VI
EN
Childhood memories flood back at "Ba Dat" (the old woman's land).
Ba Dat Eco homestay is located in Hamlet 2, Hieu Liem Commune, Vinh Cuu District, Dong Nai Province, on the shores of Tri An Lake, about 70 km from Saigon. It's a popular weekend getaway for tourists seeking to experience the simple life of the locals. It's ideal for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and find peace and tranquility.
Upon arriving in Ba Dat, all the hustle and bustle of life, the daily pressures, seem to vanish, replaced by the scent of the countryside and a rustic atmosphere. Every visitor feels as if they are transported back in time to their childhood memories.
This homestay is perfect for weekend getaways, ideal for those who want to temporarily escape the hustle and bustle of the city and find peace and tranquility.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hieu is the founder of Ba Dat Eco homestay. He and his family moved to Dong Nai province to live and work in their hometown. After working for the government, in 2012, he decided to step out of his comfort zone to pursue his passion for building an eco-tourism community amidst the mountains and forests of Tri An Lake. The homestay focuses on connecting with nature, therapeutic benefits, and balancing body, mind, and spirit through experiences.
"It took me five years to figure out that I was doing community-based tourism, homestays that combine connection with nature, community experiences, and therapy," said Dinh Hieu.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hieu is the founder of Ba Dat Eco homestay.
Ba Dat Eco has an area of approximately 2,000 m².2It is built as a community-based tourism model. Here, visitors can rest and relax right in the house where the Earth Goddess used to live.
Ba Dat Eco homestay resembles a Northern Vietnamese village in the Southeastern region of Vietnam, with its simple houses made of bamboo and thatch. Bamboo, thatch, and wood are the main materials used in its construction, creating a familiar and cozy atmosphere while also offering modern conveniences. The architecture is based on the traditional stilt houses of the Chơ Ro ethnic group. Mr. Dinh Hieu has also made many improvements to make the houses suitable for tourists seeking a relaxing stay.
The homestay is built in the style of the stilt houses of the Chơ Ro ethnic group.
Beneath the stilt house is a common area for guests, with hammocks strung under the cool shade of trees. Tea tables are set up there, providing a relaxing space for everyone. In the kitchen, instead of using a gas stove, firewood is used to light the fire in cast-iron pots.
Hammocks are hung beneath the stilt houses – a relaxing spot for all visitors.
Ba Dat Eco is considered a place where visitors can return to their childhood, experiencing a rustic and simple atmosphere with wood-fired stoves, cast-iron pots, and more.
What sets Ba Dat Eco homestay apart from other accommodations is its seasonal cuisine. This means meals are prepared according to the season and market availability, with no fixed menu. The ingredients used to prepare meals are also grown daily by Ba Dat in her own garden, along with fresh, locally sourced produce.
Seasonal meals, featuring local ingredients.
All guests will sit together at the same table for a meal at a pre-arranged time. The meal will be held outdoors to be closer to nature. Everyone will enjoy traditional rural dishes together, chat, share stories, and connect with each other.
“The space at Ba Dat Eco is different from hotels or resorts because there is no privacy at all. Here, you will eat together, live together at the same time, walk barefoot on the floor… all to connect with each other. After waking up at night, everyone will share stories about their meals or sleep, stories that evoke childhood memories… All of this creates a common connection between people,” shared Mr. Dinh Hieu.
At Ba Dat Eco homestay, all guests sit together at the same table for meals according to a set schedule.
Ba Dat Eco doesn't have air conditioning; it only uses fans and cold water. Visitors who need hot water can pick herbs, pomelo, lemon, and lemongrass themselves in the garden and boil them using traditional rural utensils over a wood-fired stove.
Tourists participate in the Inside Your Outside therapy session.
Watching the sunset from the embankment.
Visitors to Ba Dat Eco not only find accommodation but also get to participate in and experience many exciting activities: walking barefoot on volcanic stone pavements to improve blood circulation, promote therapeutic benefits, and improve sleep; watching the sunrise or sunset from the dike; cycling to explore the surrounding villages and experience the local life; paddleboarding on Tri An Lake; trekking; and organizing team-building activities...
Ba Dat - a name inspired by her mother.
Ba Dat Eco, built in 2012, was inspired by the mother of Mr. Hieu, the homeowner – a simple, down-to-earth woman from Northern Vietnam who loves gardening and takes care of every corner of the house from morning till night, even though she is 75 years old this year. Her husband likened her temperament to the earth, hence the name "Ba Dat" (Mrs. Earth).
Ba Dat Eco takes its name from the homeowner, a simple woman from Northern Vietnam, and "Ba Dat" is also the mother of Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hieu.
All tasks, from planting vegetables and raising livestock to cleaning and cooking meals to entertain and share with guests like family, are handled skillfully by Mrs. Dat. At her homestay, which welcomes both Vietnamese and Western guests, Mrs. Dat greets visitors with warmth and friendliness, making them want to return again and again.
The surrounding area at Ba Dat Eco homestay
According to Mr. Dinh Hieu: “Visiting Ba Dat allows you to be in a space connected with nature and rediscover childhood memories, which is a kind of experience. The floor is paved with red fired bricks, so visitors can walk barefoot, which is very good for health and something rarely encountered in the city. Connecting with nature and restoring your senses through the trees is also a way to bring positive energy. The value of Ba Dat doesn't lie in material things but in other values, which only those with discerning eyes or sufficient observation can recognize.”
Bamboo, reeds, and wood are the main materials used to build the house, so they always evoke a sense of familiarity.
Far removed from the modern, convenient life of the city, Ba Dat Eco offers a simple, rustic lifestyle, yet fosters stronger human connections and creates an emotionally rich space where visitors can easily engage their senses.
Stepping foot in Ba Dat, all the hustle and bustle of life, the daily pressures, seem to vanish, replaced by the scent of home.
Ba Dat Eco homestay is not only a destination for families to gather around a cast-iron pot and wood-fired stove, walk barefoot on terracotta tile floors, and enjoy a vegetable garden and fish pond… but also a place to welcome you back home amidst the hustle and bustle of life or a destination for balance in body, mind, and spirit.
"Experience, travel widely, and be yourself. Everyone has a mission and meaning in life, so be confident in experiencing and exploring your potential," said Nguyen Dinh Hieu.
