Tunneling Through History in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

[vc_row inner_container=”true” no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column][vc_column_text]We pulled up to the Tan Son Nhat International Airport just north of Ho Chi Minh City around 7 pm and found a long line extending from the entrance. We unloaded our bags and said our goodbyes to Dandee, our tour guide, and then we patiently followed the line into the airport. Our flight wasn’t until 11 pm so the ticketing counter wasn’t open. We managed to find a quiet corner to catch our breath and soak in the realization that our 3-country, 3-week adventure in South East Asia had come to an end.

Earlier that day, our river cruise had come to its final port of call in Vietnam. After packing up our belongings and catching one last breakfast buffet in the main dining room of the Amalotus ship, we made our way up to the lounge on deck 3 to wait for disembarkation. While the majority of the passengers would board busses to Ho Chi Minh City and then scatter like the wind, we had planned for one last tour via Abercrombie & Kent — a full day of cramming in as much as we could possibly see. There was always time to sleep on the plane and besides, we had no idea if we’d ever find ourselves back in Vietnam again, so we would make the most of our final day. Next thing we know, a giant tour bus pulled up next to the ship — one large enough to accommodate 40 or more people. Was this really just for us? Yes it was! We had no idea where to sit since we had the whole bus to ourselves!

Cu Chi Tunnels

We drove for several hours to our first stop, the Cu Chi Tunnels. During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong used these tunnels to evade their American enemies — practically carving out a network of passages and rooms and creating a tunneled village.

As we walked along the area, our guide pointed out mounds of dirt and ventilation systems for breathing while underground, entrances and secret doors within the dirt that were next to impossible to identify unless you knew they were there, and booby traps that were designed to impale the enemy if they were unfortunate enough to fall in.

There were several tunnels in which visitors could enter and experience the vast network underground. There was no way I was going in due to my claustrophobia — I was already getting anxious just thinking about the dark, narrow tunnels. I saw a few brave souls enter and exit these tight squeezes — one tunnel could only be navigated by crawling through the entire way in complete darkness. Uhhhh, not for me, thanks!

A brave young lady making her way out of the tunnels.

My brother, sister-in-law and the two boys entered one tunnel to try it for themselves. They entered with a guide to lead the way, but after 10 minutes, they never exited. We continued to wait as other groups that entered after them, emerged, but not them. We started to get worried since almost 20 minutes had gone by and still no sign.  Then we heard voices way down the path — apparently they had asked the guide to take them the entire distance — 100 km in length. My youngest nephew said it was a piece of cake.

There was also a rifle range on the grounds where visitors could shoot with weapons preserved from the war. So as we explored the area, we constantly heard gun shots echoing all around us, as if we were in the middle of an actual war. It was scary but it also made for a realistic setting.

I know the kids enjoyed their visit, but for me, it brought a whole new aspect of the Vietnam War to life. I could never imagine what the soldiers endured, but seeing the tunnels preserved, helped me understand a bit about why it was such a difficult and prolonged war.

Mopeds, Mopeds Everywhere

It was time to board our bus and make our way to Ho Chi Minh City, or as our tour guide told us, Saigon, since lots of people still preferred the old name. As we drove South East towards the city, I noticed mopeds everywhere. There were even lanes dedicated to mopeds and cars were clearly outnumbered. The funniest site I saw though, was a family of 5 that I happened to glance at as they were idling next to our bus — Dad at the wheel, Mom right behind him and 3 kids grabbing on for dear life. Also during the drive, we saw so many kids and people looking at our bus and waving and smiling. It was obvious we were the tourists and they were all warm and welcoming!

Ly Club

We finally arrived at first stop in the city, the Ly Club for lunch. After spending the morning in the jungle, entering this beautifully decorated and elegant dining establishment was refreshing. The food was meticulously plated and served and so flavorful and fresh. And best of all, the meal was so cheap. I would return just to eat!

The Royal Palace

After our amazing lunch, we quickly found ourselves at the Royal Palace for an extended tour of the building and grounds. The original palace had long been destroyed and the new edifice had a clearly mid-century modern design, no ornate, French details of the original.

View from the top floor of the Royal Palace

Royal Palace Helicopter, circa Vietnam War

Communications Room in the basement of the Royal Palace, circa Vietnam War

Other Sites of Ho Chi Minh

We made a quick stop at the Post Office for it’s beautiful architecture and directly across the street was Notre Dame Cathedral – a much different version of the French original.

 
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China Town and a Vietnamese Market

As we headed into the home stretch of our day-long excursion, we visited the China Town area and explored a beautiful temple, walked through the hectic market and then stopped by a Vietnamese market to purchase final souvenirs.

Street ear cleaner in China Town

[contextly_sidebar id=”iwU40ygzbLQsjCQeYwYAEirLdsi9f0Uo”]By the time we had walked through the Vietnamese market, the vendors were closing up shop and it was time to board our large bus and head to the airport.

As we drove through the streets of Ho Chi Minh, I could only smile and think of all that we experienced in one day. A jammed-packed day like this isn’t for everyone, but it definitely gave us a flavor of this vibrant city. We were tired and ready to go home, but we would take with us many wonderful memories that would last a lifetime.

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