The best travel guide of Can Tho Vietnam 2023

Located in southern Vietnam, Can Tho is a destination that you must definitely visit. If this is the first time you come to Can Tho but don't want to miss any beauty, please pocket this article -  the best Can Tho travel guide 2023.

For a long time, the Mekong Delta excursion has been one of the travel options that many people enjoy when exploring Vietnam. It is different from many other areas. This is a place separate from the hustle and bustle of the city. People can experience the peaceful, mellow space of nature, heaven, and earth. Can Tho is one of the Mekong Delta worth visiting. 

1. Why should you choose Can Tho tourism?

In the center of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho City is located about 200km from Ho Chi Minh City, adjacent to Vinh Long, An Giang, Kien Giang, and Hau Giang. Can Tho has a thick network of rivers and canals. It is located in a tropical climate that is warm and sunny all year round. The weather is mild with few storms, hot and humid.

Can Tho is located in the south of Vietnam (Source: Tech12h)

Thanks to the above natural conditions of geography and climate, Can Tho has a rich and colorful ecosystem: the fruit gardens, and flocks of storks flying straight, ... Moreover, It is impressed by its idyllic appearance and warm humanity. With these advantages, Can Tho is not only the Mekong Delta worth visiting but also increasingly attractive to tourists from far away.

2. When is the best time to visit Can Tho Vietnam?

In every journey, travel time is always something we need to pay attention to. Let's see when to go to Can Tho city in the travel guide.

Can Tho have only two seasons: the rainy and the dry. Each season in Can Tho has its own beauty and fascinating things, so you can come at any time of the year.

• Fruit season: From May to August, fruit gardens enter the ripe season. The climate in this season is mild. To see the luxuriant fruit gardens, experience the life of a farmer, and enjoy the delicious ripe fruits right in the garden, you should choose the ripe fruit season.

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Can Tho - ripe fruit season (Source: Tourcoach)

• Floating water season: September to November, Can Tho enters the rainy season. It is the season when water flows from the rivers to the plains. Traveling to Can Tho this season, you will admire the white sea, experience the life of the people on the river.

• Flowering season: December to February is the season close to Tet. Can Tho is full of flowers. The climate of Can Tho city this season is sunny and warm. You will be mixed in the joyful traditional New Year atmosphere of the people in the river region.

Flowering season in Can Tho (Source: media.qdnd)

• Festival season: In Can Tho, there are many festivals all throughout the year. You can go on these occasions to immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the festivals. Some typical festivals are:

• Cholchonam Thomay festival: takes place every year on the 13th, 14th, and 15th day of the third lunar month.

• The Southern Folk Cake Festival takes place on the occasion of The Hung Kings' Temple Festival (March 10 of the lunar calendar).

• Fruit festival: usually takes place on Tan Loc island on the occasion of the Lunar New Year on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.

• Ong Pagoda Festival: July 7 of the lunar calendar and from 2 to 3 days

Ong Pagoda Festival (Source: mydongnai)

3. What to prepare for traveling to Can Tho?

In the Can Tho travel guide, packing is an important part. Are you wondering what to bring, or what to note when traveling to Can Tho? Please follow the ideas below:

• Identity papers are essential items when traveling to Can Tho or any other trip. You should bring your ID card to check in at the airport or hotel. You can use your passport instead of an ID card. If you plan to hire self-driving vehicles during your trip, don't forget to bring your driver's license.

• Clothes: You should bring comfortable, active clothes. In addition, if you go in the rainy season, you should bring a thin raincoat, umbrella or long-sleeved shirt. If you travel in the summer, you should bring sunscreen and a hat. Always bring a polite outfit if you plan to visit the temples in Can Tho.

Items when traveling to Can Tho (Source: chanhtuoi)

• Footwear: According to the experience of preparing luggage when going to Can Tho of many people, you will visit floating markets and ecotourism areas when coming to this river region. Therefore, you should wear sandals and walking shoes to move quickly and conveniently. You should avoid wearing high heels, especially in the rainy season because they are uncomfortable during the trip.

Other items:

• Don't forget to bring moisturizers, sunscreens, anti-mosquitoes or insect bites, etc. to protect your skin under the sun and wind in Can Tho Vietnam.

• You need to prepare some basic medicine: headache medicine, stomach pain medicine, and anti-motion sickness medicine to avoid the case that you are not familiar with the weather and food in Can Tho. And always keep in your bag a bottle of wind oil, bandages, and antiseptic to treat minor injuries you encounter during travel.

Insect repellents and antiseptics (Source: dienmayhc)

• With electronics, bring shockproof, waterproof bags to protect them. Don't forget to bring a power bank or a photo stick to help save photos when visiting Can Tho.

4. What are the means of transportation to Can Tho?

• By Airplane: Since Can Tho is located in the south of Vietnam, if you are in the North or Central region, the best way to get to Can Tho is by plane. It is easy to buy tickets. You can buy tickets online, or buy at genuine air ticket agents.

• By car or coach: If you come from Ho Chi Minh City or neighboring provinces, you can choose to go by bus or travel by car. When traveling by car, it is necessary to bring all vehicle documents and repair tools. Obey road traffic safety as well as run at the prescribed speed.

One of the ways to move to Can Tho (Source: bestprice)

• If you travel by bus, you can go to the Western bus station or the garages on Le Hong Phong Street, District 10 to buy tickets. The price of a bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho City is about 130,000 - 180,000 VND per ticket.

• By motorcycle: Like a car, you should prepare all documents and tools before leaving. The journey can take 3 to 4 hours if you move from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho. You can also choose this vehicle to travel within Can Tho city.

Can Tho is the economic center of both domestic and foreign countries. This place is a convenient place to exchange with other localities in the delta. Therefore, you do not have to worry when choosing the means of transport when traveling to Can Tho. Please plan and balance the cost to choose the most suitable means.

5. What is the experience of staying in Can Tho?

In Can Tho, there are many motels, hotels, and resorts. According to the experience of booking a hotel in Can Tho travel guide, depending on your financial conditions as well as the purpose of the trip, you should choose the most suitable hotel for yourself.

The 4-star and 5-star hotels here have good services, and a variety of utilities, and the price is extremely reasonable. You can choose hotels near Ninh Kieu Wharf to conveniently visit Can Tho.

Garden-style homestay (Source: kenhhomestay)

Another experience for you is garden style homestay. This is a great choice for those who want to experience the river life of the people here. Please book early to avoid being sold out or high room rates if you plan to travel to Can Tho on weekends or public holidays.

6.  What to visit in Can Tho?

Cai Rang Floating market

Floating market is a specialty of the Mekong Delta visiting. Cai Rang Floating Market is about 6 km from the city. If you go to the crowded market, you will witness the bustling scene on the boat. Most of the goods are fruits, a specialty of the Mekong Delta.

Floating market seen from above (Source: baochinhphu)

Many small boats also sell breakfast and drinks. Enjoying a bowl of hot or steaming crab noodles on a floating canoe on the water, surrounded by a bustling shopping scene is an unforgettable experience for you.

Binh Thuy’s ancient house

If you are a lover of ancient architecture, you should not ignore Binh Thuy's ancient house. The house is one hundred years old. The entrance ticket is only 15,000 VND per person. The old house is designed in European style, the outside looks like a French mansion, but the interior architecture is completely Vietnamese.

Binh Thuy’s ancient house (Source: vietnamdiscovery)

Fruit garden

The weather is favorable all year round and alluvium is accreted by the Mekong River, so the land in Can Tho is very fertile. Therefore, there are luxuriant fruit gardens with delicious and irresistible flavors. Some famous fruit gardens you can refer to like My Khanh, 9 Hong, Rach Ke, Vam Xang. You can hand-pick fresh fruits and enjoy them right in the garden. 

Phong Dien Orchard (Source: Bestprice)

Ong Pagoda

Near Ninh Kieu Wharf, Ong Pagoda is one of the ancient pagodas in Can Tho with exquisite architecture. The beauty of the temple remains until now. There is also a festival held here every year in July.

Ong Pagoda (Source: alotrip)

Ecotourism sites

When you search for Can Tho information, there are many eco-tourism areas here. It is one of the strengths in tourism of Can Tho in particular and the southwestern provinces in general. Thanks to the advantage of the interlaced river system, community tourism areas have been formed.

Be Ca Bay Bon in Con Son (Source: bietthungoctrai)

Con Son is one of them. You can immerse yourself in nature, and explore the life of indigenous people through activities: fishing, crab hunting, snail catching, slapping ditches to catch fish... Don't miss the delicious dishes of the people here such as field crab, grilled snakehead fish, banh xeo, banh khot... 

7. Top "must-try" specialties in Can Tho?

Grilled snakehead fish

Grilled snakehead fish is a typical rustic dish for southern Vietnam. After cleaning, the fish will be skewered through a bamboo stick, plugged into the ground, covered with straw, and burned. Snakehead fish is served with rice paper, rice vermicelli, raw vegetables, and delicious fish sauce. It is a popular dish that is most loved by tourists when traveling to Can Tho.

Grilled snakehead fish (Source: dienmayxanh)

Cong cake

Cong cake is a cheap snack for the people of Can Tho. The cake is made from flour, green beans and shrimp. There are also many other fillings such as quail eggs, salted eggs, ... to increase the attractiveness of the cake. The cake is eaten with herbs and dipping sauce.

(Source: Vinpearl)

Hotpot with fermented fish

When coming to Can Tho city, you must try the hotpot dish here. With a rich combination of rustic ingredients such as fish sauce, fish, squid, meat, eggplant, and vegetables, this dish promises to bring your family an unforgettable taste during your trip to Can Tho.

(Source: BeptruongAAu)

Grilled snail with pepper

If you have the opportunity to travel to Can Tho, try once to eat grilled snails with green pepper. It is an indispensable dish on drinking tables in Can Tho. Grilled snails are fragrant and delicious, served with spicy, sweet and sour chili sauce.

Good food in Can Tho (Source: mekong-experience)

8. What gifts to buy when traveling to Can Tho?

Tet Cake

Tet cake with a magenta plant is a traditional Can Tho dish that you can't find in any other region. Biting a piece of cake, you can immediately feel the sticky rice and the deliciousness of the salted egg. It is a specialty of Can Tho that tourists always want to buy as gifts when traveling.

Tet cake with a magenta plant (Source: Traveloka)

Rice paper

Coming to Can Tho city, you will explore the largest rice paper factory in the South. Not only do you see the production stages of rice paper, but you can also enjoy delicious dishes from this ingredient. The process of drying and removing is an art. People who make rice paper are meticulous and careful artisans.