Travelers who want to take a speedboat from the city usually leave from a pier such as Tan Cang pier or Bach Dang pier, and the trip takes about 80 minutes. Early trips reach the site before the tour buses. The boat stops at the Ben Dinh pier, so this option does not go to the second site.

5.4 Guided tour

Many visitors book a guided tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels because one booking covers transport, tickets and a guide. A half-day tour usually takes 4 to 6 hours including the drive. A full-day tour adds a second stop, such as the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh or a countryside visit. Several local operators advertise group trips from about 400,000 VND per person, with the ticket price included. Prices go up for small groups and boat trips.

5.5 Taxi and ride-hailing apps

Visitors from HCM City who want door-to-door service can book a taxi or a ride-hailing car for the trip there. The trip back is the hard part, since few cars wait near the gate and the area has few pickups. It is best to agree on a round-trip price with the driver before you leave, and to ask how long the car will wait.

 

6. What to see inside the tunnels

The tunnel route is much the same at both sites. It covers about 600 to 700 meters on foot with several stops. Most visits begin with a short film about the district and how the tunnel network was built. The walk then follows a marked path through the forest.

6.1 Hidden trapdoors and the tunnel crawl

A guide shows a hidden trapdoor in the forest floor. The opening is only as big as a small box lid. Visitors can then go into a short stretch of tunnel for the crawl, bent low and in single file behind the guide. The crawl is optional, and the air is warm at about 28°C with high humidity. People who prefer to stay above ground can still see the trapdoors and displays.

6.2 Booby traps and weapons displays

Displays show the booby traps that fighters made from bamboo, wire and scrap metal. Guides explain how each trap worked and where it was placed. They also explain how local fighters avoided their own traps.

Other displays show weapons, uniforms and sandals made from rubber tires. Some parts are hard to look at, so parents may want to check them first before bringing young children.

6.3 Hoang Cam kitchen and the tapioca stop

An underground kitchen shows the Hoang Cam stove, a design named after a Vietnamese soldier. Long channels carried smoke away from the fire and let it out at the surface as a thin haze that looked like morning mist. Near the end of the walk, staff serve steamed cassava with peanut salt and tea. It is a simple dish in Cu Chi that kept fighters and villagers fed when food was short.

6.4 Shooting range

A range at Ben Dinh lets visitors fire real rifles. Staff give a safety talk first, and you must buy a minimum number of bullets. The cost is separate from the ticket, and only adults aged 18 and over may shoot.

The range uses real bullets, and paintball shooting is not part of the standard ticket. The noise carries across the site, so visitors who want a quiet walk can ask the guide to avoid that corner.

 

7. Cu Chi Tunnels day plans

Here are two sample plans for a day with a private car from the city. Times can shift with traffic.

7.1 Half-day plan

The driver picks you up at your hotel at 07:30, and the car heads out through the northern suburbs. By 09:00 the car reaches Ben Dinh. The short film and the guided walk last until about 11:30. Lunch follows at a nearby restaurant. The drive back starts at 12:30 and ends in District 1 around 14:00.

7.2 Full-day plan

A longer plan needs an earlier start at 07:00. The first stop is Ben Duoc at 08:30, where the tunnels and the memorial temple fill the morning. Lunch at the on-site restaurant comes next.

Then the car drives to Ben Dinh and arrives near 13:00 for the second walk and the cassava stop. It leaves at 15:00 and gets back to the city around 16:30, in time for dinner in Ho Chi Minh City.

 

8. Best time to visit Cu Chi Tunnels

Southern Vietnam has two distinct seasons. The dry season runs from November to April, with less rain, firmer paths and easier walking. The rainy season lasts from May to October.

Rain usually comes as short, heavy showers in the afternoon, not all day. The best time to visit for weather is the dry months, and visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels in the morning works in any season because it is cooler and less crowded.

By hour, the calmest time is 07:30 to 10:00. Midday heat in the forest can be strong, and paths get muddy after rain, so closed shoes with good grip help.

 

9. Tips for visiting the tunnels

Light clothes that let air through work best, and closed shoes protect your feet on uneven ground. Inside the tunnel the air is warm, so a spare shirt helps. A hat, sunscreen and insect repellent help in the shaded forest, and a bottle of water is useful because the humidity is high. Cash is the safest way to pay for tickets, snacks and extra activities.

Travelers who fear small spaces can skip the crawl and still see the displays above ground. Children can usually walk the route, but the heat and the noise from the range may upset younger ones.

At the memorial temple, quiet manners and modest clothes show respect for the names on the walls. Guides at the site speak English, and a private guide can add more history for travelers who want it.

 

10. Other places to combine with a tunnel visit

The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City tells the wider story of the war and fits well with a morning at Cu Chi. Some longer tours add the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh. Travelers going to the Mekong Delta usually plan that trip on a separate day.

People going on to central Vietnam can visit the Vinh Moc tunnels, another wartime tunnel site, and compare the two. A tour around the countryside villages near the tunnel site adds rice paper making and herb gardens to the day.

 

11. Private car for Cu Chi Tunnels with Vietnam Trust Car Rental

Vietnam Trust Car Rental arranges private cars with drivers for day trips from Ho Chi Minh City, including routes to both tunnel sites. Pick-up is at your hotel, the driver waits during the visit and the schedule follows your own pace.

Travelers can ask for an early start to reach the gate before the tour buses, add a second site or stop for lunch on the way back. You can send your dates, hotel and group size through the website at vietnamtrustcarrental.com to get a quote.

 

12. Common questions about the Cu Chi Tunnels

12.1 How much does it cost to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels

A foreign adult pays about 135,000 VND at the counter in 2026. This covers the entry charge and the guide ticket. Bullets, food and drinks cost extra.

12.2 What time does the tunnel open and close

The tunnels are open from 07:00 to 17:00 every day. The last ticket sale is around 16:00.

12.3 How far is Cu Chi from Ho Chi Minh City

The closer part is about 50 to 60 kilometers from the center, and the second is about 70 kilometers away. The drive takes 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on traffic.

12.4 How long should I plan for the visit

Two to three hours on site is normal. With the drive included, a half day is the minimum, and a full day fits a trip to both sites.

12.5 Are the Cu Chi Tunnels worth visiting

Travelers who want to understand the war will learn how the network worked and how people lived there. The site is a managed attraction, not an untouched battlefield, so an early visit or a trip to the quieter part gives a calmer experience.

12.6 Can I visit if I am claustrophobic

Yes. The tunnel crawl is optional, and many displays are above ground.

12.7 Is Ben Dinh or Ben Duoc better

Ben Dinh is easier to reach and fits a short trip. Ben Duoc is quieter, bigger and has the memorial temple, which suits people who want more history.

For official news about local attractions, travelers can also check the English site of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism before the trip.