Contents
A/ Overview of Can Tho city
B/ Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets
C/ Fruit garden
D/ Binh Thuy ancient house
E/ Where to stay in Can Tho city
F/ Food and Drink
G/ Getting there and around
H/ Tour
I/ Others
Roller-skating waiters in Can Tho
A/ Overview of Can Tho city
Can Tho is the capital city of Mekong delta region.
The city itself is not really interesting, but its nearby two fascinating floating markets of Cai Rang and Phong Dien are the must-sees for any tourists.
Area: 1,401.60 km2
Geographic location:
* Located in the center of Mekong delta region, the city shares borders with An Giang province in the North, Hau Giang province in the South, Kien Giang porvince in the West, Dong Thap and Vinh Long provinces in the East.
* Its about 180km from Saigon.
40km from Vinh Long city of Vinh Long province
60km from Long Xuyen city of An Giang province
120km from Chau Doc town of An Giang province
Population: 1,187,089 (on 1st April 2009)
full
Can Tho market
Pics: vietnamguidebook
Can Tho bridge connecting Vinh Long province and Can Tho city
B/ Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets
Cai Rang floating market
Location
The market takes place on Can Tho river, near Cai Rang bridge. Its about 6km from Ninh Kieu pier of Can Tho city (45 minutes by motorised boat). Or you can get to Dau Sau boat station (Ben do Dau Sau), from where it takes just some 10 minutes to reach the market.
Ninh Kieu, the main pier of the city, is larger and more comfortable than the small Dau Sau boat station which is used by some local people.
Booking and Price
There are many people, mostly women, offering motorised boat service for visiting Cai Rang floating market, Phong Dien floating market and fruit gardens at Ninh Kieu pier. Its good to come to the pier and arrange a boat trip in advance.
Cost: Cai Rang floating market and one fruit garden is about 300,000VND; pay more 150,000VND if you want to visit one more floating market (Phong Dien) and some canals.
Ms An (mobile: 0902 536 661) has offered motorised boat service for many years. She is friendly and helpful. Give her a call in advance and she can pick you up at Ninh Kieu pier (Boat station number 1 = ben tau du lich so 1), Dau Sau boat station or at your hotel (such as Van Phat hotel, Victoria hotel).
How long
The boat trip for Cai Rang floating market and an orchard takes about 3 – 4 hours. Spend 5 – 6 hours if you visit Phong Dien floating market and some more canals.
Best time to visit
The markets are open from early morning, about 5:00AM, to about 9:00AM.
The market is often totally closed one day before Vietnam new year and four days later.
You should arrive in the markets about 5:30AM to see sunrise and enjoy the cool winds (its quite hot at 8:00 – 9:00AM around the year)
Best days to visit the markets: 3 – 5 days before Vietnam traditional new year which usually falls into the beginning of February. During this period, the markets are very crowded and are often full of many kinds of colourful flowers. The sellers bring spring to the floating markets and the buyers take it home on the boats full of goods.
Difference between Cai Rang floating market (as well as other floating markets in Mekong delta) with Thailand floating market
Cai Rang floating market is about the culture of people whose lives are attached to the rivers
Thailand floating market is about tourism
Now we see the differences between them
• Cai Rang floating market takes place on big long river. Thailand ones take place on concrete small, narrow and short canals
• Cai Rang is the floating market of local people. There is no souvernir at this market. Most sellers just do their daily jobs: selling or exchanging products. They don’t know how to do tourism (tourism is nothing to them)
Thailand floating markets are open for tourists. They have a lot of souvernirs on sale. Well organised by tourism companies. Just do one job: selling to tourists.
Breakfast is available at Cai Rang and Thailand floating markets. But Cai Rang is just for local people while Thailand is for tourists.
• Cai Rang is open from early morning to about 9:00AM
Thailand keeps floating markets for tourists: about 7:00AM till late afternoon
• The sellers stay on the boats and they are called house boats in Cai Rang. Sometimes with 2 – 3 generations. Dog and cock are raised on boats and wake up early with the sellers.
The boats in Thailands are floating “shops”
Cai Rang has many kinds of boats: rowing boat, small motorised boats and very big boats
Thailands are just with small boats.
• Thailand floating markets are often crowded
Cai Rang is not always crowded. Sellers come from everywhere and they will decide where they go. But when new year comes, Cai Rang is a huge market in comparison with the tiny Thailand ones.
• Products:
Cao Rang: all kinds of vegetable in Mekong delta region, seasonal tropical fruits, meat, tofu, and especially sometimes with animal (pig, chicken, duck, crab, shrimp...). Other ones are cigarette, lighter, oil, rice, salt, coal, lottery... There are also some people playing Mekong delta music on the floating markets as a way of earning living.
Thailand: souvernir, tropical fruits, food and drink for tourists
• Advertising
Cai Rang: the market takes place on big river and its quite noisy with a lot of motorised boats. Therefore, the sellers hang out their products on bamboo pole to show what they have for sale.
Thailand: Just walk around and you can see everything.
• Cai Rang is a lively word where Mekongese who stay far away from home come back to live again their childhood
Thailand floating market is a colourful tourism world
Some Asian tourists ask why we dont organise floating markets like Thailand? We will "kill" Mekong delta's culture if We do... The rivers and floating markets have their own lives and We love them.
Phong Dien floating market
It takes about 50 minutes from Cai Rang floating market to Phong Dien floating market by motorised boat.
If Cai Rang is the largest floating market, Phong Dien is perhaps the most beautiful one.
The difference: Cai Rang is called floating supermarket with more big boats for wholesale while Phong Dien is floating traditional market with a lot of rowing boats for retail sale.
Combine with a boat trip along some canals in Phong Dien.
The market takes place on Can Tho river, near Cai Rang bridge. Its about 6km from Ninh Kieu pier of Can Tho city (45 minutes by motorised boat). Or you can get to Dau Sau boat station (Ben do Dau Sau), from where it takes just some 10 minutes to reach the market.
Ninh Kieu, the main pier of the city, is larger and more comfortable than the small Dau Sau boat station which is used by some local people.
Booking and Price
There are many people, mostly women, offering motorised boat service for visiting Cai Rang floating market, Phong Dien floating market and fruit gardens at Ninh Kieu pier. Its good to come to the pier and arrange a boat trip in advance.
Cost: Cai Rang floating market and one fruit garden is about 300,000VND; pay more 150,000VND if you want to visit one more floating market (Phong Dien) and some canals.
Ms An (mobile: 0902 536 661) has offered motorised boat service for many years. She is friendly and helpful. Give her a call in advance and she can pick you up at Ninh Kieu pier (Boat station number 1 = ben tau du lich so 1), Dau Sau boat station or at your hotel (such as Van Phat hotel, Victoria hotel).
How long
The boat trip for Cai Rang floating market and an orchard takes about 3 – 4 hours. Spend 5 – 6 hours if you visit Phong Dien floating market and some more canals.
Best time to visit
The markets are open from early morning, about 5:00AM, to about 9:00AM.
The market is often totally closed one day before Vietnam new year and four days later.
You should arrive in the markets about 5:30AM to see sunrise and enjoy the cool winds (its quite hot at 8:00 – 9:00AM around the year)
Best days to visit the markets: 3 – 5 days before Vietnam traditional new year which usually falls into the beginning of February. During this period, the markets are very crowded and are often full of many kinds of colourful flowers. The sellers bring spring to the floating markets and the buyers take it home on the boats full of goods.
Difference between Cai Rang floating market (as well as other floating markets in Mekong delta) with Thailand floating market
Cai Rang floating market is about the culture of people whose lives are attached to the rivers
Thailand floating market is about tourism
Now we see the differences between them
• Cai Rang floating market takes place on big long river. Thailand ones take place on concrete small, narrow and short canals
• Cai Rang is the floating market of local people. There is no souvernir at this market. Most sellers just do their daily jobs: selling or exchanging products. They don’t know how to do tourism (tourism is nothing to them)
Thailand floating markets are open for tourists. They have a lot of souvernirs on sale. Well organised by tourism companies. Just do one job: selling to tourists.
Breakfast is available at Cai Rang and Thailand floating markets. But Cai Rang is just for local people while Thailand is for tourists.
• Cai Rang is open from early morning to about 9:00AM
Thailand keeps floating markets for tourists: about 7:00AM till late afternoon
• The sellers stay on the boats and they are called house boats in Cai Rang. Sometimes with 2 – 3 generations. Dog and cock are raised on boats and wake up early with the sellers.
The boats in Thailands are floating “shops”
Cai Rang has many kinds of boats: rowing boat, small motorised boats and very big boats
Thailands are just with small boats.
• Thailand floating markets are often crowded
Cai Rang is not always crowded. Sellers come from everywhere and they will decide where they go. But when new year comes, Cai Rang is a huge market in comparison with the tiny Thailand ones.
• Products:
Cao Rang: all kinds of vegetable in Mekong delta region, seasonal tropical fruits, meat, tofu, and especially sometimes with animal (pig, chicken, duck, crab, shrimp...). Other ones are cigarette, lighter, oil, rice, salt, coal, lottery... There are also some people playing Mekong delta music on the floating markets as a way of earning living.
Thailand: souvernir, tropical fruits, food and drink for tourists
• Advertising
Cai Rang: the market takes place on big river and its quite noisy with a lot of motorised boats. Therefore, the sellers hang out their products on bamboo pole to show what they have for sale.
Thailand: Just walk around and you can see everything.
• Cai Rang is a lively word where Mekongese who stay far away from home come back to live again their childhood
Thailand floating market is a colourful tourism world
Some Asian tourists ask why we dont organise floating markets like Thailand? We will "kill" Mekong delta's culture if We do... The rivers and floating markets have their own lives and We love them.
Phong Dien floating market
It takes about 50 minutes from Cai Rang floating market to Phong Dien floating market by motorised boat.
If Cai Rang is the largest floating market, Phong Dien is perhaps the most beautiful one.
The difference: Cai Rang is called floating supermarket with more big boats for wholesale while Phong Dien is floating traditional market with a lot of rowing boats for retail sale.
Combine with a boat trip along some canals in Phong Dien.
I left Van Phat hotel at 5:00AM
Can Tho bridge
A ferry on Can Tho river
A floating gasoline station
Cai Rang bridge
Sunrise on Cai Rang floating market
A big boat full of pumkins
Breakfast: noodle, Vietnamese bread, sticky rice, dumpling...
A men sold lottery
Crowded floating market in early morning
Cabbage
Pineapple
And flowers
Advertising
C/ Fruit gardens
There are some fruit gardens near Cai Rang floating market such as "Vuon Man" and "Ba Cong". You can come here to enjoy some season fruits, have a drink, sleep on the hammock, and have lunch...
There is no admission but the fruits sold at these places are in a higher price in comparison with outside.
"Vuon Man" has mangosteen, jackfruit, rose apple. They also play mekong delta music on request. If youcome here in the afternoon, dont forget to have lunch with some Mekong "special" dishes such as "Cua dinh" (crab), "ran Ho Hanh" ( Ho Hanh snake), Ga vuon (chicken raised in the garden), "Rua" (turtle)...
"Ba Cong" has dragon fruit, jackfruit, guava, mango, milky fruit... This garden is well organised with clean restroom. But its often crowded and the owners are not really friendly!
Mango: in January - February
Mangosteen: in May - June
Mangosteen and jackfruit
Dragon fruit
Star apple
Jackfruit
"Dau" fruit which give sweet and sour taste
D/ Binh Thuy ancient house
The most beautiful ancient house in Can Tho city. It was built from 1870. The house is at number 142 Bui Huu Nghia street, about 4km from the center of Can Tho city.
Entrance fee: 20,000VND
E/ Where to stay in Can Tho city
Most hotels are located along Ninh Kieu riverside, on Hai Ba Trung street (Can Tho river)
Those who want to stay near the bus station, head straight to nearby Nguyen Trai and Tran Phu streets which are some 2km from Ninh Kieu riverside.
Luong Dinh Cua small street has many nice standard hotels.(located near Local cafe on below map)
The city has some 4-star hotels such as Ninh Kieu 2 hotel, Golf hotel, Van Phat hotel and Victoria hotel. Among them, Van Phat is the newest one while Victoria is the only international 4-star one.
Would like to stay in 4-star hotel but pay very little? Come to TheSinhTourist (www.thesinhtourist.vn). They organise 2-day Mekong tour with one night stay in Van Phat and the package is just 889,000VND/pax (about 44USD)
Can Tho bus station area
1/ Tay Nam hotel (Nha khach Tay Nam)
Address: 02 Nguyen Trai street, Cai Khe ward, Ninh Kieu district
Tel: 0710 3687 776
Email: nhakhachtaynam@gmail.com
Website: www.nhakhachtaynam.vn
Room rate: 400,000VND up (20USD with breakfast)
Overview: This large new hotel has big nice rooms with air-conditioned, LCD Tivi, fridge. The bathroom is quite basic with hot shower. Friendly staffs
Pictures:
2/ (My pick) Dona hotel
Address: Block B, Cai Khe trade center, Tran Phu street (about 500m from Can tho bus station)
Tel: 0710 376 3333
Email: khachsandona@gmail.com
Website: www.donahotel.com.vn
Room rate: 350,000VND up (17USD with buffet breakfast)
Overview: This "colourful" large hotel has big nice rooms with air-conditioned, LCD Tivi, fridge, writing desk, modern bathroom with hot shower. Friendly staffs. Most Vietnamese and Asian tourists like it.
Bonus: There are some huge rooms with sofa
Minus: Its crowded and sometimes is quite noisy with karaoke.
Pictures:
Luong Dinh Cua street
1/ Toan Phat hotel
Address: 06 Luong Dinh Cua street, Cai Khe ward, Ninh Kieu district
Tel: 0710 3768 666
Room rate: 250,000VND (12USD)
Overview: This mini hotel has nice rooms with air-conditioned, Tivi, fridge, hot shower
Pictures:
2/ Cali hotel
Address: 46 - 48 Luong Dinh Cua street, Cai Khe ward, Ninh Kieu district
Tel: 0710 3769 279
Room rate: 220,000VND (11USD)
Overview: This large hotel has big rooms with air-conditioned, Tivi, fridge, hot shower, free parking
Pictures:
3/(My pick) Cat Phuong hotel
Address: 50 Luong Dinh Cua street, Cai Khe ward, Ninh Kieu district
Tel:
Room rate: 250,000VND up (12USD)
Overview: This small new hotel has nice rooms with air-conditioned, cable LCD Tivi, fridge, hot shower, elevator, friendly
Pictures:
Ninh Kieu riverside
1/ Kim Tho hotel
Address: 1A Ngo Gia Tu street - Tan An ward -Ninh Kieu district
Tel: 0710 222 7979 - 0710 381 7517
Email: kimtho_hotel@kimtho.com
Website: www.kimtho.com
Room rate: 950,000VND up (46USD with buffet breakfast)
Overview: So far Kim Tho has been the best 3-star hotel of the city. Nice design. Beautiful rooms with air-conditioned, LCD Tivi, minibar, modern bathroom with hot shower. Lift. Bar. Some steps to Ninh Kieu riverside
Pictures:
2/ Golf Can Tho hotel
Address: 02 Hai Ba Trung street, Ninh Kieu district
Tel: 0710 3812 210
Website: www.golfcantho.com.vn
Room rate: 130USD up (with buffet breakfast)
Overview: This 4-star hotel has a great location but in comparison with other 4-star hotels, the rooms of Golf Can Tho are older. So "colorful"! with bold green and yellow lights...
Pictures:
Luxury hotels
1/ Victoria Can Tho resort
Address: Cai Khe ward, Ninh Kieu district
Tel: 0710 381 0111
Fax: 0710 382 9259
Website: http://www.victoriahotels.asia/eng/hotels-in-vietnam/can-tho-resort
Room rate: 160USD up
Overview: A member of Victoria hotels & resorts; the best 4-star international hotel of the city; great location (Hau riverside), beautiful rooms, large swimming pool
Pictures:
2/ (My stay) Van Phat hotel
Address: 3 Con Khuong island, Cai Khe ward, Ninh Kieu district
Tel: 0710 3633 995
Fax: 0710 3768 394
Email: reservation@vanphat.com.vn
Website: www.vanphatcanthohotel.com
Room rate: 900,000VND up (45USD with buffet breakfast)
Overview: A new 4-star hotel of the city. Great location (Hau riverside). Rooms are nice with A/C, bathtub and hot shower, LCD Tivi, minibar, writing desk, lift, swimming pool, massage...
Bonus or Minus? About 4km from Ninh Kieu riverside. Quiet or boring?
Pictures:
The building
Riverside restaurant
Hau river - one of two main branches of Mekong river in Vietnam
Pics: vietnamguidebook
3/ Holiday One hotel
Holiday One hotel in Can Tho city. 4-star hotel.
59 - 61 Pham Ngoc Thach street.
Tel: 0710 382 7779.
Great river view. 4km to Ninh Kieu riverside.
F/ Food and Drink
1/ Hoa Su restaurant (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Drink)
Address: Cai Khe ward, Ninh Kieu district
Tel: 0710 3768 561
Tel: 0710 3768 561
Fax: 0710 3768 872
Price: 12,000VND up for a drink (such as iced coffee) and 28,000VND up for a noodle soup
Overview: One of the largest restaurants of the city with big garden full of old huge trees, and a lovely location (Hau riverside).
You can find most of Mekong "special" dishes here such as "Lau mam" (Mekong delta hot pot served with many kinds of vegetable), "Cua dinh" (crab), "ran
Ho Hanh" ( Ho Hanh snake), Ga vuon (chicken raised in the garden), "Rua"
(turtle)... (Note: should order one day in advance for snake, crab...)
2/ Nam Bo restaurant (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Drink)
Address: Hai ba Trung street, Ninh Kieu riverside
Price: 55,000VND up for a Vietnamese breakfast with coffee, noodle soup; 100,000VND for American breakfast. Other dishes start from 35,000VND/dish
Overview: French style and most of eaters are foreigners. Nice designs.
3/ Can Tho floating restaurant (Can Tho boat)
Location: Ninh Kieu riverside, Hai Ba Trung street (opposite Golf hotel)
Open: 7:00PM - 10:00PM (leave Ninh Kieu riverside at about 8:00PM)
Overview: Full of local people and Vietnamese tourists, reasonable price, quite nosiy (loud live music), food is Ok
G/ Getting there and around
Getting there
• By air
Can Tho international airport is located in Binh Thuy district which is about 15-minute drive from the center of the city. Daily flights from/to the airport are: Saigon, Hanoi, Phu Quoc (Vietnam). In Vietnam traditional new year, it has some flights to Taiwan (Taibei, Taichung).
• By bus
There is one big bus station opposite the Maximark on Nguyen Trai street. It has many daily buses to most of the main destinations of Mekong delta (Long Xuyen, Chau Doc, Rach Gia, Ha Tien...), Saigon and Dalat.
Saigon to Can Tho is about 180km. It takes about 3 - 4 hours by bus (75,000VND/pax)
Can Tho to Chau Doc is about 120km. (3 - 3.5 hours)
Can Tho to Vinh Long is about 40km (1 - 1.5hours)
Can Tho to Rach Gia city of Kien Giang province takes about 3 hours
Can Tho to Ha Tien town of Kien Giang province takes about 4 hours
Famous bus operators are Phuong Trang, Mai Linh and Thanh Buoi
Mai Linh's tel: 0710 3739 333
Thanh Buoi's tel: 0710 3872 872
Phuong Trang's tel: 0710 3687 688
Bus station (Ben Xe Khach Can Tho)
Maximark
Thanh Buoi's bus
Waiting room with air-conditioned of Thanh Buoi bus operator
• By boat
Some luxury river cruise operators 1 or 2–day boat trips from My Tho city and Cai Be town of Tien Giang province, Ben Tre city of Ben tre province and Chau Doc town of An Giang province.
Getting around • A motorbike ride in the center of city is about 20,000 – 30,000VND
• A private small motorised boat departing from Ninh Kieu pier for Cai Rang floating market and a fruit garden charges about 350,000VND. Those visit Phong Dien floating market which is about 45-minute drive by boat from Cai Rang floating market will pay more some 150,000VND.
H/ Tour
Most of tour operators in Saigon, especially in Backpacker area, offer 2 - 3 day Mekong tours with one night stay in Can Tho city
At present, TheSinhTourist (246 De Tham street, district 1. Tel: 3838 9597. Web: www.thesinhtourist.vn) offers 2-day Mekong delta tour with very attractive price (about 44USD/pax, include: bus, boat, some meals, superior room in 4-star Van Phat hotel, English speaking guide). Please check its website for details
I/ Others
Roller-skating waiters in Can Tho (Video of TuoiTreNews)
Some spacious restaurants and coffee shops in Ninh Kieu District in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho have hired roller-skating-students as waiters
(I met a lot of them in La Ca restaurant and Hoa Su restaurant)
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