24 hours in Can Tho

The rain stayed behind in the villages of Ben Tre, and I drove towards Can Tho, the fourth largest city in Vietnam, known as a river delta city. As dusk turned into night, I saw the city lights highlighting skyscrapers that seemed to rise over the Hau River. I entered Can Tho via the Can Tho Bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in Southeast Asia, which spans 2.7 km. After crossing another branch of the Mekong Delta, I was surprised to find a relaxed city with more of a village feel.

Once I checked into my hotel (which I will review separately), I used my 15th-floor view to find the best places to explore. As it was still early evening, I decided to head towards the Can Tho night market to find something delicious to eat. I loved seeing the locals out enjoying the pleasant weather. The night market was full of the scent of unique delicacies of the area, including an incredible amount of different types of seafood, in pancakes, hot pot, and even stir-fried noodles.

I headed into the old market hall to dine in the recommended Sao Hom Restaurant overlooking the river. Can Tho cuisine is unique from other areas of Vietnam, less spicy as they season dishes with aromatic herbs. Being vegetarian, I was fed like a king and could not fault anything I ate. The tofu was delicious, and the curry was possibly one of the best I ever had. I enjoyed watching the boats sailing past as I dined, the only downside being that the restaurant was outdoors and the humans were eaten alive by insects.

On my way back to the hotel, I walked through some of the night market and still could not get over the laid-back feel of the city. I would have loved to explore more, but my early start to get to the Mekong Delta had caught up with me, so I decided to head back to my hotel for an early night.

Whilst visiting the Mekong Delta, I wanted to get a real taste of life in the area. What better way to do this than to get up early and visit a floating market? I chose to visit the Cai Rong floating market, one of the biggest in the area. I would have liked to watch the mist drift off the water, but 6 am was too early to consider getting out of bed.

The market is less interactive than the smaller ones but is a riveting spectacle of colour and activity. Boats of all sizes appear in the area to do business, selling everything from cans of cola to pumpkins. I was fascinated to spot humans watering plants, doing laundry, and even chasing chickens around; many humans live on boats in the Mekong Delta.

The boat turned into a smaller area of the river that took me to the morning market of Cai Rong. Leaving my transport behind, I headed into the crowded streets on foot, not knowing what I would find. It was as if my good friend Travel Anxiety had morphed into a district of a city. The scent of freshly caught fish, mixed with herbs and spices, floated alongside the terrifying sound of butchers working on the side of the road. The stalls of fruit and vegetables were a rainbow painted on the tarmac underneath. Stifling heat enhanced all of the other senses, and I felt the overwhelming need to escape the labyrinth-like streets of Cai Rong, but that was easier said than done. My photographer spent most of the time here doing one of two things: staring at the floor or running past stalls selling live snakes, frogs, and rats for food. I am grateful I experienced this market, but I can say with 100% certainty that I won’t be returning in the future.

My final stop in the market was a noodle factory. Unfortunately, I didn’t pay much attention while visiting here because I was still recovering from the sights of the market stalls. However, I enjoyed seeing the different-coloured noodles that the factory produced (purple was my favourite).

Safely back on the boat, I realized that the houses in the area are built partially in the water, and everyone seems to own a boat. I sailed across to the other side of the river and got back on the bus to head closer to the border town of Chau Doc. Following the river, I was eager to continue my journey deeper into the heart of this fascinating region.

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