Tây-Ninh, near the Cambodian border, is home to the unique Cao Dai sect, whose patron saints include Joan of Arc, Victor Hugo and Winston Churchill to name a few. The religion is a hybrid of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Christianity. The Cao Dai Temple at Tây-Ninh has been described as a Walt Disney fantasia of the East. The temple's exterior is decorated with multi-colored dragons of all shapes and sizes competing for space with a number of swastikas. Above the main entrance is the all-seeing holy eye, the symbol of the Cao Dai sect. The interior is just as engaging as statues of Jesus Christ, Buddha and the Hindu god, Brahma, stand side by side.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Explore the vast network of underground tunnels used during the Việt Nam War
- Learn about life in Việt Nam during the war time and see bomb craters and tank remains
- Experience time at the holly temple.
- Small-group tour ensures a personalized experience
WHAT TO EXPECT
After we pick up all guests, we drive from 2 hours – 2,5 hours to Tây Ninh province. We will make a stop for refreshment and toilet. When arrives at Cao-Đài temple, we can walk around for having an overview of the temple and admire its beautiful architecture. After that to gain insight and information about this religion, we can go inside the building and watch the Caodaists pray.
Lunch will be served on the way from the temple to Củ Chi Tunnels. Upon arrival:
- You’ll watch a brief of propaganda video, which explains how the tunnels were used to successfully defeat American military forces in combat.
- The tour continues and the guide explains some traps that were placed in the jungles of Việt Nam to either maim American soldiers or create panic amongst the ranks.
- From here, you can enter one of the tunnel entrances and crawl through the tunnels is a real experience to imagine how people could live there for an extended period!
- There is a shooting range where you can try to fire an automatic or semi-automatic weapons for a fee (this fee is not included)
- Take some rest at the end for a taste of Củ Chi boiled tapioca and thinking what humans are capable of when having to defend their home.
We drive back to Hồ Chí Minh city. Tour ends at the city center.