Ho chi minh trail, elaborate system of mountain and jungle paths and trails used by north vietnam to infiltrate troops and supplies into south vietnam, cambodia, and laos during the vietnam war. Experience cu chi tunnels by bike day trip 2020 ho chi minh. If you book with viator, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. The ho chi minh trail was a network of trails, roads, and waterways that formed the logistical. The ho chi minh trail was a network of roads built from north vietnam to south vietnam through the neighboring countries of laos and cambodia, to provide logistical support to the vietcong and the north vietnamese army during the vietnam war. In general it started with the transportation arteries in north vietnam, swung west into laos, south parallel to the south. Ho chi minh trail laos lonely planet forum thorn tree. With the ho chi minh trail as his stage, historian john prados plays out the tragedy that was vietnam. Built by local fighters during the indochina conflict, the cu chi tunnels served as a base from which the viet cong could operate from close to the southern vietnamese capital. We had the best experience in ho chi minh when we visited the cu chi tunnels. The twostorey museum has seven galleries dedicated to the system of trails collectively known as the ho chi minh trail.
To begin with, the so called ho chi minh trail also called tru. Don duvall has motorcycled the length and breadth of laos while mapping it for laosgpsmaps. The trail was actually a 16,000kilometer 9,940mile web of tracks, roads. The tunnels of cu chi were a tunnel system located almost directly between the free capital city of the republic of vietnam, saigon, and the ho chi minh trail which the communists used to bring men and supplies from communist north vietnam into the battlegrounds of south vietnam. Morris, virginia and hills, clive, a history of the ho chi minh trail. More than 1 million north vietnamese soldiers used the ho chi minh trail to. Ho chi minh trail ho chi minh city 2020 all you need to.
Delve into an underground world of guerrilla warfare in the incredible cu chi tunnels. Tour vietnam war tunnels in ho chi minh city cnn travel. Enjoy the colorful taste of vietnam and especially along ho chi minh trail that will be starting from hanoi years city and trekking to hill tribe villages of a luoi, kon tum and buon me thuot as well as meet and interact local tribe people besides enjoy rural life at remote villages. Vietnam war tunnels underneath ho chi minh city are seen by few visitors. As author john prados demonstrates, you cannot discuss the vietnam war without discussing the trail. Ho chi minh citysaigon, vietnam5 things you should know before you visit duration.
America, asia, britain, california, cambodia, cruising, england, food and wine, georgia, hill tribe, history, laos, rainforest, sailing, south east asia, vietnam. The whole subject around the actual ho chi minh trail is highly interesting but also complex at the same time. The infamous and ingenious ho chi minh trail cameron paterson duration. The lizard men of ho chi minh trail i tales from the abyss ep3 duration. Recently, before 1959 that named truongson route range means west mountainouschain route.
Ride a bike to the cu chi tunnels on a fullday day bicycle trip that includes private transport from ho chi minh city, lunch at a local restaurant, and admission to the tunnels. The trail was put into operation beginning in 1959, after the north vietnamese leadership decided to use revolutionary. The trail stretched from northern vietnam along the laos border at a latitude parallel to vinh along the coast which was the main port for supplies destined for the trail, down to saigon in the south. The infamous and ingenious ho chi minh trail youtube. Morris, virginia and hills, clive, ho chi minhs blueprint for revolution.
Riding vietnams ho chi minh trail travel the guardian. It consisted of thousands of kilometers of wellconcealed vehicle tracks, bicycle routes, foot trails and. Opinion bombing the ho chi minh trail the new york times. The trail then leads into the jungle where youll find plenty of mortar. Check out where to stay in ho chi minh city and book an accommodation of your choice. A byproduct of the frenchs first indochina war, 19461954, the footpath system that ran north south along the truong son. The so called ho chi minh trail was just western named it, but hanoi called route 559, and i myself, named harrimans highway. For this hcmc tour, leave the hustle and bustle of ho chi minh city to explore one of the relics from one of the most significant local historical events in recent memory. Ho chi minh tunnels the vietnamese battlefeild duration. Its not quite on the tourist trail, yet, says doling. The ho chi minh trail was the major supply route for the north vietnamese forces that successfully invaded and overran south vietnam in 1975.
This article was most recently revised and updated by michael ray, editor. Later he became a central intelligence operative in laos commanding mercenaries along the ho chi minh trail during the secret war in 1970. Ho chi minh tunnels the vietnamese battlefeild youtube. The ho chi minh trail and the vietnam war, makes you think this will only be about the trail. The ho chi minh trail was critical for transporting troops and supplies from northern vietnam to the u. Probably the best book on a rather esoteric subject. Follow flat country lanes and pedal through rubber plantations, then spend the afternoon exploring the cu chi tunnels before returning to ho chi minh city. The cu chi tunnels are the most popular day or half day excursion from ho chi minh city. The tunnels of cu chi by tom mangold and john penycate random. Her choice of bike, a honda c90, is a very unlikely steed to choose. Cu chi tunnels ho chi minh city all you need to know. The best ho chi minh city hiking trails with photos.
Mcnamara viet cong support us donate in 1959, the lao dong partys communist party central committee decided to increase support to the communist insurgency in south vietnam. When the vietnam war broke out the communist military forces of north vietnam began employing the truong son road to infiltrate men and supplies through laos and into the u. Gain insight into the tenacity and resourcefulness of the vietnamese. We joined the ho chi minh trail which had served as a supply route during the war which the vc used to send soldiers and arms to the south. The trail shaved nearly five months of time off of the trip and was used as. Ho chi minh trail 28 works search for books with subject ho chi minh trail. The ho chi minh trail was not so much a single route but a network.
My time in vietnam along the dusty trail my foreign language filed under. A multitude of tour buses leave ho chi minh for the cu chi tunnels daily and can be booked by any tourist office. Ho chi minh city cnn most people who travel to ho chi minh city will make the hour or so drive out of town to visit the cu chi tunnels, used by the viet cong during the vietnam war. Ho chi minh trails myth dazzles road planners mishalov. Full day tours begin in the early morning and head first of all to the cao dai temple at tay ninh on the cambodian border. Ho chi minh trail opposition to united states involvement in the vietnam. Mar 10, 2000 probably the best book on a rather esoteric subject. Reading this book it is much more than a motorcycle journey from hanoi to saigon ho chi minh city along the ho chi minh trail. Do you need to book cu chi tunnels tickets in advance. The vinh window and the ho chi minh trail historynet. Ho chi minh trail, signed abebooks shop for books, art.
If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. We recommend booking ho chi minh trail museum tours ahead of time to secure your spot. It was a combination of truck routes and paths for foot and bicycle traffic. Virginia morris and clive hill trekked 500 miles of this labyrinth of roads, foot paths, and waterways long before it became a destination for motorbike adventures. It is best to visit first sa war remnants museum at the city proper before having this tour. In january 2012, more than forty years after his last combat sortie, general merrill mcpeak traveled to southern laos with his two sons in search of whats left of the ho chi minh trail. Explore the entire list of places to visit in ho chi minh city before you plan your trip. See all 1 ho chi minh trail museum tours on tripadvisor. Tom poole was a green beret, a member of the special forces, in vietnam in 1964. Your trip is combined with a tour of a cricket farm or a home where. Ho chi minh trail and north vietnamese tunnels facts. We wanted to blow it all up, the trucks and supplies and infrastructure, but what we could see was the road itself. In order to combat bettersupplied american and south vietnamese forces during the vietnam war, communist guerrilla troops known as viet cong vc dug tens of thousands of miles of tunnels, including an extensive network running underneath the cu chi district northwest of saigon. Cu chi experience ho chi minh city day tour urban adventur.
Much more the trail consisted of a highly complex network of dirt roads, waterways, hidden bridges. Cu chi tunnels ho chi minh city 2020 all you need to know. At phuoc son we stopped for our final lunch of the tour again enjoying some excellent vietnamese dishes. If youre in a huge parking lot like i was, thats another less challenging trail that will take. The cu chi tunnels are around 45km from the centre of ho chi minh city. Jun 24, 2012 travel guide to ho chi minh city in vietnam where is the ho chi minh trail. A secret trail became one of the greatest achievements of 20th century military engineering during a deadly war now, 50 years later, that beaten track and its people can still be discovered by those who are driven by adventure. Millions of words have been written about the vietnam war, and still, nearly 25 years after the fall of saigon, the repercussions of that war continue to have an impact on the american psyche. Life on the burma road, the tibet highway, the ho chi minh trail, and. Antonia also gives some insight into the vietnam war, the people and the background behind it. Experience the cu chi tunnels of vietnam on this smallgroup day tour from ho chi minh city with an informative guide. Traveling by airconditioned vehicle as well as speedboat on the saigon river, youll explore the vast network of underground tunnels used as hideouts for fighters, food and weapons during the vietnam war.
The road to freedom is a remarkable achievement, a meticulous inquiry into one of warfares most compelling stories, how the north vietnamese army kept the ho chi minh trail operating in the face of everything the americans could throw at them. Book your cu chi tunnels tickets online and skiptheline. Chi are an immense network of connecting tunnels located in the c. Jul 28, 2011 the mountain paths of the legendary ho chi minh trail offer visitors to vietnam an adventurous alternative to the wellworn coastal route especially if you travel on the back of a motorbike. Cu chi tunnels half day tour from ho chi minh city not brits. At least from a military perspective one can argue that the war in vietnam was lost in laos on the ho chi minh trail.
Now part of a vietnam war memorial park in ho chi minh city formerly saigon, the cu chi tunnels have become a popular tourist attraction. The scenery soon became quite stunning with lush, green vegetation and mountains rising in the distance. Book your tickets online for cu chi tunnels, ho chi minh city. By seth mydans, 20 february 2000 bangkok, thailand, feb. A solo traveller or group smaller than four may still book this private experience but will be charged the base rate for four travellers. Keywords ho chi minh ho chi minh trail hue nguyen van vinh robert s. Any tourist to vietnam taking a guided tour of the ho chi minh trail needs to understand that what they will get is a very small, localised and sanitized version of the real thing. The ho chi minh trail vietnam veterans for factual history blog.