Cai Rang Floating Market is one of the Mekong Delta’s largest and most popular. Located just six kilometers from the city of Can Tho, Cai Rang is the ideal place to experience the hustle and bustle of a Vietnamese floating market.
On arrival at the river, you’ll see hundreds of boats and canoes filled with everything from clothing and rice to fresh fruit and vegetables. Long poles protruding from each boat will tell you what each is selling. (This is a wholesale market, so many are selling to smaller traders.) The boats that attract the most attention are the small wooden boats that use oars to move around.
Book a Mekong Delta and Cai Rang Floating Market half-day tour from Ninh Kieu Wharf, or combine your visit with a biking adventure on Ben Tre Island on a full-day tour from Can Tho. Day trips and two-day tours of the Mekong Delta’s floating markets also depart from Ho Chi Minh City.
Insider’s Tip: The Cai Rang Floating Market is at its best between 6am and 8am. Cai Rang Bridge is a great spot for taking photos, and going earlier will mean capturing the busyness of the market without it being overcrowded with day-trippers.
Practical Info
Cai Rang can be seen from the road, but arriving by boat is much more fun! If not arriving as part of an organized tour, get a boat from the market area in Can Tho or drive to the Cau Dau Sau pier, from where it takes around 10 minutes to reach the market.
