The Tunnels of Củ Chi, Vietnam

Cu Chi Tunnel, one of the most important history of Vietnam.

The tunnels of Củ Chi are a relatively modern, man-made phenomenon, but their fame, deservedly, is worldwide. They are the outstanding symbol of the dogged determination of the Vietnamese desire to be free of Western colonists the tunnels Located in the Củ Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.

The tunnels were first thought of in the late 1940s, when the Viet Minh (the League for the Independence of Vietnam) were trying to remove the French from their country. Originally thought of as hiding places for arms and ammunition, they soon became hiding places for the Viet Minh fighters. By the mid-1965, 250 km (155 mi) of tunnels threaded their way under Cu Chi and the areas around it. One even ran under the American army base situated there. These tunnels allowed the many groups of Viet Cong fighters in the area to liaise with one another at will and even to infiltrate Saigon itself.

Signboard to the tunnel.

Tourist entering the tunnel.

The tunnels were dug to as many as four levels. The building work was incredibly hard - not only were there poisonous snakes, scorpions and insects, but these tunnels had to be made sufficiently solid not to collapse. People lived below ground for weeks on end, and there were not only living quarters but also functioning hospitals, kitchens, classrooms and even operating theatres and a small cinema.

More than 12,000 people died here during the Vietnam War, but the Tet offensive, which was dreamed up in these tunnels, probably turned the tide of opinion and made the Americans begin to realize that this was a war they would not win.

When the door closed, it almost undetected.

The network of Cu Chi Tunnel.

Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Local people with their boats.

The Mekong River, at over 4,000 km (2,485 mi), is the twelfth longest river in the world. It rises high up on the Tibetan plateau, flows down through south-western China, around Myanmar, down through Thailand and Laos, where it forms a border, through Cambodia and finally into Vietnam where its fertile delta forms the country’s agricultural heartland. The rich nutrients provided by the alluvial sediment enable about 40 per cent of Vietnam’s food to be produced from an area that covers only 10 per cent of the country.

Known to the Vietnamese as Cuu Long (Nine Dragons) because of the nine tributaries that spread out across the floodplain, the area has been criss-crossed with canals to channel the excess flood water in the most practical fashion. It was not until the French colonized Vietnam in the nineteenth century that the agricultural potential of the area was understood. Ironically the boggy marshlands and rice fields subsequently provided excellent cover for Vietnamese resistance fighters against the French and later the Americans.

Boat full of loads.

Local boats.

The river, with its network of tributaries and canals, is what makes the region so beautiful. It is essential for travel and transport and thousands of boats ply up and down these waterways, from tiny rowing boats to cargo boats carrying rice, fruit and sugarcane. All life is there to be seen on the water: colourful floating markets, river villages and Khmer pagodas can all be seen, and the areas not given over to farmland are rich with wildlife. Thousands of birds nest in colonies, and there are five species of dolphin to be found, including the rare Irrawaddy dolphin.

The Mekong River is very important to every people all along the river. From up above north in China until down here in the Mekong Delta, it’s provide important food source such as fish, irrigate the farmland, transportation and also many dams were built to provide electricity. 

Busy waterway.

Rice fields surround the Mekong Delta.

Huế, Vietnam

Gate to Imperial Citadel

Huế is a city with a long and distinguished history and despite the bitter battles that have taken place here in recent times, during the Vietnam. War, it has kept its air of romance, refinement, scholarship and spirituality. The founder of the Nguyễn dynasty, Emperor Gia Long, made Huế his capital in 1802, and it soon became known for its cultural activity. On the north bank of the Perfume River, the Emperor built a huge citadel in the Chinese style, with a Forbidden City at its heart, reserved for the sovereign's use. The Imperial City which surrounds it was the hub of the administration, and the whole complex is enclosed by a wall 7 m (23 ft.) high and 20 m (66 fl) thick, surrounded both inside and out by a moat and a canal.

Imperial Citadel.

The Imperial City was devastated first by fire in 1947, and later by some of the most terrible battles of the Vietnam War. However, some of the buildings remain and have been perfectly restored. Rebuilding has been continuous since 1975 and received a boost when Hue became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The Ngo Mon Gate and the Thai Hoa Palace are two of the highlights but there are ancestral altars, Chinese assembly halls, pagodas, temples, royal mausoleum and fascinating museums to be explored too.

Huế is not simply a city of glorious historic relics; it is a lively thriving place, home to five universities. In 1995 it was given independent city status by the government to mark its growing economic importance.

Royal tomb.

Royal tomb's gate.