“Can Tho is a place of white rice and clean water. Once one comes here, they never want to leave”.

Can Tho is a large city with a dense network of rivers, canals and ditches in the Mekong Delta. It combines with the bustle of Cai Rang floating market in the early morning, immense orchards and the unique architecture of ancient houses create a special beauty of the region that cannot be confused with anything else.

Cai Rang Floating Market

Cai Rang floating market is about 6 km far away from the center of Can Tho city in road way.  In water way, it takes 30 minutes by boat from Ninh Kieu wharf. Legend has it that the name of Cai Rang came from a tale in the early widening period with a huge crocodile. The crocodile drifted here and pitched its teeth into this region. Also, the market is called floating market because it floats on the river.

Coming to Cai Rang floating market, visitors will have a chance to see the unique cultural feature of the river. The floating market is an indispensable part of culture in the South West of Viet Nam. Every morning, hundreds of big and small boats gathering here. Each boat has a long upright pole with a sample of the goods for sale hung on, so the sellers do not have to cry out what they are selling as in a traditional market on the ground. Visiting the market in every morning, besides buying specialties, visitors can also have breakfast and experience an interesting floating life on the boats.

Ninh Kieu Wharf

It is said in Vietnamese folk song that “Can Tho has Ninh Kieu wharf, a romantic river and many beautiful ladies”. Ninh Kieu wharf, which is now called Ninh Kieu park by the inhabitants of Tay Do (the capital of the Western region), used to be a wharf and tourism - cultural site, formed in the nineteenth century. In Ninh Kieu wharf, visitors can see Hau river being rich in alluvium.  Moreover, Ninh Kieu wharf stands in the prime location of Can Tho city which is the interference of the right of Hau river, right away at the junction of Hau and Can Tho river, near the center of Can Tho city.

 Visiting pavilion, which is constructed on water, is the most interesting thing to do in the wharf for visitors. The pavilion is a floating ship connecting with the river bank by a short bridge which has handrails in the two sides so visitors can stop here to get some fresh air and wind. In fact, this pavilion is a large two- storey floating restaurant with hundreds of seats. Coming here, visitors can order a glass of carbonated soft drink or a little brown- colored rice wine with a local eel hot pot to eat and drink while enjoying the beautiful scenery of Hau river with many types of boats in a rush. In addition, the wharf has a park with a variety of green trees, a peaceful place for the inhabitants and the visitors relax their mind.

Binh Thuy Ancient House

Located on Bui Huu Nghia street in Binh Thuy ward, Binh Thuy district, Can Tho city, the ancient house was designed featuring French architecture with 5 large rooms and 2 roofs and constructed by Duong family in 1870.

With many cultural and architectural values, this is a rarely ancient house style remain unchanged which helps researchers study the daily and cultural life as well as the evolution of residents in the Mekong Delta over time.

The house, standing in an area of 6.000 square meters, has 5 large rooms with 2 roofs, 22 meters in width and 16 meters in depth. There is a “hon non bo” (Vietnamese art of making miniature landscapes, imitating the scenery of the islands, mountains and surrounding environment as found in nature) and ornamental plants in the front yard. In the right hand side of the yard, there is an orchid garden and a 40-year-old Mexican cactus namely Kim Lang Tru with 8 meters in height in the opposite. An orchard is in the back yard. All the yards are covered with terra cotta tile. In the entrance of the house, there are four bow- shaped stairs. The house is very large with 24 black and shiny iron wood columns (30 meters in diameter each one) arranged in 6 rows. The connection between the columns and beams is brown wooden items which are carved very sophisticated.

In addition, Binh Thuy ancient house is also famous for the seventh art in and out of the country. Here is the context for dozens of popular films, such as “Những nẻo đường phù sa” (The road of alluvial), “Người đẹp Tây Đô” (Miss Tay Do), “Nợ đời” (The debt of life), and still keep many memories of actors.

Orchards

The endless orchards are spreading around the roads and waterways in Can Tho city. Many of them are for tourism, such as My Khanh orchard, Mr. Sau Duong’s orchard, Binh Thuy orchid garden, gardens along the river sides of Phong Dien and Phung Hiep rivers and many other tourism gardens of the house holds in O Mon and Thot Not districts.

Coming here, visitors can take a walk in the gardens, get the fresh air, pick and taste various kinds of fruits without worrying about food safety. In the case that visitors want to stay here over night, there are many small cottages standing under the shade of green trees with low price.

Bang Lang Stock Sanctuary

Located in Thoi An hamlet, Thoi Thuan commune, Thot Not district, Can Tho city, Bang Lang stock sanctuary is one of largest bird sanctuaries in the 9- river region. In spring, visitors will see lot of purple mausoleum bloom in the two river sides.

 To enjoy the beautiful scenery here, visitors should come early in the morning to see more than 300,000 storks, including white stocks, gray stocks, black storks and cormorants flapping and hovering their wings over bamboo hedges to swing with the wind, effusively call for their flocks, ect. , and at 17: 00 to see the storks flying to their nests.

My Khanh Tourism Village

My Khanh tourism village, in Phong Dien district, is 10 km far away from the center of Can Tho city, located on Lo Vong Cung street and between Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets. My Khanh tourism village is a place converging the cultural quintessence of the region of rivers.

The experiences that cannot be ignored here is to enjoy more than 20 kinds of fruits in a large garden, visit traditional village craft, make alcohol, make girdle cakes, enjoy specialties, stop by the ancient house of the Southern Viet Nam and listen to the ancient songs of love from the spinning disc player which has a life expectancy of 80 years.

Ninh Kieu Night Market

Ninh Kieu night market is an interesting shopping destination not to be missed in the schedule of the tour. Besides selling many interesting items, the market has services for eating and entertainment which is very exciting.

Ba Bo Flower Village

Ba Bo flower village is considered as one of interesting sites for tourism in Can Tho. It helps visitors to enrich the tours travelling to gardens in Binh Thuy district. There are more than 250 households growing various types of flowers, mainly with marigolds, sunflowers, yellow apricot and roses.

With an area of nearly 20 hectares, visitors can freely contemplate and take beautiful photos to capture memories with each different flower garden.

Nam Nha Pagoda

Nam Nha pagoda not only had the values of belief, but also was a place to nurture a strong will against French resistance of patriots of Dong Du (Journey to Eastern countries) movement (1907 – 1940). The pagoda was built by Mr. Nguyen Giac Nguyen in 1895, under Minh Su religious sect so it was also called Minh Su pagoda.

Opposite the pagoda is majestic Long Tuyen Temple. In front of the pagoda is Binh Thuy river with many old trees to be outlined against the river surface. The Eastern site is Con Son (Son island) which is considered as a precious stone of Long Tuyen. And Binh Thuy island is seen as the tongue of a dragon, located in the middle of Hau river flows.

Outside, the gate was built by ancient brick, carved three Chinese characters meaning “Nam Nha Duong” (Nam Nha Building) in Vietnamese. The pagoda’s yard is covered by large gardens spreading out to the river. There are many kinds of trees, such as cedrus, techicai sitan and other different trees. In addition, there are many valuable bonsai which are nearly 100 years old and being taken care very carefully. Nam Nha pagoda is also an interesting destination for visitors when travelling to Can Tho.

Can Tho museum

Can Tho museum has a large scale with the area of nearly 3.000 square meters. Located right at No. 1, Hoa Binh avenue, Tan An ward, Ninh Kieu district. The museum displays objects of the nation, the inhabitants of Can Tho and the Mekong Delta over periods. It is also a place keeping valuable cultural objects of many ethnic groups in Viet Nam, including Vietnamese, Chinese and Khmer in the process of building and defending the nation.

Can Tho museum was established in 1976 and its name has changed many times. It was officially called “Can Tho museum” in 1992. This is also a tourist attraction that the visitors should come when travelling to Can Tho.

Truc Lam Phuong Nam Monastery

Truc Lam Phuong Nam monastery was inaugurated on May 17, 2014 in My Khanh commune, Phong Dien district. This is the largest pagoda in the Mekong Delta.

 The construction of Truc Lam Phuong Nam monastery was proposed by General Pham Van Tra, the former Minister of Defense. He was also the head of the mobilization board to collect fund for the construction of the monastery.

Coming Truc Lam Phuong Nam monastery to enjoy the scenery and pray for peace and contentment will be a memorable pilgrimage on the region of rivers. The cultural and spiritual values in every little corner of the monastery will surely bring the tourists feeling of peace in mind.

Ong Pagoda

Ong Temple, which used to be called Quang Trieu Clubhouse as its original name, is located at No. 32, Hai Ba Trung street, Tan An ward, Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho city. This is a pagoda of the Guangdong people of China living in Can Tho. It was recognized as a national historical monument in 1993. As many other Chinese pagodas, Ong pagoda is colorful and jubilant but it still keeps the ancient features which attract a lot of visitors.