Many tour companies in the Phåm Ng´ Lão area organize guided trips to the tunnels for US$4; they are the easiest way to access them. Alternatively, take the #5 bus from B\n Thành station to C© Chi town (1hr.; 30,000); from there, hire a motorbike or taxi to the tunnels. ☎794 6442. Open daily 7am-5pm. 70,000.
Few sights capture the tenacity and ingenuity of the Vietnamese guerrillas better than the C© Chi tunnels. The Vi_t Cÿng developed this elaborate network of narrow passageways in order to infiltrate enemy camps while remaining almost completely hidden. At one point, the multi-level subterranean system stretched all the way from C© Chi to the Cambodian border and included field hospitals, weapons facilities, and even kitchens. Today visitors can climb through the reconstructed 100m portion of the tunnels, although there are closer escape routes for the claustrophobic. Be aware that there is no lighting (so bring your own flashlight or lighter) and adults will have to bend double to move through the tunnels. Above ground, there are gruesome exhibitions of the booby traps used against enemy forces, some recreations of life in the tunnels, a memorial temple to Vi_t Cÿng soldiers, and a shooting range, where visitors can fire authentic military rifles at a target (18,000 per bullet).
The easiest way to see the temple is through guided tours from the Phåm Ng´ Lão area for US$4. There are no buses directly to Tñy Ninh (the town nearest the temple). Instead, take the #5 bus from B\n Thành station to C© Chi town (1hr.; 3000); transfer to another bus to Gõ D+u (30min.; 7000), where you can catch a bus to Tñy Ninh (30min.; 7000). Once there, you’ll need to hire a motorbike or taxi to the temple. Open 24hr.; ceremonies are held daily at 6am, noon, 6pm, and midnight. Free; donations accepted.
This enormous temple, constructed between 1933 and 1955, is the main seat of the Cao ài religion in Vietnam (see “Someone To Watch Over You,”). While the ornate exterior is rather impressive, it is the interior that truly dazzles visitors. No color of the rainbow has been spared and no flourish neglected. The expansive main hall boasts pink columns decorated with mythical creatures, celestial ceilings sparkling with silver stars, and an immense globe upon which the divine eye observes worshippers. During the daily ceremonies, visitors look down from the balcony as the many worshippers (clad in white, red, blue, or yellow based on their level in the religious hierarchy) perform their synchronized practices, accompanied by instruments and singing.
Buses run from B\n Thành station to the Binh Khánh ferry crossing (50min.; 2000). From there, take the ferry (10min.; 500) to C<n Gi. On the C<n Gi side, more buses run from the ferry crossing to the town center (1hr.; 2000). The Forest Park is about halfway along this route; ask the bus driver to drop you off there. Hiring a motorbike or taxi to take you around C<n Gi is an easier but much more expensive option. Forest Park ☎874 3333; www.cangioresort.com. Admission M-F 7000; Sa and Su 10,000. Open daily 7:30am-5pm.
C<n Gi is actually a district of H· Chí Minh City, but the abundant flora and fauna on this sparsely populated island will transport you light years away from the metropolis. The island’s main attraction is Forest Park (Lñm Viˆn), a mangrove swamp reserve operated by SaigonTourist. The park is a playground for hundreds of monkeys, many of whom hang out along the main tourist paths. Park rangers give out free potatoes to visitors to feed to the monkeys; be aware that if you have food in your hands, the animals will stop at nothing to get it. Also, keep a handle on your belongings—the monkeys are accomplished thieves. Visitors can take a motorized canoe ride (3hr.; 250,000) through winding mangrove canals to the park’s guerrilla base museum. The canoe ride is better than the museum, which is a tiny collection of ancient archaeological finds housed in stilt huts in the middle of the forest. The park also holds a crocodile area, a small nature museum, a restaurant, and a circus stage (animal shows M-Sa at 3pm). You can stay overnight at the C<n Gi Resort 4 (rooms 300,000) but there is little else to do. Elsewhere on the island, the public beach (attractively named 30/4 Beach) is whipped by strong winds, but it still draws a number of Saigonese who crave the fresh air.
With its sun-drenched beaches, scenic vistas, and handsome promenades, V´ng Tàu is a popular weekend getaway, mostly for Saigonese. French colonists began vacationing here around the turn of the last ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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