Private Tour: Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple Exploration from Ho Chi Minh City
3.6
25 Ratings
Tay Ninh
Embark on a private tour from Ho Chi Minh City to explore the fascinating Cao Dai Temple and the historic Cu Chi Tunnels. Immerse yourself in the Cao Dai sect's unique ceremony and delve into the underground network that played a crucial role in the Vietnam War.
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Cao Dai Temple - After hotel pickup in Ho Chi Minh City, hop in your air-conditioned private vehicle for a comfortable 2.5-hour drive through the countryside to Tay Ninh, located near the Cambodian border.
    Your private tour begins with a visit to the awe-inspiring Cao Dai Temple, home of the distinctive Cao Dai religion, which combines the teachings of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Christianity, including a belief in the occult. You will have the opportunity to take part in a colorful midday ceremony and take photos as your guide offers insight into the unique rituals.
  • Cu Chi Tunnels - After a Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant, you’re taken to the Cu Chi tunnels, an elaborate network used as a strategic military base by the Viet Cong because of its proximity to the southern capital of Saigon. It contained schools, hospitals, hidden kitchens, meeting rooms and living quarters during the Vietnam War (known in Vietnam as the American War) that connected several villages. Today, it is preserved by the government as a memorial park.

See a short film about the historical importance of the Cu Chi tunnels before walking with your guide into the forest where the tunnels are located. Discover what life was like down below as you crawl into narrow passageways that each cover a distance of 98 to 328 feet (30 to 100 meters).

Today the remaining channels offer visitors a real feel for what life was like for guerrilla fighters and their families who lived below ground during the war. After your exploration, take a break in the forest with some hot green tea boiled with pandan leaves, accompanied by steamed tapioca.
After your visit, your full-day private tour ends with drop-off at your hotel.

What's Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Bottled water
  • Professional guide
  • Hot tea and tapioca snacks
  • Lunch
  • Transport by air-conditioned private car
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

This private day trip from Ho Chi Minh City takes you to two intriguing locations: Cao Dai Temple and the Cu Chi Tunnels. Accompanied by an informative private guide, you’ll learn about the Cao Dai sect during a ceremony inside the colorful temple. After a restaurant lunch, discover the labyrinthine underground system of the Cu Chi Tunnels, which served as military quarters during the Vietnam War.

  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
  • Itinerary is subject to change.
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Location
Cao Dai Temple
Long Thanh Bac Commune, Hoa Thanh District
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.6
(25 Ratings)
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L5406jdesraa
Aug 25, 2022
Perfect - We booked a private tour for Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple. They picked up us from our hotel at the exact time and drop off wherever we want to go. Our tour guide Tony was so polite, friendly, funny and informative and also our driver. Tony was always ready to answer our questions. Lunch was included and the place was so peaceful. It’s totally worth the money!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gerald
Jun 16, 2016
The trip was great and well arranged we... - <p>The trip was great and well arranged we were very interested in the history of the country</p>
Review provided by Viator
Alicia_k
Jan 30, 2017
Was a good tour,the guide was fun... - <p>Was a good tour,the guide was fun. In particular we liked the Cao Dai Temple and cricket farm we visited rather than the wildlife Rescue Station, which was still fun and I tried cricket. Cu Chi tunnels was great as well</p>
Review provided by Viator
Choonlong_l
Aug 21, 2016
Overall is a nice tour... - <p>Overall is a nice tour. unfortunately, we are unable to visit the wildlife rescue station, But the tour guide have replaced us the cricket farm visit. The tour guide is very friendly and talkative. We are enjoy the tour very much.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Karl
May 25, 2016
Excellent private tour of the Cu Chi... - <p>Excellent private tour of the Cu Chi tunnels and Cao Dai temple. We also managed a quick visit to the Wildlife Rescue Station, which was the highlight of the trip. I saw a baby gibbon that was absolutely adorable. Our guide Tuan was absolutely wonderful and very knowledgeable. The only reason we did not rate it five stars is because the lunch was a bit underwhelming. Otherwise, great tour. We recommend it!</p>
Review provided by Viator
Korin
May 9, 2016
I wasn't expecting this to be a... - <p>I wasn't expecting this to be a private tour, which was a pleasant surprise. We were taken around in a literal private car, as the information says. The W.A.R. station wasn't open, so we were taken to the handicap factory instead which was nice, but wasn't what we really wanted. We were shown how the lacquer was made but people where were handicapped by agent orange, which was really cool. Next, we were taken to the Cao Dai Temple which was an interesting experience. The whole religion of Cao Dai was befuddling to us, so we had to look it up and get more information after the tour. Finally, we went to the Cu Chi Tunnels. That was probably the best part of the tour, but it was horrifying at the same time. We went down into the tunnels, but had to go out as soon as possible because it really induced claustrophobia. The tour guide was really kind, and he was really trying his best to help us understand his country.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Alessandra
Nov 20, 2017
the tour is not so interesting and... - <p>the tour is not so interesting and the guide wasn't professional, very hasty, but very kind.<br/> it was not a 4stars tour</p>
Review provided by Viator
Cameron
Aug 17, 2016
My pick up was very late 70mins, due... - <p>My pick up was very late 70mins, due to viator not passing on my hotel details to the operator this meant that we sat in peak hour traffic getting out of Saigon which further shortened our stay at the Cu Chi Tunnels. Besides this, the tour guide very knowledgeable and driver of a private SUV was excellent. The Cao Dai temple and religion was confusing but very interesting. Crawling through the Cu Chi tunnels 70km N of Saigon and talking about the exhibits were a highlight of the trip. The late lunch was enormous and very tasty. We did not visit the Wildlife Rescue station as it was closed that day. Despite the initial problems the tour very pretty good.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Val
Mar 3, 2016
The tour guide was pleasant, but we... - <p>The tour guide was pleasant, but we had a slight language barrier.After some confusion around whether the temple was open or not, we did gain access and it was impressive. The driver had trouble finding the Wildlife Rescue Station and there was no one there to educate us about the animals. However, we had a delicious, authentic lunch at a local restaurant and the Cu Chi Tunnels were most interesting. Our guide seemed more knowledgeable about this stop and relayed the information well.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Czarina
Jan 5, 2018
We were very excited to see the... - <p>We were very excited to see the Wildlife Rescue Sanctuary but our guide did not take us there. At first we were told that the Temple and Sanctuary were the same. When we were not convinced, the guide said the sanctuary was "closed forever". We felt cheated by this company.</p>
Review provided by Viator
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