There are numerous things to do in Can Tho for vacationers to have incredible moments, such as visiting Cai Rang Floating Market, exploring Ninh Kieu Wharf, going to Can Tho Night Market,… Read Seni World’s blog to know more!
Visit Cai Rang Floating Market
Cai Rang Floating Market is the world-famous and iconic image of Can Tho. Visiting here at dawn, you will see dozens of boats arriving at the river to sell many different types of fresh fruits, vegetables, and local specialties. This makes Cai Rang Floating Market a colorful and dynamic floating bazaar. Let’s enjoy the lively sounds of bargaining and try participating in this exciting activity once.
If you want to experience Cai Rang Floating Market up close, you should take a small boat tour, then buy a cup of bold Vietnamese coffee or a traditional flavor bowl of Hu Tieu right on the water. It is the most wonderful and authentic way to immerse yourself in the Mekong Delta’s unique river culture as well as particular local trade traditions.
Explore Ninh Kieu Wharf
Ninh Kieu Wharf is the central hub and another symbol of Can Tho, positioned along the Hau River. Covered with local restaurants, pretty coffee shops, and a beautiful green park, Ninh Kieu Wharf is the best choice for a relaxed evening stroll with perspectives of sparkling lights reflecting on the water.
At night, Ninh Kieu Wharf changes into a brilliant promenade with delicious local food stalls and live music. From here, you can additionally catch dinner cruises or boat excursions to nearby islands. Exploring Ninh Kieu Wharf is one of the must-try things to do in Can Tho for first-time tourists.
Go To Can Tho Night Market
Located near Ninh Kieu Wharf, Can Tho Night Market is an interesting world full of colors, smells, and sounds. Both local people and vacationers arrive at the night market to try delicious street food, pretty handmade crafts, and traditional souvenirs.
When going to Can Tho Night Market, don’t forget to enjoy various types of grilled seafood, Banh Xeo Mien Tay (Vietnamese Pancakes), or sweet coconut desserts. You can also chat with friendly local vendors to know more about their energetic daily lives and work. All food here has an economical price, traditional flavor, and it keeps the spirit of the Mekong Delta.
Tour Bang Lang Stork Garden
This nature reserve, Bang Lang Stork Garden, is home to heaps of white storks that roost in the treetops. The best time to visit Can Tho City in general and Bang Lang Stork Garden in particular is from December to April, or during the dry season.
You should go to the nature reserve in the early morning or sunset, when the sky is clear and filled with the flapping wings of birds. Bang Lang Stork Garden has a serene scenery, surrounded by green rice paddies and blue waterways, making it a great escape from the busy city. Particularly, travelers can also investigate this place by a small boat through the lush mangrove forest.
Discover The Can Tho Museum
Can Tho Museum showcases the rich history as well as culture of the Mekong Delta region. Exhibits here consist of conventional apparel, agricultural tools and equipment, ancient artifacts, and stories of the old Khmer and Chinese communities.
Can Tho Museum is a wonderful educational destination for travelers, especially global vacationers, to understand more about how the Mekong Delta people’s lifestyle evolved with the river. The museum is also superbly built and designed with a stunning combination of modern and traditional architecture.
Uncover Phong Dien Floating Market
Smaller and more local than Cai Rang Floating Market, Phong Dien Floating Market brings travelers a more authentic and friendly experience. You can see various farmers sell their fresh produce directly from their boats, and they often barter with each other. You should take an early morning boat ride to witness daily life as it naturally occurs on the water. This floating market is quieter and less touristy, wonderful for photography with family and friends, as well as cultural immersion.
Visit Ong Pagoda
Ong Pagoda, or known as the Chinese Pagoda, is a colourful pagoda near Ninh Kieu Wharf, which is devoted to Kuang Kung. Ong Pagoda has brilliant architecture, complicated dragon carvings, and beautiful lanterns, so it is one of Can Tho’s most photogenic sites. When going inside, the air is filled with the aroma of incense and quiet prayers. The pagoda is an iconic image for the long-standing Chinese impact on the Mekong Delta region and Can Tho City’s religious and cultural life.
Walk Around Can Tho Old Market
Can Tho Old Market, built during the French colonial period, still stands as an architectural gem along the river nowadays. The old market’s yellow facade and arched windows make this destination a well-known photography spot for both local people and travelers who love the vintage building and atmosphere.
Going inside, Can Tho Old Market sells many different types of local products, consisting of dried fruits, fish sauce, and traditional handicrafts. Visiting Can Tho Old Market is one of the must-try things to do in Can Tho for travelers to pick up the Mekong Delta souvenirs and taste local snacks.
Relax At The Love Bridge
Connecting Ninh Kieu Wharf to Con Cai Khe, this pedestrian bridge glows superbly at night with heart-shaped lights. Therefore, the bridge is called Love Bridge. Couples often visit here to hang symbolic locks of their love or take some romantic photos to save these great moments.
The Love Bridge also offers panoramic and impressive views of the river and Can Tho City skyline for all visitors. The bridge is one of the most world-famous places to take photos for sharing them with the network on many Social media platforms, particularly during sunset.
Take A Dinner Cruise On The Hau River
You can try experiencing Can Tho from an extraordinary side, such as enjoying a scenic dinner cruise. When you sail down the Hau River, you can have an opportunity to unwind in Vietnamese dishes accompanied by attractive live folk music. The smooth glow of lanterns on the cruise and the light breeze over the water of the Hau River create a magical atmosphere. It is an excellent night interest for families or couples when they want to learn more about Can Tho nightlife.
Visit Truc Lam Phương Nam Zen Monastery
One of the largest monasteries in the Mekong Delta region, Truc Lam Phương Nam Zen Monastery combines traditional Vietnamese architecture with tranquil green gardens. This place has the towering bell tower and lotus ponds that beautify the monastery’s peaceful ambiance. Travelers can walk through the grounds, try to meditate, or learn more about sacred Buddhist philosophy.
Enjoy Fruit Gardens in Phong Dien
Can Tho is surrounded by various lush orchards where vacationers can pick tropical fruits, consisting of fresh mangosteen, rambutan, and longan. Local farmers here regularly invite visitors to sample their harvest and unwind in delicious traditional home-cooked food. Wandering through the fruit gardens in Can Tho, you can have an opportunity to experience the rural life in the Mekong Delta.
Explore Con Son Islet
Con Son Islet is a small island community well-known for eco-tourism and warm hospitality. From Can Tho city center, you can reach Con Son Islet by boat. Discovering this small island, you can join many different exciting activities, like watching “flying fish” shows, making rice paper, or learning traditional cake-making ways. Vacationers are welcomed into local homes for food, social, and cultural exchange. Con Son Islet offers a hospitable and strong connection with the local people of the Mekong Delta for travelers all over the world.
Visit The Military Museum
The Military Museum highlights Southern Vietnam’s wartime history against America with valuable and detailed exhibits, including old tanks, meaningful photographs, and relics. The museum is a destination for all visitors to reflect on Vietnam’s resilience and patriotism. The displays are very informative and well-curated. Therefore, they help visitors understand more about the region’s role in Vietnam’s independence. Visiting the Military Museum is one of the wonderful things to do in Can Tho for history lovers.
Try Local Specialty
Visiting Can Tho City, you can not miss out on its local specialties, especially Banh Xeo Can Tho, or Vietnamese Crispy Pancake. Can Tho’s version of this well-known Vietnamese crispy pancake is bigger and packed with shrimp, pork, as well as fresh bean sprouts. You will eat Banh Xeo Can Tho with local herbs and sweet fish sauce to have an explosion of flavor. Many riverside restaurants in Can Tho prepare it fresh, sizzling on hot clay pans. Eating Banh Xeo Can Tho at these places is really a cultural and culinary revel in mixed.
Discover Munirangsyaram Pagoda
Placed in the Can Tho city center, Munirangsyaram Pagoda is a famous Khmer Buddhist pagoda that stands out with its golden spires and carefully carved details. The pagoda showcases the cultural diversity of Can Tho’s communities. The peaceful courtyard and colourful murals of Munirangsyaram Pagoda bring vacationers more insights about Khmer spiritual art. This is an excellent destination for travelers who are interested in Southeast Asian architecture.
Investigate Tay Do Ecotourism Park
Tay Do Ecotourism Park is a unique theme park that combines various topics, like nature, traditional architecture, as well as fun and leisure activities. Visitors, particularly international travelers, can have a chance to explore local lotus ponds, small bridges, and folk games. Tay Do Ecotourism Park is mainly popular with families with kids and children, for its picnic places and cultural performances. The park brings them an energetic yet relaxed Mekong Delta atmosphere.
Attend A Traditional Southern Folk Music Show
Traditional Southern Folk Music Show, also called Don Ca Tai Tu, is a proudly UNESCO-recognized music form. It is a very important part of the Mekong Delta’s identity. Performances use traditional instruments of the Southern Vietnam area, like the Dan Kim and many emotional singing styles.
Numerous local homestays and restaurants in Can Tho offer live shows where travelers can enjoy the music while eating local dishes. Attending a traditional Southern folk music show is one of the stunning things to do in Can Tho, for you to enjoy Southern Vietnam’s hospitality and culture.
Enjoy Coffee With A River View
Can Tho’s local coffee shops have a bold culture along the riverbanks. Unwinding in a cup of Vietnamese iced coffee while seeing pretty boats drift by is a peaceful and happy experience for visitors, particularly when they explore Can Tho during the rainy season. From rustic riverside huts to modern rooftop coffee shops, each destination is a spot of a unique yet traditional flavor of the Mekong Delta region. This is a wonderful way for all vacationers to relax and absorb the slow and soothing tempo of Can Tho.
Final Thoughts: Is Can Tho Worth Traveling?
Being a well-known and captivating destination in the Mekong Delta region, there are various things to do in Can Tho for both local and global travelers. Not only is it a natural beauty, but Can Tho also has rich cultural and historical sites, delicious traditional food, and folk music shows. Let’s contact Seni World, a reputable tour operator from Vietnam, for more consulting about what to do and where to stay in Can Tho, and everything about this adventure.
