Vietnam, a land of colourful culture, heart-breaking history, and profoundly poetic populace. Visit this land, and you will be spoilt for choice – for among the many sights to see in Vietnam are Luxury hotels by Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, and many other international brands. Tucked into this luxury is a popular tourist destination that speaks of the country’s woeful history: Cu Chi tunnels.
Cu Chi tunnels were a creation by the guerrilla troops Viet Cong. As the ones at a disadvantage against American and South Vietnamese troops during the Vietnam War, the Communist Viet Cong dug an intricate and complicated network of tunnels underneath the Cu Chi district of Saigon – a city that is located between Anantara Hotels, Resort & Spa in Vietnam. The guerrilla troops had multiple uses for the tunnels: they were used as underground routes to troops; for the secret transportation of messages and supplies; as a means of laying booby traps; and most importantly, as a mode of mounting surprise attacks, after which the troops can safely disappear beneath the city. As per the historical records at least 45,000 Vietnamese – both men and women – are thought to have perished in their pursuit of defending the Cu Chi tunnels. As Saigon fell in the year 1975, the Vietnamese government set about immortalizing the history. Having played a significant role in the Vietnam War, the tunnels are now a part of the Vietnam War Memorial Park in the former city Saigon, currently known as Ho Chi Minh City, and is a popular tourist attraction.
Transformed as a tourist destination, visitors to Cu Chi tunnels are able to live the lives of the Viet Cong troops for a few hours by crawling through the safer areas of the tunnel network, visit commanding centres, examine booby traps, fire an AK-47 rifle in a firing range and consume a meal typical for the soldiers of Vietnam War. While a far cry from the gorgeous landscape of the country, this provides an authentic experience of the country’s history to the traveller.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.Google+
