Phong Dien Floating Market: The Mekong Delta has many rivers and canals, so water transportation is very convenient. This place has formed many floating markets, of which several ones have still existed today. In Can Tho City, in addition to Cai Rang Floating Market, there is Phong Dien Floating Market. It is a very special market located on the Phong Dien river near the Phong Dien mainland market. There are many motor boats and rowing boat gathering here in the early morning every day. The beauty feature of this market is the very busy shopping scene on the river.
Table of Contents
1. Better to Know as a Tourist
- Ticket: Free
- Spend-time: Half an hour (approx)
- Hours: Daily 5:00 am to 7:30 am
- Food: Yes, the tiny floating food boat serves food, fruits, hot noodle soup, soft drinks, coffee
- Shop: Yes
- Parking lot: Yes for boat
- Address: About 17km from Can Tho City center. Tay Do Bridge, Phong Dien District, Can Tho City.
Added values: It is thought to be one of the gems worth discovering for those who are passionate about simplicity and closeness and originality. You will be able to discover Can Tho’s countryside, cool villages, and small canals by Can Tho sampan.
Nearby tourist attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Phong Dien Floating Market? Or maybe you will find it too crowded here? We have some ideas! Check out our list: Cai Rang floating market (1 hour by boat), organic cacao farm (30 minutes away by boat), fruit gardens (20 minutes away by boat), and Can Tho rice noodle factory (1 hour by boat).
Phong Dien Floating Market
2. Travel Guide to Phong Dien Floating Market
Being a local expert, we know that the Phong Dien Floating Market does not act after 7:30 am. it is always busy at sunrise and the locals go home at about 6:45 a.m. Top tip: Best enjoying time to be right at the spot is from 5:30 am – 6:30 am. We hope you have an amazing sunrise on the Mekong Delta river.
The Phong Dien Floating Market is absolutely located on the river. The best way to discover this market is by boat or sampan. Anyway, a bridge nearby the market also gives you a bird’s eye view of this stunning market. You can go to Phong Dien by boat, scooter, or car and locate where the market is. It is approximately 17km away from Can Tho City center and takes about 2 hours by boat and 45 minutes by car or scooter. After the market, the small boat will take you to many villages and small canals in Phong Dien. Top tip: The interesting experience is to see the floating market from the sampan.
Phong Dien Floating Market
3. What to Do – See – Eat at Phong Dien Floating Market
A bird’s eye view of Phong Dien village & biking tour:
This is a very local floating market, so you sometimes see coffee and noodle soup at Phong Dien Floating Market. In addition, you may admire local women there who run boats and manage small businesses as well. On the way, you may see sand boats, local ferries, fishermen, and more. Top tip: Smile and enjoy a cup of coffee with the locals and enjoy the peaceful moments with the river life at the floating market.
4. Free Itineraries
Being a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From Can Tho City center:
Route 1: Hotel in Can Tho City center – boat station – Phong Dien floating market – Cai Rang floating – rice noodle factory – hotel in Can Tho City center (half day)
Route 2: Hotel in Can Tho City center – boat station – Phong Dien floating market – Cai Rang floating – rice noodle factory – fruit gardens – hotel in Can Tho City center (half day)
Route 3: Hotel in Can Tho City center – boat station – Phong Dien floating market – Cai Rang floating – rice noodle factory – fruit gardens – organic cacao farm – Local lunch – hotel in Can Tho City center (full day)
If you do not have lots of time left, it is easy to check out spots in one full day by bike or by boat or motorbike, or car. But there are many more tourist sites like these in Can Tho. You spend more time feeling and exploring more about the hidden gems and the culture, food, nightlife, wildlife, and forest as well. Top tip: Stay in a homestay nearby, so you have more opportunities to visit it and its surroundings.
Phong Dien Floating Market
5. Google Maps of Phong Dien Floating Market
Google Maps app made a name for itself by helping people move from one place to another, avoid traffic (You probably know the route from your hotel to the gas station clearly, but what you cannot be sure about is gridlock), measure a distance, get back to the hotel on time, share the location…
6. Visit Phong Dien Floating Market by yourself
Solo traveler? Traveling on your own means you will go out of any difficult situations by yourself. This, in turn, leads to more interesting travel experiences and helps you improve your problem-solving skills. These days we rarely have the opportunity to sit with ourselves and simply be. That’s why you should think of the time you spend alone on your trip as a gift.
As we mentioned above, there are some ideas to visit this market. First, you have a boat trip to it, and this is the best way to explore the Mekong Delta. Second, you stay in a homestay which is near the market, this will help you out with the best option. Last, you can hire a scooter, car, or bike and explore it by yourself, but you can not hire the boat at Phong Dien floating market and just see it from the mainland, but it’s still cool to see and pass by any chance in your adventure. Top tip: Be sure you have time and a good local tour guide.
Phong Dien Floating Market
7. Responsible Travel and Advice to Visit Phong Dien Floating Market
It is always good to repeat “responsible travel” over and over. The river itself is facing so many challenges and pollution from chemical and human waste and modern life with high-tech. We do appreciate any of you who do visit and take good behavior to the river and the local village. Top tip: Please take this note “be a part of the solution, not part of the pollution”.
8. Phong Dien Floating Market Opens during Lunar New Year?
The local market is not too touristy yet, so it does not run during the traditional Tet Lunar New Year, but the Calendar New Year runs normally. Top tip: If you visit this market one week before Lunar New Year, you win the best days of the year for the market.
