For all their gains, however, the American forces were never successful in pacifying the region for any length of time. Its proximity to the Cambodian border and the huge tunnel complex in the Triangle made pacification a nearly impossible feat. The Cu Chi tunnel complex is among one of the most heavily visited tourist sites in southern Vietnam. Nested along the Saigon River, the park illustrates the complexity of the PLAF tunnel system. A tourist attraction, the tunnel complex has its own souvenir shop, at which visitors may buy trinkets made from expended AK-47 cartridges.
Visitors move to the various tunnel sites by paths hewn from the vegetation.
Heavily wooded and composed of sandy soil, the Iron Triangle region lent itself to tunneling and camouflage.