Unlike the famed Cu Chi tunnels—which served as supply caches and strategic combat routes for Viet Cong soldiers and today are swarming with tourists—the Vinh Moc tunnels served a different wartime purpose and receives far fewer visitors. Visitors can enter the dark and earthen tunnel complex, via a rock-wall rimmed stairway—and, unlike at Cu Chi—walk upright through them. Nooks notched into the sides of the main tunnel served as family quarters or meeting rooms and are today populated by strategically placed human-sized dummies that show how cramped the villagers must have been. A small on-site museum has photographs and memorabilia that help to paint a picture of life in the tunnels and a map depicting the extent of the Vinh Moc tunnel system.
The tunnels are located off Highway 1—near the village of Ho Xa. It can be tricky to get there via public transportation, so it’s a good idea to go as part of a guided tour.
Since these tunnels are not nearly as popular as the Cu Chi tunnels, there’s not really a bad time to visit. Plan to visit during the dry season (November to April), when conditions are a bit cooler and the tunnels less muddy.
While you might think of Korea when you hear mention of the DMZ, Vietnam has its own demilitarized zone, a holdover from the war. This area, most often visited on a day trip from Hue, is home to the Vinh Moc Tunnels, as well as the Truong Son National Cemetery (the nation’s war cemetery), Camp Carroll where U.S. marines were based, Khe Sanh Combat Base, and the Hien Luong Bridge that spanned the border between North and South.