Talking about Bac Lieu, people not only mention Cao Van Lau and the art of Don Ca Tai Tu, but also many anecdotes about Ba Huy (Bac Lieu Prince), famous for a while. Traveling to Bac Lieu, it will be remiss if you do not take the time to visit the Cong Tu Bac Lieu house to admire first-hand the superficial architecture of the largest house in the ancient Mekong region.
By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Bac Lieu Visitor Guide
1. Better to Know as a Tourist
Ticket: 30,000 VND (adult), 10,000 VND (child)
Spend-time: One and a half hour (approx)
Hours: Dawn – dusk
Food: Yes
Shop: Yes
Parking lot: Yes
Blog: https://vemekong.com/cong-tu-bac-lieu-house/
Address: Located at 13 Dien Bien Phu, Ward 3, Bac Lieu City, next to Bac Lieu River.
Added values: The house has luxurious Western architecture, built from 1917 to 1919 when it was completed. The house had the most superficial architecture in the Mekong Delta province at that time, so the people here called it the name “big house”.
Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Cong Tu Bac Lieu House? Ghositaram pagoda (5 km), Xiem Can Pagoda (14 km), Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary (6 km), Bac Lieu Salt Farm (47 km), Tac Say Church (38 km), Bac Lieu market (3 minutes)…
2. Travel Guide to Cong Tu Bac Lieu House
The mansion was built by Mr. Tran Trinh Trach, the Council of Trach, the father of Prince Bac Lieu when he was 19 years old. Mr. Tran Trinh Trach is the owner of 74 fields of land, with 110,000 hectares of rice land and nearly 100,000 hectares of salt fields. At that time, the whole province of Bac Lieu at that time had 13 plots of salt fields, 11 of which were his. Mr. Trach has 7 children, 4 girls and 3 boys. Out of 3 sons, Tran Trinh Huy is notoriously known for his love of girls. It is known that the total amount of assets that Bac Lieu’s son inherited and “spent” on luxury entertainment is estimated at over 5 tons of gold.
The villa was designed by a French engineer, most of the building materials were brought from Paris. Many details, materials, and furniture in the house are imported from France, from the bolts, screws to construction details, all of which are stamped with the letter P indicating the origin.
According to these anecdotes, the Cong Tu Bac Lieu, a Vietnamese, owns the first plane in the country; first visit to the field by plane; the first organizer of a beauty contest (precursor to later beauty contests) in Cochinchina… Being a Bac Lieu person, owning a lot of land, the salt department (the land for making salt), and coal mining, so he is very rich. Typically, the story of the contest of burning money to cook tea with Bach Cong Tu or “Bac Lieu prince burning money to cook eggs to prove he was rich” went into the lyrics…
The Cong Tu Bac Lieu and his anecdotes have all become nostalgic and past. Today, the mansion, also known as the house of the Cong Tu Bac Lieu, has become a favorite destination of domestic and foreign tourists. And it is also the anecdotes about the play, the bohemian and lavish lifestyle of the Prince of Bac Lieu, which makes tourists from far away even more curious and curious to once see the public’s accommodation from Bac Lieu.
3. What to Do –See – Eat at Cong Tu Bac Lieu House
As soon as entering the house, visitors will be attracted by the meticulous and delicate design lines, exuding elegance and pomp. The yellow lights give off shimmering light, creating a cozy and elegant feeling. Each pillar of the house is decorated with many beautiful patterns.
The first floor (ground floor) of the mansion consists of 2 bedrooms, a living room and two large halls with a large staircase leading upstairs. Upstairs there are also 2 bedrooms and two large, airy halls that absorb sunlight and wind, making the mansion always airy and cool.
The stairs to the second floor are made of marble, divided into 3 segments, each with 9 steps symbolizing longevity and eternity. The wooden stairs leading to the terrace was formerly the place where Mr. Trach Council, the father of Bac Lieu’s son, used to dry money.
Up to now, the work is more than five years old, but the architectural and artistic values of Uncle Ba Huy’s mansion, not only are not “outdated” compared to the times, but on the contrary, become more precious and appreciated.
The kitchen part of the house was converted into a ticket counter for guests. The house also displays many objects associated with the anecdote of “Black Duke”. This car was bought by Mr. Tran Trinh Trach in 1930 in Saigon to pick up his son, Cong Tu Bac Lieu, from studying abroad in France.
Visiting the house of Bac Lieu’s son, you will now admire the remaining precious artifacts such as: 2 hot beds and cold beds, a set of sofas made from 1 solid wood panel, a set of “Tam Lan” turntables (round table made of stone, triangular kneeling legs carved with 3 unicorns), set of “Penguin Statue” (pictured with an armchair placed on an elephant’s back), stall “Tam Thanh” (3 walls) is Tran Trinh Khuong’s sleeping place , brother of the Cong Tu Bac Lieu), the bed of Mr and Mrs. Council of Trach, a bed for guests to smoke opium, a card table, a vase of flowers, etc. are all very valuable items.
Although there has been a lot of loss over time, what is left is enough to prove a pompous and regal life of the owner of the house.
Most of the objects in the Cong Tu Bac Lieu house are preserved intact. Many gadgets such as music players, desk phones even still work.
One place people stop the longest is the altar of Mr. Tran Trinh Huy and his first wife. It is said that no one can count how many wives he has, but the first wife is Mrs. Ngo Thi Den, who is well-married, the child of a wealthy patron in the area. The rest are his concubines, including a woman of French nationality.
4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong
As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From Bac Lieu city center:
Route 1:
Route 2:
Route 3:
If you do not have much time left, it is easy to check out spots in one full day by boat or with bike or with motorbike and car. But there are much more than tourist sites like these in Bac Lieu. Make sure you have more time to feel and explore more about the hidden gems and the culture, food, night life, wildlife and forest as well. Top tip: Stay in a homestay nearby, so you have more chances to visit it and surroundings. If you are looking for the package Bac Lieu daily tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
5. Google Maps of Cong Tu Bac Lieu House
Google Maps made a name for itself helping people travel from one place to another, avoid traffic (You probably know the route from your hotel to the gas station by heart, but what you can’t be sure about is gridlock), measure a distance, get back to the hotel on time, share the location…
6. Visit Cong Tu Bac Lieu House by yourself
Solo traveller? Travelling on your own means you will get out of any difficult situations by yourself. This, in turn, leads to more satisfying travel experiences and helps you improve your problem-solving skills. These days we rarely get the chance to sit with ourselves and simply be. That’s why you should consider the time you spend alone on your trip as a gift.
It is possible for solo travellers to use google maps and do it alone. But sometimes they need to update local maintained roads and bridges which close and lead you a longer road than the road from Google maps. It is just about the time. It takes more time to find the correct garden to come. Adventure is always fun. Wifi is strong in Bac Lieu village! The locals find it hard to speak English as well. Top tip: Sticking to one canal and keeping going along it which gives you more things to see and avoids getting lost. Contact vemekong.com to hire a car, scooter with English-speaking-guide or cycling tours in Bac Lieu.
7. Responsible Travel and Advice Cong Tu Bac Lieu House
Don’t get us wrong. But we assure you that you totally agree with us. “Do not give candy and things to the children when you plan to visit any local villages”, the kids will leave the school and follow the sweets and later they find some things to give you or sell to you. The garden is a little forest, don’t pick and touch the flowers or fruits without the local’s smiles. We deal with traveling green and leaving green behind, not plastic. Top tip: Vemekong.com are some of the companies that care a lot about responsible travel and local respectation.
8. Amazing Video flycam/drone of Cong Tu Bac Lieu House (4k)
If a picture says a thousand words, it stands to reason that the video says many times more.
9. Incredible Tips for Photography, Specialists, KOLs, Media and Influencers
To get the best of the best for your unique writing, featuring, photo, video and insider’s stories. We do recommend you to have a local travel expert, the one who always gets more ground information and makes sure every single element is solved perfectly. The Vemekong (very exclusive Mekong) team is your priority choice. Email and have a private talk with them to customize your journey smoothly, personal and the most ultimately amazing. You can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
10. Pro Tips
You can stay in a homestay which is near the riverside, this will help you out the best option. Then you can hire a scooter, car or bike and explore it by yourself and I hope you have an amazing Mekong Delta river sunrise.
If you plan to extend your travel to Bac Lieu homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.
Visit Bac Lieu or do any customized tours, please choose reputable providers with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys, jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours with the helmets and. Safety is a priority! Choose Bac Lieu responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.
Bac Lieu food & drink guide ranges from street food, authentic, fancy to fusion foods. As a tropical land of many fresh vegetables and homegrown gardens, which always make Bac Lieu cuisines fresh, close to nature and very traditional. If you are a food lover, don’t hesitate to put other bites onto your food lists such as Bun bo cay (Spicy beef noodle soup), Three-striped crab (Freshwater crab in Bac Lieu), Banh cu cai (White radish pies), Banh tam bi Bac Lieu (Bac Lieu thick noodles & creamy coconut milk), Pho Ngheu, Bon Bon Pickles
Bring your hat, sunglasses, and sunblock, scarf to wear when visiting temples, pagodas, and the cathedral.
Bring the raincoat if you’re planning a trip to Bac Lieu in the rainy season, as Bac Lieu always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.
Bac Lieu tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary, Bac Lieu Salt Farm, Buddha Temple Ba Nam Hai, Cong Tu Bac Lieu House, Ghositaram Pagoda in Bac Lieu, Bac Lieu Wind Farm, Ancient Longan Orchards, Vinh Hung Ancient Temple, Xiem Can Pagoda Bac Lieu, Cao Van Lau Theater (Conical Hat Non La Theater), Tac Say Church, Cao Van Lau Musician Memorial Site, Nha Mat amusement park, Bac Lieu Beach and mangrove forests, Phuoc Duc Ancient Temple and Dia Mau Cung (Ba Pagoda), Bac Lieu Market, Hung Vuong Square in Bac Lieu…
Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in Bac Lieu province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!
“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.
Thank you
