Can Tho Floating Market & Secret Small Canals
- ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 143 reviews
- Can Tho, Ninh Kieu, Cai Rang
- By Thomas Can Tho
05:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Sampan (Small Boat)
Up to 8pax
Can Tho's countryside
English speaking guide
Veggie-friendly
The small boat takes you to the Cai Rang floating market – the biggest wholesale floating market in Vietnam. Join hands with the family to make noodles. Visit the tropical fruit gardens and taste the fresh fruits. The sampan keeps going to explore secret canals, quiet, empty and with no tourists.
Highlights
Take small boat to the floating market
Visit the traditional noodle house
Unlock the secrets canals, empty with no tourists
Enjoy the fresh fruits in the tropical orchard
Enjoy the sunrise (sometimes) on the river
Itinerary
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Pick-upAt 05:00 AM, our car and tour guide will pick you up from your hotel and transfer to the pier for embarking the small authentic sampan boat.
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Can Tho floating market and the sunrise (sometimes) sampan rideArrive at Cai Rang floating market – a must see in Can Tho, Mekong Delta. Your guide will explain and tell you why "early market" "why floating market here" and "why floating market is getting smaller after every 365 days" "why we should see it in real life, real smell before it disappears" and more. The experience includes the best noodle soup on the river tour. Even our guide will take care of your vegetarian breakfast as well. Find a reason to interact with the river life and enjoy the freshest pineapple in your tour.
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Can Tho rice noodle factory (not rice paper)Firstly, we do not want you to miss this place. They call it a factory but actually it is run by a family and a lot more authentic than you expect (no shops, no souvenirs). Secondly, the rice noodle is not rice paper. How and Why? Your guide will tell you! You’ll be impressed by the colorful rice noodles, and how fascinating the rice noodles are made by locals. The family will serve you the yummy rice noodle pizza made by the member of the family….
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Can Tho tropical fruit gardenIt is an educational and fun trip to learn some things about the trees and fruits, leaves and flowers at the fruit garden.
Your lovely sampan keeps exploring the waterways and reaching to the local tropical orchard, your guide will share a lot of information about native tropical plants in the region, and you can savor some fresh seasonal fruits. -
Can Tho secret canals, quiet, empty and with no touristsWhat a romantic trip! Leave the crowds and the market behind and enjoy an intimate peaceful sampan ride in the secret canals on the way back to the city. Watching the local children playing in the water, the locals preparing things for 10AM-breakfast. You may catch the silhouettes of a gentle woman quietly taking guests across the canals by a tiny boat and the more.
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Back to hotelCar/taxi picks you up, and transfers back to your hotel in Can Tho City.
from $33pp
from $33pp
Contact for reservation/support
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Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo+84939888559
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Emailhello@vemekong.com
Guest photos
Better to know
Knowledgeable tour guide
Small boat (Sampan)
Water 500ml/pax
Entrance fees & fruits at market, garden
Pick up from/to your hotel by car/taxi in Can Tho
Others expense
Gratuities
Compulsory insurance
Guest reviews
143 reviews on “Can Tho Floating Market & Secret Small Canals”
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Contact for reservation/support
Read detail
- If you can not book/pay online because of internet or IP devices. Please WhatsApp us +84939888559 to confirm the VND cash payment when you are on tour.
Tours in group
Photo of the day
When people ask me what to see in Mekong today. I tell them view our MekongDelta365.
March 27, 2021
PHOTO BY THOMAS VIETNAM, MEKONG COLLECTION
Can Tho Rice Noodle Factory & Villages
Nowadays, there are more and more green and responsible tours which are meaningful and educational as well. This is why Can Tho noodle factory is getting popular for both Vietnamese and foreigners to come and explore the cuisine culture and the typical local life in Can Tho, Mekong Delta.
The 4:45am alarm was a shocker, but as soon as we stepped into the little boat, I forgot about being tired. Chris, our guide, had such a calm presence. He didn’t overload us with facts but spoke with clarity and warmth.
The floating market felt real. Not staged, not overly charming — but raw and meaningful. Chris explained how it works, why it’s declining, and what it tells us about Vietnam today. I appreciated that honesty.
Breakfast on the water? Surprisingly delicious. I went for the classic noodle soup with pork while my friend had the vegetarian version, and both were hot, fragrant, and soul-warming.
The noodle factory was unexpected — more a humble backyard operation than a “factory,” which made it even better. I loved watching the process and chatting with the family.
But my favourite part was the last. Those hidden canals. The water still, reflections perfect, just birds and distant voices. It felt like a sacred moment. I didn’t want it to end.
My wife and I joined this sunrise tour with guide Thomas, and it exceeded every expectation. The small wooden sampan made the whole trip feel slow, intentional, and intimate. Thomas was calm and highly knowledgeable, never rushed or overly scripted.
At the floating market, he helped us understand what we were seeing — not just visually, but economically and culturally. We even chatted with a pineapple seller who’d been on that river for decades.
The noodle factory visit was truly authentic — a family quietly working as they’ve done for years. No gift shop, no gimmick, just skill and steam. And the fresh snack they gave us was so simple and delicious.
We especially enjoyed the fruit garden and the final hidden canals. No tourists in sight. Just soft paddling and glimpses of morning life. Children playing, birds in flight. I felt like we were given access to something rare.