Hue is located in Thua Thien prefecture and is in the central part of Vietnam. The city is located in central Vietnam on the banks of the Song Huong. Hue is known as one of the most popular places for tourists in Vietnam.

Hue was the capitol of Vietnam, from 1744 when the Nguyen dynasty controlled southern Vietnam. In 1802 Nguyen Anh, the last of the Nguyen Lords, defeated his northern rivals and proclaimed the city capital of a reunited Vietnam, changing its name to Hue. The dynasty lasted until 1945, when the last emperor abdicated. Hue's complex of monuments is listed among the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Visiting Hue, tourists will have chance to contemplate famous sites such as the Hue Citadel, Hue royal tombs, Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue Museum, Perfume River and so on. However, tourists should also visit Dong Ba market. The following is the description of Dong Ba Market.

Located on the southeastern corner of Hue Citadel, Dong Ba market has been one of the most famous commercial centers in Vietnam for more than 100 years.

Dong Ba is both the name of the largest market in Hue and of a small canal connecting the market with the busy river port of Bao Vinh, Lo Street and Thanh Ha. Dong Ba is also the name of the first steel bridge across the Dong Ba River and Dong Ba Street. The market was originally located outside the citadel's Chanh Dong Gate (also commonly called Dong Ba), where today stands a park at the end of Phan Dang Luu Street. The market was burnt down in the summer of 1885. In 1887, King Dong Khanh had it rebuilt and named it Dong Ba. In 1889, King Thanh Thai had it moved to the current location at the crossroads of the Huong (Perfume) River and the west bank of the Dong Ba Canal. Due to its convenient location, the market has always been very popular.

Dong Ba market is on the north bank of the Perfume River, just over the Truong Tien bridge. It has hundreds of stalls selling almost everything. Dong Ba Market provides the platform for the conventional crafts in the city. Tourists can see all the typical features of a traditional Vietnamese market, for example, the sampan landing, the bus station and the bazaars. Dong Ba market is considered as a paradise for snapshots of daily activities as well as for shopping with everything from souvenir items to bronze goods, Hue sesame sweetmeat, conical poem hats, just to name a few.

It is the place for ones who are interested in Vietnamese food or culture. That ancient characteristics still remains until now leaves an unforgettable impression on visitors. Especially, the market displays a good variety of goods and these goods are sold at reasonable prices. Certainly, it is the cheapest place to buy Vietnamese wine and fruits. Almost all tourists coming here must exclaim that “my goodness”, or “unbelievable” when they witness hundreds of stalls selling almost everything from clothing, to house ware and souvenirs items. Tourists can find nowhere better than this place to buy local handicrafts like conical hats and other wares for daily use. Also local special food can be found here.

After getting around in a two floor building, tourist can visit market in the open air. What tourists can say about the market is large, lively and colorful. One can find all things one needs. In Hue one can buy the best conical hats. There are some really cool posh boutiques located near the junction to Truong Tien Bridge and all of them are attractively decorated and wear an inviting look. Silk is Hue's main shopping item. It is an integral part of Vietnamese culture as well. Silk painting has been well-known for centuries in Vietnam.

Artists paint on a white silk canvas using colors that recreate the colors of nature. The paintings represent natural landscapes and scenes of everyday life in Vietnam. Topics include scenes from the harvest season, going to the market, the cycle trip, rowing a boat, and historical buildings such as the pagodas. The landscapes reflect the beauty of the country with powerful and precise strokes. The colors communicate tranquility as they combine the blue and the yellow hues with the white background of the canvas. Tourists can select the silk paintings framed by two bamboo rolls that will make it easy to hang. Calligraphic artwork is another item that the traveler can take into consideration to purchase. Calligraphic work can be found on silk but also on lacquer, stone and wood.

Dong Ba Market is also an ideal place for one to buy Ao Dai. "Ao Dai" is the traditional dress for Vietnamese women, dated from Chinese court clothing in the early 1900s. "Ao Dai" is viewed as an elegant, yet demure, garment. Traditionally, long, wide- legged trousers are worn under a high-necked, long-sleeved, fitted tunic with slits along each side. The outfit’s pants reach to the soles of the feet, often trailing along the ground. Recently, "Ao Dai" has been gaining popularity among young Vietnamese woman. Owing of the Vietnamese open-market to Western cultures, young designers took another level in designing "Ao Dai". They used the traditional patterns of the dress and applied with modern designs, textures, and fabrics creating a new, and original fresh, clean cut mixed with then and now. Nevertheless, "Ao Dai" is still unique and special not only to the eyes of the Vietnamese people, but also to the eyes of Westerners. This is the reason why more and more foreign tourists have been travelling to buy themselves a “Ao Dai” as a curiosity.