Travel diary: Ho Chi Minh City ,Vietnam - Day 9

On this day, we went out to a tour to the historical sites in HCM city.

Cu Chi Tunnels
We went to the Cu Chi Tunnel in the morning. This is one of the important sites during the Vietnam war. On the way I got more views of everyday life in the city. Simple and humble. Our trip throughout the day was unguided except for Cu Chi. After that we went around a pre-defined route with our sarcastic yet humorous guide and we got explanations on how the tunnels was used by the Vietnamese during the war, how they got in and out, traps they made etc. We even got to crawl through a tunnel made to give us an impression of what the real tunnels are like. Tight, small space and somehow I managed to fit in. The tunnel is quite humid and for those with claustrophobia, I wouldn't recommend you to try. For fans of guns, there's a live weapon firing range along the route. You can fire all sorts of weapons like AK-47, M-16 and M-60. The price of shooting varies, depending on which weapon you choose. There are souvenirs shop that sells local handicrafts, shirts and other war trophies (replicas though) and badges. Thus, for history buffs or those who want to catch a glimpse of the importance of guerrilla warfare during Vietnamese war, this place is definitely worth a visit. Just remember to bring along mosquito repellent and hat/cap.

War Remnants Museum
We set off towards HCMC in the afternoon( We had lunch at a nearby restaurant in Cu Chi). War Remnants Musuem houses exhibitions of American phase during Vietnam War. Exhibitions include photographs of effects of war like Agent Orange and also massacres that were carried out. Outside the museums, there are military vehicles on displays. There's also a section of exhibition of replicas of torture chambers and cells of prisoners outside the museum. You shouldn't miss it cause it gives you the experience of how the atmosphere of those days were like. It's kind of sad and depressing to walk around the museum,looking at photos of war scenes and its aftermath. To conclude, this place is a must visit for those who wished to learn more about Vietnamese war.

Sadly, the above mentioned places were the only places we visited during our historical tour. Due to time constraints, we didn't visit into the Reunification Palace and never step foot inside the palace throughout our 6 weeks of stay in Vietnam. Even a photo of the palace couldn't make up for it. However, when I get the chance to go back, this palace will surely be on my lists of 'must-visits'.