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Cai Rang Floating Market is one of the most unique attractions in Can Tho, Vietnam. Cai Rang floating market is the cultural identity of the Mekong River Delta attracting many tourists.
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The Location of Cai Rang Floating Market
Can Tho Cai Rang Floating Market is located on the Can Tho River, Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho City, Vietnam. It is:
About 30 minutes by boat from Ninh Kieu Wharf
6km from the center of Can Tho City
About 170km southwest of Ho Chi Minh City
Cai Rang Floating Market is located at the confluence of three rivers (branches of Cai Rang and Hau River), which has natural features favorable for boat mooring.
Cai Rang Floating Market - A Top Tourist Attraction of Can Tho
Cai Rang Floating Market in Can Tho was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2016, and selected by Rough Guide Magazine (UK) as one of the 10 most impressive marketplaces in the world.
Even the famous chef Gordon Ramsay came here once, and he loved the noodle soup.
Cai Rang Floating Market was founded in the early 20th century because people's daily lives depend largely on the river region. At that time, Mekong Delta plants and agricultural items like fruits were the main exchanged products.
But now, the market is open to selling food, household items, essential things for life on the river, and especially, tourism products, which makes Cai Rang Floating Market an interesting place to visit in Can Tho.
Oral contact is restricted due to the noise of the waves and boat motors, therefore, people hang their goods on a pole known as the "bẹo" tree so that potential customers may see what they are selling and approach. Then they trade by juggling or passing objects from hand to hand.
They also extended their working hours to be of service to visitors. So what kind of service do they offer? What can you do at Cai Rang Floating Market? Keep scrolling.
What to Do at Cai Rang Floating Market
Discover Cai Rang Floating Food Market
Let’s start with the food, shall we?
Cai Rang Floating Market’s busiest time of the day is from 04:00 - 06:00 a.m. which the whole place looks like a food festival, with all the best dishes of Can Tho cuisine displayed like congee, rib rice, noodle soup, crab noodle soup, fried noodles…
But this is gonna be your whole new experience because all the food here is fully served on boats. These boats carry all kinds of cooking materials and types of equipment from pots, bowls, and chopsticks to the ingredients themselves; they are the literal floating restaurants and your table would be a piece of wood. If you don't pay attention enough, you will spill some drops of delicious sauce as the waves won't stop kissing the hull.
It is recommended that tourists depart from 4:00 - 5:00 a.m. and it would be a perfect time for breakfast at 6. If you are lucky enough, you might get a chance to watch the sunrise, isn’t that a cherry on top?
Listen to Đờn Ca Tài Tử - The Treasure of The Southern River Region
Đờn Ca Tài Tử is a musical art with both scholarly and folk roots and an indispensable part of the spiritual activity and cultural heritage of the people of southern Viet Nam.
The music and songs evoke the people’s life and work on the land and rivers of the Mekong Delta region. Đờn Ca Tài Tử is thus intimately connected with other cultural practices and customs, oral traditions, and handicrafts.
Musicians need to study for at least three years to learn the basic instrumental techniques and master the musical modes to express different moods and emotions.
Every weekend, there will be a Đờn Ca Tài Tử boat traveling along the Cai Rang Floating Market to perform for locals as well as tourists.
Experience The "4 Hangings" Strange Tradition
According to the custom of Cai Rang Floating Market, each boat will hang at least 1 of the following 4 things:
- Things you hang are things you sell: Products available for sale are hung on a "beo" tree.
- Things that are hung but not for sale: The clothes of families living on the boats.
- Things that are for sale but not hung: Your breakfast.
- Hang one thing but sell another: If you see them hanging a roofing sheet, it can be implied that they are selling their boat.
We believe that it is your turn to find out which one is which.
Collect Good Selfies
If you want to take photos of the sunrise and the bustling life of the people, you should visit Cai Rang in the early morning.
For those who would love to watch the gloaming quieting the world down, you should come at sunset.
Other Activities Besides Visiting Cai Rang Floating Market
Enjoy The Fruits of Riverside Gardens
The Fruit Garden of Can Tho has all kinds of Vietnam’s Western traditional fruits such as mangosteen, oranges, durian, toadstool, star apple, guava, rambutan, and jackfruit,...
In addition, tourists visiting the Cai Rang Floating Market can drop by some of Can Tho's largest fruit gardens and have the opportunity to participate in Southern folk activities such as kite rowing, fishing, shrimp catching, etc.
Make Coconut Candy
Coconut candy is a typical snack for young people of the land. Visitors coming to the coconut candy factory will learn the full process of making a small, beautiful but extremely delicious coconut candy.
Make The Traditional Noodle Soup
The Traditional soup noodle oven is the next attractive tourist destination in your Cai Rang Floating Market trip. You will be able to observe the traditional noodle-making process, enjoy the unique, one-of-a-kind "Noodle soup Pizza” and practice some of the steps of making noodles.
Best Time to Visit Cai Rang Floating Market
Can Tho have rainy (from May to November) and sunny (December to April) seasons. You can choose both but don’t forget, Cai Rang Floating Market is closed on Tet holidays.
Side Notes To Visiting Cai Rang Floating Market
You should find out information about Can Tho weather in advance to determine a reasonable travel time.
When renting a tourist boat, you must have the exact information of the boat charterer (agent's hotline, manager's phone number, and name of your boat driver). You must negotiate the price, time, and destination.
Do not deposit any money in advance. If a deposit is required, ask the requester for a clear receipt.
You should ask the price before buying anything
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