We spent the last day of our tour “Typical Vietnam” with Gebeco with a trip to the tunnels of Cu Chi, which served the Vietcong during the Vietnam War as a retreat and operational base.
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Things to know about the Cu Chi’s tunnels
The Cu Chi Tunnels are located about 60 kilometers northwest of Saigon and are a tunnel systemin which Vietnamese partisans hid during the Vietnam War from 1960 to 1975. The first tunnels had already been dug in 1948 in the fight against the French to protect weapons, supplies and people. When the US later sent troops to Vietnam, they set up a headquarters not far from Cu Chi – and at that time had no idea that the enemy was lurking among them all the time.
War relics of the Vietnam War
At the entrance of the facility there are some wartime relics ona meadow, such as tanks, guns and combat helicopters.
The construction of the tunnels
In the 1960s, the tunnel system was massively expanded until it ended up with a total length of about 200 kilometers and spread over three levels. The top level was about 3 to 4 meters underground. The second floor was 6 meters underground and served as a shelter for children, the elderly and injured soldiers. The lowest level was 8 to 10 meters underground and housed hospitals and other health resorts. The underground buildings were connected by tunnels of approx. 80 cm height and 60 cm wide. Originally, the tunnels were dug so narrowly that no non-Vietnamese could pass through. During the Vietnam War, however, U.S. Army soldiers actually managed to capture some entrances and sections. However, they failed relatively quickly due to the dimensions of this huge tunnel system and the tricks and deceptions of the enemy Vietcong.
A demonstration for the entry hole to the tunnels
One of the local guides who accompanied us on the tour of the site demonstrated to us very well how the Vietcong could slip unnoticed into the tunnels. The entrances to the tunnels were ground holes camouflaged with grass cover and foliage. In some cases, the entrances were also secured by simple but effective traps such as bamboo skewers.
A walk through a tunnel
Most of Cu Chi’s tunnels have since fallen into disrepair or been buried. Only a few courses have been preserved, through which you can walk yourself. In the meantime, this was artificially widened for tourists, i.e. extended to a height of 1.20 metres and a width of 0.80 metres. However, there was also a tunnel, which still had the original size of about 0.8 meters height and 0.6 meters width – and of course we are “swept through” here in the duck aisle, because we just wanted to know how this must have felt earlier. And we only have the slighthint of a clue. The tightness, the oppressive air and the darkness… with little food and a life in a state of war. It must have pushed the Vietcongs to their limits.
More impressions of the Cu Chi tunnels
The tour of the grounds of the Cu Chi Tunnel impressed us very much. It is also interesting that the American forces, despite several attempts to destroy the tunnels, failed to destroy them – neither by flooding, by heavy bombardment, or by the introduction of poison gas.
After a 1.5 hour tour of the facility we made our way back to Saigon, where we arrived again in the afternoon. We had a few hours of free time in Saigon before our plane went back to Germany in the evening.
Alle Reiseberichte unserer Rundreise durch Vietnam
Bei unserer 10-tägigen Reise mit Gebeco durch Vietnam haben wir viele unterschiedliche Seiten des Landes kennengelernt. Angefangen von der pulsierenden Hauptstadt Hanoi und den Millionen Rollern auf den Straßen, der majestätischen Schönheit der Halong-Bucht, einer spannenden Nachtzugfahrt ins kulturelle Zentrum nach Hue, weiter in die Altstadt von Hoi An, die zum UNESCO Weltkulturerbe zählt, bis in die Millionenstadt Saigon im Süden des Landes. Unsere Reise war sehr vielseitig und voller Kontraste und hier findet Ihr eine Übersicht aller Reiseberichte:
» Tag 1: Informationen zu unsere Reise “Typisch Vietnam” mit Gebeco» Tag 2: Hanoi – Sehenswürdigkeiten & Fotospots in der Altstadt
» Tag 3: Ein Tagesausflug in die Halong-Bucht
» Tag 3: Mit dem Nachtzug von Hanoi nach Hue
» Tag 4: Hue – Die Zitadelle & der Kaiserpalast mit der Verbotenen Stadt
» Tag 4: Hue – Das Kaisergrab des Minh Mang & die Thien Mu-Pagode
» Tag 5: Unsere Fahrt von Hue nach Hoi an über den Wolkenpass
» Tag 5: Hoi An - Die Sehenswürdigkeiten & Fotospots der Altstadt
» Tag 6: My Son – Die Ruinen der alten Tempelstadt bei Hoi An
» Tag 7: Saigon – Die Sehenswürdigkeiten von Ho Chi Minh Stadt
» Tag 7: Saigon - Eine kulinarische Vespa-Tour durch die Stadt (Vietnam)
» Tag 8: Das Mekong-Delta – Eine Tour mit dem Fahrrad & Boot
» Tag 9: Cu Chi – Die Tunnel der Vietcong im Vietnamkrieg