Recently, while traveling with a backpack, besides the familiar destinations such as the beach, island, and mountains, travelers also pay special attention to the Western River delta region. On various social media sites, it's easy to see the "Restless Legs group" check in freely at tourist locations in the Western provinces, especially in the Can Tho "the capital". When visiting the Western delta, in addition to famous photo spots, you must experience picking fruit in a garden, having breakfast at the floating market, and taking a food tour of street food in Ninh Kieu night market.

Breakfast and coffee on a boat in the Cai Rang floating market

Many people still say happily: "Going to Can Tho without visiting Cai Rang floating market is like not going at all." This is the busiest and most lively floating market in the Western delta and anyone traveling to Can Tho should visit at least once. The market is usually open from 4:30 AM to 8:30 AM, you can wake up early and take a boat from the Cai Rang pier or take a boat from Ninh Kieu pier to the floating market. When you arrive, you will see boats filled with fruit, and breakfast food gradually gathering around.

At the Cai Rang floating market, there is a full range of goods available just like on land (Photo source: @foodholicvn, @htn.c.am).

Despite being sold on the river, you can have breakfast with any food you like, such as rice noodles, thick noodles, bread, etc. The dishes are made fresh and warm on the boat and when a customer buys, the vendors begin to put the ingredients into the bowl, add broth and then pass it on to the next boat for the customer. The feeling of having a cool morning sitting next to a steaming pot of broth, holding a bowl of strong-flavored noodles on a boat, and eating while holding onto the floating boat is only unique to the Western river area.

Not only Vietnamese people, but foreign tourists also enjoy this form of cuisine (Photo source: @lehatruc, @tai._.ita, @afornaro_).

After breakfast, you can order an extra cup of coffee or a fresh coconut to drink. Especially, the coffee at the floating market is usually brewed with a pot instead of a filter, so the coffee grounds will be stronger and the flavor will be very different from coffee on land. Moreover, you may not always be able to enjoy a cup of coffee with a romantic river view. Thus, this experience is definitely worth trying.

Visiting the Fruit Garden and Enjoying the famous Can Tho Hotpot at noon.

When in Can Tho, especially in the Western, visiting the fruit garden is a must. Usually, from June to August, September is when the fruits start to mature, and every fruit is fresh and juicy. Upon purchasing the ticket to enter the garden, you can leisurely stroll around the vast garden with all seasons' fruits such as star apple, mango, durian, guava, rambutan, and Burmese grape, among others. Not only that, but you can also pick the fruits directly from the trees and enjoy them on the spot. If you want to bring some fruits back as gifts, the locals here charge according to the garden's price, so it's both delicious and cheap.

Fresh fruit can be harvested and eaten immediately at the orchard (Image: @vxo_ct, @haivyd).

Some famous fruit orchards in Can Tho:

My Khanh Fruit Orchard: My Khanh Commune, Phong Dien District

9 Hong Fruit Orchard: My Nhon Hamlet, Phong Dien District

Rach Ke Organic Fruit Orchard: My Khanh Commune, Phong Dien District

Vam Xang Fruit Orchard: Vong Cung Road, My Khanh Commune, Phong Dien District

Ba Hiep Fruit Orchard: Nhon Hung Hamlet, Nhon Nhia Commune, Phong Dien District

After "tiring" touring the fruit orchards, you can fill your growling stomach with the famous sour and spicy fish hot pot of Can Tho. The hot pot uses familiar ingredients such as basa fish, pink tail fish, snakehead fish, etc. along with West region vegetables. However, the unique point of this hot pot is the presence of the Ban fruit, creating a mild, fragrant flavor with a light scent and unique taste. In addition to the Ban fruit, the hot pot broth is also made with fresh fish, pork bones, and chopped chili to give it a distinctive sweet and spicy flavor. To enjoy the hot pot, you can go to the Con Au area, in the Hung Phu Ward, Cai Răng District.

The Ban hotpot is a popular dish in Can Tho (Photo source: @minhnguyenlex)

"Sweeping" all the delicious snacks at Ninh Kieu night market

If you want to try some snacks but are undecided on where to start, come to Ninh Kieu night market. This market stretches from the beginning to the end of Hai Ba Trung Street, next to Ninh Kieu pier with a huge variety of "delicious" snacks, from spring rolls, grilled rice paper, fried dough, and steamed buns, to desserts such as drinks, fruit smoothies, ... All are beautifully displayed, so you can choose at ease. Not only that, but the prices at the market are also very reasonable, with just 100.000 you can enjoy 4-5 dishes.

Ninh Kieu night market usually opens from around 3 pm to 12 am every day, it's convenient for late-night eating (Photo source: @bupoppai, @mingshuh)

Ms. Ut's traditional cakes. Open from 5 pm to 10 pm. Photo source: Tran Thị Hong Nguyen

Chinese-style cake and fried dough from the Chinese. Open from 5:30 pm to 10 pm. Photo source: Tong Thi My Thinh

16 Chicken sticky rice. Open from 4 pm - 12 am. Photosource: Tran Thị Hong Nguyen