In the Mekong Delta there are many old homes for tourists to visit but there is none quite like Tien Giang Province’s Ba Kiet Old House.

External view of Ba Kiet Old House

An ancient oil lamp in Ba Kiet Old House

Cai Be District is known for its winding canals, orchards and a floating market where tourists can buy local specialties from dried foods to fruit and seafood.

But that is merely scratching the surface as the real treasure is located in an orchard on an area of 1.8 hectares in Phu Hoa Hamlet, Dong Hoa Hiep Commune.

Ba Kiet Old House was built in 1924 and is a popular model for traditional houses in the South in Can Tho, Vinh Long or Tien Giang.

It has five areas and more than 100 wooden pillars and the house is in great condition thanks to a renovation in 1998 at a cost of VND1.8 billion (USD87,378) by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

It is famous for its meticulously-detailed and elegant carvings on the walls, pillars, doors and gate. There are also finely preserved antiques such as a set of settees, oil lamps and a balcony carved with patterns presenting landscapes and flowers of the four seasons.

Tran Van Binh inherited the house and it has been developed as tourist site for visitors to the province.