Explore 7 SouthWest Floating Markets

A floating market crowded with boats on a wide river below a riverside town.

Come to the SouthWest, you definitely cannot ignore Floating Market – a unique culture that only the people of the river can have. Floating markets are trading markets where sellers and buyers are forced to use boats or boats as means of travel and transportation. Usually the market will be held in the early morning at the intersection of canals and rivers, and the water level is not too low, not too high. Floating Market is not only a place to buy and sell fresh fruits, agricultural products and many other items, it also attracts tourists to visit and enjoy discovering the special lifestyle of the river region.

Let’s visit Floating markets together

1. Cai Rang Floating Market – Can Tho

The largest floating market in the west

This is the largest floating market in the West, meeting on Cai Rang river – Can Tho and only 6km from the city center. Visitors can move to Ninh Kieu wharf about 4km from the market and the journey takes about 30 minutes by boat or boat.

The market usually meets from 3 am to 9 am, but the days before Tet, the market seems to be meeting all day, always vibrant and crowded. The highlight of this market is the sale of famous agricultural products such as Vinh Long pomelo, Lai Vung mandarin or Cai Mon durian or Tra Vinh waxy coconut…
In addition to exchanging, buying and selling, visitors from all over the world can also enjoy specialties right on the hawker boats. Drinking coffee or going to pubs on the floating market will also be interesting experiences.

Boats crowded with visitors in orange life jackets on a river in the early morning.

2. Cai Be floating market – Tien Giang

Typical floating market on the river in the Southern Delta

This market can be considered as the second largest floating market after Cai Rang. Cai Be floating market is located on the Tien River in Cai Be district, Tien Giang province, bordering the three provinces of Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Ben Tre.

This market has a unique point that is suitable from late at night 2 am to around 8 am to visit the market. Mainly, this market is a place to transship fruits to all regions and in addition, it also sells household items: fabrics, household items…

And you can see street vendors selling noodles, pho, vermicelli… Breakfast on the river and watching the bustling atmosphere of the morning market is also a new way.

Dozens of boats crowded together at a busy floating market.

3. Phong Dien Floating Market – Can Tho

Phong Dien – floating market near Saigon

In Can Tho, besides being famous for Cai Rang market, Phong Dien is also a tourist attraction. The market is located at the place where the Can Tho River dissects from the Hau River, about 17km east of the center of Can Tho city, and usually the market opens from 4am to 8am.

The market mainly specializes in selling goods such as canoes, boats, roofing leaves, knives, hoes, picks, fishing nets, baskets, baskets, rags, straits, etc.

Small boats of a floating market gathered on a river under a golden sky.

4. Nga Bay floating market – Hau Giang

Nga Bay Market – One of the markets steeped in the Western floating market culture

This floating market also has another name, Phung Hiep floating market because this market is located on the crossroads where 7 rivers meet. About 75km from Hau Giang city and about 35km from Can Tho city center.

Here usually only sell items such as fruits, vegetables or household items. But there are also handicrafts or unique items such as geckos, turtles, snakes…

The arched hall of Ngã Bảy market beside the river, busy with shoppers.

5. Long Xuyen Floating Market – An Giang

An Giang River Market

This market was created by the needs of the people of An Giang, so it is not as busy as other floating markets. This place also sells a full range of goods to meet the needs of the people.

But not so that this floating market is less attractive to tourists. If you want to enjoy a peaceful, wild and Western-style market, this is the right choice. Because the market still retains the pristine and bold features of Westerners. Here the people are very friendly and free of charge.

Wooden cargo boats loaded with produce moored on a wide river.

6. Tra On Floating Market – Vinh Long

Wholesale market, fresh fruit trading

Tra On is a floating market located downstream of the Hau River with a length of over 300m, only 250m from Tra On and is one of the longest-existing floating markets in the West.

This market can be considered as a wholesale market, trading with a large number of items such as yams, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, bitter melons, Tan Thanh crockery, Luc Si Thanh durian…

The feature of this market is that the group meets according to the country. And here, visitors do not miss the special dishes that can be enjoyed right on the market: burnt fish, beef noodle soup and listen to the deep melodies of Tinh Anh selling mats, Da Co Hoai Lang.

Three women passing watermelons on a boat piled high with them, other boats around.

7. Nga Nam Floating Market – Soc Trang

The market operates almost throughout the day

This is also one of the famous old floating markets of the West, belonging to Nga Nam town, Nga Nam district, Soc Trang province and located at the intersection of 5 rivers: Ca Mau, Vinh Quoi, Thanh Tri, Long My and Phung Hiep.

The market operates almost throughout the day, contributing to the exchange and exchange of goods for the 3 provinces of Soc Trang, Hau Giang and Bac Lieu.

Because the traffic is not convenient, the market still retains the original features and the soul of the people here. Visitors can see prominently the boats selling porridge, noodle soup or street pho. Noticed that this place sells from famous Western rice varieties to seafood such as shrimp, crab, and fish.

A seller in a conical hat under a pole hung with fruit on a market boat.