Detailed itinerary:
8:00am: Our luxury speedboat will cruise along the Saigon River to the Cu Chi Tunnels about an hour. When on board, enjoy a light breakfast of The Pat’a Chou cake with Lavie water & local fruits, enjoy the fresh air and understand the daily life of local citizens living along the river banks as well as seeing the busy streets of Saigon.
Built by local fighters during the Indochina conflict, the Cu Chi tunnels served as a base from which the Viet Cong could operate from close to the Southern Vietnamese capital. For this tour, leave the hustle and bustle of Saigon city to explore one of the relics from one of the most significant local historical events in recent memory.
The location of the tunnels was of significant strategic importance: they are at the end of the infamous Ho Chi Minh trail, and within striking distance of the southern Vietnam capital. Initial construction started in 1948 when the Viet Minh required somewhere to hide from French air attacks, and by 1965, the tunnels complex was estimated to consist of 200km of tunnels which included hospital, schools, meeting rooms, kitchens, and sleeping area. Life was so difficult for the inhabitants, and to protect against outside intruders, booby traps were laid throughout the complex.
Nowadays, the Vietnamese government have preserved approximately 75km of the Cu Chi tunnels as a memorial park, and in some areas the tunnels have been widened and low powers lights installed so that tourist can now fit through the complex.
Our local guide will take you on a fascinating tour of the Cu Chi tunnels, where you will learn more about the conditions the people lived in, the hardship they faced, and the amazing ingenuity employed to maintain life in the tunnels. We walk past huge bomb craters – evidence of the heavy bombing campaigns in the region during the Indochina conflict, discover hidden entrances right beneath your feet, wander past tiny little chimneys in the ground that dispersed smoke from the underground kitchens, sample some of the simple cuisine that local fighters would have survived on, and have an opportunity to venture into the tunnels and explore the complex.
Tour snapshot:
Good morning Saigon! Start the day right away – with an up close and personal history lesson on guerrilla warfare. Climb into the underground tunnel system that used to play a crucial part in the war and imagine what it would have been like to eat, sleep, work, cook, drink….even go to school underground as a conflict raged above.
Highlights:
- Delve into an underground world of guerrilla warfare in the incredible Cu Chi tunnels.
- Gain insight into the tenacity and resourcefulness of the Vietnamese.
- Visit the former Vietminh underground stronghold at Cu Chi.
- Boat cruise on the Saigon River with beautiful views.
Tour departs: 7:30am: Pick-up at hotel and transfer to Tan Cang pier
Tour ends: 2:00pm: Arrive back to Saigon. Drop-off at the hotel
Inclusions:
- Local English speaking guide
- Snack & local fruits
- Pick up and drop off at hotel in District 1 with air-con car/van/bus
- Entrance fee as indicated
- Bottled mineral water
- 2 ways by speedboat
- Vietnamese local food for lunch ( set menu ) at Tan Cang Restaurant
- Insurance on boat
Exclusions:
- Items of a personal nature
- Tips/gratuities for guide and driver
- Travel insurance
- Other things that are not mentioned in the itinerary
Duration: 6 hours
Price: USD79/pax – Join in group tour style ( small group: min 02 & max 12 )
