Can Tho: The Mekong Beyond The Floating Market
Description
Begin on the river as Cái Răng settles into its morning rhythm. Breakfast arrives from a passing boat : steaming noodle soup, strong Vietnamese coffee and the quiet theatre of river trade unfolding around you. Then the main channel falls away, giving way to narrow canals, tropical gardens and homes close enough to glimpse everyday life beside the water. Step into a family workshop where rice noodles are still shaped by hand, then continue beneath the trees to a cacao garden planted in the 1960s. Taste chocolate made here from fruit to finished bar, and hear the family story behind it. A morning that begins with a famous market and leads somewhere far more personal. Why This Journey • Explore Cai Rang Floating Market at its most authentic hour • Travel beyond the tourist routes into hidden waterways • Meet local families and discover generations-old traditions • Experience one of the Mekong's finest organic cacao farms • Travel with exceptional local hosts born and raised in the Delta
Tour Options
Itinerary
Embark on a sampan and witness the vibrant trading activities of Cairang Floating Market, the largest floating market in Vietnam. Goods exchanged include fresh fruits and vegetables, such as pineapples and mangos. Experience a unique breakfast, ordering from floating restaurants and cafes which offer delicious noodle soup and strong Vietnamese coffee—a perfect combination to start your day. NOTE: WE CAN FREE PICK UP AT Sheraton Can Tho, Victoria Resort Can Tho, Wink Hotel, Charmant Suites Can Tho, office in city of MEKONG LEGACY RESORT or Azerai resort, Con Khuong Resort, Vam Xang Rustic, Mekong Silt Ecolodge, TTC hotel, Lion Hotel, Iris hotel
Leave the wider river behind and slip into quiet canals where the pace of life slows. Beneath the shade of water coconut palms, everyday moments unfold naturally — children waving from wooden bridges, fishermen preparing their nets, gardens reaching gently to the water’s edge. This is the quieter Mekong, hidden in small canals few visitors ever discover.
Meet a local family in a quiet village workshop where rice noodles are still made by hand, with patience, rhythm and care passed gently from one generation to the next. Watch as rice batter is steamed into delicate sheets, dried beneath the Mekong sun, then cut into soft strands of noodles - transforming one of Vietnam’s simplest everyday foods into something deeply personal. Behind each step is a story of family, quiet resilience and the dignity of work passed through generations.
We end our journey with a stroll through villages in the local community in which You will visit an organic cocoa farm. The owner’s father brought the plants back from a trip to Malaysia in 1960, introducing an extremely different crop to the region. All handmade and processed, these chocolate goods are a labour of love for this family. Discover more about the process and sample some delicious goods.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(654)
Beautiful experience on the Mekong, truly recommended. The floating market itself is nothing amazing, but the guide who accompanies you to try the local dishes (super good) and who explains how the merchants live makes the experience very interesting. The tour includes excursions by long-tail boat through various canals of the Mekong and a stop at a noodle factory where you can see how they are prepared and packaged. All the people we met were kind and welcoming. The guide Tom was super!
Great morning with our guide Tom, a great guide who is very kind and very pleasant, speaks English very well, and tells jokes. I recommend it A great activity. A must-do.
This tour was incredible—Vietnam offers so many unique sights and such warm-hearted people. They don’t pressure you into anything; they just show their hospitality. A special shout-out to our guide Mai, a talented, lovely young woman who was incredibly friendly. We’ve had many guides all over the world, and she ranks among the best—if not the very best— we’ll never forget her. Be sure to ask for Mai!!! Mr. Thanh, our boat captain, . They don’t pressure you into anything; they’re just showing their hospitality. A special shout-out to our guide Mai, a talented, adorable young woman who’s incredibly friendly. We’ve had many guides all over the world, and she ranks among the best—if not the very best—and we’ll never forget her. Be sure to ask for Mai!!! Mr. Thanh, our boat captain, was fantastic too—a man who knows how to create a lively and cheerful atmosphere; his singing was also very enjoyable. Thank you so much, and see you soon!! Cam on!!!!!!😄
Superb guided tour of the Mekong with the whole family. We were able to visit the floating market, the noodle factory, and the chocolate factory (the tastings at the market and the factory were top-notch). We were accompanied by Mai, who guided us through all these activities and taught us a great deal about the local culture and traditions. A truly unforgettable moment for us.
I had the most wonderful time on the tour, our tour guide Mai took great care of us and gave us a great time. I can only recommend it!
Mai and mr Khang are the best! beautiful experience
We had a wonderful time discovering the Mekong Delta with our guide Phúc Huỳnh. The tour was very well organized, and our guide was passionate, attentive, and shared his knowledge of the region and its culture. He also took beautiful photos for us, a real plus. A truly memorable experience for the whole family — I highly recommend!
Tammy took us to the floating market, rice noodles farm and the cocoa farm. Her enthusiasm was contagious. Along the way we got Pho for breakfast, we enjoyed coffee on the water and a pineapple on a boat. Later we got another drink at the cocoa farm. This was all included. Tammy took the time to take pictures of everyone on the boat. On the floating market you see several tourist boats , even though you leave at 6:30am, but we did not suffer from that
What a fantastic trip, would highly recommend as a 'must do' whilst in the Mekong Delta region. We are a family with teenagers and it was perfectly pitched so that everyone enjoyed themselves. Our tour guide, Mai, and our boat captain, Mr Khang, provided us with a fun, educational, and enjoyable morning. The food we tried was delicious and plentiful (noodle soup, freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee and LOTS of fresh fruit- pineapple, mango, dragon fruit etc) and the visits were really interesting, fun and participatory (noodle making, cacao farm, pineapple boat). Mai's English is excellent and she answered all of our questions and explained everything in a way that was really easily understood. The boat was comfortable and the logistics of being picked up and dropped off at our hotel were so easy. Would highly recommend.
We had a Great half day with Ruby! Ruby was very knowledgable, Not only about the floating market and the mekong delta, but also about the cacao factors and the Rice noodle factory. She also brought the freshest and good tasting fruits
