Uniworld Timeless Wonders of Vietnam & Cambodia Cruise: Cu Chi Tunnels
Uniworld Timeless Wonders of Vietnam & Cambodia Cruise: Cu Chi Tunnels
Uniworld Timeless Wonders of Vietnam & Cambodia Cruise: Cu Chi Tunnels
DAY 2 – CU CHI TUNNELS, VIETNAM
We started our day bright and early by making our way to breakfast in the Opera Restaurant at the Park Hyatt Saigon as soon as it opened at 6 AM. Wow, were we ever glad we had loads of time to sit, graze and enjoy such a bountiful buffet! There was an amazing selection of cold buffet items to choose from and then we were invited to order an item from the hot menu.
Park Hyatt Saigon Breakfast Pastries
Park Hyatt Saigon Breakfast – Pho on Hot Menu
At 8 AM we meet with Cruise Director Ha Do for a 55-minute briefing regarding our itinerary, optional excursions, VOX system (listening device for guided tours), dress code (for temples), tour group assignments (divided into 2 groups – Lotus and Orchid with a maximum of 20 passengers per group), mosquito repellant usage (recommended), gratuities for guides and drivers and took our passports to ensure all visas were correct.
Uniworld Cruise Director Ha Do
This was also the first time we got a chance to meet fellow passengers hailing from Canada, Australia and the United States. We would be a smallish group, with 29 guests in total and everyone seemed excited to be taking this trip of a lifetime through Vietnam and Cambodia with Uniworld River Cruises.
Uniworld Coach in Ho Chi Minh City
At 9:15 AM we met our group in the hotel lobby and went to board the coach with Orchid Group (our group of 13 for the entire trip) for the included excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels. On the coach we met our local guide, Phoung, who would stay with us until Cambodia.
Vietnam Tour Guide Phoung
The 40 km (25 miles) drive through HCMC and into the countryside lasted about 90 minutes and Phoung kept us entertained and shared his vast knowledge of his city and country with us.
Hectic Ho Chi Minh City Traffic
INTERESTING FACTS:
- There are approximately 10 million people living in Ho Chi Minh City
- There are about 5 million motorbikes and 1 million cars in HCMC
- Locals call the city Saigon, but the government calls it Ho Chi Minh City
- This is a city that never sleeps
- National service is compulsory at 18 (only for men)
- Vietnam is the largest producer of coffee in the world – Mocha, Robusta, Arabica
- Vietnamese iced coffee is made with condensed milk
- Weasel coffee is popular – a weasel eats the coffee fruit, poops it out and then it is collected (we did not try it)
- Vietnam is the biggest exporter of rice in the world
- Americans call war Vietnam War, Vietnamese call it the American War
- Locals in HCMC do Tai Chi and exercise in city parks at 4:30-5:30 AM
- In Vietnamese culture the youngest son gets family property and takes care of parents when they get older
At 11 AM our coach arrived at the Cu Chi Tunnels and we were provided with a VOX system to use for the tour, bottles of cold water to keep us hydrated in the heat of the day and most importantly we had time to use the Happy House (toilet) before entering the site.
Cu Chi Tunnels – Underground Map
First we listened to a presentation and explanation about the tunnels and then went with Phoung for a walk through the exhibits.
CU CHI TUNNELS FACTS:
- 3 levels of tunnels
- 250 km (155 miles) of tunnels in one small area
- First level is 9 feet underground
- Kitchens, hospital and school were all underground in tunnels
- There could be 15,000 people in tunnels at one time
- The Viet Cong lived up to 33 days underground in the dark
- Tunnel size has been expanded so tourists can fit inside during tours
Cu Chi Tunnels – Traps
Cu Chi Tunnels – Exhibit
Jill and one of the men in our group went down into a tunnel that has been widened for tourists – which they found to be very claustrophobic.
Jill Going Underground at Cu Chi Tunnels
Cu Chi Tunnel System
By 12:30 PM we finished our guided tour of Cu Chi Tunnels and it was time to board the coach for the 90-minute drive back to Saigon. As we boarded the coach an assistant handed out cold wipes and more cold bottled water, which were very refreshing after being out in the intense heat and dust. Although we enjoyed the tour and were definitely glad we visited the site, it was a rather somber experience – but then that is to be expected.
Note: Take a snack along for the excursion – it was a long time without food from breakfast until we arrived back at the hotel at 2:30 PM.
The remainder of the afternoon was open (lunch, pool, shopping) until our groups were to meet Ha in the hotel lobby at 7:15 PM for the included dinner at a local restaurant.
DINNER AT XU RESTAURANT:
After a brief walk (5 minutes) from the hotel we arrived at one of Saigon’s best restaurants, XU Restaurant. It was opened by famed Vietnamese restaurateur Nguyen Duc Bien in 2007. Our groups were seated at two long tables, giving us the opportunity to chat with fellow passengers over dinner.
The delicious three-course set tasting menu included a starter, entree and dessert. Each dish fused Vietnamese local ingredients to produce incredible flavors and made for a most memorable dining experience.
Xu Restaurant Ho Chi Minh City – Starter
Xu Restaurant Ho Chi Minh City – Entree
Xu Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City – Dessert
Included with dinner were two glasses of house wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Cab) or two beers (Heineken, Saigon Special or 333) or two soft drinks. Further drinks were available for an additional charge. Those with special dietary needs (vegetarians and food allergies) were well taken care of by the restaurant staff.
Bia Saigon
Next… Saigon City Tour
