Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City Full-Day Tour

Uncover Vietnam’s history on this full-day guided tour from Ho Chi Minh City, combining the city’s landmark attractions with a deep dive into the wartime Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Dinh site).

Getting started

You’ll be picked up from your hotel in District 1 between 7:30am and 8am. Begin the day with a guided visit to Ho Chi Minh City’s top sites before heading to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

City highlights

• Independence Palace: Explore the preserved meeting halls, underground war bunkers, and strategy rooms central to Vietnam’s past.

• Notre-Dame Cathedral: Snap a photo of the red-brick cathedral and its twin bell towers—one of the city’s oldest colonial relics.

• Central Post Office: Step inside a grand building designed by Gustave Eiffel, featuring vaulted ceilings and vintage French-era maps.

• War Remnants Museum: See powerful exhibits of war photography, weapons, and stories documenting the human cost of conflict.

Cu Chi Tunnels

After a Vietnamese lunch (if selected), travel to the Ben Dinh site for a guided, immersive look at one of Vietnam’s most significant war zones.

• Orientation documentary: Begin with a short film introducing the Cu Chi region and its underground resistance system.

• Tunnel exploration: Spend around 2 hours on-site exploring cramped tunnels, kitchens, field hospitals, storage units, and bunkers used by Viet Cong fighters.

• Trap demonstrations: Learn how soldiers used camouflage and booby traps to defend their network—shown through live guide demonstrations.

• Cassava & tea: End your visit by sampling boiled cassava and traditional tea—staples of survival during the war.

Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City Full-Day Tour

Discover the historical sites and landmarks of Ho Chi Minh City on this full-day guided tour that includes hotel transfers, a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Dinh site), Independence Palace, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, and the War Remnants Museum. The tour lasts approximately 9 hours, with about 2 hours spent exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels. Guests will enjoy audio guides in English, Vietnamese, French, German, Spanish, and Chinese, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of each site. This sightseeing experience covers key areas such as District 1, where many city landmarks are located.

Explore Independence Palace

Your tour stops at the iconic Independence Palace (Reunification Palace), built in 1962, covering an area of 8,000 square meters. Guests can see the grand palace with its intricate architecture and learn about significant historical events like the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. The palace houses various exhibits including a museum showcasing Vietnam's political history and artifacts from the war era. Visitors spend around one hour here, exploring the building’s interior and exterior features. Independence Palace is unique for its blend of architectural styles, reflecting French colonial influences alongside traditional Vietnamese elements, making it stand out among similar historical sites in Southeast Asia.

Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral

At Notre-Dame Cathedral, guests can admire the stunning Gothic Revival architecture and learn about its construction from 1863 to 1880. The cathedral stands at a height of 52 meters and features two bell towers, each adorned with intricate carvings and stained glass windows. Visitors spend approximately half an hour here, exploring the interior and exterior of this historic religious site. Notre-Dame Cathedral is unique for its role in Vietnamese Catholic history and its integration into Ho Chi Minh City’s urban landscape, making it a must-see landmark for tourists.

Discover Cu Chi Tunnels

Your tour stops at the Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Dinh site), an extensive network of underground tunnels used by Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War. The tunnels cover over 200 kilometers and range from one to two meters in diameter, providing shelter for up to 15,000 people. Guests can crawl through preserved tunnel sections and see wartime bunkers, field hospitals, trapdoors, and survival setups. Visitors spend about two hours here, learning about the strategic importance of these tunnels during the war. Cu Chi Tunnels are unique for their complex engineering and historical significance, offering a glimpse into the harsh realities faced by soldiers and civilians during this period.

Experience Central Post Office

The tour includes a visit to the Central Post Office, an architectural marvel built in 1886. The post office spans over 2,000 square meters and features impressive murals depicting scenes from colonial Vietnam. Visitors spend around half an hour here, exploring the interior with its large map of Indochina on the wall and learning about postal services during the French colonial era. The Central Post Office is unique for its blend of Gothic and Romanesque styles, making it a standout landmark in Ho Chi Minh City.

Tour Highlights

• Explore Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Dinh site)
• Visit Independence Palace with audio guide
• Tour Notre-Dame Cathedral including historical details
• See Central Post Office and War Remnants Museum
• Hotel transfers from Ho Chi Minh City in shared or private groups
• Vietnamese lunch available on private tours only
• Guided visit to War Remnants Museum with entry included
• Audio guides in multiple languages for a comprehensive experience

Perfect for history enthusiasts, travelers seeking cultural immersion, and those interested in Vietnam’s complex past, this full-day guided tour provides an in-depth look at Ho Chi Minh City's historical sites. The 9-hour format allows you to explore Independence Palace, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, and the War Remnants Museum, giving you a comprehensive understanding of the city's rich history while enjoying its diverse cultural offerings.