Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House is the largest ancient house still remaining intact in the Mekong Delta even after decades. What draws many visitors to the ancient house is its magnificent architecture which was formed from Occidental and Oriental qualities. Excitingly, the house retains marks of beautiful memories of the love between Mr. Huỳnh Thủy Lê and a French lady. This love afterward was written in a novel, named “The Lover” and adapted for film.
Where is Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House?
Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House is also called Huỳnh Phủ Ancient House, located at 255A Nguyễn Huệ Street, Ward 4, Sa Đéc City, Đồng Tháp Province. If you travel from Ho Chi Minh City, you will take National Route 1A to Sa Đéc City. Afterwards, take a taxi or motorbike to Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House.
How to get to Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House?
There are two main ways to get to Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House: by coach/bus or by bike.
How to get to Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House by coach/bus
From Miền Tây Bus Station, you catch a coach or bus to Đồng Tháp Province. It takes about 3 hours to reach the destination. Upon arrival in Đồng Tháp Province, you will take taxi or motorcycle taxi to Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House.
The bus/coach fare from Ho Chi Minh City to Đồng Tháp Province is about VND 150,000 – VND 200,000. The reliable bus/coach lines are comprised of Phương Trang, Mai Long, Công Danh, Quốc Hoàng.
How to get to Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House by bike
If you choose to go by bike, here is the detail route: the downtown center of Ho Chi Minh City – Bình Chánh District – the intersection of Bình Thuận – turn to National Route 1A – Bến Lức (Long An Province) – Tân An Bridge – Tân An City – Tiền Giang Province – Mỹ Tho City – National Route 30 – Cao Lãnh City – Sa Đéc City – Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House.
It’s strongly recommended that going by bus/coach is easier and more convenient than by bike. If you don’t have much time and find yourself easily lost in a new place, going by bike is not a good choice, not by any means.
Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House
- Entrance fee: VND20,000/ticket (including an English-speaking guide, tea, and candied ginger)
- One breakfast or one dinner: VND100,000/pax
- An overnight stay: VND500,000 – VND1,000,000/night (including one breakfast and one lunch)
The history of Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House
Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House was constructed by Mr. Huỳnh Cẩm Thuận in 1895. He was a celebrated Chinese merchant in contemporary Sa Đéc. In 1975, he arranged to refurbish the whole house so that it became a fusion of Chinese and Western styles. In 2008, it was recognized as a provincial relic site of Đồng Tháp. Since 2009, it has become a national relic site.
Architecture of Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House
Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House is more than 250 m2 and divided into three compartments, which is known as a distinctive quality of houses in the contemporary Mekong Delta. Surrounding the house is a lush garden, making the house look cool and cozy. In the past the main materials used to construct the house were precious wood and ceramic tiles imported from China. The roof was covered by double charge tiles and outstanding by two arched ends.
Many years later, the owner refurbished the whole house. Since then, the architecture has been a perfect combination of Chinese and Western styles. The details outside bear marks of Roman architecture, but pillars, patterns, carvings and furnishings inside follow Chinese culture. Traditional features of Vietnam are represented by three compartments inside the house.Those things boast of the owner’s wealth in contemporary time.
The love at Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House
The love story
The love between the son of the Huynh family – Huỳnh Thủy Lê and a French novelist -Marguerite Duras. They met first at Mỹ Thuận Ferry by chance, and later they started dating. However, their love wasn’t approved by the Huynh family. The family forced them to separate from each other. Afterwards, Mr. Huỳnh Thủy Lê got married to a Chinese lady as an arranged marriage, and Ms. Duras returned to her country. Eventually, the beautiful love couldn’t win the stereotypes of the feudal society.
Many years later, Mr. Huỳnh Thủy Lê took a chance to meet the novelist again in the trip to Paris, he told her that he had never forgot her and would have loved her till dead. It’s possible to say that Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House witnessed the love between them and retained the best things about their love as well. That’s why Ms. Duras always remembered about that love and used it as a valuable material to write “The Lover” in 1984, which has become famous since then. The novel received Goncourt Award – a leading literature award in France. It was also translated into 43 different languages.
Film adaptation of “The Lover”
The Lover starred contemporary celebrated actors and actresses. The filming began in 1986, wrapped production in 1990, and officially published in 1992. Although the film was revolving around the romantic story of Mr. Huỳnh Thủy Lê and Ms. Duras at Huỳnh Thủy Lê House, but the film setting was placed at Bình Thủy Ancient House. It’s because Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House by that time was the head office of the Economic Police Department in Sa Đéc District. The authority didn’t approve the office becoming the film setting. After the film had been published, it received excellent reviews from viewers and critics, and then won big international awards.
Special notes:
- You shouldn’t go to Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House during the peak season or special occasions of Vietnam because it’s too crowded.
- Don’t touch, hit, or damage objects inside the house. Don’t draw graffiti on walls or any place of the house.
- Keep quiet while sightseeing around.
- Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient is in Sa Đéc City, Đồng Tháp Province, so after leaving Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House, you should plan to explore other exciting places nearby, such as Sa Đéc Flower Village, Lai Vung tangerine plantation, Định Yên Mat Village, Date Plantation, Gò Tháp Relic Site, Gáo Giồng Ecotourism Destination, Sa Đéc Park, Nguyễn Sinh Sắc Relic Site, Xẻo Quýt Relic Site, and Lotus Leaf Pagoda.
Some places to visit nearby
Sa Đéc Flower Village
After a sightseeing tour of Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House, one of the places you should visit next is Sa Đéc Flower Village, where farmers grow plenty of flower species, forming a phenomenal perspective like in a wonderland. The most fascinating activity is that you will be taken to see that perspective by boat as the flowers are cultivated in frames above water. Locals row the boat along flower beds for your sightseeing.
Xẻo Quýt Relic Site
Another must-visit destination nearby is Xẻo Quýt Relic Site. In the old days, the site was chosen to become a military base because it was a wild swamp of reeds and a complicated network of canals. Nowadays, it has become a tourist attraction which is quite common among domestic and international travelers. You can find yourself lost in magnificent natural landscapes, great canopies, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna species while being rowed by boat along waterways full of duckweed.
Tháp Mười Lotus Farm
Lotus is known as a national flower of Vietnam, so it means a lot to Vietnamese people. Therefore, after an excursion of Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House, you should drop by Tháp Mười Lotus Farm to admire the splendid scenery of lotus ponds and know more about the meaning of this kind of flower.
Tràm Chim National Park
Tràm Chim National Park is also another choice of your journey to explore the Mekong Delta, followed by Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House. The park is the habitat of countless birds and storks. It’s great to witness flocks of storks flying to hunt for their prey, lying back, nesting on trees and walking on duckweed. You can chill out on a boat and enjoy birdsong while soaking up cool breezes from the wildlife.
The architecture of Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House and a love story associated with it is a curious thing about the house and draw a lot of people to visit every year. It’s possible to state that this structure is one of the remarkable factors forming a rewarding Mekong Delta tour. The house witnessed historical events and a romantic story in the old days as well as retained beautiful memories of characters inside it. If you are a big fan of romantic novels and also love histories, it’s sure that Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House must be the first part of your trip to the delta. Hope information about the house and travel destinations nearby, written here will help you plan a perfect trip to Vietnam, full of valuable experiences.
