Bao Vinh Ancient Town

Bao Vinh Ancient Town is a historic riverside settlement in Huong Vinh Ward, Hue City, about 5 km northeast of the Hue Imperial City along the Huong River. Once a bustling trading port from the 17th to 19th centuries under the Nguyen Lords and Nguyen Dynasty, it retains well-preserved tube houses, merchant residences and communal structures reflecting Vietnamese and Chinese architectural influences. Today it offers a quiet glimpse into Hue's mercantile past.

Visitors can expect a quiet, low-rise riverside village with narrow streets lined with well-preserved tube houses, old merchant residences, ancestral temples and small shops. The settlement stretches along the Huong River with views of boats and the waterfront. Most structures are wooden or brick with tiled roofs and Chinese-Vietnamese details. Visitors can walk through the historic quarter, view exterior architecture, visit a few restored old houses open to guests, and experience a calm residential atmosphere distinct from central Hue.

Bao Vinh developed in the 17th century as a major commercial port and gateway to the capital under the Nguyen Lords, flourishing through the 18th and 19th centuries during the Nguyen Dynasty. It served as a trading hub for Chinese and Vietnamese merchants handling goods transported via the Huong River to the Imperial City. The town declined in the late 19th to early 20th century with changes in trade routes and transport, but retains merchant houses and communal structures from its peak period.

The town reflects Hue's historic mercantile culture and the blending of Vietnamese and Chinese merchant traditions. Its tube houses, communal house, and family temples illustrate traditional river-port architecture, craftsmanship, and community organization. Preserved residences and local festivals maintain connections to Hue's trading heritage and riverside way of life.