Information on touring Saigon area

Once you have exhausted all the sights within Saigon, you can begin to explore attractions in the surrounding area. The Cu Chi Tunnels is the most popular daytrip from Saigon and can be visited as a half day excursion or full day trip.

Full day tours begin at the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh, which lies on the Cambodian border. After lunch travellers visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels before returning to Saigon in the early evening.

The Cu Chi Tunnels consist of a network of approximately 250kms tunnels dug out by the Viet Cong during a 20 year period. The tunnels allowed the army to move freely without being challenged by the enemy force and even traced a route under enemy territory such as the Dong Du military base.

The tunnels were first built during the 1940s during the fight against the French, and during the sixties the Viet Cong reinforced them and extended their coverage in the war against America. America’s attempt to seek out the network of tunnels claimed many lives and caused much destruction. Crop yields are still poor in the area due to the chemical warfare.

Some of the tunnels have been widened in order to accommodate western tourists, and lights have been installed.