Can Tho Floating market
If you have found your way to Mekong Delta, you cannot afford to miss the Floating Market or “Cho Noi”.
Location
If you find yourself in the Mekong Delta in 2025, experiencing the floating markets, known as "Cho Noi," is a must. These unique markets can be found throughout the Mekong provinces, with some of the most well-known floating markets being Cai Rang, Phong Dien (Can Tho City), Nga Nam (Soc Trang), and Nga Bay (Hau Giang). Floating markets have a rich history in the region, serving as vibrant hubs where locals buy and sell goods directly from their boats.
Photo: baolau.com
As waterways are the primary mode of transportation in the Delta, ferries and boats remain popular for both travel and commerce. Over time, vendors gathered at specific spots along the river to sell fruits, vegetables, and products they cultivated in their own gardens. This developed into a bustling marketplace for both local produce and goods imported from other regions.
What To See & Do
The floating markets typically start around 4 or 5 in the morning, well before dawn, and conclude by 9 or 10 a.m. Local fruits and vegetables, including pineapple, dragon fruit, watermelon, yam, and cabbage, dominate these markets. In addition, vendors offer garden tools, handicrafts, and delicious Vietnamese breakfast options like rice noodles (“Bun”) and “Hu Tieu.” Trying to eat while navigating a boat can be an entertaining challenge, so be prepared to manage chopsticks and soup bowls as you drift along the river.
Photo by @ Kye Norton
One distinctive feature of the floating market experience is the "Cay Beo." This small pole is placed at the front of each boat, serving as a sign for what is available for sale. While you can't hang a bowl of noodles on the pole, you can often spot vendors by the tempting wafts of smoke and the aroma of cooking food.
Photo by @ MichaelCook
In Can Tho City, visitors can enjoy a floating market tour departing from Ninh Kieu dock. The average tour takes about 5 hours to cover two nearby floating markets, and many travelers find this experience to be immensely rewarding.
Useful Information
- Location: Floating Market
- Best for: Family, couple
- Entrance: Free
- Hours: 4AM - 10AM
- Distance to city center: 4.8km (3.0 mi)
Thuan Hung Town
Thuan Hung town is about 40 km Northwest from the center of Can Tho city, famous for making one of the best rice papers in Vietnam.
Cai Rang Floating Market
For tourists who travel to Can Tho, metropolis of the south-west, it would be regretful if they could not drop by and purchase something in Cai Rang (6km from Can Tho city), one of the most famous and biggest floating markets in the Mekong Delta.
Ninh Kieu Pier
Ninh Kieu dock, with Ho Chi Minh statue standing still, is the symbol of Can Tho city.
