From a small house in the countryside to a haven for those seeking peace.

Nestled in a remote rural area of ​​Giồng Trôm district, about 19 kilometers east of Bến Tre city, Maison du Pays de Bến Tre brings the concept of homestay back to its origins, where local homes become accommodation for tourists and the host family directly welcomes visitors.

This is also what makes Maison du Pays de Ben Tre special: all tasks, from advising and caring for guests, preparing rooms, creating menus, quoting prices, surveying attractions, acting as a tour guide on local exploration trips, to cleaning, are handled by the owner himself - Mr. Quach Duy Thinh (born in 1992). With over 10 years of experience in the tourism industry, from being an employee to the deputy director of a resort, Duy Thinh has brought a new breath of life to homestay tourism by combining high-end experiences with the rustic culture of the coconut-growing region.

Turn your last remaining support into a dream.

In early 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic worsened, many businesses in the tourism industry began cutting staff. As the deputy director of a resort in Ben Tre, Duy Thinh had to resign to ease the burden on the company after many years of dedication. Speaking to Travellive, Duy Thinh recalled his feelings upon losing his job: "Everything felt so uncertain and vague. I never imagined being unemployed because my love for travel is immense. The habit of meeting and caring for guests from all over the world and the country suddenly disappeared, and I was very sad."

He started working at English language centers and soft skills training classes, but the harder he worked, the more he realized he was born to work in tourism. Looking back at his house, Thinh saw it as his last refuge, so he decided to renovate the small house to welcome guests to eat, sleep, experience, and participate in the traditional daily life of the simple yet prosperous land of Ben Tre.

To make the project a reality, Duy Thinh borrowed money from friends everywhere, although some were still hesitant, fearing that the homestay wouldn't have guests. But with over 10 years of accumulated experience, Duy Thinh knew he needed to anticipate tourism trends when Vietnam reopened. "At that time, I noticed that tourists' travel trends had changed significantly during the pandemic. The pandemic made people want to be pampered more, to return to rural areas, away from the hustle and bustle of the city to recharge their energy and reconnect with nature," Duy Thinh shared.

And so, the homestay named Maison du Pays de Ben Tre was born. When asked by Travellive about the meaning of this special French name, Thinh shared that "Maison" means house, and "Du Pays" is a very rustic, characteristic word from the region and very much from the countryside. The name, when translated, still carries the essence of the space, memories, stories, and even the distinctive cuisine of a rural village. "Maison du Pays de Ben Tre" is a name that embodies the romance, sophistication, and warmth of this little house. He hopes that when people hear this name, they will feel compelled to visit a homestay with a French name and a design that evokes the nostalgia of old Indochina.

Professional service style inside a small house in the countryside.

Although it's a homestay in the countryside, everything from the decor to the smallest details of the furnishings—cups, plates, chopsticks, etc.—is meticulously crafted and cherished. Maison du Pays de Bến Tre offers attentive and professional service while maintaining the authentic atmosphere of a local's home.

At Maison du Pays de Ben Tre, guests experience more than just accommodation. Here, you can book private classes to learn how to make traditional local cakes or cook delicious and flavorful meals with Thinh's grandmother, just like a true local. Beyond these hands-on experiences, Maison du Pays de Ben Tre treats guests to rich, authentic local dishes made with the abundant produce of the region, a taste cherished by the local people.

"The salad is made with free-range chicken eggs. The bread is served with coconut nectar. It could be a bunch of fresh shrimp stir-fried with garlic, vegetables and fruits picked from the garden, or gooseberry jam and tofu from the local market that are linked to many people's childhoods. Things that have been forgotten for so long now return simply to the doorstep, evoking an indescribable feeling of nostalgia in the hearts of tourists...", Thuy Hang, a tourist, shared about her culinary experience here.

The journey to bring tourism back to rural areas.

Most notably, Maison du Pays de Ben Tre offers local cultural experiences – a specialty of the area. Each day, Duy Thinh will take guests cycling along the coconut-growing roads. Sometimes, it's simply observing fishermen at work on the local rivers. And if guests enjoy hands-on experiences, Duy Thinh will take them to visit traditional craft villages such as coconut fiber basket weaving, broom making, and other handicraft workshops.

"My guests and I always travel by bicycle to live at a slower pace and protect the environment. We visit Uncle Chín Cường's house to pick cocoa beans. We take a rowboat ride at Aunt Đẹp's house. We check in at the Bún Quảng Thăng bridge to watch the sunset. We visit the Our Lady of Rome pilgrimage center. We visit Uncle Tám Thư's wooden house and he treated us to a refreshing, sweet coconut drink until we were full."

Gaining the support of the local people, the households that have formed the tourism chain today have undergone a long and patient process, because rural tourism is still new to the people, as their lives haven't been disrupted by something new. But now, wherever you go in the small villages and hamlets, people are talking about homestay tourism. It's now the topic of conversation during morning and afternoon tea breaks in the countryside.

Find a resting place for your soul.

After nearly two years in operation, Maison du Pays de Bến Tre has welcomed many tourists from both within and outside the country. And many special guests have come here to heal their emotional wounds.

"They opened up to me and talked to me like family about losses, separations, or joys that they would find difficult to share with anyone else." There are countless memorable stories about guests who have visited here, and Duy Thinh also told Travellive about one of his special guests.

"There are guests who arrive here in the middle of the night; one of them is a teacher from a university in Ho Chi Minh City. She comes to the homestay just to read, eat delicious food, and lie down to listen to the clouds singing, not to go anywhere else. Yet she stays for several days straight so that her soul can regain its energy before returning to Ho Chi Minh City for the stressful work schedule."

The Covid-19 pandemic swept away the efforts Duy Thinh had built and nurtured over the years. But seeing Maison du Pays de Ben Tre about to enter its third year of operation, seeing the visitors who come to experience it, are moved by the place, and then recommend it to their friends and relatives, Thinh told us: "If it weren't for the recent Covid-19 pandemic, when would I have dared to step out of my comfort zone and start the journey I've dreamed of since I was a student?"

Yen Nhi