On the journey to explore Vietnam, markets are 1 of the destinations that cannot be missed. Because each market, each type of marketplace is not only a place of trade and exchange, but also a cultural and culinary museum, a vivid portrait of the life and people of each land.
Join MLifeOn to experience the sunrise at Cai Rang Floating Market - a place recognized by Rough Guide Travel Magazine (UK) as 1 of the 10 most impressive markets in the world - to fully and authentically feel the river life of the Mekong Delta.
Sunrise on the river - a market not for late risers
The market begins as early as 5 a.m., reaching its liveliest between 6 and 8 am just a brief two hours of bustling trade and exchange. Cái Răng Floating Market is truly not a place for late risers. To experience this unique “dawn market,” you’ll need to be at Ninh Kiều Wharf before 5:30 am. A 30-minute boat ride on the vast Hậu River, drifting through that fragile moment between night and day, will take you to the meeting point of the Hậu and Cái Răng rivers - where the market awakens.
In the sunny and windy Mekong Delta, few would think to bring a jacket. But if you want to experience the Cai Rang Floating Market at dawn, it’s something you should keep with you. The market convenes early, in a misty haze at the river’s junction, bringing a special chill you won’t find anywhere else in this warm region.
As the sun hovers just above the water, hundreds of boats and motorized sampans from all directions gather, creating a bustling scene even before sunrise. Take a deep breath and you’ll sense the freshness of the early Hau River breeze, the fragrance of orchard fruits, the aroma of steaming broth or a morning coffee, and even the distinct fishy scent of the river itself. When the first rays of sunlight cast their golden glow across the water, Cai Rang Floating Market unfolds before your eyes like a vibrant, colorful film of Mekong river life.
That’s how the Cai Rang Floating Market welcomes you!
By 6 am, just as the sun rises, Cai Rang Floating Market is already crowded and lively. Every boat is loaded with seasonal produce: rambutan, longan, durian, star apple… forming a dazzling mosaic of colors in the dawn light - a feast for the eyes. Immersing yourself in that atmosphere, you’ll never regret leaving your cozy bed so early!
Cai Rang Floating Market - unique with the “cay beo” language
The most iconic image that impresses visitors at Cai Rang Floating Market is the “cay beo.” This is the one-of-a-kind advertising signboard found only here. You’ll easily spot it: on each trading boat, a tall bamboo pole stands with the product hung from it - perhaps a bunch of rambutans, a pumpkin, or a pineapple - signaling what’s being sold.
A boatman told me that the “cay beo” has existed since the market began, as the only effective form of advertising for both buyers and sellers in the floating marketplace. Amid the splash of water, the roar of boat engines, and the chatter and bargaining, no shouting or loudspeakers could work. But among hundreds of boats crowded together, buyers can instantly recognize the goods they want by looking at the “cay beo.”
The “cay beo” at Cai Rang Floating Market is a testament to the intelligence, adaptability, and ingenuity of the Mekong Delta people.
Though Cai Rang Floating Market is no longer as bustling as it once was due to easier land transportation, it remains a must-visit destination. The “cay beo” still stands as a cultural marker, preserving the golden traces of the floating traders from the early 20th century.
“Hu Tieu Lac” and the floating restaurants of the river
It may not be the fanciest meal or the most luxurious restaurant, but “Hu Tieu Lac” (shaking noodles) is an unforgettable experience at the floating market. On small boats and sampans, rustic noodle stalls and coffee counters, run by friendly uncles, aunties, or sun-kissed Mekong girls, are ready to serve you a one-of-a-kind culinary delight.
A humble bowl of hu tieu, flavored with the authentic taste of the Mekong, is handed to you while you sit on a gently rocking boat. Both the bowl and the diner sway with the waves, which is exactly how the dish earned its charming name, “Hu Tieu Lac.”
Balancing the bowl in your hand, or placing it carefully on a low stool while eating without spilling, becomes a fun challenge, one that not everyone can master!
Besides hu tieu, the breakfast menu at Cai Rang Floating Market is diverse, featuring local specialties such as: crab vermicelli soup, fish cake noodle soup, and rustic Mekong cakes. All are served on boats, the “floating restaurants” of the river. Often, the food feels even more delightful because of the lively riverside atmosphere that surrounds you.
You can enjoy your breakfast or iced milk coffee while watching boats nudging against one another to trade pineapples, bunches of rambutans, or other fresh produce. Sometimes, when the boats get too crowded, your meal might be delivered and paid for using long bamboo poles, an ingenious tool for connecting people across the water.
If you’re a fruit lover, especially of durian, you may be lucky to find a boat carrying just a few ripe fruits from a home garden. I once tasted a Khổ Qua durian - a rare local variety, cracked open right on the boat, its sweet and unforgettable flavor lingering long after. That moment alone was worth the trip!
The culinary culture of the Mekong is showcased in abundance at Cai Rang Floating Market.
A 100-year-old market, once the largest wholesale hub of the Mekong Delta
Cai Rang Floating Market originated in the early 20th century, when rivers and canals were the main transportation routes of the Mekong people. Trading on water naturally gave rise to floating markets, unique marketplaces intertwined with the lives and culture of Southern Vietnam.
Located at a river junction, Cai Rang was once the largest agricultural trading hub in the region. Major traders from Bac Lieu, Dong Thap, Soc Trang, and even Ca Mau brought their goods here to exchange.
Back then, Cai Rang Floating Market was not just a commercial hub but also reflected the riverine lifestyle of the floating traders. People were born, lived, and worked on the river, their boats becoming floating homes, shaping a distinctive way of life.
For this reason, Cai Rang Floating Market is considered a “floating museum” of river life in the Mekong Delta. In 2016, it was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Vietnam and has since become one of the most unique and iconic tourist destinations in the region.
"Ai ơi về tới Cần Thơ,
Ghé qua chợ nổi, sắm ghe đôi đàng.
Cây bẹo bồng bềnh dừa, xoài, khóm,
Thương người miền Tây tính thiệt tình!"
With its uniqueness, simplicity, and strong Southern identity, Cai Rang Floating Market has been immortalized in poetry, folk songs, and proverbs from past to present. Many books in Vietnam and abroad have studied this place - a cultural and historical landmark of Vietnam.
Though no longer the bustling trading hub of the Mekong, Cai Rang Floating Market continues to hold great cultural and tourism value for Can Tho in particular, and for the Mekong Delta in general. It remains a living cultural symbol, a precious “floating museum” of the Delta.
When visiting Can Tho, stopping by Ninh Kieu Wharf, and joining orchard tours, you should not miss the experience of greeting the sunrise at Cai Rang Floating Market. Here, every bowl of Hu Tieu Lac, every glass of iced milk coffee, and every “cay beo” swaying above the boats is part of a cultural journey you won’t find anywhere else.
It is a miniature Mekong Delta, a glimpse of Vietnam reflected in the waters of the Hau River.
Conclusion
Cai Rang Floating Market, with over 100 years of history, offers buyers, sellers, and visitors not just goods, but a century-old cultural heritage of the riverine Mekong people: their simplicity, ingenuity, and hospitality.
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CREDIT:
- Photography: Luan Nguyen
- Content: Minh Yen
- Design: Phuong Nguyen
