VN · Can Tho · 10.03°N 105.78°E

can tho

Dawn boat rides to Cai Rang floating market in the heart of the Mekong.

Best time
December to April is dry. May to November is the wet season, with high water around September and October. Whatever the month, the markets are busiest just after dawn.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly KL to Ho Chi Minh City (about 2 hours), then about 3 hours by road. Can Tho also has an airport with domestic flights.
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VN · Can Thocan tho10.03°N 105.78°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Dawn boat rides to Cai Rang floating market in the heart of the Mekong.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingCan ThoVN, Can Tho
KLcan tho
≈ 889 km from KL, as the crow flies
Can Tho, Viet Nam

Photo: [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Trantuonglam Trantuonglam] · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

The biggest city in the Mekong Delta, on the Hau River, and the usual base for the floating markets. Before sunrise, boats head out to Cai Rang, where traders sell fruit and vegetables from their boats, hanging samples on tall poles to show what they've got. Back in town, the Ninh Kieu riverfront is busy in the evenings.

Makan

  1. Floating market breakfastNoodle soup and coffee sold from boats, right on the river.Map ↗
  2. Bánh xèoBig, crispy southern-style pancakes, wrapped in mustard leaves and herbs.Map ↗
  3. Cá lóc nướng truiSnakehead fish grilled whole over straw, a Mekong classic.Map ↗
  4. Tropical fruitMangosteen, rambutan, durian and pomelo from the orchards around the city.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Cai Rang floating marketThe big wholesale market on the river. Go at dawn by small boat.Map ↗
  2. Phong Dien floating marketA smaller, more local market further upriver.Map ↗
  3. Ninh Kieu WharfThe riverside promenade, with a night market and the lights on the water.Map ↗
  4. Binh Thuy Ancient HouseA 19th-century family home mixing French and Vietnamese styles, used as a film set.Map ↗
  5. Noodle-making workshopsFamily workshops near Cai Rang where rice noodles are made by hand.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Hire a small boat rather than a big tour boat, so you can get close to the market boats.
  • The market winds down by mid-morning, so leave before sunrise.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.