A wartime tunnel network cut into the earth outside Saigon, in three rough depths from a few metres down to deep refuge passages. Here's how to visit well — and book it.
Want to compare sites first? Jump to Ben Dinh vs Ben Duoc ↓
Both sites show the same kind of wartime tunnel network, but the experience is genuinely different — that choice is really the first decision to make. Here's the side-by-side.
| Ben Dinh | Ben Duoc | |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Closer to the city — the more-visited, more-touristed site | Further out — quieter, less crowded, more authentic |
| Tunnels | Sections widened for tourists; easier going for first-timers | Narrower, less-modified tunnels across a larger area |
| Group tour | 7 hours · AM or PM departure · from A$23pp | 7-8 hours · max 10 guests, hotel pickup · from A$29pp |
| On site | Optional firing range add-on | Optional firing range + War Remnants Museum add-on |
The network isn't one flat corridor — visitor sites present it as roughly three levels, cut deeper into the earth the further you go. This is the shape of what you're walking through, at either site.
The shallowest level, with concealed hatches and narrow entry shafts disguised in the forest floor — the kind of camouflage that made the network so hard for search teams to find.
Displays at both sites recreate the everyday underground world: cooking areas vented to disperse smoke, workshops, and cramped living quarters built for a life spent mostly below ground.
The lowest sections were dug as a last refuge from bombing and ground assaults. Tunnel sections open to visitors have been widened for safety and comfort — the originals were built for much smaller frames.
Made your call on Ben Dinh or Ben Duoc above? Here are the actual tours for each, both bookable on GetYourGuide with free cancellation.
The Cu Chi Tunnels are a genuine Vietnam War heritage site, not a theme park, and both Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc present that history in that spirit — preserved tunnel sections and wartime displays that don't shy away from what happened here. Most visitors find it a sobering, worthwhile few hours.
One thing worth deciding in advance: an on-site firing range lets visitors shoot war-era weapons under supervision, for a separate paid fee. It's entirely optional and isn't part of any standard tour or entry ticket — some visitors treat it as a curiosity, others skip it altogether given the site's history. There's no wrong choice either way.
If you've got a full day, the tunnels pair naturally with a Mekong Delta river excursion — different landscape, different pace, same day trip.
A modest entrance fee applies at both sites — check the current rate and opening hours before you go, as both can change.
An optional, separately paid extra at the site (not included in most tour prices), generally restricted to adults. Entirely optional — plenty of visitors skip it.
Allow roughly 2-3 hours on site, plus travel — most half-day tours run 6-7 hours door to door from central Ho Chi Minh City.
Comfortable closed shoes, light breathable clothing, water and insect repellent — tunnel sections are warm, narrow and low.
Roughly 40-50 km northwest of central Ho Chi Minh City; about 1.5-2 hours by road each way depending on traffic and site.
Some tunnel sections are narrow, low and warm. Widened "tourist" sections make it manageable for most visitors, but it isn't suited to anyone with claustrophobia or significant mobility issues.
Ben Dinh is the closer, more visited site, with sections of tunnel widened for tourists and most group tours going there. Ben Duoc is further from the city, covers a larger area, and is generally described as quieter and more authentic, with narrower, less-modified tunnels and a large war memorial temple on site.
Roughly 40-50 km northwest of central Ho Chi Minh City. The drive typically takes about 1.5 to 2 hours each way by road, depending on traffic and which site you're visiting.
No. The firing range where visitors can shoot war-era weapons under supervision is a separate, optional paid extra at the site, generally restricted to adults. It is not part of the standard entrance fee or most tour prices — check the current rate on site.
Both are possible. A guided half-day or day tour from Ho Chi Minh City includes transport, an English-speaking guide and entry, which is the simplest option for most visitors. Going independently by taxi, motorbike or public bus is possible but takes more planning and won't include a guide.
The tunnels are a genuine Vietnam War heritage site and are presented with that context in mind. Some sections are physically demanding (narrow, low, warm underground passages), and the on-site firing range is entirely optional — some visitors choose to skip it given the site's solemn history.