Last checked: 25 October 2026 · Next review: March 2027 (ticket price, UNESCO nomination status)
QUICK ANSWER: The Cu Chi Tunnels are two separate sites about 70 km north-west of central Ho Chi Minh City: Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc. Ben Dinh is the one most tours use. Ben Duoc is larger, deeper and has the memorial temple. Both open daily from 7:00 to 17:00, and foreign visitors pay VND 135,000 (VND 35,000 entrance plus a VND 100,000 guide service ticket). Plan a half day, go early, and expect tunnels about 60 to 65 cm wide.
Most guides to the Cu Chi Tunnels answer one question: is it worth it? Yes, and that is not the useful part. The useful part is knowing that “the Cu Chi Tunnels” means two different places, what you will actually crawl through, and how to avoid spending your visit in a queue. In July 2026 Vietnam also put the tunnels on its UNESCO Tentative List, so the official dossier now gives exact measurements. We use them below.
| ~70 km | 2 sites | VND 135,000 | 7:00–17:00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| From central HCMC | Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc | Foreign visitor ticket | Open daily |
What the Cu Chi Tunnels are
Villagers in Cu Chi began digging hiding shelters in 1946, during the war against France. By 1947 two hamlets had linked theirs into a network about 17 km long. Between 1961 and 1965 the system grew into a fortified network of tunnels, bunkers and trenches, with kitchens, meeting rooms, field hospitals, wells and food stores underground. It was all dug by hand with hoes and baskets.
Nobody knows the full length of the Cu Chi Tunnels. The Vietnamese UNESCO submission says current estimates reach several hundred kilometres. Most of it has collapsed or been built over. The two areas that keep their original form, Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc, together preserve about 4 km, and both are a Special National Monument.
Ben Dinh or Ben Duoc?
Ben Dinh (Nhuan Duc commune) covers 6.71 ha and was the base of the Cu Chi district party committee from 1961 to 1975. Its three levels sit at about 3.4 m, 4 m and just over 5 m below ground. It is closer to the city, it is what most group tours mean by “Cu Chi”, and it gets busy by mid-morning.
Ben Duoc (An Nhon Tay commune) covers 8.4 ha on the Saigon River. It was the base of the Saigon–Gia Dinh military command. The tunnels are deeper, reaching 7 to 10 m at the third level. It also has the Ben Duoc memorial temple, opened in 1995, where around 45,000 names of the dead are engraved, plus a reconstructed wartime “liberation zone”.
Which to choose. For a first visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels on a tight schedule, Ben Dinh is fine. If you care about history more than photos, or you dislike crowds, go to Ben Duoc and allow the extra drive. Tell your guide which one you want, because many tours do not say.
What it is like inside
The UNESCO dossier gives the numbers for the Cu Chi Tunnels. A standard tunnel at Ben Duoc is 62 cm wide and 104 cm high. At Ben Dinh some pinch points are about 40 by 73 cm, which the dossier itself says is very hard for tall, large-framed people. About 4 km was restored and opened to the public in 1991, and visitor sections are easier than the originals, but you still walk bent double or crawl, it is hot and it is dark.
You do not have to go underground to enjoy the Cu Chi Tunnels. Every visit includes plenty above ground: camouflaged entrances, ventilation holes disguised as termite mounds, spike traps, a dug-out kitchen with a smoke-dispersal system and a short film. A good guide lets you try one short section first and decide.
Practical notes: wear clothes you do not mind getting red with dust, closed shoes and insect repellent. Skip the tunnels if you have heart, back or knee problems, or are claustrophobic.
Tickets and opening hours
Both Cu Chi Tunnels sites are open every day from 7:00 to 17:00. Since 1 February 2026 foreign visitors pay VND 135,000: VND 35,000 for entrance and VND 100,000 for the guide service ticket. The shooting range and the Ben Duoc reconstruction area are paid separately. Most organised tours include the entrance ticket, but check the inclusions list.
The shooting range is loud and can be heard across the site. If you are visiting with children or want a quiet visit, it is one more reason to arrive early.
Getting there and when to go
By private car the Cu Chi Tunnels are about 1.5 to 2 hours each way from District 1, depending on traffic. Ben Duoc is further than Ben Dinh. Public buses run, but with changes the trip takes much longer, so it is rarely worth it on a short stay.
Ho Chi Minh City’s dry season runs from about December to April, which is the most comfortable time to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels (more in our guide to the best time to visit Vietnam). In the rainy season, May to November, showers usually come in the afternoon, so a morning visit works all year.
Since July 2025 Cu Chi district has been replaced by communes, so you may see new place names on maps. The sites themselves have not changed.
Turning it into a full day
The Cu Chi Tunnels take a morning. Back in the city by early afternoon, you can see Cathedral Square, the Central Post Office and the History Museum. The official Vietnam tourism guide to Ho Chi Minh City lists more ideas, and a Mekong Delta day trip to My Tho or our hidden gems of southern Vietnam make good next steps. For more on the war period, our DMZ and Ho Chi Minh Trail route covers the central battlefields, and the Saigon full-day city tour suits a second day in the city.
Cu Chi Tunnels FAQ
Are the Cu Chi Tunnels a UNESCO site?
Not yet. Vietnam added them to its Tentative List on 15 July 2026. That is the first step towards a nomination, not a listing.
How long do I need?
Two to three hours at the Cu Chi Tunnels, plus three to four hours of driving. Book a half day at minimum.
Is it suitable for children?
Older children usually love the above-ground part. Decide about the tunnels on the spot.
VISIT CU CHI WITH VIETONE: VietOne Travel is a Vietnam-based DMC led by a founder with 33 years of local expertise. Our Cu Chi and Saigon full-day tour leaves at 7:30 with a private car, an English-speaking guide and tunnel admission, and continues with the city’s colonial landmarks in the afternoon. Prefer Ben Duoc or a quieter morning at the Cu Chi Tunnels? Contact our team.
