The Mekong Delta has a network of complex channels, canals, and rivers, so it’s an ideal place for cultivating many different crops. Besides that, the locals also take advantage of the network to create a distinctive cultural feature which is trading commodities and goods on water, nowadays called floating markets. Not similar to other ordinary markets, the floating markets have more interesting points, bringing visitors more awesome experiences. While the locals work at the markets for their leaving, the visitors proceed there to uncover differences, new things, and intriguing knowledge. If you have experienced many trips to floating markets in other countries, those of the Mekong Delta indeed stun you so much. It’s great to gain insights into the life and culture of the locals on the following floating markets.
Cái Bè Floating Market
Cái Bè Floating Market is situated in Cái Bè District, Tiền Giang Province. It’s depicted as one of the biggest floating markets in the region. The market is in the proximity of Ho Chi Minh City – the economic center of Vietnam, so it’s chosen to become a part of dozens of itineraries to the Mekong Delta. It just takes two hours to reach the destination by motorbike, so it will be fine for you to travel independently. Observing green paddy fields on the way is a great experience, so in the case that your driving skill is good enough, you are advised to have a motorbike trip where you not just know about the floating market, but feast your eyes on ravishing sights.
Once you are tired of the busy life out there, cruising leisurely along waterways of the floating market will be the best way to pamper yourself. What could be more peaceful than sitting on boats, witnessing the tranquility of life in the wet area, and feeling relaxed with the innocent smiles of friendly locals? Locals trade their farm produce and other goods at a slow pace, and at times several vendors drop by your boat and sell mouth-watering food and drinks, such as rice noodle soups, coffee, grilled pork with noodles, and crab paste noodle soups. If you have much time, don’t forget to visit Cái Bè Church and orchards nearby.
Cái Răng Floating Market
Cần Thơ City is labeled as the capital of the Mekong Delta, so it’s known as the most attractive place, compared to other provinces in the region. Among the most appealing points of Cần Thơ is Cái Răng Floating Market, considered as the most hustling market of the Mekong Delta.
It just takes about 30 minutes to Cái Răng Floating Market from Ninh Kiều Pier. Being a vibrant big market, Cái Răng is full of boats emerging out of water as floating stores and stalls, looking like a mighty picture. The stores provide customers with a diversity of fresh farm produce, e.g. rambutans, mandarins, grapefruits, durians, guavas, jackfruits, pineapples, mangosteens, mangos, and longans. Mỹ Khánh Tourist Attraction, portrayed as a mini Mekong Delta will be the next interesting stop, followed by the market.
Cái Răng Floating Market is always crowded in the early morning; hence, if you wish to catch its best moment, don’t depart too late. Additionally, the early morning atmosphere is actually comfortable, and you get excited to soak up cool breezes while peering at the pulsating prospect of what is called tradition.
Phụng Hiệp Floating Market
Phụng Hiệp Floating Market is located right at the intersection of seven rivers (Ngã Bảy in Vietnamese), so it’s also called Ngã Bảy Floating Market. Because of its favorable location, the market is alway bustling and tempts a lot of merchants to come and trade their commodities. Like many other floating markets, Phụng Hiệp has a unique cultural feature in which merchants and vendors wilh hang what they would like to sell on their bamboo sticks so that buyers find it easy to recognize these products from a far distance.
Another captivating thing to explore in the floating market is that you can immerse yourself in the life of locals there by savoring special food and drinking coconut water and coffee on boats. While cruising around, it’s fantastic to listen to a famous kind of folk music in the Mekong Delta – đờn ca tài tử which are occasionally performed by local singers. That kind of music is what you have never heard before, but it has been a traditional value of the Delta for a long time.
Ngã Năm Floating Market
Ngã Năm Floating Market lies at the intersection of five rivers in Sóc Trăng Province, consisting of Cà Mau, Vĩnh Quới, Thạnh Trị, Phụng Hiệp, and Long Mỹ. It’s referred to as a long-standing market where locals have worked to earn their living. Like other floating markets, Ngã Năm bears a cultural charm any visitors wish to explore; they come to this market in order to understand more the wetland of southern Vietnam – the place where there is a complex network of channels and canals, by which boats are primary means of transport.
The floating market opens at about 3:00AM and closes at about 8:00AM. Boats at the market are always full of typical farm produce of the Mekong Delta. You will easily bump into vendors offering tropical fruits and even special food served right on boats. The locals, all the time, welcome you to their region and recommend you to try their specialties. They are dressed in áo bà ba – a traditional southern Vietnamese garment, enhancing the beauty of the floating market. That people wearing áo bà ba is exactly a common image you will see everywhere in the Mekong Delta.
Long Xuyên Floating Market
Not far from difficult from Cái Bè and Cái Răng, Long Xuyên Floating Market of An Giang Province is also an impressive destination to visit. However, it’s not as pulsating as Cái Bè and Cái Răng; instead, it’s a place of calm and quiet. Are you wondering why it’s not full of activities? It’s because the market still remains intact and hasn’t been influenced by tourism. The locals are generous and gentle in selling their products and even give you something as gifts; that’s why you don’t need to bargain when you come there.
There is a diversity of items and food to buy at Long Xuyên Floating Market. The main things you can find ubiquitously are vegetables and special dishes, e.g. fish rice noodle soups, Vietnamese noodles in coconut cream (bánh tằm bì), steamed layer cakes (bánh da lợn). Most visitors to the floating market will feel an authentic life and the simplest things from innocent people there; they love the place because of its serenity, cozy ambiance, and attractive cuisine.
A couple of floating shops also offer eye-catching handicrafts, scarves, wallets, purses, accessories, clothes, and other souvenirs. Don’t miss out on a chance to buy some for your family and friends.
Trà Ôn Floating Market
Trà Ôn is the last floating market on the river Hậu and known as one of the most long-standing markets of the Mekong Delta. The most fascinating detail about Trà Ôn is that whether the market is irrepressible depends on the level of water. The market will be full of activities when the level of water goes up; by that time, more merchants gather and trade their products.
Similar to other floating markets in the Mekong Delta, Trà Ôn is also the spot of diverse special food and snacks, yet what you ought to try the most is beef noodle with banana flowers – a perfect combination of indigenous ingredients. Meanwhile, it’s great to enjoy romantic traditional music of the late singer Út Trà Ôn.
Cà Mau Floating Market
Cà Mau Floating Market is situated on the river Gành Hào, Cà Mau City, Cà Mau Province, and also at the intersection of three rivers – an advantageous location for exchanging commodities, goods, and farm produce. Accordingly, this market is a concentration of merchant boats from different districts in the province, comprised of Năm Căn Đầm Dơi, Ngọc Hiển, and Cái Nước.
What you find everywhere at Cà Mau Floating Market is farm produce from orchards nearby. One kind of item which is quite famous at the market is mats designed with eye-catching patterns about landscapes of the wet areas, such as trees, mountains, paths, animals, rivers, or boats.
Compared to other attractions in the Mekong Delta, floating markets are special and intriguing as it enables you to discover the most sophisticated details in culture, history of establishment, and the life of locals. Many of those markets still remain unspoiled and have not been enormously impacted by tourism, unlike the same kinds of attraction in other countries. As a result, you can absorb the valuable things of the market’s culture, meaning a lot to your journey to uncover the Asian beauty. The Delta is also blessed with many other awesome qualities, so there is nothing greater than having a combination of the floating markets and other attractions. Thanks to that kind of combination, your journey will certainly be the best one in your life.
