The house of the Huynh Thuy Le’s family is situated at 255A, Nguyen Hue Street, Ward 2, Sa Dec City, Dong Thap Province. People desire to visit this ancient house not only because it not only has the unique architecture – a harmonious mix of Oriental and Occidental styles, but it’s also famous for a story revolving around its owner. This story was named the Lover, written by Marguerite Duras, French author, and it was, in fact, a love story of Duras and Huynh Thuy Le, the son of a rich Chinese family in Sa Dec in the early 20 century.
How to get to Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House
Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House is situated in Dong Thap Province. Hence, what you must do first is to search for the direction to Dong Thap. Don’t worry about that as there is more than one bus line offering routes to this province. When you stay in Ho Chi Minh City – the most hustling metropolis of Vietnam, everything seems easier. Catching a bus to the city center of Dong Thap is by no means a problem. You can take a look at the Mien Tay bus station, highly recommended as below:
- Hiep Thinh Bus Line
Departure: Mien Tay Bus Station – 395 Kinh Duong Vuong Street, An Lac Ward, Binh Tan District
Arrival: 201 Nguyen Sinh Sac Street, Sa Dec City
- Dong Phat Bus Line
Departure: Mien Tay Bus Station – 395 Kinh Duong Vuong Street, An Lac Ward, Binh Tan District
Arrival: 32 Street 8, District 6, Cao Lanh City
- Hoang Minh Bus Line
Departure: Mien Tay Bus Station – 395 Kinh Duong Vuong Street, An Lac Ward, Binh Tan District
Arrival: Sa Dec Bus Station
- Hue Nghia Bus Line
Departure: No.4 Tong Van Tran Street, Ward 5, District 5
Arrival: Cao Lanh City
- Futa Bus Line
Departure: Mien Tay Bus Station – 395 Kinh Duong Vuong Street, An Lac Ward, Binh Tan District
Arrival: Sa Dec Bus Station
As for the bus fare, it’s quite cheap to take a bus to Dong Thap Province, it just costs you about VND 90,000 – VND 160,000, subject to the service quality. If you are staying in some accommodation in the city center of Dong Thap, just hire a motorbike or ask the staff there for directions to Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House. It’s not hard to find out the house as it’s right in the heart of downtown Sa Dec.
Another choice to get to Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House is by tour. It’s considered as the best and most convenient way to reach the destination. Additionally, a tour to explore the Mekong Delta not only entitles you to know about the architecture and history of the ancient house, but also takes you to uncover other charms of the area as well as more new and exciting things there. Currently, many travel agents and tour operators in Ho Chi Minh City offer such a tour. If you prefer something more convenient and saving-time, it’s better to pick one from them.
The house’s history
The house used to be the resident of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le – the first lover of Ms. Marguerite Duras. This love story was later considered as the inspiration for Ms. Duras to create the Lover in 1984, which has become a masterpiece nowadays. In 1992, Jean-Jaques Annaud, French director adapted this novel for the movie of L’Amant.
The house was built in 1895 by the decision of Mr. Huynh Cam Thuan – the father of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le. He was once one of the richest Chinese businessmen in Sa Dec, so the house’s location was by that time among the most hustling area in proximity to the Sa Dec river.
At the beginning of building the house, it was a three-compartment house with the area of 258 square meters and exactly a traditional style of the Mekong Delta. The materials were almost from priceless wood and the roof was in the shape of a boat with ying-yang tiles.
In 1917, the house was refurbished and looked like a French villa as bricks were used to cover wood structures.
Unique architecture of Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House
Here is the perfect mix of Occidental and Oriental architectural styles. The house was built on the site 258 square meters and in a traditional shape of the Mekong Delta. As mentioned above, the roof is in the shape of a boat with ying-yang tiles, making it more elaborate. With three compartments, inside the house looks neat and spacious. There is a board with some finely written words; it’s known that those words mean the endless happiness. Also, exquisite carvings in the images of birds, trees, and flowers inside the house represent the family’s prosperity.
One exciting thing about feng shui elements is that mascots of the family are Dragon, Unicorn, Bat, and Phoenix while the popular ones found in the Oriental culture are Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle and Phoenix.
The Occidental architecture is best described in the house’s ceiling, windows, and doors. Those things are decorated with friezes dating back to the Renaissance. It’s possible to say that carvings are indeed delicate and represent the craftsmen’s cleverness. Interestingly, plenty of materials were imported from France in 1917.
The area of the house is not too large, but it always looks spacious. The first compartment is for welcoming guests and ancestor worship. The next compartment is for bed rooms located at two sides; forming a corridor leading to the last compartment. The furniture was also elaborately carved and old items have remained well until now.
The house underwent a lot of changes and witness many ups and downs of the history, but it still keeps itself one of the structures with unique architecture of the Mekong Delta nowadays.
Sad love story entwined with the house’s owner
The Huynh Thuy Le ancient house has been more and more famed since Jean – Jacques Annaud, French director adapted the Lover for the film. Many scenes of the film touched the audiences’ hearts. Ms. Duras, the author of the Lover was exactly the lover of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le in the film. They bumped into each other on the My Thuan ferry in 1929 when Duras was about 16 years-old. They had an affair with each other, but his father didn’t agree. Eventually, they were forced to separate and just kept all beautiful memories in their heart. This love was considered as an inspiration for Ms. Duras to create the masterpiece of the Lover, as we know nowadays.
Extra information about Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House
Entrance fee: VND 20,000, including an English-speaking guide – or a French-speaking guide, or a Vietnamese-speaking guide, tea and ginger jam.
Lunch or dinner: VND100,000/guest
An overnight stay: VND500,000 – 1,000,000/night – included breakfast and lunch; there are two rooms for two people.
Address: 255A Nguyen Hue Street, Ward 2, Sa Dec Town, Dong Thap Province
Opening hours: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
