Dong Ba Market, Hue

Dong Ba Market, also known as Cho Dong Ba, is the largest market in Hue in Vietnam occupying an area of approximately 16,000 square metres.

Dong Ba Market is open from very early in the morning with fruit and vegetable sellers opening from 03:00 and other stalls staying open until around 20:30 at night.

About Dong Ba Market

Dong Ba Market moved to its current location on the north bank of the perfume river in 1899. Hue’s original market, Qui Gia Thi Market, was destroyed by war in 1885.

Dong Ba Market has both inside and outside areas. New buildings have been added over time and the market occupies a total of nine separate buildings.

Outdoor Areas of Dong Ba Market

The outside areas of Dong Ba Market are where you find the fruit and vegetable sellers. These outdoor stalls are the busiest part of the market, which is considered by local people to be the ‘larder of Hue’ providing the city with produce from the countryside beyond the city.

Inside Areas of Dong Ba Market

A wide range of products are also sold inside the buildings Dong Ba Market which are at the centre of the market.

Some of what is sold at Dong Ba Market are the types of products people need to use as part of their daily lives. Every conceivable type of kitchenware is sold at the market as well as clothes.

Souvenir Shopping at Dong Ba Market

Dong Ba Market is also a good place to go souvenir shopping. There are stalls selling items such as decorated chinaware and the famous Vietnamese style conical hats, both of which make great presents and things to bring home. If you like cooking Vietnamese food then you might consider buying bowls and dishes at Dong Ba Market to serve it in.

Haggling at Dong Ba Market

There are no fixed prices at Dong Ba Market and because Hue is a town that attracts a lot of tourists, on account of its Imperial Citadel and Tombs, many of the vendors are used to trying to charge very inflated prices to foreign visitors. Expected to be initially asked to pay two to four times the price for things in the market compared to what you can buy these items for if you have the patience to negotiate effectively.

Cooked Foods at Dong Ba Market

Dong Ba Market is also a great place to go to eat authentic and inexpensive local food. There are food vendors all over the market, but the biggest concentration of places to eat is on the ground floor of the main market building. The best time to go for food at the market is between 08:00 and 11:00 when the locals come to the market to eat pho and stuffed omelettes.

Location of Dong Ba Market

Dong Ba Market is located 2.5 km by road from Hue Railway Station.