Saigon Cu Chi Tunnels

Today we made the trip to Cu Chi battleground and the underground tunnel complex built by the Vietnamese. It was built in the South of Vietnam originally to protect and fight against the French and more famously by the Vietnam Coms in the South to fight the Americans during the Vietnam War. It is a huge complex covering some 200km. The tunnels were all built underground leading to underground bunkers used for bedrooms, hospital rooms, kitchens. The entrances are via tiny holes, too big for the westerners to get through and are camouflaged. I got to climb into one of the entrances and close myself in!




We also saw some of the booby traps used by the Viet Coms, very ingenious, as well as some bunkers (opened up now) and the best bit was going through some of the old tunnels. They were tiny as I crawled through in the dark alone as the rest of the group bailed out, until one of lady from my group caught up and we completed the whole lot together. You have to crawl along (they have widened them for westerners) and climb up and down holes and drops in the floor as you make your way through. Some lighting in provided but for the most you are just feeling your way. It gives you a real insight into how this must have been, although not sure I could have done 26 years down there. If nothing else the heat is excruciating. The second picture is at the start, it is much narrower than that towards the end!







I also got to fire a machine gun (no photo I am afraid as I was alone with the army guy and not able) but brilliant fun, not that I could hold it very steady!

The whole of this area was bombed excessively by the Americans, but although the surface was destroyed, the tunnels remained intact. The special force of the US Army that tried to infiltrate the tunnels were called the tunnel rats. This was also an area where Asian Orange was dispersed. It has taken years for the Vietnamese to rebuild the area and have fertile soil again, but it now resembles the jungle again.

A really amazing experience, another definite one that has to be done.















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Location:Trần Phú,,Vietnam