What To Do At Dong Ba Market Hue, Vietnam?

Dong Ba Market Introduction

Hue’s ancient capital is famous for the legendary Trang Tien bridge, with the romantic Perfume River, the sacred Thien Mu pagoda, and also the crowded and bustling Dong Ba market.

Dong Ba Hue Market is one of Hue’s traditional markets that every visitor must visit at least once. The market is not only a place of trade but also a place where the cultural quintessence and identity of the people of the ancient capital.

It has been becoming an attractive destination for tourists. If you have come to Hue without stopping here to buy some souvenirs and enjoy some local delicacies, it is a big mistake. Let’s explore this unique market to see what makes it attractive!

Dong Ba Market History

Dong Ba Market Hue is the most famous traditional market in the ancient capital, with high cultural and historical value. This market was originally named Quy Gia Thi to mark the return of the Nguyen king when he returned to Phu Xuan.

After the incident of Hue citadel in 1885, the market was unfortunately destroyed by the French colonialists. Two years later (1887), Dong Khanh Emperor rebuilt it and named it Dong Ba market. In 1899, under the decision of Thanh Thai emperor, he moved the Dong Ba Hue market to its present position.

Currently, Dong Ba market Hue, Vietnam is located at 2 Tran Hung Dao street, Phu Hoa ward, Hue City, right between Gia Hoi and Truong Tien bridges.

Where Is It?

Currently, Dong Ba market Vietnam is located at 2 Tran Hung Dao street, Phu Hoa ward, Hue City, right between Gia Hoi and Truong Tien bridges.

It is located in the center of Hue city, so it is not difficult for you to find this market. From your accommodation, you just need to take a Hue Private car, taxi or ride a bicycle, motorbike to Tran Hung Dao Street, next to the Perfume River to see this bustling market.

The Best Time To Visit

Dong Ba market Hue is always crowded with people, trading all kinds of products from food to utensils, necessities… However, according to the experience of going to Dong Ba market, you should explore this attraction from 3 pm. Because at this time the weather is quite pleasant and cool, the traffic in the market is not too crowded, so you can freely explore.

After finishing a Hue City Group Tour, you can visit this market to enjoy the various Hue specialties. If not, you can book a Hue City Private Tour and our travel agents will easily add the Dong Ba Market Vietnam to the itinerary for you for free!

Hoi An Private Taxi Travel is a local expert in central Vietnam. We provide the best Tours/ Private Cars to all customers and we are always willing to customize the itinerary for you!

Dong Ba Market Hue Structure

Dong Ba Market Hue Vietnam is designed with a 3-storeys. The building in the center is called “bell tower” surrounded by rows of houses in the shape of a U. Here each floor has its own items, which are divided to make each area easy for customers to find. Specifically:

The 3rd floor: Where you will enter first and immediately catch your eye are stalls selling fabrics, clothes, especially beautiful fabrics selected to make ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dresses). If you are looking for gifts to buy for mothers and grandmothers, this is not a bad suggestion.

The 2nd floor: Down to the 2nd floor, you can be dazzled by exquisite handicrafts. Here you can find poetic conical hats, decoration stuff such as Phuoc Tich village potteries, bamboo utensils… and many other souvenirs that can be bought as a gift.

The 1st floor: This is the area for dried seafood, fruits, vegetables in the Central region and many specialties of Hue such as fish sauce, seasoning sauce, all kinds of fruits, vegetables… The sellers here are very hospitable and give thoughtful advice so you can feel free to ask to buy things.

What To Do at Dong Ba Market Vietnam?

Dong Ba Hue with a 3-storey design selling all kinds of items is an ideal place for you to shop for souvenirs and gifts for your loved ones.

Plus, you can experience the local daily life, their culture, customs because the opening hours time is from 4 am to 6:30 pm. The sellers stay all day at the market, so you can interact with them and learn about their community relationships.

Dong Ba is the largest market in Hue so this is an ideal place for you to hunt the best photos of the local life. Plus, you can learn how to bargain and enjoy the best local foods which were enjoyed by Anthony Bourdain at Dong Ba Market.

What to eat at Dong Ba?

When the sun is out, step out of the bell tower and you will immediately see many stands of local foods around Dong Ba market.

There are many attractive Hue specialties here such as turmeric vermicelli, Sia rice paper, Kim Long grilled pork vermicelli, Nam Pho noodle soup, Hue crispy pancakes, Nam cake, wet spring rolls, Vietnamese bread sandwich, Grill Pork BBQ, Hue noodle soup with beef, etc.

Hue lemongrass skewers

These Vietnamese beef and pork skewers are shaped around stalks of lemongrass and cooked on a chargrill. This is the famous local dish which is eaten with vegetables and rice papers. 1 stick costs about 7,000VND to 10,00 VND so it is a great choice for your budget.

Nem Lui at Dong Ba market Hue Vietnam should be eaten at the opposite street along the road, with the price of only about 50,000 VND / serving for 2 people.

Hue noodle soup with beef

Traveling to Hue without enjoying beef noodle soup is a mistake because this is a typical dish of the locals. You can find this dish in any corner of Dong Ba with the price of only 15,000-20,000 VND/ bowl.

Useful Travel Tips

You should bargain when buying things

When you intend to buy things at this market, don’t be afraid to haggle. Not only tourists, but most of the locals are also very good at bargaining. You pay half of the original price offered by the seller, then gradually increase.

Dong Ba Market Opening Hours

The market opened at about 4 am, the scene of buying and selling took place very bustling. If you go to the market at this time, it is easy to buy fresh food. However, if you want to buy utensils, clothes or specialties, you should visit the afternoon market.

Take care of your belongings

On weekdays, the market is already very busy, holidays and Tet holidays are even more crowded. This is also an opportunity for you to admire the busy and bustling scene of the market, but be careful with your belongings and luggage to avoid theft.

You should not travel here on Tet Holiday

During Tet, the market usually meets on the 3rd, but according to the experience of those who have gone before, you should not travel to Dong Ba market on these days because there are very few shops open.

Hotels/ Resorts nearby Dong Ba Market

Located right in the center of Hue, by the Northern bank of the Perfume River, there are a lot of hotels/ resorts or even homestays nearby Dong Ba that can meet all kinds of customers’ budgets. So you can choose Azerai La Residence, The Silkpath Grand, Pilgrimage village Hue, Chic Homestay, Hotel Saigon Morin, etc.