The Cu Chi Tunnels: how to visit from Ho Chi Minh City in 2026

The Cu Chi Tunnels sit near the top of any list of things to see around Ho Chi Minh City. They pair naturally with a Mekong Delta day out, so many travellers turn it into a packed one- or two-day trip. Below: what the place is, which of the two sites to pick, what it costs, and how to get there.

• Ben Dinh site (Địa đạo Bến Đình): Closer to the city, 1.5 hours — Widened tunnels, coach groups
• Ben Duoc site (Địa đạo Bến Dược): ~70 km from District 1, 2 hours — Original narrow tunnels
• Ben Duoc Memorial Temple (Đền Bến Dược): Names of nearly 45,000 of the dead — Next to the Ben Duoc site
• Ho Chi Minh City, District 1 (Quận 1): Where tours and Grab rides start — 350,000–400,000 VND to Ben Dinh
• Cu Chi bus station (Bến xe Củ Chi): City buses terminate here — Then a motorbike taxi to the tunnels

What the Cu Chi Tunnels are — history in 2 minutes

Digging began in 1948, during the war with France. By the late 1960s the network had grown to more than 200 km — an entire underground city; about 120 km survives today. Three levels: the top (about 3 m) for quick movement, the middle (5–8 m) for living quarters, and the bottom (8–12 m) for the command post and storage. Cu Chi lay inside the so-called Iron Triangle, a heavily contested area northwest of Saigon that saw some of the war's hardest fighting.

From here the Viet Cong fought a war under their opponents' feet: hiding underground by day, emerging at night. The tunnels survived B-52 carpet bombing, chemical attacks and the "tunnel rats" — American soldiers who crawled inside armed with a pistol and a flashlight. The Viet Cong answered with booby traps: bamboo spikes at the bottom of pits, scorpions in boxes, tripwires. It was a grinding, costly fight for both sides.

After the war the tunnels became a national monument and one of the key Vietnam War museums. Two sections are open to visitors: Bến Đình (Ben Dinh) and Bến Dược (Ben Duoc).

Ben Dinh or Ben Duoc — which section to choose

Both are part of the same tunnel system, but they work as two separate open-air museums. From District 1, Ben Duoc is about 70 km by road, and Ben Dinh is noticeably closer. Most tours head to Ben Dinh because it is closer and more developed. Ben Duoc is worth considering if you want a quieter, more authentic experience and don't mind the extra hour on the road.

Ben Dinh — if you are short on time, travelling with family or joining an organised tour. The tunnels are widened, the exhibits are compact, and you can see everything in about two hours. Downside: by 10:00 there are dozens of coaches and hundreds of people.

Ben Duoc — if you want authenticity. Original tunnels (genuinely tight — your shoulders brush the walls) and the memorial temple Đền Bến Dược inscribed with nearly 45,000 names of the fallen. Three to four times fewer visitors.

VietnamSpot on InstagramTips, lifehacks and news for living in VietnamFollow@vietnamspot

What you see inside

The visit opens with a 20-minute documentary — dated propaganda, but informative. The black-and-white footage and earnest captions feel of their era, yet the scale of what happened lands.

The tunnels

The main event is going underground. At Ben Dinh the section runs 50–100 m, widened to about 120 cm. You move in a half-crouch, shoulders scraping the walls. It is hot, humid and dark — your phone flashlight is essential. Fifty metres in, it sinks in: people lived here for months, in original passages just 60–80 cm wide, with no ventilation and no electricity.

Exits appear every 20–30 metres if it gets too much. No one makes you go the whole way.

Underground rooms

Reconstructions: sleeping quarters (mats on the ground), a field hospital (surgery by candlelight), a kitchen that vented its smoke 200 metres away so aircraft could not spot it, a command post, a weapons workshop. All life-size — you can step in and picture it.

The trap exhibit

Out in the open are dozens of pits and devices: rotating spike lids, swing traps, "tiger" pits. The guide explains how each one worked. It is not for the squeamish, but it makes the point vividly.

The sandal workshop

The Viet Cong made footwear from car tyres — the famous "Ho Chi Minh sandals." A craftsman now demonstrates the process and sells finished pairs as souvenirs (from 50,000 VND, ~$2).

The shooting range

On site there is a range with wartime weapons: AK-47, M16, an M60 machine gun. You pay per bullet — 40,000–60,000 VND (~$1.50–2.30) each, usually with a 10-round minimum, so figure on 400,000 VND or more for a burst. It is loud (protect your ears), it smells of gunpowder, and the queue runs 15–20 minutes at peak. A very specific experience — not for everyone, but memorable.

Tickets and prices in 2026

Entry tickets are sold on site at the ticket office; from 1 February 2026 foreign visitors pay 35,000 VND for the visit plus 100,000 VND for the guide service (notice from the site management). Online, entry comes bundled with tours on aggregators. Tours are booked through Klook, GetYourGuide, Viator or local agencies on Đề Thám (the backpacker travel-agent street in District 1).

Information current as of July 2026.

Getting there from Ho Chi Minh City

Organised tour (easiest)

Most visitors go with a tour: pickup from the hotel, transport, commentary, drop-off. English group tours start at ~$8 (often with another stop bolted on); small-group tours from ~$32; private tours $40–150 per person depending on group size (see our private Cu Chi tour). It saves time and hassle — no need to sort out the route or the navigation yourself. For the full menu of day trips, see the guide to tours from Ho Chi Minh City. The most common pairing is Cu Chi with the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh: see our Cao Dai Temple guide.

Grab / taxi

A Grab car from the centre (District 1) runs about 350,000–400,000 VND (~$13–15) one way to Ben Dinh. Expect 1.5 hours depending on traffic. You can catch a Grab back, but with a 10–15 minute wait. Tip: agree a return with your driver.

Bus

A city bus to Cu Chi bus station (Bến xe Củ Chi), then a motorbike taxi. Cheap but slow (2–3 hours) and with a transfer. A route for hardcore budget travellers. For how the city's transport works, see the Ho Chi Minh City transport guide.

Speedboat

From central Ho Chi Minh City up the Saigon River — a distinctive way to arrive. A tour from ~$80 covers the boat, a guide and entry. It takes about 1.5 hours, with river and suburban views along the way.

For more on getting around the city, see the full Ho Chi Minh City travel guide.

Practical tips for the Cu Chi Tunnels

What to wear: Light clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Long trousers keep off the mosquitoes and the tunnel grime. Closed shoes (trainers, not flip-flops). It is hot and muddy inside — leave the white outfit at the hotel.

What to bring: Water (at least a litre — the heat and humidity drain you), a flashlight (your phone will do), mosquito repellent. Keep your bag small — you can't turn around in the tunnels with a big one.

When to go: In the morning, leaving at 7:00–8:00. By midday the heat builds and the coach groups fill the site. The best months are December–March (dry season). April–May is peak heat, and the tunnels turn into a sauna.

Cu Chi Tunnels: pros and cons

Pros

• One of the country's best-known war memorials
• You grasp the scale of the Vietnam War through a physical experience
• Cheap: entry 135,000 VND, group tours from ~$8
• Good guides (especially in small groups)

Cons

• Heat and humidity. The tunnels are like a steam room. Even 50 metres is hard going
• Ben Dinh feels commercial. Crowds, souvenir stalls, a staged feel
• The film is propaganda. History is told from one side only
• The range is niche. Loud, paid per bullet (40,000–60,000 VND, 10-round minimum), with queues
• The drive. 1.5–2 hours each way — half a day goes to logistics

FAQ