Conquer Your Fear at Cu Chi Tunnels

Cu Chi Tunnels; Approx 40kms from Ho Chi Minh City
Whenever you find yourself traipsing the beautiful city of Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon),  it is my humble suggestion to drive or take a bus to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels. The entrance is not that much, approx. 8 dollars with some optional pay if you would like to try the shooting range and bring some extra cash as well for tipping, souvenirs or beverages.

 
The Cu Chi Tunnels according to Wikipedia is an immense network of underground tunnels built by the resistance during the Vietnam War. Some of you may have heard stories about that infamous War that somehow weakened the American forces. Hundreds of debates sparked across America and ultimately led to the withdrawal of the American troops.

 
Who won the war? Neither one of them. Both suffered tremendously. As I listened to my guide, a 50 year old man, narrating different accounts of the war; I came to a conclusion that these tunnels played an important role during that time. As Saigon at that time fall in the hands of the American troops, the resistance groups retreated back and formed their camps at Cu Chi. To the Americans, they felt that Saigon was not totally in their hands as they knew the resistance were just within the area. These prompted the several airborne attacks at Cu Chi to no avail. An estimated 200kms of underground networks were ingenuously built that became places of hospitals, houses, community- all underground. Life was not at all easy. Some have not seen the light for days, while mostly suffered from different diseases. These tunnels have seen them all- famine, hunger, pain and death.

As you traverse the area and listen to so many stories, The Cu Chi tunnels will definitely move your soul. It would be difficult to be apathetic as the ill-effects of war were right at your nostrils. This is my main reason why you should come and visit these tunnels. Forget the food first at Ho Chi Minh or the colorful night life, the shopping at Ben Thanh Market. You could always see these things everywhere in the whole country but not the Cu Chi Tunnels.

 
At the end of your visit, I encourage you to try and go underground in one of the tunnels. There you will experience a different kind of thrill. It’s not like any underground tunnels that are massive. The Cu Chi on the other hand, are so narrow that you could feel yourself suffocating and surrendering to death. And if you thought that these tunnels are just going in one horizontal direction, think again! I’ll leave with you this mystery for you to find out. These and more are the reasons why the Cu Chi Tunnels are so unique and hold a distinction of being one among the world’s amazing underground tunnels.

I may have so many fears in life, like heights and the deep blue sea but am not afraid of the dark. While navigating the labyrinthine tunnels at Cu Chi, my courage was tested and felt that I was losing it. And minutes before my breakdown, I found the light! I am now a master of the dark!