Viking Rivers: Magnificent Mekong: September 24: Cu Chi Tunnels & Arrive Saigon

Transfer From Viking Saigon To Saigon

This morning we put our bags out by 6:30am and went to one final meal on board the Viking Saigon. By 7:45 we were on board our charter bus with our "Bobby Family" and headed to our excursion location near Saigon, the historic site of the Cu Chi Tunnels. These tunnels were used by the Viet Cong when fighting the American & South Vietnamese troops in the area of Saigon. The tunnels were on three levels with the first level being about 9 feet below ground....the second level about 15 feet below and the deepest level about 21 feet deep. They are an interconnected system of tunnels that allowed the VC to be complete self-sufficient if need be and the many turns, levels and dips - as well as the extreme narrowness of the tunnels - made it nearly impossible for the Allied troops to penetrate and fight them once they'd disappeared into them.

Welcome To The Cu Chi Tunnels

Cut away diagram of the tunnel system

Once we'd entered the historic area Bob took us into a sub-ground level shelter to give us some background information and show us on the map the strategic location of these tunnels and the tunnel routes. Then we began walking along the jungle trails. The one thing Kim and I remembered that made a big impression on us from our visit here eight years ago was that there is a shooting range here where guests can fire authentic, Vietnam War era weapons. So as you're walking through the tunnels learning about the Viet Cong and the war, there is constant explosions of gun fire that if you didn't know better, you'd swear you were in the middle of the Vietnam war! A bit unsettling. We saw examples of the tunnels, the air system, the traps used by the VC, and had a demonstration of how the VC could disappear into the tunnels and no one would ever know they were there! About half of our "family" opted to crawl through the tunnels. Both Kim and I had done that previously and didn't feel the need to do it again, but John & Valerie did.

Just to the left is the Cambodian border - where the VC could easily flee; in the bottom right corner is Saigon, headquarters for the allies - an easy target to access; the red area is where the tunnel complex is located

Checking out one of the less deep tunnels

Walking through the jungles

This entrance required the VC to lay on the belly and snake into the tunnels

One of the tunnels - hard to tell by the photo but this is about waist high....and it's been enlarged for tourists!

Demonstration of entering the tunnel - note the VERY small opening....imagine a US soldier with all his gear trying to follow the enemy in here!

Down he goes - makes sure the damp leaves cover the "door" - and poof, he's gone

The air shafts are disguised as giant termite mounds which do actually occur throughout the region!

Examples of VC booby traps hidden in the ground

Close up of one of the traps

Val & John head into the tunnel system

Trying out a tunnel entrance!

After exploring for about an hour and a half we were back on the bus. Traveled about fifteen minutes up the road where we stopped for a family style lunch provided by Viking. We had to cross a small bridge to get to the restaurant so we took the opportunity to do a four-some selfie. After lunch we were back on the bus for about two more hours before arriving at the Sheraton in downtown Saigon where we will stay for the next two nights.