At dawn on the Cần Thơ River, small boats nose out of Ninh Kiều Pier loaded with coffee, noodles and fruit, heading for the wholesale trade at Cái Răng. By mid-morning the same riverfront is a slow promenade of badminton players, sweet bean chè vendors and families on the public square around the Ho Chi Minh statue.
Cần Thơ suits travellers who want the Mekong Delta's river life rather than a checklist of monuments: early risers, market-goers, and anyone happy to spend a day on the water and an evening eating street food. It also rewards a slower stay, with pagodas, canals and a student quarter that fill out a second or third day.
This guide covers the sights and experiences named in the source material, ordered with the river and the markets first, plus a one-day plan that strings them together.
Top things to do in Cần Thơ
1. Cái Răng Floating Market
Cái Răng is the main wholesale floating market near the city, where goods are bought and sold from boat to boat. Go early, as early as 05:30, and return through the small tributaries to the Cần Thơ River for a three- to four-hour trip. Late risers will still see plenty going on by arriving around 08:00.
You can join a tour from Ninh Kiều Pier, or take a taxi to Cái Răng instead; giving the driver the location of a cafe such as Cafe Chợ Nổi will keep him from delivering you to one of the expensive boat tour companies.
2. Ninh Kieu Park & Riverfront
Ninh Kieu Park runs along the Cần Thơ River from the ferry terminal at Nguyen An Ninh Rd to the Ninh Kieu Hotel at the end of Hai Ba Trung Rd. Its public square surrounds a large statue of Ho Chi Minh, and Ninh Kieu Tourist Market holds souvenir vendors, cafes and restaurants.
Come in the evening, when locals gather to play badminton, breakdance or sit and eat sweet bean chè. The ticket booth just outside the market sells boat trips up the river to places like Cái Răng Floating Market, and the Night Market on Nguyen An Ninh and Chau Van Liem streets is the place for bargains, trà sữa milk tea and street food.
3. Canal tour
The canal system around Cần Thơ is a travel network in its own right, far more relaxed than the roads. Hire a small rowboat, probably with a small motor as well, to reach the narrow canals that larger tour boats cannot navigate.
Tours run from 06:00 to 14:00 and can include two floating markets and various sites along the canals. Ask around at the riverfront and negotiate the price; some operators ask for more money to visit the canals, but the price should already include them.
4. Phong Điền Floating Market
Phong Điền lies further up the Cần Thơ River and is worth seeing as a retail market rather than a wholesale one. It is very active at dawn but slows down early, so you may want to go there by land.
The canals back to Cần Thơ are also very much worth the ride in a small boat, so pair the market with a slow return on the water.
5. Munirensay Temple
Munirensay Temple, also known as the Khmer Pagoda or Munirangsyaram, stands at 36 Hoà Bình St near the corner of Hoa Binh and De Tham Rd. It is a beautiful Khmer pagoda that gives Cần Thơ a touch of Cambodia, recalling the region's heritage as part of the Khmer Empire.
It pairs naturally with the other pagodas and churches along Mau Than St if you are spending an afternoon in the city rather than on the river.
6. Chùa Ông
Chùa Ông, or Ong Pagoda, sits at 32 Hai Ba Trung Rd, just across from Ho Chi Minh's statue in Ninh Kieu Park. Constructed in the 1890s, it was apparently a secret hideout for communist revolutionaries during the Vietnam War and is now considered a national monument.
It is worth seeing for its artistic value, with intricate altars featuring carved wooden bas-reliefs. Combine it with a walk through Ninh Kieu Park, since the two are directly opposite each other.
7. Quang Duc Pagoda
Quang Duc Pagoda on Mau Than St is one of the biggest and most active Buddhist temples, with monks living on the premises. Visitors are welcome at any time of the day.
There are fewer people during the hot afternoons, but it gets very lively in the evenings. It sits a few hundred metres from two churches on the same street, so you can see several religious buildings in one walk.
8. Xuan Khanh Quarter and Mau Than St
Mau Than St is the central street of Xuan Khanh and is known as the longest street in the Mekong Delta, stretching for over 30 km. It is named after the Tet Offensive, launched on Vietnamese New Year, 30 Jan 1968, which in Vietnamese is called Tết Mậu Thân.
Xuan Khanh Market at the start of the street is a daily stop for many citizens, and Mau Than is also the centre of the local community, with two churches and the Quang Duc Pagoda just a few hundred metres apart. Depending on the day of your visit you may see traditionally dressed monks or a celebration service at one of the churches that often reaches into the street in the evening.
9. Xuan Khanh Student Quarter
Many students from nearby Can Tho University live in Xuan Khanh or do their daily shopping here. Small eateries fill the street and alleys, along with cafes catering to the student population.
Because the quarter is less frequented by tourists, you will find more local colour here than at the upmarket Ninh Kieu Pier. The best time to visit is in the afternoon and early evening.
10. Cần Thơ Museum
The Cần Thơ City Museum has exhibits on the city's history. It is a useful stop if you want context for the river trade, the canals and the communities you have been passing by boat.
Save it for the hottest part of the day, when being indoors is welcome.
11. Mỹ Khánh tourist village
Mỹ Khánh tourist village is one of the attractions the city is known for. It works well as a land-based counterpoint to the boat trips, especially if you want a break from the water.
If you are already heading out of the centre, a countryside tour is another way to see orchards, tropical fruit and how people make their living from farming and ranching.
12. Bình Thủy Temple and the historic Bình Thủy house
Bình Thủy Temple is one of the city's attractions, and the historic Bình Thủy house, dating to 1870, is a mix of French and Asian architecture.
Set aside time for the house in particular if you are interested in how the delta's merchant architecture blended outside influences with local building traditions.
13. Bằng Lăng Stork Sanctuary
The Bằng Lăng Stork Sanctuary lies in Thốt Nốt district and is one of the city's noted attractions. It is a bird garden rather than a river experience, so it suits a morning or late afternoon when the light is softer.
Because it is outside the centre, treat it as a half-day trip and combine it with whatever else you are seeing in that direction rather than trying to squeeze it between river tours.
14. Tây Đô Night Market
Tây Đô Night Market is one of the city's attractions and a natural end to a day on the water. Come hungry and graze rather than committing to a single restaurant.
It pairs well with an evening at the Ninh Kieu Park & Riverfront, where the Night Market on Nguyen An Ninh and Chau Van Liem streets also runs, so you can compare the two on foot.
15. Luu Huu Phuoc Park in the evening
Luu Huu Phuoc Park is an entertainment park that comes alive in the evening. Vietnamese enjoy extremely loud music and do not mind distorting speakers, so it may be very loud, but it is definitely a cultural experience.
Several manicure shops sit on Nguyen Viet Hong St, a nice tree-lined street connecting Mau Than St and Ly Tu Trong St at the park, so you can start the evening with a manicure before walking over.
If you only have one day
Morning. Leave Ninh Kieu Pier before dawn for Cái Răng Floating Market, arriving as early as 05:30, and return through the small tributaries to the Cần Thơ River over three to four hours. If you would rather sleep in, take a taxi to Cái Răng instead and arrive by around 08:00, when there is still plenty going on.
Afternoon. Back in the city, walk Ninh Kieu Park & Riverfront and step across Hai Ba Trung Rd to Chùa Ông, then continue to the Cần Thơ Museum for the city's history during the hottest part of the day. If you still have energy, head to Xuan Khanh Quarter and Mau Than St, where Quang Duc Pagoda and the two churches sit a few hundred metres apart, and finish with a wander through the student quarter as it wakes up in the late afternoon.
Evening. Eat your way through Tây Đô Night Market, then return to the Ninh Kieu Park & Riverfront, where locals gather to play badminton and eat sweet bean chè, and the Night Market on Nguyen An Ninh and Chau Van Liem streets is running. If you want the loudest possible end to the day, walk over to Luu Huu Phuoc Park.
Frequently asked questions
When should I go to Cái Răng Floating Market?
Go early, as early as 05:30, and plan on three to four hours if you want to come back through the small tributaries to the Cần Thơ River. Late risers will still see plenty going on by arriving around 08:00, but the market operates at dawn and through the early morning.
How do I get to Cần Thơ from Ho Chi Minh City?
Visitors from Ho Chi Minh City can follow National Highway 1A to Cần Thơ City. From Phú Quốc island, you can use the ferry, passenger bus or taxi to transfer to Cần Thơ.
Can I visit the floating markets without joining a packaged tour?
Yes. General boat tours of the floating market run from An Binh market (Chợ An Bình), with tickets from the kiosk right in front of the market and a tour duration of 35 to 40 minutes. You can also take a taxi to Cái Răng; giving the driver the location of a cafe such as Cafe Chợ Nổi will prevent him from taking you to one of the expensive boat tour companies.
What is there to do in Cần Thơ in the evening?
Ninh Kieu Park & Riverfront is busy in the evenings, when locals gather to hang out, play badminton, breakdance or sit and eat sweet bean chè, and the Night Market on Nguyen An Ninh and Chau Van Liem streets sells street food and milk tea. Quang Duc Pagoda gets very lively in the evenings, and Luu Huu Phuoc Park is an entertainment park that is loud but a genuine cultural experience.
Decide how many mornings you can spare for the river, then start planning your days around the dawn boats and the evening riverfront.