Nestled in a remote countryside in Giong Trom district, about 19 kilometers east of Ben Tre city, Maison du Pays de Ben Tre has brought the homestay concept back to its origins when local houses became places for tourists to stay and the host would be the one to directly welcome visitors.
This is also a special point of Maison du Pays de Ben Tre when the work from consulting, customer care, room preparation, menu planning, quotation, surveying tourist attractions, becoming a tour guide on local exploration trips to cleaning all come from the hands of the owner - Mr. Quach Duy Thinh (born in 1992). With more than 10 years of experience in the tourism industry from the position of employee to deputy director of a resort, Duy Thinh has brought a new breath to homestay tourism by combining high-class experiences with the garden culture of the coconut land.
Maison du Pays de Ben Tre has brought the concept of homestay back to its origins when local homes became places for tourists to stay and the homeowner would be the one to directly welcome visitors.
Turn the last support into a dream
In early 2020, when the Covid-19 epidemic worsened, many businesses in the tourism service industry began to cut staff. As the deputy director of a resort in Ben Tre, Duy Thinh had to quit his job to reduce the burden on the company after many years of working there. Confiding in Travellive, Duy Thinh recalled the feelings he experienced when he lost his job: "Everything was so uncertain and vague. I never thought I would be unemployed because my love for traveling was so great. The habit of meeting and taking care of guests from all over the world and all over the country suddenly disappeared, I was very sad"
He started working at English centers and soft skills classes, but the harder he worked, the more he realized that he was born to work in tourism. Looking back at the house he was living in, Thinh saw this place as his last support, he decided to renovate the bungalow to welcome guests to eat, stay, experience and participate in the traditional daily life of the simple but rich land of Ben Tre.
Mr. Duy Thinh (1992) has turned his level 4 house into homestay Maison du Pays de Ben Tre
To be able to carry out the project, Duy Thinh borrowed money from friends everywhere, and there were still people who were hesitant because they were afraid that the homestay would have no guests. But with the experience accumulated over the past 10 years, Duy Thinh knew he needed to be ahead of the tourism trend when Vietnam reopened. "At that time, I noticed that the travel trends of tourists had changed a lot in the pandemic situation. The pandemic made people feel like they wanted to be pampered more, return to the countryside, away from the hustle and bustle of the city to renew their energy, and immerse themselves in nature," Duy Thinh shared.
And 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, Maison is a house, Du Pays is a very rural word, typical of the region and very garden. And that name, when translated, still carries the breath of space, memories, stories and typical cuisine of a rural countryside. Maison du Pays de Ben Tre is the name that encompasses the romance, sophistication and passion of this small house. He hopes that when people hear this name, they will feel the urge to visit a homestay with a French name and a design imbued with the nostalgia of the old Indochina region.
Maison du Pays de Ben Tre is the name that encompasses the romance, sophistication and passion of this small house.
Professional service style inside a small house in the garden
A garden homestay, but from the decor style to the most detailed interior with cups, bowls, chopsticks,... are all carefully crafted and cherished. Maison du Pays de Ben Tre has brought a thoughtful and professional service style but still does not lose the most authentic space of a local.
Maison du Pays de Ben Tre has brought attentive and professional service but still does not lose the most authentic space of a local people.
When coming to Maison du Pays de Ben Tre, visitors will not only experience a place to stay. Here, you can book private lessons to make local cakes or cook delicious and flavorful meals with Thinh's grandmother like a Westerner. In addition to the hands-on experiences, Maison du Pays de Ben Tre will treat visitors to dishes rich in local flavors with the rich products of the countryside that the local people here always love.
"Salad made from free-range eggs. Bread served with coconut nectar. Sometimes it's a bunch of fresh silver shrimps fried with garlic, vegetables picked from the garden or star fruit jam, tofu from the country market that are associated with many people's childhood. Things that have been forgotten for a long time now return to the simple porch, making the hearts of tourists feel indescribably nostalgic...", Ms. Thuy Hang, a tourist shared about her culinary experience here.
The dishes are always carefully prepared by Duy Thinh and his grandmother to retain the original flavor of Western cuisine.
Ms. Thuy Hang had a fun and emotional journey when visiting this place.
Journey to bring tourism back to the village
The most special are the local cultural experience programs - the specialty of Maison du Pays de Ben Tre. Every day Duy Thinh will ride bicycles with tourists on the coconut roads. Sometimes just observing fishermen fishing on the local rivers. And if tourists love to experience it themselves, Duy Thinh will visit craft villages such as weaving coconut baskets, brooms, and handicrafts.
"My guests and I always travel by bicycle to live slower and protect the environment. Trips to Uncle Chin Cuong's house to pick cacao. Rowing a boat at Miss Dep's house. Checking in on Bun Quang Thang bridge to watch the sunset. Visiting the pilgrimage center of Our Lady of Rome. Visiting Mr. Tam Thu's wooden house and being invited to drink sweet fresh coconut until we were full."
Local cultural experience programs - specialties of Maison du Pays de Ben Tre
To get the support of the people, the households linking together to form a chain of tourism activities like today is a process full of patience because rural tourism is still new to the people when their lives are not disturbed by new things. But now, going to every small village, everywhere people talk about homestay tourism. That is now the story of morning tea, noon and afternoon in the garden land.
Thanks to Thinh, wherever we go in small villages, people talk about homestay tourism.
Find a resting place for the soul
After nearly two years of operation, Maison du Pays de Ben Tre has welcomed many domestic and foreign tourists. And many special tourists have come here to heal their spiritual wounds.
"They opened their hearts and told me like they would a relative about their loss, separation or joy that is hard to tell anyone." There are countless memorable stories about the guests who have visited here, Duy Thinh also told Travellive about one of his special guests.
"There are guests who come here at midnight, she is a teacher at a university in Ho Chi Minh City. She comes to the homestay just to read books, eat delicious food, and lie down to listen to the clouds and sky sing, not to go anywhere. Yet she stays for several days in a row to regain her full energy and start returning to Ho Chi Minh City for the stressful work cycle."
Maison du Pays de Ben Tre welcomes many tourists from within and outside the country. And there are many special tourists who have come here to heal their spiritual wounds.
The Covid-19 pandemic took away the efforts that Duy Thinh had fostered and built over the years. But looking at Maison du Pays de Ben Tre about to enter its third year of operation, looking at the visitors who came to experience it, they were moved by this place, and then introduced it to their friends and relatives. Thinh told us: "If it weren't for the Covid pandemic, when would I dare to step out of my comfort zone and start the journey that I have cherished since I was a student?"
