Floating Markets in Vietnam
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Dawn Trade on the Mekong Delta Rivers
Here is the list of 7 Floating Markets in Vietnam
1. Nga Bay Floating Market (Hau Giang province)
Also known as the Phung Hiep floating market, the Nga Bay floating is one of the largest floating markets in Vietnam. It is also one of the oldest - it opened in 1915, which means it is over a hundred years old. Merchants stock their boats with fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables. One characteristic feature of this floating market is that each boat sells only one kind of product, and it is hung on the lateral bar of the boat for the customers to easily identify. Some merchants also sell animals and birds.
2. Nga Nam Floating Market (Soc Trang province)
‘Nam’ in Vietnamese means five and the Nga Nam floating market is situated in the intersection of five rivers and is one of the busiest markets in the whole of Vietnam. This market too offers fresh produce including veggies, tropical fruits and various types of seafood. Rarely, one can find a few boats selling household or electronic goods. Since it forms the centre of the Mekong Delta, the market has boats selling the best of the goods specific to the delta.
3. Cai Rang Floating Market (Can Tho province)
This is the largest floating market in Vietnam and is popular since it is easily accessible. The best part of this market is that you can find exotic fruits which are endemic to the region such as the Nam Roi grapefruit, the Cai Mon Durian and the Vinh Long pink kiwi kumquat. The Cai Rang showcases the true commercial water culture, catering to the numerous tourists who visit the market. A few boats have become makeshift restaurants with plastic chairs serving breakfast dishes such as bun ca and hu tieu San Dec.
4. Cai Be Floating Market (Tien Giang province)
This market is important for transporting agricultural products and seafood from the Mekong Delta to the rest of Vietnam. It is located on the giant Tien river and is closest to Ho Chi Minh City making it popular among tourists. One can also accompany the locals to try and learn fishing or stroll around the fruit gardens and sample local cuisine after sailing and shopping through the market.
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5. Long Xuyen Floating Market (An Giang province)
If you want an authentic rustic floating market experience, Long Xuyen is the place to be since it has not been very commercialised. You also find very few tourists here since this market is not as popular as the other markets. The locals offer fresh produce and snacks such as the fish noodle soup and pigskin pieces. They are also very cheerful and try showing around the place to tourists since they don’t see a lot of tourists there!
6. Tra On Floating Market (Vinh Long province)
Located at the intersection of the Hau and the Mang Thit rivers, this market is just like the other floating markets in Vietnam in terms of business, selling fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products. What is special about this market however is the unique morning ritual these merchants do preparing their mobile shops for that day’s transactions. The boats which look colourful are definitely a feast to the eyes!
7. Phong Dien Floating Market (Can Tho province)
Unlike the Cai Rang market in the same province, the Phong Dien floating market is not as crowded. The markets have a few motorised boats and stand-up rowing boats as well. It also has a very lively ambience as the merchants keep singing songs, talking to each other and laughing. If you plan to interact with the locals untouched by urban life, you might want to visit this market for a hustle free experience. This market is connected by road to the Cai Rang market.
Floating markets are a delta phenomenon, not a Vietnamese one, and they exist because for centuries the rivers were the roads. That also explains why they are shrinking: as bridges and highways reach further into the delta, more trade moves onto trucks, and several markets are a fraction of the size they were twenty years ago. Timing is everything. Wholesale trading starts before dawn and is largely done by eight or nine, so a boat leaving at five or six is the difference between seeing a market and seeing the last few boats leave. Look for the cay beo, the tall pole at the bow of each boat with a sample of what it sells hung on it, which is how buyers read the market from a distance. Cai Rang near Can Tho is the largest and the most visited, with a noticeable tourist element now. Phong Dien, Tra On and Nga Nam are smaller and closer to what these markets have always been. Can Tho is the practical base, about four hours from Ho Chi Minh City. See also museums in Ho Chi Minh City and islands in Vietnam.
This post was published by Ghanavi Umesh
FAQs on Floating Markets in Vietnam
What time should you arrive at a floating market?
Between five and seven in the morning. Wholesale trading begins before first light and is mostly over by eight or nine, when the boats disperse. Arriving at ten means an empty river, which is the single most common mistake visitors make.
Which is the biggest floating market in Vietnam?
Cai Rang, on the Can Tho river a few kilometres from the city. It is the largest and the easiest to reach, with hundreds of boats at its busiest, though it now has a visible tourist trade alongside the wholesale one.
Which markets feel least touristy?
Phong Dien, about twenty kilometres from Can Tho, is smaller and mostly local. Nga Nam in Soc Trang, Tra On in Vinh Long and Nga Bay in Hau Giang are further off the usual route and see very few foreign visitors, but need more travel time to reach.
Where do you base yourself to visit them?
Can Tho, the largest city in the Mekong Delta, roughly four hours by road from Ho Chi Minh City. Cai Rang and Phong Dien are both short boat rides from there. For the more remote markets, an overnight in Soc Trang or Vinh Long saves a very early start.
How do you arrange a boat?
Through your hotel the night before, or directly at the Ninh Kieu wharf in Can Tho early in the morning. Prices are per boat rather than per person and are negotiated, so agree the route, the duration and the fare before setting off. Smaller sampans get closer to the trading boats than large tour boats.
What is the pole on the front of each boat?
It is called a cay beo, and it is the delta's advertising. Whatever the boat is selling, a sample of it is tied to the top of the pole, so a buyer can tell from fifty metres away which boat has pineapples and which has pumpkins.
