From Ao Ba Ba to tourism brand: Preserving the soul of the garden, spreading community tourism

In the middle of the green An Binh island of Vinh Long province, there is a moss-covered tiled house, rustic wooden cupboards, and a red-hot wood stove. It is not only a place to preserve memories of the South, but also a destination for thousands of domestic and foreign tourists.

Simple female CEO in traditional Ao Ba Ba - Photo: NVCC

The person behind this space is Ms. Pham Thi Ngoc Trinh, often called Ut Trinh.

After more than 20 years working in tourism , she chose to return to the countryside, wearing a simple Ao Ba Ba, starting a business with a few small boats and then building a tourism brand. And more importantly, she has turned her love for her homeland into a connecting thread for the community, contributing to preserving the identity of the Mekong Delta.

International tour guide becomes CEO of Ao Ba Ba

Originally from Ben Tre (old), and having worked as an international tour guide, in 2005 Ut Trinh and her husband decided to open Mekong Travel Company, initially with only 5 passenger ships (now there are 39 passenger ships).

Four years later, she opened the first homestay right on An Binh island. Then, there were Ut Binh and Ut Quynh Homestay, all of which maintained the traditional garden style.

The special feature of Ut Trinh Homestay is the vivid recreation of ancient Southern life such as the solemn ancestral altar, the always red-hot wood stove, and the three-room moss-tiled house.

In a 2-hectare campus, the lush green fruit garden nestles beside a poetic river. Visitors coming here not only rest, but also "live like a local", eating, living, working and playing together.

Instead of spending time on the phone, visitors leisurely cycle around the village, row boats on the canals, catch snakehead fish in the ditches, make jackfruit leaf cakes, banh bong banh, or fry mussel pancakes. In the evening, the whole garden is lit up by the light of coconut leaf torches, the sound of traditional music resonates, or they go to the village communal house to listen to traditional opera.

According to Ut Trinh, her goal is not only to introduce culture, but also to bring the feeling of "coming home". Initially, the homestay mainly welcomed international guests, but it is this familiarity that has attracted more Vietnamese guests, especially those who want to rediscover their childhood memories.

In the midst of modern life, Ut Trinh's story reminds us that tourism development is not just about building resorts or large hotels, but also about preserving each moss-covered tiled roof, each traditional folk song, each hometown fire. And it is from this simplicity that the soul of the Southern countryside can be passed on to the future.

Ms. Tran Huynh Nhi (teacher at Hoa Ninh High School, who founded the "garden library" with Ut Trinh)

Spreading community values, supporting local women

For nearly 20 years, what makes people mention Ut Trinh is not only a successful female CEO but also a person who spreads community values. In 2018, Ut Trinh Homestay won the ASEAN Standard award - standard for tourist accommodation.

“Community value is the most important factor. It helps retain international guests and also creates vitality for the homestay,” she said.

The company and homestay operations provide stable jobs for about 10 full-time employees and more than 100 seasonal workers, most of whom are local women. Many women who have had difficulty in marriage and lack of stable jobs have found income and confidence here.

"We are trained in speech, communication style, and appearance. Working here makes me feel more valuable," said Ms. Chin, a female employee.

Connecting tourism with preserving pottery craft, keeping the soul of the countryside

Not stopping there, Ut Trinh also cooperated with local gardeners to organize tours to help sell fruits. She, along with tourists and donors, contributed to building roads, repairing schools, and donating more than 125 charity houses.

In recent years, she has also opened a "garden library" right in her house, so that island students can freely come and read books, borrow books and have the opportunity to chat with foreign guests to practice their English.

Ut Trinh's love for her homeland is also closely linked to the heritage of Vinh Long brick and ceramics. When many hundred-year-old brick kilns in Mang Thit were demolished, she designed the "Red Kingdom" tour for tourists to visit and experience, thereby creating a source of income to help kiln owners maintain their profession. "If we don't do this, tomorrow the brick kilns will disappear. For me, preserving the traditional profession is also preserving the soul of the homeland," she said.

Introducing hometown culture through the Ao Ba Ba

Dressed simply in a traditional Vietnamese dress, Ut Trinh is affectionately called "CEO of the traditional Vietnamese dress". Even when attending conferences and startup events, she still wears traditional clothes, as a way to affirm: "That is the culture of my homeland. And simply, I find it beautiful".

Her love for culture permeates every detail of her construction, such as houses made from local handmade bricks, rustic Southern dishes, and traditional music under oil lamps. Before leaving the homestay, guests are often invited to sing a song about their homeland in their own language. "Every culture is worth respecting, we want guests to feel that," Ut Trinh shared.

In An Binh, people still call her by the simple name "Ut Trinh of the garden". But her journey goes beyond the scope of a homestay. It is a journey to preserve identity, spread community values ​​and empower local women. "I want to contribute to the socio-economic development of the province, while keeping traditional culture alive", Ms. Trinh expressed.

LUU DINH LONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tu-chiec-ao-ba-ba-den-thuong-hieu-du-lich-giu-hon-miet-vuon-lan-toa-du-lich-cong-dong-20250913110021381.htm