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Cần Thơ

The largest city in the delta, on the Hau, the branch of the Mekong also called the Bassac. People come for the Cai Rang floating market at dawn and for the canals that start at its riverfront. About 170 km from Ho Chi Minh City.

By Pierre-Marie Coupry · updated · sources

Phnom Penh Châu Đốc Cần Thơ Bến Tre ← upstream downstream → Châu Đốc Cần Thơ Bến Tre
Vietnam section · km ≈ 4,800
Two rowboats carrying visitors in life jackets on the Hau River, backlit in front of the Can Tho cable-stayed bridge

Photo by Monika Guzikowska on Unsplash

A mango seller on his boat at the Can Tho floating market

Photo by Long (lTiga) Nguyen on Unsplash

Cai Rang floating market from above: merchant boats with brightly painted hulls moored side by side on the brown water of the Can Tho River

Photo by Duy Nguyen on Pexels

Can Tho from above: low-rise buildings, tiled roofs and a tree-lined street under a blue sky

Photo by long do on Pexels

A woman in a conical hat rowing a wooden boat at the Can Tho floating market

Photo by Vince Gx on Unsplash

See all 8 photos
A vendor in a conical hat on his boat loaded with coconuts and drinks, in front of houseboats, at the Can Tho floating market

Photo by Vietnam Tri Duong Photographer on Pexels

A Vietnamese flag beside a palm-lined lane at the entrance to an eco-tourism garden in Can Tho

Photo by Claire on Unsplash

The facade of Binh Thuy Ancient House, with its arches and double staircase among bonsai planters

Photo by Daaé on Wikimedia Commons

See all 8 photos

Where on the river?
On the Hau The Mekong's southern branch, or Bassac.
How many days?
2 days Including a morning at the floating market.
When to go?
Jan → Feb Dry season.
From Ho Chi Minh City?
3.5 hours ≈ 170 km (105 miles) by bus.
Airport?
Yes VCA, domestic flights only.

Since July 1, 2025, Can Tho has also been a very large city on paper: it absorbed the provinces of Hau Giang and Soc Trang. For travelers, nothing has changed. Everything happens around Ninh Kieu wharf, where the Can Tho River meets the Hau: it's where the morning boats leave for the floating markets, and where the city strolls in the evening.

Things to do in Cần Thơ

Boats loaded with fruit and vegetables, vendors in conical hats and houseboats at the Cai Rang floating market

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels

Cai Rang floating market at dawn

The largest floating wholesale market in the delta, 6 km from downtown, half an hour by boat from Ninh Kieu wharf. The best time is 5:30 to 8 a.m.: after that, the boats head off.

A vendor in a conical hat on her boat at the Phong Dien floating market, among other boats loaded with fruit

Photo by Tonbi ko on Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Phong Dien floating market

17 km from downtown, a retail market much smaller than Cai Rang, roughly 5 to 7 a.m. It is fading: about forty boats in 2020, often fewer than ten today, and some mornings almost nothing.

Tour boats moored at Ninh Kieu wharf on the Hau River

Photo by Tan Dao on Unsplash

Ninh Kieu wharf

Where the Can Tho River meets the Hau: the boat landing for the markets in the morning, a lively promenade in the evening. Opposite stands Ong Pagoda, a Cantonese temple built from 1894 to 1896 and dedicated to Quan Cong.

The facade of Binh Thuy Ancient House, with its arches and double staircase among bonsai planters

Photo by Daaé on Wikimedia Commons

Binh Thuy Ancient House

Begun in 1870 by the Duong family and completed in 1911, blending Vietnamese and French architecture. Listed as a national monument in 2009.

The Can Tho cable-stayed bridge silhouetted at sunset above the Hau River

Photo by Văn Long Bùi on Pexels

Can Tho Bridge

The great cable-stayed bridge over the Hau, opened in 2010: 2.75 km long, with a main span of 550 m. It looks best from the river.

The floating market is a morning thing: activity peaks between 5:30 and 8 a.m. Be at Ninh Kieu wharf around 5:30 a.m., on a tour or in a boat hired on the spot, with a boatman and life jackets. A boat for 2 to 6 people costs 400,000 to 600,000 VND for the market only, about 2 hours, and 600,000 to 900,000 VND with stops (a small canal, a noodle workshop, an orchard), 3 to 6 hours. If you're quoted over 700,000 VND for the basic trip, haggle.

Where to stay in Cần Thơ

Con Au islet, 1.5 km from Ninh Kieu wharf, for the comfort of a large hotel. The countryside to the southwest, toward Phong Dien, for quiet guesthouses: just plan the early-morning ride to the floating market.

Legacy Mekong from above: the pool and the resort's pavilions among the gardens of Con Au islet, with the river behind

Photo: Legacy Mekong

Legacy Mekong, Can Tho, Autograph Collection

Con Au islet · upscale

A resort in Marriott's Autograph Collection, on an island in the river, with an outdoor pool, spa and gym.

≈ $215 a night

Check availability on Booking Affiliate link
A room at Boutique Lodge Can Tho, with wood-paneled walls and ceiling, a double bed and an open French door

Photo: Boutique Lodge Can Tho

Boutique Lodge Can Tho Homestay

Countryside, 10 km southwest · guesthouse

A guesthouse set in a garden, with an outdoor pool, free bikes and a paid airport shuttle.

≈ $43 a night

Check availability on Booking Affiliate link
The river beside Bamboo Eco Village, lined with coconut palms, with the property's jetties and thatched huts on the bank

Photo: Bamboo Eco Village

Bamboo Eco Village

My Khanh, Phong Dien · eco-lodge

Rooms in a garden in the Phong Dien countryside, with an outdoor pool; fishing and cycling nearby.

≈ $89 a night

Check availability on Booking Affiliate link

Booking affiliate links · average nightly rate checked in October 2026

Getting to and from Cần Thơ

From Ho Chi Minh City by bus

≈ 170 km · about 3.5 hours

Over a hundred departures a day, sleeper or regular buses, on the expressway that now links the two cities. Expect 150,000 to 240,000 VND one way.

Tickets and schedules on 12Go Affiliate link

From upstream, Chau Doc

≈ 115 km · about 3 hours by bus

Chau Doc, near the Cambodian border, is where the boats from Phnom Penh arrive. Several buses a day connect it to Can Tho.

Tickets and schedules on 12Go Affiliate link

Downstream, Ben Tre

By road · about 110 km, 2.5 to 3 hours

The coconut province and its small canals, on the main branch of the Mekong. Bus or car with driver.

By plane

Can Tho International Airport (VCA)

Domestic flights only, to Hanoi, Da Nang, Da Lat, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Vinh and Con Dao; no international route since 2024. From the US, you usually arrive through Ho Chi Minh City. The CT-14 bus (15,000 VND) links the airport to downtown.

Distances, travel times and fares checked in October 2026 (bus companies, 12Go, Can Tho airport); check again before you go.

Cần Thơ weather and best time to visit

December to April: the dry season, best for boat trips at dawn. May to November: the monsoon, with showers that are often short. From September to November, the flood fills the canals and floods the rice fields of the upper delta.

Climate and Mekong water level in Can Tho, month by month
Month J (current month) F (current month) M (current month) A (current month) M (current month) J (current month) J (current month) A (current month) S (current month) O (current month) N (current month) D (current month)
Airhigh / low
Rainmm
26
10
36
80
196
232
244
243
269
293
152
78
Daysof rain 425122527282828271910
Mekonglevel Falling Falling Falling Low Low Low Low Rising High High High High
Our take Ideal Ideal Good Fair Fair Fair Fair Fair Fair Difficult Fair Good
Climate and Mekong water level in Can Tho, month by month
Month Low – high mm River
Jan (current month) 26 Falling
Feb (current month) 10 Falling
Mar (current month) 36 Falling
Apr (current month) 80 Low
May (current month) 196 Low
Jun (current month) 232 Low
Jul (current month) 244 Low
Aug (current month) 243 Rising
Sep (current month) 269 High
Oct (current month) 293 High
Nov (current month) 152 High
Dec (current month) 78 High
Air and rain: Open-Meteo, archive ERA5, 1991-2020 averages (retrieved October 11, 2026). Mekong level: Mekong River Commission, Can Tho station, median of 2020-2025, 0.9 m between the lowest and highest months. The current month is outlined.
When to visit the Mekong Delta →

Tours to book in Cần Thơ

4 tours to book in Can Tho

Affiliate links GetYourGuide · Prices checked October 9, 2026

  • Floating market at dawn, canals and home cooking

    Top rated
    • 6 to 6.5 hours
    • Small group or private
    • 5/5 · 1,911 reviews

    from$30

    Availability

  • Floating market, cacao farm and wild canals

    • 6.5 hours
    • Small group or private
    • 4.9/5 · 1,028 reviews

    from$34

    Availability

  • Private boat ride on the Mekong, no guide

    • 3 hours
    • Private group
    • 4.9/5 · 92 reviews

    from$21

    Availability

  • Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve by boat

    • 4.5 to 5 hours
    • Small group or private
    • 4.8/5 · 172 reviews

    from$27

    Availability

Cần Thơ FAQ

How many days should you spend in Can Tho?
Two days: a morning at the floating market and in the canals, then the city, Binh Thuy Ancient House and Ninh Kieu wharf in the evening. Add a third day for Phong Dien or a nature reserve.
Can you see the floating market on a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City?
Some tours offer it, but with about 3.5 hours on the road, you usually arrive as the market is winding down. To see it at its peak, between 5:30 and 8 a.m., it's better to spend the night before in Can Tho.
Is Can Tho on the Mekong?
Yes, on the Hau, the branch of the Mekong also called the Bassac, which splits from the main branch in Phnom Penh. The Can Tho River, where Cai Rang market takes place, flows into it at Ninh Kieu wharf.

Sources: climate, Open-Meteo (ERA5 archive, 1991-2020 averages); Can Tho Bridge, Vietnam Government Portal (April 2010); Binh Thuy Ancient House and Ong Pagoda, Vietnam National Authority of Tourism; July 1, 2025 administrative reorganization, Tuoi Tre; floating markets, distances and hours, local guides consulted in October 2026; transportation, checked in October 2026; tours, GetYourGuide (checked October 9, 2026); boat rates, Sunday Go and Vietnam Tourism (October 2026); Phong Dien market, VnExpress (2020), SGGP (2020) and Local Vietnam (September 2025); airport, Tuoi Tre (May 2026). Updated October 13, 2026 by Pierre-Marie Coupry.

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