Cai Rang floating market, which attracts thousands of tourists, especially foreigners, is considered as a speciality of the Mekong Delta.
If you have an opportunity to visit Can Tho, then Cai Rang floating market is a must-go destination. It is about 5 km from the center of Can Tho city. Interestingly, all of what you have to do to reach it is, firstly, getting to Ninh Kieu Wharf and then taking a 30-minute ride by waterways. Tourists can choose from hundreds of produce, seasonal fruits or regional dishes and immerse yourself in the bustling atmosphere of the river fair, observe, understand the life of many loving families with generations living on the boat.
If the quiet atmosphere, the feeling of floating on the river, the cool breeze, the early morning on the Hau River makes you feel very relaxed, then the time of the market with the sound of the engine, the oars splashing, waves crashing on the boat, the call, say and bustle of the shoppers mixed with the hum of the purchase price … will make you feel this place is very crowded and exciting, contrary to the moment before there.
Most of the time, the functioning of the market occurs from dawn until 9am. At about 6 am, hundreds of small boats have parked together to participate in trading on the floating market. All the boats are filled with goods, fruits, horticulture products dangled from a pole planted before the boat, which the locals called the “cay beo”. And just by looking at it, you can know what kind of product the boat is selling. You can see the boats scattered around each other. The average boats usually offer agricultural products, while the bigger ones are possessed by middlemen who spread fruits everywhere, even to Cambodia.
From 7am to 8am is the time when the market is the most crowded. The whole market is like a bulge, almost encroaching on the whole river. Everything began to sound chaotic: the sound of the engine, the sound of rowing the water, the sound of waves crashing into the sides of the boat, then the voices of laughter, the sound of the buyers and sellers, all create a rush and bustling which is no less than that of the land markets. Cai Rang floating market not only serves fruits but also food, coffee, even drinking in the market, meeting the needs of everyone from men, women to children.
Catching the sight of goods exchange is absolutely stunning, in which the seller stands on the big boat delivering each bag, cart, etc. for whom from small boats. The movements of passers, recipients look great and artistry. We bet that you will enjoy being immersed in the miniature world in the tremendous sky and water; feeling heart-warming with gentle and loving smiles.
It is interesting to note that, Cai Rang floating market is not only a place of business life of Can Tho people but also an attractive tourist attraction of domestic and foreign tourists. Occasionally except from boats filled with fruits and goods, we can see fleets of small tourist boats serving visitors, with most of them being foreigners, who are very surprised at but extremely interested in the lives of local people. Perhaps these moments will never be forgotten in Vietnam.