Shopping in Hue
Vietnamese city of Hue is renowned for its handicrafts, which can be bought here at surprisingly modest prices. Although Hue’s malls and plazas are popular with tourists, street markets are the finest place to shop in Hue. Hue is a major shopping destination for Vietnamese clothing, wooden sculptures, conical hats, Sinh Folk art, and Zeng fabrics.
From upmarket boutiques, shopping centers for gamers, foodies, and shopaholics, to farmer’s markets packed with spring roll, seafood, and vegetable sellers.
One of Hue’s historic industries is needlework, and framed examples can be found in many of the shops in the city’s backpacker district.
Markets in Hue
Dong Ba Market
Since Dong Ba Market is among Hue’s oldest and most well-liked retail locations, it ought to be one of your first choices. There are hundreds of stalls at the market that sell clothing, home goods, handicrafts, and fresh goods. The market is clearly marked by a sizable red sign that reads “Chông Ba” and is housed in a large grey structure on Tran Hung Dao street (literally means Dong Ba market in Vietnamese).
It opens extremely early in the morning and is over 16,000 square meters in size, serving several local market patrons. The market is busiest between 8 and 11 in the morning, so this is the best time to visit.
The eating area is surrounded by a large number of food kiosks on the first floor. You may eat a variety of traditional Vietnamese foods here, including banh khoai (stuffed omelette), fresh spring rolls, and pho. It is one of the few commercial areas in Hue where visitors may sample street food, purchase for trinkets, and learn about local customs.
Due of the popularity of Dong Ba Market among international tourists, some vendors frequently charge them twice as much. Before purchasing at the market, attempt to haggle the price down to half and check the exchange rate.
Opening hours: 6AM 6PM
Ben Ngu Market
Since most locals frequent this location daily, you may find everything you need here, including groceries, fresh foods, clothing and fabric, fruits, flowers, and even live animals (fish, ducks, chicken,.. ). If you plan to prepare food yourself, Ben Ngu Market is a fantastic place to shop because it sells the freshest foods and cooking ingredients.
There may be some people who can’t take the scent here because the market sells fresh food, ingredients, and live animals. As wearing a mask is part of the tradition in Vietnam and Asia in general, you can bring one with you when visiting the market and not worry about being judged.
Opening hours: 24/7 all day
Tay Loc Market
A flea market is an unofficial marketplace where individuals can enter, find a seat, and begin trading. Almost everything that is sold in Ben Ngu Market is also available in Tay Loc Market, however the cost is a little lower and constant throughout the year.
Tay Loc Market is a bustling market that is typically crowded with shoppers and tourists near the end of the year. To prevent an unlucky robbery, you should not come to this market with too many expensive items or too much cash.
Opening hours: 6AM 6PM
Phu Hau Market
The commodities are typically very affordable and varied because a wholesale market is where other vendors would come and take items for retail. Numerous items, including fruits, seafood, accessories, and home appliances, are available here at the greatest prices.
Phu Hau market opens very early in the morning since it is a wholesale market and supplies goods to every seller in the city, and everything is soon sold out. As a result, you might have to wait since last night to purchase something from this market.
Opening hours: 24/24 all day
Hue Night Market
A night market is an excellent location to enjoy both fresh air and Hue-specific cuisine. The Hue night market is perfect for strolling and discovering its beauty and cultural significance. It consists of a row of eleven old residences and vendor shops.
At the market, there are numerous activities available, including going alone, with friends or family to enjoy the fresh air of Huong River, participating in amazing street performances and activities such as hip-hop dance on the street, watching a royal show, and boarding a dragon boat on Huong River. Along two roadsides of the market, artists use their own time and skill to provide buyers with the finest artwork.
During the Spring, the Hue night market attracts a huge number of tourists since there are so many festivals and individuals decorate their stores in a unique fashion. During traditional holidays, you may also be able to witness some remarkable traditional art performances.
Indulge yourself at the Hue night market by boarding a dragon boat, which was one of the most popular modes of transportation for royal families in Hue in the past. This activity is now a daily entertainment service that operates from 8:00 am till 11:00 night. By using this service, you can also hear traditional Vietnamese folk songs sung in their spare time by local fishermen.
If it does not convince you to visit the Hue night market soon, perhaps a royal performance will. This activity is great for historical and cultural values enthusiasts. In this performance, travelers can learn more about Hue’s royal history and traditions. This show features so many traditional garments sewn by expert designers from across the nation. By attending a Hue night tour led by female native tour guides, you can also have a better understanding of the significance of symbols embroidered on clothing.
Opening hours: 5PM 11 PM
Shopping malls in Hue
Truong Tien Plaza
Trang Tien is one of the most renowned retail malls in Hue, providing travelers with a pleasant shopping experience. Exploring the area, you can discover about anything you require, from luxury clothing to home goods.
The four-story structure offers cuisine, gaming, and shopping to all guests. There are more than 200 fashion, cosmetic, accessory, handbag, and footwear companies available here. Among them are prominent international brands such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Burberry, among others.
Moreover, you have the opportunity to relax in gorgeous cafés and exquisite restaurants both inside and outside the shopping complex. For Western guests, it will make you feel like being at home. The proprietors of the stores in the shopping mall speak both English and Vietnamese, facilitating your shopping experience.
Opening hours: 9:30 am 10:00 pm
Vincom Plaza Hue
Vincom Plaza, located in the heart of Hue, features facades facing three major roadways. It is currently the largest and most modern retail mall in Hue City, with a total floor area of up to 14,000 square meters, encompassing 5 stories and 2 basements.
Vincom Plaza provides clients with an excellent selection of sub-areas, including the expansive retail center, BHD theater, Supermarket Consumers VinMart, VinPro Electronic Supermarket, Indoor Food Court, and… If you are a shopaholic, you will discover something remarkable in this shopping, dining, and entertainment paradise.
Opening hour: 9:30 PM 22:00 PM
Supermarkets In Hue
Big C Hue
Big C is the most popular supermarket in Hue due to its extensive product selection and competitive pricing. There are a variety of items available, making it simple to complete your shopping list in a one trip. In addition to packaged and dried goods, Big C offers a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, and unprocessed meats. There, vegetables are gathered and placed on shelves within a single day. Big C Hue is worth a visit if you wish to purchase souvenirs and regional specialties. Specifically, Big C offers free shipment to addresses within 10 kilometers if your bill exceeds 200,000 VN ($10), so you don’t have to bring everything home. What an advantage!
Open time: 8:00 – 22:00 everyday (always open on holiday)
Co.op Mart Hue
Co.op Mart, which is not the most well-known but has the most locations in Vietnam, is one of the most popular options among locals. With many years of experience in foreign trade, Co-op Mart offers an extensive selection of international brands at its supermarket chain.
Open time: 8:00 – 22:00 everyday
K Mart
All of the things there are imported from Korea, as K denotes Korea. Don’t forget to visit K Mart if you’re a fan of Korean cuisine. Numerous youthful clients adore the abundance of Korean grocery items, such as beverages, snacks, noodles, and cosmetics, that are available at this market. If you take photos there, your pals may believe you’ve moved to Korea!
Open time: 7:30 – 22:30 everyday
What to Buy in Hue
Conical hat
Besides the “Ao dai,” the conical hat is a very important symbol of Vietnam. This type of headgear is common all over the country. However, those from Hue are by far, more distinctive, and stand out in this regard than any others. Theirs is different from others in that they have incorporated poems, paintings and other beautiful decorations which attract not only locals but also many foreign tourists thereby making it also known as Non Bai Tho (or Poem Hat).
While on your journey, this will protect you from the sun or rain. When you come back home, this will make an excellent reminder of your unforgettable trip to Vietnam. Many local markets including Dong Ba Market ,An Cuu Market and Ben Ngu Market among others sell these beautiful palm leaf hats with a cone shaped top.
Nonetheless, one can be purchased at the best place which is about 12 kilometers away in Tay Ho village. Girls start learning how to weave fascinating poems into these hats when they are ten years old while boys help in collecting materials for them at an area known as a mecca for such kind of hat-making industry.
Sinh Folk Paintings
For the art lovers, folk artworks equally make great gifts. Dong Ho paintings are well known in northern Vietnam whereas Sinh folk art is found in Hue. These paintings are exclusive to Sinh, a village, and have been entrenched in the spiritual lives of its people for decades.
Sinh folk paintings primarily portray animals and things like dummies or owners’ protectors while Dong Ho painting depicts life in the northern delta area. It utilizes natural coloring materials; uses brushes made from pineapple’s roots; prints on Do paper using woodblocks as compared to other civilizations. As you get to Sinh, you find many and many colorful and vital pictures all over walls of houses of the village.
Thanh Tien Paper Flowers
If you have a chance to visit Hue during the Tet holiday, there is no reason why you should not buy Thanh Tien paper flowers. Before the Lunar New Year, skillful artisans are seen working with bamboo and paper in making beautiful paper flowers. They are admired for their beauty and used to decorate altars and incorporated into religious ceremonies.
Hue people focus much on ceremonies and consider flowers as one of the four most important elements of any ceremony. The weather in this city is however quite harsh with a lot of sun and rainfall which make fresh flowers unsuitable. In place of these they use paper flowers. With time, many locals started hobbying them. A lot of effort goes into making a piece from selecting it, drying it out and dyeing it before eventually turning it into well known types such as roses, chrysanthemums, etc. Actually due to their attractive look these flowers can be good house decoratives also do not forget to buy some before going back home where you belong to.
Zeng Textiles
In central Vietnam’s hilly region called Ta Po, Zeng is a famous kind of fabric made and worn by the people. It is not simply an art, but it also involves cultural norms and customs that have been passed down from one generation to the next. A sophisticated embroidering approach in the most delicate of zeng textiles can only be replicated by weavers from the tribe of ta oi making them intricate in terms of color paterns. Actually, you do not have to travel to hill tribes; these elegant fabrics are sold in Hue city too.
