Can Tho, is the heart of the Mekong Delta region and its main city. Its weaving canals and floating markets offer exotic scenes, crafts and dishes from the region. Sail through the busy Can Tho waterfront and experience a day in the life of a Mekong local.
The Cai Rang Floating Market is undoubtedly the best known of all the floating markets in the Mekong Delta. Recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016, Cai Rang is the most important market for Mekong wholesalers. Every day at dawn, an army of boats loaded with watermelons, bananas, carrots, sweet potatoes, and more converge in Cai Rang to trade. Many small producers come to sell their crops to wholesalers, who then sell them elsewhere in the Mekong Delta.
Moreover, visitors to the market can enjoy interesting eating experiences. Because the trading activities start early in the morning, many floating restaurants open to serve breakfast, offering most local dishes to sellers and shoppers.
These offer opportunities for people watching and a greater variety of products than that of the floating markets. Cai Khe and Tan An markets are full of life and bring together all the products of the floating markets, as well as seafood, turtles, snakes, fabrics, clothes and the possibility to eat and taste some culinary specialties of the delta region.
Visit Bình Thủy Old House. This superbly preserved bourgeois house showcases a regional architectural style that blends French, Chinese and Vietnamese elements. Built in 1870 by the current owner’s grandfather, the ornate edifice pays tribute to the family’s ancestors. The house was also the setting for the film “L’Amant” by Jean-Jacques Annaud.
Modest Phong Dien sees much less foreign tourists than its famous counterpart, making it attractive for those traveling off the beaten path. The market is located further away, some 10 km west of Cai Rang, and it’s best visited between 5am and 7am, with little to see later.
Explore the Can Tho river front in a new fashion on board the Lady Hau Dinner Cruise. Featuring an exquisite set menu dinner the boat will take you from the exquisite Victoria Can Tho hotel along the Hau river as you enjoy local or international cuisine and the serene river views.
