Visiting Can Tho markets is always on the list of the best things to do in Can Tho since it is the best way to experience the unique riverside cultures of the "Western Capital." Read on and catch all of the best 11 markets in Can Tho. Maybe it could turn your journey into the most unforgettable trip ever.
1. Best Can Tho markets for late-night shoppers
1.1. Tay Do Can Tho night market
- Location: Hai Ba Trung Street, Ninh Kieu Wharf, Ninh Kieu District
- Opening hours: 5 PM – 11 PM daily
Tay Do night market is one of the best Can Tho markets among tourists. The market appears massive, with ancient Asian architecture and layers of red tiles. When night comes, the roof is lightened up, creating a brilliant scene of a riverside market.
Here, a lot of unique local goods, handicrafts, and many souvenirs are displayed. The vibrant colors and atmosphere of this night market is certainly inviting to shoppers. Additionally, Tay Do market has an appealing food court serving Can Tho specialties like fresh tropical fruits, mango salad, deep-fried shrimp cake, pancakes, noodle soup, sugarcane juice, etc.
As the market is adjacent to Ninh Kieu wharf, visitors can admire the peaceful river view at night. You can also take a walk after filling your belly with a delicious market food tour.
1.2. Tran Phu night market
- Location: Tran Phu Street, Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu District
- Opening hours: 5 PM – 11 PM daily
Tran Phu night market is a must-visit for seafood lovers. It is a one-kilometer-long food street, but for travelers, it is the best Can Tho night market. Going down to the market for all the typical dishes of the West with the deal!
Seafood like fish, octopuses, shrimp, squids, and snails are fresh on the ice with clear price tags. Just select what you want and request processing according to your wishes. Recommended dishes here are grilled oysters, grilled squid with green mustard sauces, etc.
Apart from seafood, this market can meet your needs for culinary exploration. Try a fruit bowl with 30 different types of tropical fruits in a serving. If you want a fresh taste, choose some juices. If you prefer Western cuisine, you can choose from a variety of fast food and beverages. It’s worth trying everything here!
1.3. Must-visit Can Tho markets for street food? Ninh Kieu night market
- Location: Hai Ba Trung Street, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu District
- Opening hours: 5 PM – 11 PM
Located near Ninh Kieu Wharf, Ninh Kieu Night market is ideal for food and shopping addicts. The market, with its wide paved walkway and well-arranged stalls, is always crowded and bustling at night.
Like any of Can Tho markets, Ninh Kieu night market sells various goods, local specialties, handicrafts, and more. But, the two popular things that made the brand here are fashion items and street food.
Fashion items like shoes, clothes, and bags are diverse and reasonable. The colorful food stalls here are all inexpensive yet extremely tasty. Can Tho sweet soup, sugarcane juice with fruits, and local grilled dishes are some of the must-try street foods here, make sure you do not miss out on them.
1.4. Bai Cat night market in Can Tho
- Location: Bai Cat area, Tran Phu Street, Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu District
- Opening hours: 5 PM – 11 PM daily
Bai Cat night market is very different from other Can Tho markets, with its unique mix of luxury restaurants and street-side food stalls. Visitors to the market come from all walks of life, too, creating fascinating chaos that tourists should experience once.
Restaurants here are always full in the evening. But according to the locals, the true spirit of Can Tho cuisines and cultures is still in the popular outdoor stalls. On your upcoming trip here, try wandering through the shops and enjoying fish balls, Can Tho snails, pomelo sweet soup, satay seafood hotpot, etc.
2. Best floating markets in Can Tho for an unforgettable shopping experience
Can Tho owns the best floating markets in Vietnam, and below are two famous ones that travelers should spare their time for.
2.1. Phong Dien floating market Can Tho
- Location: Phong Dien Town, Phong Dien District, Can Tho (17 kilometers from the city center)
- Opening hours: 4 AM – 7 AM daily
The market runs quickly in the early morning, so tourists must follow the time strictly. From 8 AM, the boats will disappear, and you will not find any trace of a market left.
What tourists can't miss here is having breakfast on the boat, tasting a hot Hu Tieu or Bun Mam, admiring the river scene, and immersing themselves in the noisy market. Remember to hunt the dawn on the river and take photos with the fantastic market background.
Besies, try sipping "floating coffee" and enjoying a chilling morning at this floating market in Can Tho. It costs only about VND 10,000 per cup.
2.2. Cai Rang floating market - One of the best floating markets in Vietnam
- Location: Located on Can Tho River, 46 Hai Ba Trung Street, Ninh Kieu District
- Opening hours: 4 AM – 12 PM daily
Cai Rang floating market is the most mentioned name when it comes to Can Tho markets. Visiting here, tourists can experience authentic riverside culture through the "mobile apartments" on the river, how merchants juggle goods from boat to boat, and the traditional music in the bustling market.
The best travel time is from 4 AM to 6 AM because it is ideal for a culinary exploration of the river. Not only fruits and goods are sold in the market; many other typical dishes are also available, including porridge, rice, Hu Tieu, Bun Mam, and many drinks. Visit a "local pub" inside boats if you want. And don't forget to buy yourself a braised coffee.
Besides, fresh fruits are a popular Can Tho Cai Rang floating market specialty. Coconuts, mangos, watermelons… are displayed uprightly and sold affordably.
When visiting the Cai Rang market, tourists don’t need to worry about what to do in Can Tho anymore. With nearby attractions like Riverside fruit gardens, coconut workshops, and the Rice Noodle Factory, it is easy for you to create your own Can Tho floating market tour.
3. Other famous Can Tho markets you should include in your itinerary
3.1. Tan An market: The oldest wholesale market in Can Tho
- Location: 71 Hai Ba Trung Street, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu District
- Opening hours: 6 AM – 9 PM daily
Tan An market is one of the oldest and most famous Can Tho markets. It is the gathering venue for all of Western Vietnam's best specialties and goods.
This market is the supplier and distributor for all other markets, so it is always busy and noisy. Visitors will see a variety of seafood, agricultural products, tropical fruits, and more. And if you want to find reasonably priced goods, you definitely cannot ignore this spot.
3.2. The ancient market Can Tho
- Location: Hai Ba Trung Street, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu District
- Opening hours: 6 AM – 9 PM daily
The Ancient Market Can Tho is one of the most obvious places to store the culture and history of Can Tho. It is not just a market but also an ideal place to enjoy the culture and immerse yourself in the true lives of the Mekong Delta's inhabitants.
Choose a stopover to admire the tranquil scenery, wander around the stalls to explore local goods, and learn more about traditional culture through antique items and shops. These are the best things to do in Can Tho ancient market.
If you want some relaxation, there is nothing better than sipping coffee and watching the water hyacinths on the river. If you're going to taste the local cuisine, visit the restaurant in the heart of the market or freely walk around for street foods like Banh Mi, Hu Tieu, etc.
3.3. Best Can Tho markets to visit? An Lac market
3.4. An Binh market
- Location: Provincial road 923, An Binh Ward, Ninh Kieu District
- Opening hours: 7 AM – 7 PM daily
An Binh market is not as large and famous as other Can Tho markets. Tourists rarely find this name in any travel tour or guide, but you will hear it regularly when asking locals. As you can guess, it is a hundred–percent local market, with local goods, for local citizens.
It turns out that unpopularity is a strong point of the An Binh market. The market is still crowded and noisy, but it is less chaotic than other attractions. Although the goods here are not diverse, the food and fruits are fresh, and the prices are very reasonable. In short, it is a lovely local market, from the stalls to the sellers and buyers. You definitely should not miss it!
3.5. Cai Khe market
- Location: Tran Van Kheo Street, Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu District
- Opening hours: 4 AM – 6 PM daily
Before commercial centers like Vincom appeared, Cai Khe Market was the exclusive trade center of Can Tho. However, Cai Khe still maintains its position as one of the largest Can Tho markets in scale and diversity.
The market has three main houses: the first is for shoes, the second is for clothes, and the last sells food and vegetables. There is a diverse food court between the first and second houses. Since the food stalls here are all decades old, they offer harmonious and genius Can Tho flavors. In addition, the price is also a big plus.
3.6. Xuan Khanh Can Tho market
- Location: 30 Thang 4 Street, Xuan Khanh Ward, Ninh Kieu District
- Operation hours: 5 AM – 8 PM daily
Xuan Khanh market is located right in the city center. It is relatively small compared to other Can Tho markets. But if your travel schedule is tight, this place is optimal for quick shopping.
Tourists often highly appreciate Xuan Khanh market for its fresh fruits, coffee, and friendliness. Local fruits here are original and come at a good price. Coffee is mouthwatering. Some foreign guests said that the coffee here was the best of their lives. And the sellers are incredibly kind in that they will offer a cool drink if you stay longer.
>>> Read more: Can Tho bridge - A soft silk strip spanning over the Hau river
No matter where you go in Vietnam, from Phu Quoc to Hoi An, Da Nang, Nha Trang, or Ha Long, you can easily find famous markets with unique features. Just walk in, taste the food, and experience the local cultures. Don't worry about the stay because you always have Vinpearl on your bucket list.
As the leading hospitality brand in Vietnam, Vinpearl has an extensive system of hotels and resorts in this country's top locations, inlcuding:
- Vinpearl Phu Quoc: Located in front of Bai Dai Beach, close to VinWonders Phu Quoc and Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc, Vinpearl Phu Quoc welcomes guests with extensive accommodations and unforgettable entertainment experiences.
- Vinpearl Nha Trang is a chain of five luxury resorts on Hon Tre Island and one beachfront hotel on Tran Phu street - Nha Trang City’s most bustling street.
- Vinpearl Resort & Golf Nam Hoi An is recommended as the "happiness center" thanks to its full stack of amenities and prime location near the crystal-clear beach and the ancient town of Hoi An.
- Vinpearl Resort & Spa Ha Long is the first and only resort in North Vietnam built entirely on the sea. Private and spacious space with an impressive Ha Long Bay view make this place ideal for an all-season getaway.
>>> Book rooms in Vinpearl Phu Quoc, Vinpearl Nha Trang, Vinpearl Resort & Golf Nam Hoi An, Vinpearl Resort & Spa Ha Long and start your adventure now!
Visitors who have ever come to Can Tho Markets always have good impressions here, as it is the best place to taste the local specialties, explore local cultures, and meet friendly local people all at once. This article contains all the necessary information for tourists visiting markets in Can Tho. Next, plan and prepare for an enjoyable journey and beyond!
