Cu Chi Tunnel Tours

[Yehootu]

Any good recommendations? We don't like ship big bus tours. How big are the tunnels? I'm 6'1" and 215 not claustrophobic but also don't like to be squeezed in.

Mahalo

[John Bull]

From Saigon there are plenty of operators offering seats in van.

 

Also from Saigon, about ten years ago we pre-booked a speedboat with driver to take us up the Saigon River to Cu Chi. At the time it was difficult due to the language barrier, but it should be a whole lot easier now - by googling "boat Saigon to Cu Chi Tunnels" you will see a number of offers. We got together a group of 8 from our small ship which berthed in the city, and that was ideal. We were met at our berth at Ben Nha Rong and driven by van the short distance to the Saigon Water Bus station, where we boarded the boat.

On the way to Cu Chi we stopped at a weird refreshments place with crocodile pens, at Cu Chi the boat pulled into a small jetty just a couple of hundred yards from the entrance and arranged to be back there a couple of hours later.

 

Like all visitors we were given an orientation session, then left to left to explore on our own.

No way will you - or even the average westerner - fit in the tunnels. That was deliberate, so that very few US soldiers could fit in. One tunnel has been bored-out for visitors, you can walk thro it but I rate it pretty pointless - no different to digging a tunnel in your own back yard. There are booby traps and pits, underground kitchens with the smoke channelled thro termite hills, etc. There's also a rifle range where you can loose-off a few rounds with weapons of the time, and refreshment, bathrooms, etc. 

 

On the boat-trip back we stopped at a grubby one-street fishing village, and at Binh Quoi Tourist Village near Saigon. Difficult to describe Binh Quoi, a cross between very attractive parkland and neat traditional buildings. A popular place for weddings, we saw a dozen or more.

https://www.thetravelninjas.com/binh-quoi-village/

 

Cu Chi is  great destination, and travel be speedboat (about an hour each-way excl stops) is absolutely the way to do it. At that time it was actually cheaper than seats in a van for the hot & dusty van ride to Cu Chi

 

As I said, we were berthed in Saigon. You will probably berth at Phu My, over an hour from Saigon - but the obvious route from Phu My to Cu Chi is via Saigon.

 

If your ship overnites at Phu My, and whether you visit  Cu Chi by speedboat or van or not at all, I strongly recommend an overnite in a Saigon hotel. Near the Rex Hotel is ideal. Not expensive, saves doubling your travel, gives you an evening in the city. Try to fit in a water puppet show http://www.goldendragonwaterpuppet.vn/ 

 

JB 🙂

[terry&mike]

For travel and/or tours in Vietnam, I highly recommend Xuan Le, we have used him on multiple tours. I can honestly say that he is one of the best guides we have ever experienced - personable, knowledgeable, responsible. We visited Vietnam in 2020 and again this year, and it remains one of our favorite countries, which speaks a lot given we have been to more than 100 countries. 

https://www.tourwithxuan.com/

 

[edinburgher]

23 hours ago, Yehootu said:

I'm 6'1" and 215 not claustrophobic but also don't like to be squeezed in.

We were offered this as a shorex but passed as the descriptions we read put us off. Not the usual "strenuous" but warnings about the narrowness of the sides, low ceilings and sections where crawling might be needed. After reading that, we looked at online descriptions and found similar descriptions, but although we didn't know whether the deacriptions would apply to the tunnels we would visit or others  in the same complex, we were even more sure it would not suit us.

 

Can I suggest you read online descriptions of the tunnels complex before deciding.

[Yehootu]

5 hours ago, terry&mike said:

For travel and/or tours in Vietnam, I highly recommend Xuan Le, we have used him on multiple tours. I can honestly say that he is one of the best guides we have ever experienced - personable, knowledgeable, responsible. We visited Vietnam in 2020 and again this year, and it remains one of our favorite countries, which speaks a lot given we have been to more than 100 countries. 

https://www.tourwithxuan.com/

 

His name come up on a lot of favorable reviews. Which of his tours did you do?

[terry&mike]

18 hours ago, Yehootu said:

His name come up on a lot of favorable reviews. Which of his tours did you do?

The first time we went to Vietnam, was January 2020 (just before Covid), we were a group of 19 friends traveling together. On this trip, we used Xuan a couple of times. In Ho Chi Minh City to give us a full day city tour that visited temples, markets, trishaw ride, museums, etc. Then again in DaNang/HoiAn for a tour that visited the beach area, ancient town of HoiAn, the countryside for a basket boat ride, and other places.  We also visited the Nha Trang area on this trip, but did it independently, without any guide. 

DH and I went back to Vietnam in January 2023, just the 2 of us. This time we went for a longer trip of 5 weeks that included Thailand, Vietnam (Hanoi, HaLong Bay, Hoi An, HCMC), and Cambodia. We also did a Mekong River cruise with Scenic during this trip. Xuan helped me with some of the planning, to ensure we got a great 3 night itinerary on a wonderful boat for HaLong Bay. Hoi An had been our favorite on our last trip, so we rented an apartment and stayed for several days on this trip, had some nice clothes made, enjoyed the area. On this trip we used Xuan for a type of "evening in Saigon" tour. We went to a lovely rooftop bar for cocktails and to watch the sunset, and visit and catch up with him and his life during the pandemic. Then we went to dinner at a nice local restaurant, where we ordered several Vietnamese dishes from starters to dessert, to enjoy lots of foods the locals like. It was a nice evening of walking around the city, eating and drinking, and spending time with a local. It was also very comfortable for us, as at this point I feel that Xuan is not just a tour guide we know, but one of our friends. He is a great guy, an absolute joy. 

[Mrs. Claypool]

We did the full-day Ho Chi Minh City tour with Xuan last February.  He is an outstanding guide and a delightful person. 
 

[shecritic]

From the recommendations here it seems Xuan offers a variety of excellent tours all around Vietnam. Terry and Mike mentioned having a great full day city tour of Saigon with him as well as a day in Hoi An exploring the old town, beaches and countryside. He also helped plan their multi-day sailing trip in Halong Bay. Clapool also really enjoyed the full day HCMC tour. Sounds like you can't go wrong with any of his itineraries - he really knows how to showcase the best of each destination. Safe travels!