Long Xuyen Floating Market is one of the non-touristy destinations in An Giang Province, so it will be amazing for those who prefer peace and avoid overcrowded places. Not only that, the market is also for discovering the quintessence in the culture and people of the Mekong Delta.
If you are planning to start your Vietnam discovery, it’s supposed that the Long Xuyen floating market should be put in your itinerary. Despite the fact that there are too much entertaining activities, the charm of the countryside and the water area will melt your heart.
The first overview of Long Xuyen Floating Market
Located on the Hau River and in proximity to Long Xuyen City, this floating market is among a few places whose traditional culture and local lifestyle still remain intact. With a stretch of 2 kilometers along the Hau River, the market is easily explored by boat.
Although the Long Xuyen floating market is not as big as the Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho City, the serenity of this place makes you feel more comfortable and closer to the local life. If you are very keen on non-touristy destinations, the Long Xuyen floating market is surely what you are expecting.
The floating market is where hundreds of boats from many places to come and trade agricultural products – here is an exciting prospect you should witness. A part of the market looks like a food court on the water since you can enjoy dozens of attractive dishes, such as rice noodle soup, sweet soup, coffee, banh tam bi – a kind of noodle with coconut milk, banh bo, etc.
Best time to visit Long Xuyen Floating Market
Long Xuyen Floating Market is one of the destinations in the Mekong Delta, where the climate is really excellent for a trip anytime of year. Then, if someone asks about the best time to visit the Long Xuyen floating market, the answer is certainly that you can go when you want. However, the locals normally advise travelers to visit the market in the floating season when the scenery looks more vibrant and there are more specialties to enjoy. The floating market lasts from the 7th to 10th lunar months.
Like other floating markets, Long Xuyen should be visited early in the morning since it’s time to see the most bustling vista of the market. It’s fascinating to observe the way the locals exchange their products on the river, which you have never seen before.
How to get to Long Xuyen Floating Market from Ho Chi Minh City
To explore the Long Xuyen floating market, you must come to Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province first. There is nothing difficult at all to find out any bus to this destination from Ho Chi Minh City. Just go to Mien Tay Bus Station and pick a bus line there. The address is 395 King Duong Vuong Street, An Lac Ward, Binh Tan District. You can read An Giang travel guide for further information.
After hitting the city center of Long Xuyen, you’ll see everything very easy to have a wonderful sightseeing trip to the Long Xuyen floating market. Because the market’s in close proximity to the city center, you can walk to O Moi Pier where many rental boats are available to choose from. The rent is just about VND 200,000/two ways for 2 people. This sightseeing trip by boat may last approximately 2 hours.
For those who would like to save time, a Mekong Delta tour to the Long Xuyen floating market is definitely a perfect idea. Perhaps, searching for directions to the market is quite complicated, not to mention the common means of transport by boat, so here’s why many visitors choose a tour from some travel agent in Ho Chi Minh City.
Opening hours and entrance fee
Opening hours: from 5:00AM to 9:00AM every day
Keep in mind that 5:00AM – 6:00AM is recommended since it’s time to witness the vibrant prospect of the local life on the river. The people in rush to exchange their products will overwhelm you so much.
Entrance fee:
There is no entrance fee to enter the market. But watch out for your pocket as the aroma of delicacies on the water is evidently irresistible.
What to explore in Long Xuyen Floating Market
When someone intents to explore a new land, experienced globetrotters often recommend a trip to its local market first. Why? It’s supposed that the best way to understand the land’s life and culture is visiting the market there. The Long Xuyen floating market carries the typical characteristics in culture of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam – those things may get you excited.
Witnessing the bustling life on the river early in the morning
Supermarkets are quite common all in the world nowadays, and those shopping places are very fast and convenient for most people. Nevertheless, traditional markets in a few Asian countries are never expected to disappear or be replaced. The traditional market demonstrates simple things and indigenous elements not found anywhere else. The Long Xuyen floating market is more distinctive as it’s a market on the river dating back for a long time and where the locals always involve their lives in it. It’s no exaggeration to say that they can’t live without the river as well as the floating market.
Upon visiting the market early in the morning, you’ll get exhilarated with a perspective in which people are in hurry to sell and buy vegetables, fruits, and goods by boats. Another special point is that waterways are fairly narrow, but surprisingly enough to let the boats past.
The market seems hum with life during its opening times, but it’s not a vista in chaos. If you are more interested in what are arranged on boats, you’ll realize that the vendors on the river are probably considered as artists. The way they put their products in order and hang their products are a way to catch the eyes of buyers and visitors. Compellingly, each boat has a bamboo pole with its products hanging at the top whereby the buyers can know what that boat sells – here is actually a good tactic.
Savoring food on the river
You have known about a food car or food truck already, right? How about a food court on the river? It sounds awesome, doesn’t it? At the Long Xuyen floating market, it seems that you can enjoy a breakfast in this kind of food court. More than one boat serving the breakfast will slowly get closer to your boat and ask if you want to try their food. Don’t ignore them since they offer the best specialties of the Mekong Delta for sure. Normally, a complete breakfast there includes a dish like noodle soup and coffee. Apart from coffee, coconut water is also excellent as it’s good for your health. If you are a fan of fruits, the market is indeed where you want to go.
