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Usually, tourists visit a place that offers a beautiful view or insight into the local culture. They may also want to learn the history of the place they visit, even if it’s a dark history. It’s called dark tourism which means travel to places associated with death, disaster, and destruction.
Vietnam has a war history back in 1955–1975 and it is an important thing that shapes the country. The war leaves several sites that can be visited today as tourist attractions. Exploring these ex-war sites will give you insights into how Vietnamese soldiers fought and strived. One of the historical sites is Cu Chi Tunnels.
What are Cu Chi Tunnels?
Cu Chi Tunnels is a network of underground passageways with an area of 250 kilometers but currently, only 120 Km are preserved. It is located in Ho Chi Minh City and it’s one of the most popular war tourism in Vietnam. It was built from 1948 to 1973 during the war against the French and was used to communicate between villages.
Photo by hellovietnamtravel.com
What's inside Cu Chi Tunnels?
It may unbelievable, but there were hospitals, schools, kitchens, and theatres built in the tunnels. That is why the tunnels have an important role in the history of Vietnam. There are even people who said that Cu Chi Tunnels is a determinant of Vietnamese victory in the war. The US Army did try to destroy it but none of their efforts succeed because the tunnels have many secret entrances, escapes, counterfeit bunkers, and booby traps. It has a very small size so that only Vietnamese can enter and fit in the tunnels.
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The booby traps that were made are very dangerous and camouflaged making them unnoticeable. Cu Chi Tunnels’ architecture also includes a nice hidden ventilation system to make people on the inside feel comfortable and safe from toxic gas. Its structure is divided into 3 separate levels with the first level being 3 meters below the ground, the second level being 6 meters below the ground, and the last level being more than 12 meters below the ground. Unfortunately, only the first level and several more meters opened to the public. Are you interested to visit Cu Chi Tunnels?
References:
Keyes, Max, "War Tourism: Shaping Memory and Perception in Post-War Vietnam" (2012). Summer Research. Paper 164. http://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/summer_research/164
Tran, R. (2019, 10 14). Cu Chi Tunnels, Ho Chi Minh City: Travel Guide to a Renowned Underground Network in Saigon, Vietnam. Vietnam Discovery. https://vietnamdiscovery.com/ho-chi-minh-city/attractions/cu-chi-tunnels/
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