Rejuvenate the spirit at Long Thuan Garden

Local nature lover and designer Sy Hoang invites visitors to come and recharge their batteries in his large traditional style garden in HCMC’s District 9.
The beautiful garden boasts ornamental trees, bonsai and grassy areas, where visitors can escape the sounds of traffic for a while.
The garden has a long narrow hall, where a lot of workshops and painting and design classes are held.
There is a lake called Chan Lac that has wooden chairs made of cart wheels scattered along the banks.
In the lake is a floating stage where artists hold folk art performances of the three regions - North, Central and South. Behind the stage is a Buddhist worship house where the artist and his mother pray and practice meditation.
A wooden house in the garden has displays of pottery and wooden artworks that the designer has collected for many years.
Sy Hoang took eight years to build the garden with an investment of VND40 billion. He also planted a mini rice field that can produce about 100 kilograms of rice a year.
The artist is collaborating with Hanh Huong Viet Travel Company in HCMC’s District 3 to hold one-day tours called “peaceful spirit” twice a month on Sundays. The tour departs from 6 a.m. and closes at 8:30 p.m. with many activities such as meditation practice, exchanging life experiences, releasing fish, hanging lanterns to pray, Buddhist worshipping and vegetarian meals.
Visitors can also enjoy fashion and traditional music shows.
“I hope that one day, children can sit under the trees to paint and businessmen can find peace for their soul in this garden, said Hoang.
He said he expects to develop areas to teach fashion design and cooking and wants it to be a venue for cultural exchange and ethnic performances.
This month, there are two tours on October 17 and 24 at VND695,000 per person.
For bookings, visit www.hanhhuongviet.vn or call (08) 3884 0608.
To get there take the Ben Thanh – Long Thuan bus to District 9 from Ben Thanh Bus Station. It takes about one hour by motorbike from the center of the city.