Day 2:

HCM – Cao Dai Temple – Cu Chi Tunnels

Commence the day to explore mystery Cao Dai religion and the original tunnels of Ben Duoc with a couple of hours of drives to Tay Ninh, 110 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh. To Cao Dai pilgrims, God is represented as an eye in a triangle, a symbol that appears on the facades of the sect's temples. The religion's organization is patterned after Roman Catholicism, with a pope, cardinals, and archbishops. Worship involves elaborate rituals and festivals.


Depart at 8:30 am at your hotel for a scenic drive on roads, travel through small towns, farmlands of tapioca, peanuts, and rural landscapes. Arrive at Cao Dai Temple before noon mass with plenty of photos to explore the colourful holly temple and surroundings.


Cao Dai is an indigenous religion encompassing Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, and Taoism. Followers of the religion hold several documents as holy, and they have to wear the long dress at noon to pray. This belief practice began in 1921 when a man received a vision of the Divine Eye, a powerful symbol of Cao Daism. Most followers are white at noon mass, and the pope, archbishop, cardinal, and priest are colourful. After the noon mass, enjoy your lunch, and continue travelling through lush farmlands, rice paddies, idyllic villages, and rubber plantations to Ben Duoc tunnels. 


Arrive at the Head Quarter of original tunnels around 3:00 pm, watch the documentary film about the war in Cu Chi from 1948 to 1975 before you tour the tunnels of of more than 250 km. The tunnels of Cu Chi are an immense network and were used for hiding and fighting during combat and served as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches, and living quarters for numerous North Vietnamese fighters. The tunnel systems were important to the Viet Cong in their resistance to enemy forces and helped counter the growing American military effort.


Arrive at the Be Dinh tunnels around 3:00 am, watch a documentary film, then explore the renowned fighting tunnels on foot, traps, bunkers, trenches and experience crawling a piece of the underground tunnels. Then return to Saigon by vehicle in the late afternoon.

Northern hotel ****
Breakfast/ Lunch
Private car