TRAVEL EXPERIENCES IN CAN THO PROVINCE, VIETNAM

20-03-2019

TRAVEL EXPERIENCES IN CAN THO PROVINCE, VIETNAM
THE FLOATING MARKET

The epicentre of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho is the largest city in the region and feels like a metropolis after a few days exploring the backwaters. As the political, economic, cultural and transportation centre of the Mekong Delta, it’s a buzzing town with a lively waterfront lined with sculpted gardens, an appealing blend of narrow backstreets and wide boulevards, and perhaps the greatest concentration of foreigners in the Delta. It is also the perfect base for nearby floating markets, the major draw for tourists who come here to boat along the many canals and rivers leading out of town.

What and where to eat in Can Tho ?
1. Quang porridge (cháo Quãng) is under Cai Rang bridge, serving both porridge and noodle. Be prepared because it is very crowded.
2. Hawkers in Can Tho. There’re many hawkers on Ly Tu Trong and Tran Hung Dao street from 4pm. Go for street food!
3. Mrs. Muoi Xiem Pancake (Bánh xèo Bà Mười Xiềm) – a very famous restaurant – at 13/3 – 917 street – Tra Noc ward – Can Tho. Or Tan Dinh pancake, crossing Nguyen Van Cu bridge you will see many restaurants offer only pancake.
4. Bich Kieu chicken, in Thot Not district and 200m (660ft) from Cha Ba bridge, serve a kind of chicken that Can Tho people call “stone chicken” (gà đá). Very tasty!
5. Hoa Su restaurant in Cai Khe – Ninh Kieu district also has many dishes, but the 2 tastiest ones your should order are baked snail and Tau Hu (tàu hủ – a very popular snack in Southern Vietnam).
6. Blood oyster porridge on Ly Tu Trong street, open only in the evening.
7. Pho restaurants. Pho 116 on 3/2 and Mau Than street. Pho Thuy (phở Thủy) on Phan Dinh Phung street. Or Cali restaurant on Cai Ke commercial center.
8. Khot cake (bánh khọt – a snack) on Nguyen Viet Hong street (near Don cafe), $0.2/bowl, cheap but very tasty.

THINGS TO DO
1. Cai Rang Floating Market
From Cai Rang Bridge, the market stretches half kilometre downstream Can Tho River. Hundreds of boats gathering here from the dawn till before noon makes the area extraordinary animated and the water surface colorful with numerous tropical fruits. The large sized anchored boats create meandering lanes for smaller ones to weave through. All create a bustling and joyful atmosphere that can attract any tourist.

2. Can Tho night market
Every evening the space between Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh streets comes alive with dozens of bustling food stalls, selling grilled meats and tofu on skewers, as well as sweet sticky rice, fresh sugarcane juice and more.

3. Buu Tri Pagoda
The entrance is dominated by ornate tiling and a wooden sitting Buddha. While this part emanates spirituality, throwing off the ambiance a bit is the rather gaudy chandelier hanging just before the Buddha.

The pagoda also houses an orphanage so don't be surprised if you have an entourage of children following you. While each floor has an almost identical floor plan, there are different buddhas on each level.

4. Quang Duc Pagoda
Ornate wooden doors on the ground floor open to an ornate front room that has a golden sitting Buddha flanked by flowers. Around the grounds are the monks' quarters and a little shop that sells trinkets and incense sticks. Sadly, the pagoda is located close to the street so expect to have the sound of traffic as your soundtrack while you meditate for nirvana.

5. Can Tho Military Museum
On the side are rusting hulks of American- and Russian-made weapons of war. While there are numerous photos and portraits decorating the walls of the museum, there are no English translations. Head to the back of the museum to check out the two stained glass windows reminiscent of 60s propaganda art. In the middle of the building is a full sized replica of a famous meeting of the resistance leaders in 1973.

6. Bang Lang Stork Sanctuary
As one of the famous stork sanctuaries in Mekong Delta, Bang Lang stork sanctuary has attracted thousands of stork and other kinds of birds to make nets and live here.
This is a right destination for tourists to observe and explore the natural life of birds and storks in a very green, romantic space of the bamboo forest.

7. Phong Dien Floating Market
The Mekong Delta's most intimate and best floating market, Phong Dien has fewer motorised craft and more stand-up rowing boats, with local vendors shopping and exchanging gossip. Less crowded than Cai Rang, there are also far fewer tourists. It's at its bustling best between 5am and 7am with little to see later. The market is 20km southwest of Can Tho; you can get there by road but many operators offer a six-hour combined Cai Rang–Phong Dien tour, returning to Can Tho through quieter backwaters.