The Cu Chi Tunnels is an underground network which was excavated by the Vietnamese and used by the Viet Cong during both the French-Indochina War (1946-1954) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975). Situated near Ho Chi Minh City, the tunnels took around 25 years to construct and were finished in the 1960s. Stretching for over 200km (124 miles) and connecting numerous villages in the provinces, the tunnels once housed mini-hospitals, store rooms and factories, and were used as living quarters by both Vietnamese fighters and local villagers. The tunnels stand today as a symbol of the struggle by the Vietnamese people on one of the most famous battlegrounds of the Vietnam War. Cu Chi district was heavily bombed during the two wars and was particularly targeted at night, forcing residents to live in underground tunnels. Today, visitors to the site can experience life underground during their tour of the tunnels and imagine what life would have been like for the Vietnamese.

For more information on Cu Chi Tunnels, contact Vietnam Tourism (see Tourist Information above).

Air: Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Road: Coach: Daily coach trips are organised by private tour operators (from Ho Chi Minh City).

Vietnam Tourism
30a Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: (04) 825 7532 or 826 4154. Fax: (04) 825 7583 or 826 4322. E-mail: vntourism3@hn.vnn.vn
Website: www.vn-tourism.com
Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
12 Victoria Road, London W8 5RD, UK
Tel: (020) 7937 1912 or 7937 3222 (visa section). Fax: (020) 7937 6108. E-mail: vp@dsqvnlondon.demon.co.uk

Vietnam