Options for exploring the Mekong Delta are plentiful and provide a relaxing break from the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, which serves as a convenient jumping-off point for the river. Visitors can enjoy Cai Rang Floating Market independently or as part of a multi-day Mekong tour. These range in length from one to four days and typically include accommodation in a local home and activities such as biking on Ben Tre Island and a cruise by wooden rowboat.
Cai Rang Floating Market is a must-see for visitors in the Mekong Delta.
Bring plenty of sunscreen as shade is rare when exploring the outdoor market.
Southern Vietnam is prone to sudden downpours, so an umbrella and raincoat are useful at any time of year.
Bring plenty of smaller bills if you’re planning to purchase goods as vendors rarely have change.
By road from Ho Chi Minh City, the journey to Cai Rang Floating Market takes around 3.5 hours depending on traffic. Most travelers visit the market by boat from the Mekong Delta town of Can Tho, 45 minutes away. If not arriving as part of an organized tour, get a boat from the market area in Can Tho or drive to the Cau Dau Sau pier and take a boat the last 10 minutes from there.
The Cai Rang Floating Market is at its best between 6am and 8am. Cai Rang Bridge is a great spot for taking photos, and going earlier will mean capturing the busyness of the market before it is overcrowded with day-trippers.
Cai Rang Floating Market gives visitors the chance to sample exotic produce they may never even have heard of. Adventurous travelers can try mangosteens, recognizable by a deep purple exterior; durian, a fruit so pungent that many hotels ban guests bringing it inside; and coconut candy, a prize Mekong Delta export.