Visiting Cu Chi Tunnels without a tour (you can use Grab!)

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Everything you need to know about visiting Cu Chi Tunnels on your own. You really don’t need to go on a tour and Grab is an easy way to get there and back.

From the moment you arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll be inundated with offers of tours out to experience the Cu Chi Tunnels. It’s one of the most popular attractions in the country, and there’s a well-worn tourist trail leading directly from your city centre hotel.

The tours are advertised everywhere in the city. Anywhere tourists can be found, including travel agents, hotels, guesthouses, and cafes, you’re sure to be asked by someone if you’ve visited the tunnels yet? Despite the apparent choice on offer, all of these places are essentially selling the same product so, regardless of who you book with, you’ll be collected in a van or bus and herded northwards with groups of other tourists towards the tunnel complexes.

It’s unquestionably an easy approach and, whilst it does suit some travellers, an increasing number of tourists are striking out on their own and visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels independently via a Grab taxi. With a little planning, it makes for an easy and relaxing day with the chance to avoid (some of) the crowds and visit the tunnels at your own pace.

To gain a deeper understanding of the American-Vietnam war, we also suggest a visit to the War Remnants Museum in HCMC, either before or after your visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

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Which Cu Chi Tunnels to visit?

There are two Cu Chi Tunnel complexes in the vicinity of Ho Chi Minh City: Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc. Whilst both offer the same general experience, we would recommend visiting Ben Duoc if you’re visiting independently.

Ben Dinh is slightly closer to HCMC and gets more tourist visitors as a result. It’s the default destination for the tours and whilst some groups do head to Ben Duoc, you’re more likely to feel overwhelmed by the tour groups at Ben Dinh.

We also found that Ben Duoc had a few more sights and activities alongside the tunnels, including a temple and a collection of military hardware (including a colossal C-13 transport plane) parked outside the tunnel entrance.

How to get to Chu Chi tunnels

Assuming you already have the Grab installed on your phone, it’s simple to order a Grab taxi to either of the tunnel complexes. If you decide to visit Ben Duoc, you’ll need to type this address into Grab: Ben Duoc – Cu Chi Memorial Temple – Pickup/Drop Off Gate, and the app will do the rest for you.

The journey time is approximately 1hr 40min to Ben Duoc. The traffic getting out of HCMC is horrendous, so the first 45 minutes will be spent in a steady stream of honking traffic and whizzing mopeds.

A Grab ride from the city centre to Ben Duoc should cost around VDN750,000.

Entry fees and opening time

Entrance to Ben Duoc tunnels is VND90,000 per person and payment is cash-only.

The tunnel complex is open from 7:30am to 5:30pm, seven days a week.

Advantages of taking a Grab versus a tour

Choose your own start time to beat the tours from HCMC.
Decide which tunnels to visit and any potential side-trips.
You’re free to spend as much or as little time as you like during the visit.
Tours are notorious for adding in excursions on the way back which are presented as a chance to meet local craftspeople but are often just another mass-tourist site designed to squeeze out a few more dollars.
Slightly cheaper if you’re not travelling solo.

Disadvantages

Slim possibility that getting a Grab back to HCMC could involve a long wait at busy times
Doesn’t save that much money if you’re in a small group.
No tour guide so you may miss out on some details.
Tour bus might be more comfortable than a small Grab car.
The tour buses can deliver you slightly closer to the tunnel entrance, but not by much.

What to expect from your visit

Your Grab car will drop you off at the car park and ticket office area from where you can buy tickets and grab a quick drink. Remember that the entry fee is cash only.

From the entrance gate, it’s a ten-minute stroll along a quiet access road to the tunnel complex. You’ll pass the temple on your right about halfway along, and the military machines near the entrance, but we’d suggest saving both until after you’ve visited the tunnels.

As most visitors are here on a tour group (with their own guide), there’s less in the way of formal information for independent visitors when you first arrive to the tunnels. Instead, you should just follow the well-trodden path through the trees, looking out for the subtle signposts. If you’re ever unsure of the route, there’s always someone on hand to point the way.

Once you spot a large thatched triangular roof, you’ll know you’re in the right place. The staff will direct you to sit down on the uncomfortable chairs and watch an ‘information’ video which doesn’t really give you much information. The production values are low, the sound is tinny and inconsistent, and it’s difficult to know what you’re supposed to be watching. It doesn’t really give you any guidance or insight into the history and, if you’re here with kids, it’s not the best start to your trip.

It didn’t seem to be a problem when we quietly slipped away and started towards the tunnels ourselves. The video isn’t compulsory so, if you prefer, give it a miss or just politely watch the first two minutes.

The underground tunnels are the main attraction and aren’t quite as claustrophobic as we were expecting, aside from one section which is only accessible via a hatch. The kids slipped in and out with no trouble but, after a filling breakfast in HCMC, us parents decided to give it a miss. The kids loved it and emerged at the other side with huge smiles and a sense of satisfaction.

As you wander along the trail, you’ll be greeted by friendly guides (free of charge, no expectation of tips unless you want to), who briefly explain the next point of interest, whether it’s a tunnel, meeting room, weaponry or hidden traps for unsuspecting soldiers. It makes for quite a relaxing pace to the visit and means it’s easy to take your time and explore everything at the tempo that suits your group.

The other tunnels are fun for everyone to explore and you’ll have the option to crawl and shuffle through about three or four examples during the visit. Most of them have been slightly expanded for western bodies and reinforced with concrete, so they provide an welcome compromise between experiencing life underground during the war, but no so cramped to be too uncomfortable. As long as you’re relatively comfortable with enclosed spaces, you should emerge after about thirty seconds with a sense of relief and satisfaction.

We really appreciated not being on a tour when we were in the tunnel network. Whilst it’s still fairly busy with tourists, we loved been able to take our time and linger as and when we needed. Some tour groups drifted past us as quite a fast pace, ushered along by their tour guide with a constant eye on the clock. If you feel you might want or need more time navigating the tunnels, an independent tour is the way to visit.

At the end of the visit you’ll be served a simple dish of boiled tapioca root and tea, the same dish the Vietnamese fighters ate. This is included in your ticket price but you can also buy your own snacks and drinks from the shop next door (VND20,000 to VND40,000). Before you head back to the entrance and your Grab, set aside some time to visit the military machinery and temple complex.

Tips for your visit to Cu Chi Tunnels

Arrive early if you can, most tours start picking up from HCMC hotels from 8:30am onwards so it helps to be ahead of the game. Otherwise, visit late in the afternoon.
Bring cash for the entry fee and food/drink along the way.
If you spot a tour group approaching, either hang back or push ahead so you’re not in the tunnels at the same time.
Bring sunscreen and bug spray. Even though you’re under cover, the sun can still be strong and the bugs are often out in force (you are walking through jungle after all).
If your schedule in HCMC is flexible, try to avoid weekends as the site can be busy with domestic tourists.
There’s only one way in and out of the tunnels, and the exit is always either close by, or clearly marked. If one or more of your group don’t fancy the squeeze, it’s fine to split up and meet at the end. The same applies for parents with kids; if the younger ones seem happy, let them explore on their own and meet them at the exit.
Decent footwear and practical clothing will make the tunnel exploration easier.
Bring a small torch (or use your phone’s torch) to illuminate your progress through the tunnel, it can be a big help with any claustrophobia.
Signage, information boards and English-speaking staff are in short supply. It’s not a bad idea to do some research before the visit to help you understand the context and history of the tunnels.

How to get back from Cu Chi Tunnels

The Grab driver who brought you from HCMC may suggest they wait for you and take you back to your hotel after your visit (have Google Translate at the ready for this conversation). If you’re happy to pay the premium of their waiting time, it’s not a bad idea as it’ll give you some peace of mind but it’s by no means essential. You will always eventually get a Grab ride and there are comfortable cafes and restaurants near the exit where you can wait.

For context, during our visit, we didn’t ask our driver to wait and just ordered a Grab once we reached the exit and only had to wait for three minutes. The fare back was slightly higher (about VND775,000) but still good value.

Final thoughts on visiting Cu Chi Tunnels without a tour

The tourist industry around the Cu Chi Tunnels is an impressive operation, with fleets of tourist buses heading out of the city each morning. For good reason, it’s one of the most iconic and popular activities in the country and one that everyone tries to tick off before they explore the rest of Vietnam.

It should be said that if you’re travelling solo, it’s likely to be much cheaper to take one of the tours. If you shop around, it’s easy to find a half-day Cu Chi Tunnel tour for around VND600,000, whereas a return journey in a Grab tax will cost VND1,400,000, plus entrance fee.

However, if you’re travelling in a group, it becomes cheaper to travel independently and you’ll have the benefit of choosing your schedule and deciding how long to stay at each location. The other advantage is you’ll be taken directly back to your hotel after the tunnels, avoiding the handicraft shops on the way home and sitting patiently whilst everyone else is dropped off.

When we’re travelling as a family, we nearly always choose flexibility and independence over a tour group setting as it just suits how we prefer to travel as a family. In the case of the Cu Chi Tunnels, it was the best decision to skip the tour and take a Grab taxi. It’s simple to organise, let’s you control your own schedule and means you should miss the worst of the crowds. With the Grab app installed and a slight sense of adventure, it’s the best way to visit Cu Chi Tunnels.