Day 13 - Cu Chi Tunnels

We were out early for the 2 hour drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels.  It was only about 40 miles away but the Saigon traffic makes it very slow going.  

These are a network of underground tunnels created by the Viet Cong when fighting against the US forces during the Vietnam War.  We did a walking tour above ground and saw how the tunnel entrances were camoflaged, how the Viet Cong soldiers hid underground and were able to surprise the US soldiers by apparently appearing from nowhere, the booby traps that they laid to capture and kill US soldiers and how the underground bunkers were used to recycle the captured weapons, ammunition and militiary vehicles.  Some of their tactics were barbaric to say the least but very clever.  We were able to go through one short section of the tunnel but it involved almost crawling through.  I also had a go at hiding in an underground hole.  The tour finished with a film showing some actual scenes taken by the Viet Cong.

 

 
Rock where the airholes for the tunnels were (on the bottom right)

 
I tried out the underground hideout 


 
One of the tunnels - very low but the Viet Cong people were very small and slim

 
Model of how the Viet Cong dressed

 
Booby Trap grass panel.  When you step on it, you fall 
into a trap containing sharp bamboo sticks.
 

 
Video of Booby Trap grass panel showing how it caught the enemy
 

 
Paul exiting from one of the tunnels

 

The link below is to a video on You Tube as it was too big to upload.  It shows my exit from one of the the tunnels

Exiting from the Tunnels


We had lunch at a lovely riverside restaurant and then went back to our hotel in Saigon.  Most of the group met up in the evening to go to the Sky View bar at the Majestic Hotel overlooking the Saigon River where we had a very overpriced cocktail but the setting was fabulous. 

 

 
Saigon at night

 
Saigon at night

 
Saigon River at night

 

 
Cocktail Time


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