Briefly about the floating markets of the Mekong Delta
Tourists who have heard about Vietnam’s floating markets may wonder why people don’t hold the market on land. However, the floating market is very convenient in the Mekong Delta where people mainly live by the waterways.
Due to the special terrain covered by the river, the waterway also serves as a means of transportation and a center of economic activity. Boats were primarily used for local and regional trade, transporting goods from those who produced to those who could barter and trade. These lifestyles of riverine communities and the region’s complex and extensive river system increase the number of floating markets.
Floating markets have long become an important meeting place for the exchange of goods and also for certain cultural activities which have shaped the character of the people of the Mekong in particular and Vietnam in general for hundreds of years.
The products at the floating markets are incredibly abundant and diverse but are mainly fresh local fruits and vegetables. You can see hundreds of motorboats filled with mango, pineapple, dragon fruit, star fruit, fresh coconut and durian sailing along the river.
In front of each boat will be a “cay beo” – a long pole to hang on the sample merchandise. This way is to attract customers and help them find the items they need more easily in the middle of a vast river. And this seems to be a common and unique sign that you only see in the floating markets of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
Check out the 7 best floating markets in the Mekong Delta below and everything you need to know before visiting:
1. Cai Be Floating Market
Formed during the Nguyen dynasty in the 19th century, Cai Be is one of several well-known floating markets in the Mekong Delta. The market is located in the area where the Tien River shares the border between the 3 provinces of Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Ben Tre.
Blending in with the bustling ambience and chaotic atmosphere of the market, your mind seems to absorb the rhythm of the waving water flow, while your soul seems to daydream in front of the immensity of the Mekong River.
The Cai Be floating market is divided into two parts: places of purchase and sale. Around 400 to 500 boats filled with fruits, vegetables and other produce are anchored along the river banks for miles.
You can rent a motorboat to cruise along the river and experience what a bustling and vibrant floating market it is. Unlike the usual floating markets that only meet in the morning, Cai Be Floating Market starts trading from early in the morning until late at night.
Address : Cai Be floating market, Cai Be town, Cai Be district, Tien Giang province.
2. Cai Rang Floating Market
It is the largest floating market in the Mekong Delta, also the most popular due to its location and accessibility. Located about 6 km from Can Tho town center, the market starts early in the morning, from 5 a.m. to noon.
But it’s best to be here before 8 a.m. to see the busiest times of the market. From Ninh Kieu Wharf, you can take a boat and reach the market in 45 minutes.
THE Cai Rang floating market specializes in the sale of fruits, agricultural products and Can Tho specialties such as grapefruit, durian, dragon fruit, watermelon, pineapple…
Other services and products like mending, sale of gasoline, oil, salted fish, medicines, confectionery, salt, clothing, cosmetics, spices, etc. are available here.
There are also a few small boats serving soft drinks, wine and food.
And you should not miss an interesting experience when visiting Cai Rang Floating Market is that having breakfast on boats with local dishes including “pho”, “hu tieu”, “bun rieu »… (series of noodle dishes), “com tam” (broken rice with pork and eggs) etc. at a very cheap price.
Address : Le Binh district, Cai Rang district, Can Tho city.
3. Phong Dien Floating Market
Located about 20 km southwest of Can Tho town, Phong Dien Floating Market is less crowded and much smaller than the main floating market – Cai Rang, but it is truly authentic.
This floating retail market offers abundant and diverse products such as fruits, vegetables, foods, household items, gasoline and work tools.
What people have in land markets, Phong Dien also has. There are fewer motorized boats and more hand-oared sampans, so you can hear the sound of merchants advertising their own products that they are selling.
For those who want to avoid a large number of tourists at Cai Rang Market and get a real experience of the daily life of Mekong Delta residents, going to Phong Dien is a better choice.
To catch the best scene in the market, you should come here early in the morning, from 5am to 8am.
Address : Phong Dien floating market, Nhon Ai, Phong Dien district, Can Tho.
4. Nga Nam Floating Market
Located about 60 kilometers from Soc Trang town, Nga Nam Floating Market takes its name from the convergence of five canals – Ca Mau, Vinh Quelle, Long My, Thanh Tri and Phung Hiep – in Nga Nam commune.
The market starts at 3 a.m. and ends at 8 a.m. but on Tet day, it opens all day.
Being the central market of the entire Mekong Delta region, Nga Nam Floating Market provides most of the products and specialties of this region, from types of rice and tropical fruits to countless types of seafood, displaying the pure range of the diversity of resources of the Mekong Delta.
Although until now the commercial activity has become more and more bustling and more and more visitors come here, Nga Nam Floating Market still maintains the uniqueness of the Mekong countryside as well as the typical attributes that make it special, such as “ao ba ba”, sweet old folk songs and distinctive southern accent.
Address : Nga Nam floating market, Nga Nam Commune, Soc Trang Province.
5. Nga Bay Floating Market (Phung Hiep)
Nga Bay, also called Phung Hiep Floating Market, has been open since 1915. For over a hundred years, it has been a key trading port for the residents of Nga Bay town. As its name suggests, the market is located at the intersection of 7 rivers: Cai Con, Mang Sao, Bung Tau, Soc Trang, Xeo Mon, Lai Hieu and Xeo Dong.
Nga Bay Market offers a wide variety of goods including fruits, agricultural products, handicrafts, household appliances and all kinds of mats. In addition, the market also offers a sale of snakes, turtles, birds, daisies, squirrels… You will have the opportunity to taste typical dishes from the South like “banh xeo”, “pho”… directly on the boat.
Address : Nga Bay Floating Market, Nga Bay Commune, Hau Giang Province.
6. Tra On Floating Market
Situated at a prime location between the junction of Hau River and Mang Thit River, Tra On is one of the oldest floating markets associated with many cultural activities of the local people. It’s not as busy as other places like Cai Be or Cai Rang, but it’s still worth a visit for those opting for less touristy spots.
The market wakes up very early in the morning, around 2 – 3 a.m. when sellers start preparing their wares for the day. 5am to 6am is considered the best time to explore this market. You can see the busiest scene of the day and retain the most vivid moments, from the bright smiles of the vendors to a long line of dragons and canoes close together.
Like other floating markets in the region, the main commodities here are seasonal fruits and agricultural products, namely banana, guava, tangerine, orange, durian, mango, grapefruit… Tra On Floating Market is not only a market providing products to locals but also becoming a major wholesale market, providing agricultural products to many neighboring areas.
Address : Tra On floating market, Tra On town, Tra On district, Vinh Long province.
7. Long Xuyen Floating Market
Long Xuyen Floating Market is one of the non-tourist destinations in An Giang province, so it will be amazing for those who prefer peace and avoid crowded places. Not only that, the market also serves to experience the quintessence of the culture and people of the Mekong Delta.
This market is not as big as other markets but the serenity of this place makes you feel more comfortable and closer to local life. It is about 2 km from Long Xuyen Town, located along one side of the Hau River with heavy alluvium.
Here you can find hundreds of boats from many places coming and trading agricultural products. Part of the market is like a food court on the water since you can enjoy dozens of attractive dishes there, such as rice noodle soup, sweet soup, coffee, “banh tam bi” – a kind coconut milk noodles, “banh bo”, etc.
Address : Long Xuyen Floating Market, Hau River, Long Xuyen Town, An Giang Province.
