Old Colonial to reinvent itself as tourist site

A formerly decrepit French Colonial mansion in south central Khanh Hoa Province is under going restoration in the hopes of giving the province’s tourism industry a much needed shot in the arm.
The site, being renovated by the four-star Yasaka Saigon Nha Trang Resort Hotel & Spa, will be the main feature of an 18 square kilometer tourist area called: “Old House of Hai Thai Tourist Zone.”
Covering an area of 300 square meters in Dien Khanh District, the mansion was built to suit the opulent lifestyle of its Vietnamese landlord owner. Landlords were an affluent class in Vietnam until war broke out in the country shortly after World War II.
The project’s developer also plans to move another hundred-year-old home into the area to create a space reminiscent of Vietnam’s colonial past.
The attraction is due to open next month.
Converting old homes into tourism pieces is a growing trend here. A 114-year-old old house in Mekong Delta’s Dong Thap Province is among the most popular attractions there. The home was the backdrop of the French novel “The Lover.”
It draws in 500, mostly French, visitors a month.