The construction of tunnels around Chu Ci began as early as 1940 and they served as a base and shelter in the war for the liberation of Vietnam from the French colonial occupation. During the war with the Americans, the construction of tunnels was resumed and reached an impressive size. The total length of the tunnels is about 250 kilometers, and they stretched from Saigon to the territory of Cambodia. There was an underground world in the tunnels along with all the infrastructure needed for war life.

The entrances to the tunnels are really microscopic (adapted to the size of the indigenous people) and the average white person would have very serious problems entering the tunnel network (not to mention American soldiers loaded with equipment). Around the first encountered hatches, you can see several jungle-covered craters, these are traces of American bombing.

Further exposure is a little more gruesome and speaks to the imagination, namely we can see the traps set by the soldiers of Vietcong. There are masked holes bristled with bamboo or metal spikes (often lubricated with faeces to make wound quickly infected), and various other types of hole that were intended not to kill but severely injure and mutilate opponents (to greatly reduce their morale). Another deadly trap was a small inconspicuous spike. When one of the soldiers stepped on him, the rest of his friends would run to him and try to help. This help turned out to be very expensive because there was a large explosive charge under the spike. The effect of the trap was usually such that the explosion deprived the life of entire team.

Further exhibitions show how weapons are produced and the daily lives of channel inhabitants. As a curiosity, it can be mentioned that the underground kitchens had a very extensive ventilation system. The idea was that smoke coming out during cooking would not betray Vietcong’s position. Special channels channeled and emitted smoke far beyond the base. While watching the kitchen, you can try the sweet potatoes cooked in it, apparently this is how it looked and tasted years ago.

The last attractions are a shooting range and tunnel passage. At the shooting range for an astronomical sum you can shoot yourself with many types of weapons used during the war. The shooting range has an additional acoustic effect, while visiting the entire exhibition, we hear salvos from weapons every now and then, it works very imaginatively and gives a specific warlike atmosphere.

As for tunnels, the main attraction is unfortunately not for everyone, people of normal height with difficulty crawling on 100 meters open to the public. Taller people (like me) can come at their own risk, I, with my 190 centimeters tall, haven’t even tried. The prospect of stay in the tunel was not very encouraging ….