Top Things To See and Do in Can Tho, Vietnam
Can Tho city is considered the capital of the Mekong Delta. It is one of the more attractive and easily travelled Delta towns, with its main draw being the Cai Rang floating market. But there are other things to do while in town and here are our favourites.
Ninh Kieu Wharf
Park
Cai Rang Floating Market
Market, Vegetarian
Private Sampan Tour
The floating market is the primary attraction of the city but after the market, you can opt to continue your journey on the water. Exit the large river and head towards the tiny canals that make up the maze that is the Delta. Take a wooden row boat, also called a sampan in local lingo, and stop over at anything you see interesting — stilt houses, boat houses, orchards, farms, cottage industries, riverside restaurants, etc.
Cacao Farm
Homestay
Cacao Farm
The Mekong Delta is famous for its agriculture. Head over to Mien Tay Homestay, which is not just a homestay but also a modest cacao farm run by Lam The Cuong and his family. Over here you can do a small tour of the farm for just over a dollar and learn how fruit from a cacao tree becomes familiar cacao products you can buy at the supermarket, such as body butter, liquor and of course, chocolate. If you wish to stay over at the homestay, it is only about USD$15.00 (VND$300,000) a night, and this includes two meals and a pick-up.
Mien Tay Homestay Muoi Cuong, 275 My Ai Hamlet, My Khanh Commune, Phong Dien District, Can Tho, Vietnam, +84 292 3942 573
Can Tho Grand Prison
Can Tho Grand Prison
Can Tho Grand prison is an important historical site to visit in the city. Vietnamese dissenters and revolutionaries were held in cruel conditions, tortured and executed within the walls. It was initially built by the French during the colonial era, but then was used by the South Vietnamese and Americans during the Vietnam War. The prison has 21 detention rooms, a church, pagoda, a house for the supervisor, and a kitchen. The mannequins depict certain scenes of what it was like in the prison when it was used, and they are quite eerie.
Stay at a homestay
Hotels are lovely, you can get spoiled, sleep comfortably, and everything is convenient. But when you are in a place like the Mekong Delta, you need to forgo all the luxury and book your accommodation at a local homestay. The experience is extremely intimate — your host will take care of you like you are part of the family, let you cook with them and enjoy family meals, take you on tours around the city, let you participate in their farming activities, and also to take care of their home with them. You will get to learn their stories, lifestyles, customs and habits. You will make unforgettable memories and possibly even a lifelong friend.
Eat Mekong Delta specialties
There are many dishes you need to try while in Can Tho. The Cai Rang grilled rolls are absolutely delicious. They are made from fresh pork, and served with pineapple, cucumber, bitter banana, star fruit, and thin rice paper. It is a very interactive meal as you place the meat and herbs on rice paper, roll it up and dip it in sauce before you eat. Other dishes you should try are bun ca (fish noodles), hu tieu Sa Dec (dry noodles), bun rieu (crab noodles) and lau mam (fish hot pot).
Try rat meat
Yes, you read that right. Mekong farmers have long since dealt with pesky rats on their rice fields and a solution has been to cook or grill them and eat them. Simple. Rat meat is quite normal in Vietnam, but in Mekong you will find the healthiest kind because all they do is feed on the fields, unlike city rats that eat garbage. You can find all kinds of meals made — rat sour soup, fried rat, curry rat, grilled rat, etc. The meat is dense, moist and rich, almost sweet. The char-grilled tail is quite a delicious beer snack to chew on. Not that we’ve tried, oh no no no..
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