Can Tho has a tremendous reputation for being a welcoming place, where everybody is smiling and welcoming. Indeed the Vietnamese in the Mekong Delta are making good a saying that goes:

“Cần Thơ gạo trắng nước trong
Ai đi tới đó lòng không muốn về”

“Can Tho has white rice and clear water
Once being there, your heart won’t leave.”

Can Tho has a population well in excess of 1 million and is the biggest city in the Mekong Delta. Although developing fast (about 10% growth in 2004), it retains its charm as the center of a rural area, as the urban development is taking place in a rather orderly manner.

The floating markets are a very lively scenery, accommodating much of the goods exchange on the area, and can be quite freely visited on board smaller boats, for about US$3/hour per small boat. You may take a tour from the Ninh Kiều pier, in front of the Nam Bộ restaurant, where the “boat ladies” are always eager to charm you into taking theirs.

• Cai Rang (Cái Răng) floating market is the main wholesale floating market near Can Tho. Go there early (start no later than 06:00), and come back through the small tributaries to Can Tho river; about 3-4 hours. The Mystic sampans offer higher-end breakfast cruises to Cai Rang floating market.
• Phong Dien (Phong Điền) is further upstream the Can Tho river, and worth seeing as it is a retail market. It is very active at dawn, but slows down early too, so you may like to go there on the land. The arroyos back from there to Can Tho are also very much worth a ride on a small boat.
• Phung Hiep (Phụng Hiệp) is much farther away, in the neighboring Hậu Giang province, but deserves a trip if you are going to stay more than a few days, as it is always bustling with activity.
• Tra On (Trà Ôn), in Vinh Long province, is just over an hour downstream the Bassac (the lower Mekong branch, also called Hậu Giang or Sông Hậu). It is a small floating village’s market anchored near the clouds’ island (Cù Lao Mây).

Canals in Can Tho

The canal system around Can Tho is a fascinating travel network, much more relaxed than the bustling roads. Hire a small row boat (probably with a small diesel motor as well) that can take you through the small canals that the larger tour boats can’t. Tours from 6am to 2pm, including two floating markets and various sites along the canals, can be found for under 250,000 dong per person.

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