8 Things You Must Do in Can Tho – WorldRoamer®

Thinking of visiting Can Tho, the Rice Basket of Vietnam? Here’s what it entails: 8 things that you must do there!

Can Tho is a beautiful city in the Mekong Delta, its name meaning ‘cam thi giang’ – ‘river of poems’. With such an artistic meaning to its name, it’s no doubt that visiting Can Tho would be a wonderful cultural experience. It is home to floating markets, Buddhist pagodas, delicious food, and fresh fruits – and these places have things that you absolutely must do while you’re here. Read on to check the 9 things you must do in Can Tho!

1. Watch the sunset at Ninh Kieu Wharf

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The pride of Can Tho lies in its tranquil rivers and hustle and bustle. Located only a few miles off the city center, this Wharf is the most popular destination for tourists in Can Tho. It lies between the Hau river and Can Tho river in Ninh Kieu district. To know that you have reached this iconic spot, look out for a park parallel to Hai Ba Trung street, a night market, many restaurants and bars, hotels, a statue of Uncle Ho and a breathtaking view. From Ninh Kieu Wharf, you’ll spot many trading boats and locals who are transferring their products to the Cai Rang Floating Market (link to Cai Rang Floating Market Insta Post), which is situated close by. Go for a stroll around the place, and hang around the Can Tho Bridge where you can admire the river in serenity. After watching the sun set, head to pubs and restaurants for a bar or drink to enjoy the chill vibes by the wharf.

Address: Cầu Ninh Kiều, Tân An, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ, Vietnam

2. Cai Rang Floating Market

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Floating markets are synonymous with the Mekong Delta, with its uniqueness that you must explore while you’re in Can Tho. Like most of the floating markets in Can Tho, such as Phong Dien floating market, Cai Be floating market, My Tho floating market (which are worth the visits to as well), Cai Rang was for locals’ trading of products. A century ago, Can Tho’s road traffic was still in its infancy, but today – the floating market is still operating and is even a must-visit tourist attraction. Well, with the abundance of things to see, do and eat at Cai Rang, what exactly are the things that make it a top destination?

Its bustling trading scene: While trades are going on, you can watch performances of traders skilfully juggling fruit from boat to boat – as though the water’s not there! As you sit on the sampan that glides through the river, feel its cool breeze and bask in the rustic Vietnamese lifestyle.

Local products: Can Tho’s soil is fertile, resulting in many homegrown delicacies. Cai Rang sells the freshest fruit that are harvested from farms nearby, such as durian, milk fruit, rambutan, mangosteen, grapefruit and coconut – important ingredients that make up the cornerstone of Can Tho cuisine. Their processed items like coconut candy, fish sauce and dried fish are also worth the snap up.

Eating experiences: Trading activities start early in the morning and many floating restaurants are open for breakfast for both sellers and customers. Some of the delicacies sold include local dishes, like pho (Vietnamese soup noodles), hu tieu (Vietnamese Pork and Prawn Clear Noodle Soup), com tam (Vietnamese broken rice), bun rieu (Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup), etc. Yes, you can never have enough noodle soup in Vietnam, Can Tho – each noodle dish has its own distinct influences, origins and flavours. Most importantly, it’s bang for your buck – With only 25,000 VND (1 USD), surely you can enjoy a hearty meal and even a cup of coffee.

Authentic and rich flavours: Most of the locals have been running their stalls at the floating market for three to four decades, so when it comes to cooking their food, they really know their stuff. How do you order? Honestly, all you have to do is lean over your boat and ask for what you want. The giant bamboo pole erected at the front of each stall displays samples of what is sold.

Here’s a fun fact – Gordon Ramsay found that the bowl of noodles he had at Cai Rang had one of the best broths that he ever tasted, and even included it as a challenge on the renowned Masterchef US.

Address: 46 Đường Hai Bà Trưng, Tân An, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ, Vietnam

3. Private Sampan Tour

As you sit on the Sampan and enjoy Can Tho’s river journey, start by exiting the large river and going towards the small canals of the Delta. Hire a sampan or wooden rowboat and enjoy the trip. You can stop at everything intriguing or interesting, whether it is a stilt house, boat house, orchard, farm or cottage industries. riverside restaurants, etc.

4. Go Cacao Farming

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The Mekong Delta is known for its agriculture worldwide, and attesting to this are small cacao farms that have sprung up in Can Tho. One must-visit place for this activity is the Mien Tay Homestay, a humble cacao farm run by Lam The Cuong and his family. Take a tour around this one hectare organic farm which has 2,000 trees producing four tons of cacao a year. During the tour, you will learn about the process of making cacao products; how the fruit of the cacao tree is turned into everyday products like body butter, chocolate, and alcohol. For only a dollar plus, you’ll learn about fermenting, drying and roasting cocoa beans. Spend an educational and tasty afternoon at Mien Tay Homestay for a hands-on Cacao experience!

Address: Mien Tay Homestay Muoi Cuong, 275 My Ai Hamlet, My Khanh Commune, Phong Dien District, Can Tho, Vietnam

5. Visit The Grand Prison

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Also known as the Large Prison for a simple reason: as it was the largest prison in Hau Giang province which detained prisoners who were patriotic at the expense of the regime and committed serious crimes. Built in 1886 by the French, the whole prison covers an extensive 4000 square-metres with its four walls high and stable, making escaping the confines an impossible feat then. This prison is one of the French Colonial era prisons throughout Vietnam at that time, as an easy method for them to punish resistors and revolutionaries. The said Vietnamese were held in this place, tortured and executed. Go on a historical journey of Vietnam’s fight for peace as you explore the space that has 21 detention rooms, a kitchen, a church and a pagoda, a temple and a large courtyard for prisoners to pray and repent. While it might evoke sadness for the country back in time, the Can Tho Prison is a great way to immerse yourself in the roots of Vietnam’s struggle for peace.

Address: 8 Ngô Gia Tự, Tân An, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ, Vietnam

6. Visit the Binh Thuy ancient house

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This fusion of Eastern and Western architectural design built in 1870 has French-style architecture and traditional South Vietnam features. It is a private property of the Duong’s family, and is acknowledged as a valuable construction for its architectural and historical values. For tourists, this is the perfect location to explore historical French and Vietnamese architecture.

Following the steps of the French in its architecture, the floor of the house is a metre higher than the yard ground. It has four bow-shaped stairways, linking the house to its spacious yard. High motif-decorated ceilings and huge doors scream nobility.

The Binh Thuy ancient house is different from other houses in Can Tho, with 5 compartments and 2 wings with 22m long, 16m deep on an area of 6,000m2. Despite the Western influence, the sanctum, the most solemn place in the house, is designed with Oriental touches. This immaculate fusion has received acclaim among the film industry, as many directors, domestic and foreign filmmakers for filmed their movies there.

Address: 144 Bùi Hữu Nghĩa, Bình Thuỷ, Bình Thủy, Cần Thơ, Vietnam

7. Go for a homestay

Search up homestays in Can Tho and you’ll be surprised by how many families there are, willing to take care of you like you are part of the family during your stint. It is an intimate and friendly experience, as you can enjoy an experience of cooking with the host’s family, having family dinners away from your own home, farm, and taking care of their home with them too. Be open to their stories, and truly immerse yourself in the life of the people in Can Tho!

8. Of course, taste the delicacies of Mekong Delta

What’s a holiday without food? You must try their specialities in this river city, the stars of the show being Cai Rang grilled rolls, made from fresh pork, and served with pineapple, cucumber, bitter banana, star fruit, and thin rice paper. With a mix of sweetness from the fresh fruits and savoury from the meat, feel the robust flavours as you try each dish. Other must-try dishes include bun ca (fish noodles), hu tieu Sa Dec (dry noodles), bun rieu (crab noodles) and lau mam (fish hot pot). The Vietnamese love their noodles, fish and fruits, and we’re not complaining!

Also, their street food culture is a whole other experience, with exciting dishes that taste phenomenal.

Now that you have read these 8 things to do in Can Tho, we hope you are intrigued and excited for your next trip there! Can Tho is a wonderful city boasting of heritage, food and nature – and what’s not to love in a city with all of these? Book your next trip there now, and enjoy the wonders of the Mekong Delta in the Rice Basket of Vietnam.

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