The Cu Chi Tunnels are a roughly 250km network of hand-dug underground passages in the Cu Chi district northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. Construction began in the late 1940s during the war against the French, when the network consisted of short tunnels for storing documents and sheltering resistance forces. When the American War escalated, the network was expanded enormously into an underground city.
The tunnels served as homes, kitchens, hospitals, command centers, and supply lines. They had ventilation and drainage systems that made them semi-livable, though life underground meant constant risk from snakes, flooding, disease, and limited oxygen. The original tunnels were tiny, often no more than 70cm wide and 90cm high, with some sections running up to 10 meters deep. Some have been widened to accommodate tourists today.
Walking even a short section underground gives you a physical understanding of what people endured that no documentary can replicate. It is one of the most genuinely affecting historical sites in the region.
There are two visitor sites, about 13km apart, and choosing between them shapes your whole experience.
| Ben Dinh | Ben Duoc | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from HCMC | ~50 km | ~70 km |
| Crowds | Heavy, very touristy | Far fewer, calmer |
| Authenticity | Tunnels widened for tourists | Closer to original dimensions |
| Area | Smaller (~17 hectares) | Much larger (~100 hectares) |
| Atmosphere | Shooting range noise throughout | Shooting range separated, memorial temple |
| Best for | Limited time, mobility concerns | History enthusiasts, authentic feel |
Entrance fees as of early 2026 run roughly 90,000-110,000 VND ($3.50-4.40) per person, varying slightly between the two sites and over time. This typically includes access to the site, the introductory film, and a guided tunnel walk with an English-speaking guide. Exchange rate reference: roughly 26,350 VND per USD.
| Way to Visit | Total Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Independent (public bus) | ~$6.50 | Bus ~7,000 VND each way + entrance. 4-5 hrs travel, multiple transfers. |
| Budget group tour | $15-25 | Round-trip transport + entrance. Larger groups, Ben Dinh usually. |
| Small-group premium | $32-60 | Smaller groups, better guides, often a workshop or boat add-on |
| Private tour | from ~$87 | Flexible schedule, choice of site, personalized pace |
| Speedboat tour | Premium | Travel by river instead of road, memorable but pricier |
Optional extras at the site: the shooting range lets you fire period weapons (Colt 45, K54, M16, Carbine, and more) for roughly 20,000-40,000 VND per bullet, with a supervisor loading and hearing protection provided. Groups of six or more can also play paintball.
From Ben Thanh Bus Station (across from Ben Thanh Market in District 1), take bus 13 to Cu Chi Station at the end of the line, then transfer to a local bus to the tunnels. For Ben Duoc, look for bus 79; a ticket should cost around 7,000 VND. Ignore taxi drivers at Cu Chi Station who claim there are no onward buses, that is not true. The whole journey takes around 2 hours each way depending on traffic. Note: even arriving independently, you cannot tour the tunnels alone; you join a guided walk at the site.
The simplest option by far. Tours include hotel pickup and dropoff in HCMC, transport, entrance, and a guide. Half-day tours typically depart around 7:30-8am and get you back by early afternoon. This removes all the logistics and is what most visitors choose.
You can hire a private car or use Grab for a more flexible, comfortable trip, though it costs more than a group tour and you still need to pay site entrance and join the guided walk.
Here is the honest trade-off. Independent travel by bus is cheap (under $7 total) but eats 4-5 hours in transit with multiple transfers, and you still pay entrance and join a guided group at the site. For most people, a half-day group tour is the better value once you account for time: you get door-to-door transport, a knowledgeable guide (some are former soldiers with firsthand knowledge), and you are back in the city by lunchtime.
A typical visit runs 2-3 hours and includes: an introductory film about the tunnels' history, a walk through the jungle site with your guide, demonstrations of the camouflaged trap doors and booby traps, and the chance to climb down into sections of widened tunnel and crawl through them. There are display areas showing how soldiers lived, cooked, and worked underground.
The tunnels are tight, dark, and hot even in the widened tourist sections. If you are claustrophobic, know that escape points exist throughout, and you can skip the crawling portions and still get a powerful sense of the place from above ground.
The best months are December to April, HCMC's dry season, when you avoid the afternoon downpours of the wet season (May to November). Whatever the season, go early in the day: you beat the worst of the heat, the largest tour crowds, and you are back in the city with the afternoon free. The site is open daily, typically 7am to 5pm.
Yes. If you have time for just one day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, this is the one. The Cu Chi Tunnels are among the most affecting historical sites in Southeast Asia, an underground city built by hand under bombing, and walking through even a short section conveys something no museum exhibit can. Pair it with the War Remnants Museum for the full picture of the war as told from the Vietnamese side.
Entrance is roughly 90,000-110,000 VND ($3.50-4.40). Most people visit on a group tour costing $15-48 including round-trip transport and entrance. Independent travel by public bus costs under $7 total but takes much longer.
Ben Duoc for authenticity and fewer crowds (it is farther but worth it), Ben Dinh for convenience and easier access. Many budget tours go to Ben Dinh by default, so confirm if you want Ben Duoc.
You can get there independently by public bus, but you cannot tour the tunnels alone. You join a guided walk at the site. For most people a half-day tour from HCMC is easier and better value once travel time is counted.
Plan 2-3 hours at the site. A half-day tour (depart around 7:30am, back by early afternoon) is the ideal format. You only need a full day if you want to visit both Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc.
The tourist tunnels are widened from the originals, but they are still tight, dark, and hot. Escape points exist throughout, and you can skip the crawling sections entirely while still experiencing the site from above ground.
Yes, both sites have a shooting range where you can fire period weapons for roughly 20,000-40,000 VND per bullet, with a supervisor and hearing protection. It is optional and separate from the entrance fee.
The War Remnants Museum in HCMC for historical context, and other District 1 sights. See our Ho Chi Minh City guide for the full list of things to do in the city.
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