Coming to Hue City, to discover the noisy and gaudy former capital, Bao Vinh ancient town is a suggested place to visit. From the 17th to 19th centuries, it used to be a very busy and important trade center in the central region.
Located five kilometers from the center of Hue City, along Huynh Thuc Khang Street and Dong Ba River, Bao Vinh is the meeting place of the Bach Yen and Dong Ba rivers.
In the early 17th century, many Chinese businessmen came to settle there trading salt, rice, fish sauce and seafood. Merchant ships also arrived from Hong Kong, Macau, Japan and India as well as some European countries to buy goods. Bao Vinh was famous for its many craftsmen who made such things as trunks, weaving and carpentry products, bricks and powder. However, in 1885 when France invaded Hue, Bao Vinh was destroyed but there are still parts of the town still intact.
To reach the site of the ruins, tourists just take a boat trip along Dong Ba River to Bao Vinh Bridge and then take a sightseeing journey on Huong River. The scenery looks much like Hoi An ancient town with its low and tiled-roof houses from the past huddled close together. Bao Vinh is still a vibrant location with the practice of traditional crafts and ceremonial music alive.