Saigon’s Straw Skyscraper

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A February 2004 trip to Ho Chi Minh City by SeenThat

Cho Ben Chanh Market Photo - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Quote: Despite officially being District #1 of Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon is the most historically significant name; few cities offer a more fascinating past.

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A French Defeat Monument: Downtown Saigon

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South Vietnam Government Site Photo - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Overall, Vietnam made an astonishing recovery since the end of the American War (as it is called there). From being an insignificant producer of coffee before the war, it became in year 2000 the biggest producer of Robusta beans; its population more than doubled, pampered children are ubiquitous. The population growth and the economy boom accompanying it forced the reconstruction of the country and few marks are left of the barbarous destruction during the war.That is true with the clear exception of Saigon, which became District #1 of Ho Chi Minh City. It is impossible to visit the city ...Read More

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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 16, 2008

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The Tunnels of Cu Chi

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Attraction | "The Cu Chi Tunnels"

Indochine Maps at the French GPO Photo - The Tunnels of Cu Chi, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Located seventy kilometres northwest of Ho Chi Minh City in an area called the "Iron Triangle," the Cu Chi Tunnels were more than two-hundred kilometres long. Most of that have been preserved by the Vietnamese government, though very short parts have been expended to "Tourist Size," as local guides like to joke. The tunnels were the base of operations of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Tet Offensive in 1968. For years they were part of communication and supply routes, hiding spots during combat, hospitals, weapon caches, intelligence operation bases and living quarters. The Ho Chi Minh Trail ended here its tortuous rout that commenced in Northern Vietnam and crossed Laos.

The tunnels history began already in 1948 while the Viet Minh was fighting the French; each village built a segment and those were eventually united into a large, comprehensive network. They included disguised entries and kitchens capable of hiding the cooking smoke, using filters of wet leaves. The Americans were mostly unable to detect the underground communities, but the cost of security was dear: poisonous insects, parasites and malaria posed real threats to the tunnels’ denizens. In spite of that, the National Front for the Liberation won several campaigns against the American conscripted army, in the face of its technological disadvantage.

The Americans launched Operation Crimp (1966), Operation Cedar Falls (1967) and others in order to destroy the tunnels but failed. Due to their size, the American soldiers failed to enter the tunnels even when they found them or fell prey to bobby traps; the operation was preceded by a brutal bombing of the area which destroyed the surrounding jungle. Even nowadays the jungle has not completely recovered due to the huge of highly toxic defoliant agents, like dioxin, which is better known as "Agent Orange."

Explosive booby traps and pits with boards covered with bamboo knives took care of the few soldiers who managed to infiltrate the system; the tunnels’ clever design rendered American technology ineffective. In response, the "tunnel rats" units were created. They were trained to fight within the tunnels only with a gun, a knife, a flashlight and a piece of string; but also these units turned out to be highly ineffective. However, during Operation Cedar Falls, tunnel rats captured many documents which included maps of American bases, lists of political sympathizers, routes maps, and plans for an assassination attempt on Robert McNamara; nevertheless, the tunnels were never destroyed.

From 1969 onwards, B-52 bombers began carpet-bombing Cu Chi, in another futile attempt to destroy them. Simply, they were too large to destroy; the collapse of a section meant nothing since their convoluted design always provided another path. Slowly, they became a sour wound in the American military minds, which were too technology-oriented and concerned too little about their morality. In parallel, the Vietnamese confidence despite their drawbacks, increased constantly.

Reaching the Tunnels

The tunnels can be approached through popular tours offered from Saigon by all tourism agencies. A day tour includes visits to enlarged tunnels, restored kitchens, living quarters, reconstructed bobby traps and underground conference rooms like those in which the 1968 Tet Offensive was planned.

The Vinh Moc Caves

A related site is on the DMZ (the former De-Militarized Zone between North and South Vietnam). Next to the sea, the Vinh Moc Caves are much bigger than the Cu Chi Tunnels, and provide a better insight of the daily life of such a community during the war. Rooms adapted to different activities (dormitories, working rooms, meeting rooms, kitchens) successfully provide the visitor with a feeling of what meant to live underground. The hidden exits to the seashore tell of an immediate element of danger in their lives.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 17, 2008

The Tunnels of Cu Chi
Củ Chi District
Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon

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Cho Ben Chanh Market: Coffee, Fruits and Pho

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Very close to downtown Saigon, Cho Ben Chanh Market offers a golden opportunity to take a close look at a South East Asian market. The market is placed within a low, attractive French colonial building featuring a square clock tower. Its interior is visitors’ friendly, with ordered stalls and clean corridors. Beyond the expected gewgaws and knickknacks, the market offers wonderful food stalls offering Vietnamese food. The best bets are coffee, fruits and pho.CoffeeLike ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 17, 2008

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The Mekong Delta

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The Mekong Delta is one of the most fascinating parts of Vietnam. It imparts an undefined ambience somewhere between a lush jungle and busy paddy fields; old cultures hide there behind bushy orchards and traditional crafts.Reaching the area from nearby Saigon is easy; all tourism agencies offer trips into the area in a variety of deals. Vietnamese police want all foreigners to use official transport – mainly for surveillance reasons as described in my "A Passport Theft Odyssey" article. Howe...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 18, 2008

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A Passport Theft Odyssey

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Communist Flag Photo - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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More than any other country in South East Asia, Vietnam keeps security threats for the traveler. Few visitors have neither witnessed violence directly nor know a victim of violence; being aware of the dangers can ensure a pleasant and safe visit.The main, incessant, shock awaiting the traveler in Vietnam are the touts. They are much more violent than elsewhere in the region and they do not give up. Beyond legal commercial activities, many of them cater for ...Read More