On my first full day in Saigon I did a trip out to the Cu Chi tunnels, a short bus journey outside of the city. I had read about the tunnels in my guide book pre-trip and had also seen some photos on travel blogs before I left, so had a vague understanding of what the tunnels had been used for and the part they played in the Vietnam War. I had decided that it was definitely something I wanted to do as part of my Vietnam itinerary, so off I set. I have to say though that no amount of reading up could have prepared me for some of the sites you see when you are there. To say that the intro video you are shown when you first arrive is predominantly anti-American propaganda would be a bit of an understatement. Even as a British citizen, I found it a bit close to the bone. Having said that, the tunnels themselves and the rest of the site more than made up for it, so please don’t be put off.
Cu Chi Tunnels Tour
The ‘contraptions’ that the Viet Cong guerrillas used to wound/kill their enemy are gruesome and stomach-churning but like all things gruesome, you can’t help but be intrigued. Many of them involve a series of metal spikes that revolve or are hidden at the bottom of strategically-placed holes that were then covered with leaves as camouflage.
The tunnels themselves have to be seen to be believed. Apparently they have been widened to fit larger Western tourists, so I dread to think of the size of them initially! I took the plunge and decided to go down with a few of my fellow passengers and it’s a good job none of us had claustrophobia! It is also extremely dark down there, apart from the odd red light guiding the way you can literally see nothing. I almost wished I’d taken my phone down so that I could use the light from it to see my way ahead. Many photographs of people’s bums were taken (as this is the only angle you can see them from!) but at least the light from the flash helped light our way. It was hot and cramped down there and my legs ached a bit after I finally made it back out into the light; I certainly cannot imagine living in a series of those tunnels for months on end!
Vietnam Tourists With Guns: A Good Idea?
After we had ‘escaped’, we were taken to a shooting gallery, where you have the option to buy a round of bullets to fire from a range of firearms. Being the game girl that I am, I decided I definitely wanted to shoot one of the guns and opted for the AK47, as apparently that one gives you more bang for your buck (pardon the pun). It was so noisy in the shooting gallery but I had a lot of fun, and the gun was a lot easier to hold and fire than I had thought. It was definitely a great experience, even if my target practice leaves a lot to be desired.
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