Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Dinh site)

The Cu Chi Tunnels are a preserved section of the vast underground network used by Viet Cong fighters during the war to move troops, hide from bombing, and stage operations within striking distance of Saigon. The Ben Dinh site is the more accessible of the two open tunnel sections (the other being Ben Duoc) and includes widened tunnel sections that tourists can crawl through, camouflaged trapdoor entrances demonstrated by guides, examples of the booby traps used against American and South Vietnamese troops, and a firing range where visitors can shoot period rifles for an extra fee. Guides, many of whom are trained by the site and some of whom share family history connected to the war, walk groups through recreated bunkers, a weapons workshop, and a war-tunnel exhibition video. The tunnels themselves are hot, cramped, and low-ceilinged even after being enlarged for tourists, and claustrophobic visitors typically skip the longer optional crawl sections.