By late afternoon the heat has eased and the riverfront at Ninh Kiều starts to fill: vendors set up along the water, small boats idle at the pier, and the smell of coffee and grilled food drifts from the streets behind. Further inland, the billiard halls are already busy, and the cafes along Mau Than Street are filling with people settling in for the evening.
Can Tho's nightlife is quieter than what you would find in Ho Chi Minh City, and less centred on bottle service. The city's clubs sometimes bring in well-known Vietnamese singers to perform live, and feature go-go dancers on regular nights. This suits travellers who want a relaxed evening of coffee, street food and conversation, with the option of a club later, more than those looking for a large, dense entertainment district.
Where to go out in Can Tho
1. Ninh Kiều Pier and the riverfront
The pier area is the natural starting point for an evening. Cafes sit at Ninh Kieu Pier, and the riverside is where boat tours depart and where you can watch the river traffic. It suits an early, low-key night: coffee or a cold drink, a walk along the water, then dinner nearby.
If you plan to combine the riverfront with a floating market trip the next morning, note that tours from Ninh Kiều Pier can be arranged on the spot, and that the market itself only operates from dawn until early morning.
2. Mau Than Street
Mau Than Street is a practical spine for an evening out, with cafes and a billiard hall next to a petrol station. It suits a casual night of coffee, pool and snacking rather than a formal night on the town. One bar on this street, the International Roof Top Bar, is described as having a view over the city and as being a cosy place to relax.
3. Le Loi Street
Le Loi Street is where you find Cafe Bar Eden, described as good for couples. It suits a quiet drink for two rather than a group night out.
4. The club scene
Can Tho's clubs are scattered rather than clustered. Golf Club, near Ninh Kieu Pier and the Central Bank, is described as upscale and popular with businessmen at the weekend. XK Club on Tran Van Kheo Street is small, with red-and-black decor and a sound system, and is described as more secure and chill than other clubs. Xe Loi Club at Hau Riverside Park in Cai Khe Ward runs until 03:00 and is described as the place to be on weekends, with most of the activity between 23:00 and 02:00; the crowd is youthful and energetic, and can be sketchy.
These descriptions come from older source material, so treat them as a guide to the character of the scene rather than a guarantee that any particular venue is still trading.
5. Billiard halls
Billiards is extremely popular in Vietnam, and halls are frequented throughout the day and into the evening. This suits a daytime or early-evening break when it is too hot to walk around, and a low-cost way to spend time with locals.
6. Luu Huu Phuoc entertainment park
The park is busy in the evening, and the music is extremely loud, with speakers that distort. It suits travellers who want a cultural experience rather than a quiet one, and who do not mind the volume.
7. Tây Đô Night Market
The night market is one of the city's listed attractions and is a straightforward option for an evening of browsing and eating. It suits a flexible night when you want food and atmosphere without committing to a venue.
8. Manicure and salon streets
Several manicure shops sit on Nguyen Viet Hong Street, a tree-lined street connecting Mau Than Street and Ly Tu Trong Street at Luu Huu Phuoc Park. Starting an evening with a manicure, or a head massage at a hairdresser, suits a slow, low-key night. Prices vary by salon, so agree on the price and the length of the massage beforehand.
How a night out unfolds
In Can Tho, evenings tend to start with coffee, fresh coconut juice, fruit drinks or sugarcane with ice at one of the many small street stalls or in the markets, and cafes on Mau Than Street or at Ninh Kieu Pier are places to spend a couple of hours in the Vietnamese style. Club nights run later: at Xe Loi Club the busiest period is between 23:00 and 02:00, and the venue stays open until 03:00. Note that the floating markets, often paired with an evening out, run from dawn until early morning only, so a late night and an early market trip do not combine well.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Vietnam Culture Day — 24 November
- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day — 24–25 December
- International New Year's Eve and New Year's Day — 31 December–1 January
- Vietnamese New Year's Eve, Vietnamese New Year and the Tet holiday — early February
- Easter Sunday — late March
Frequently asked questions
Is Can Tho's nightlife as busy as Ho Chi Minh City's?
No. The nightlife in Can Tho is not as vibrant as Ho Chi Minh City's, though it is also less centred on bottle service.
What do people drink in the evening?
Coffee with condensed milk and ice, fresh coconut juice, fruit drinks such as lemonade and orange juice, and sugarcane with ice are all common, sold at small street stalls and in the markets.
How late do clubs stay open?
At least one club, Xe Loi Club, stays open until 03:00, with most of the activity between 23:00 and 02:00. Hours elsewhere are not stated in the source material, so check locally.
Can I combine a night out with a floating market trip?
Only with an early night. The floating market operates from dawn until early morning, with boats from An Binh market starting at 05:00, and Cai Rang best visited from around 05:30.
Decide whether your evening is for coffee by the river, a club until late, or an early night before the market, and plan the rest of your night around that.