Top 15 Things To Do in Can Tho Vietnam #TCTravel

Top 15 Things To Do in Can Tho Vietnam #TCTravel

This is my second time visiting Vietnam throughout my life and this time we flew with AirAsia directly from Kuala Lumpur to Can Tho International Airport to discover the undiscovered places.  The return air ticket to Can Tho was around RM200++ only. Well, before visiting there all I know is people making a day trip from Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho for the famous Cai Rang Floating Market. Of course me and my friends were hesitate and thinking if it is worth traveling over there for 4D3N. To be honest, there are so much more to explore here in Can Tho Vietnam. It is actually not enough! Let's have a look what I did and which is recommended:

Top 15 things to do in Can Tho, Vietnam

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1. Bihn Thuy Ancient House

Bihn Thuy Ancient House is an old house featuring French colonial architecture and serene gardens, popular for film & photo shoots. Located just a few minutes from downtown Can Tho, this 6,000 sq m (64,500 sq ft) home is in Binh Thuy Commune. “Binh Thuy” means “peaceful waters” in Vietnamese, so named after a local canal where a provincial chief sought refuge in a big storm.

Construction on the home started in 1870 by the Duong family who settled in the region in the late 18th century. Originally conceived as a place to worship their ancestors, the home was built by two generations of the family, finally finished in 1911.

Today, the home is an outstanding example of Western and Oriental architectural elements.The home was famously used in the movie “The Lover” directed by Jean Jacques Annaud, telling the story of a young Marguerite Duras, set during Indochina times.

There is usually a member of the Duong family at home to provide limited commentary on the home and we met her who was sharing so much about this place. The front part of this ancient house is very colorful and photogenic.

2. Cồn Sơn Island in Vietnam - Learn make local cake & noodle here (Nhà Vườn Song Khánh)

Little did I know that going to this Con Son Island will be very interesting to be. Going through a small alley, passed by a few big fish ponds, and eventually we went into a different place in the island itself. 

We got the chance to make the local cakes and delicacies and eat it straightaway. It was fun to play with and you may need to get your friend to help you take photos when your hands are busy. Other than that, we also went to another place nearby (Nhà Vườn Song Khánh) to make noodle using flour and beer bottle. That's actually interesting too.

At the end of the day, we were served with local foods well prepared by the owner. Which includes snails that you can get from the canal, kampung chicken and fish steamboat with all sorts of vegetable/flowers for your dipping. The landscape here is beautiful especially when you saw the Huge Lotus Plant.

3. Cai Rang Floating Market

The floating market that you must wake up very early to witness the culture of them trading on the water. One bonus point is to see the morning sunrise 5.30am in the morning from the sampan/boat you take. I went there twice and it is actually better if you travel through sampan. You can just park at the side having your morning Vietnam coffees from another sampan, try the pineapple sticks on their boat, and even order Pho noodle too.

The presentation of the things they sell on the boat are remarkable. The fruits are well arranged, and you can easily see which boat selling which item by looking at the fruits/vegetable they hang it on the long pole attached to their boat. I saw people selling durian on their sampan too! But I couldn't remember if they hang durian on top hahaha

4. Canal River Tour

After touring along the Cai Rang Floating Market, if you go through sampan, they will bring you along the river canal and you can see the environment and how the local live. It actually feels like passing through Melaka River 30 years back with more water plants and greenery. A spot for you to take some instagrammable photos.

4. Rice Noodle Factory

Along the canal, there are several stop that you can stop to visit rice noodle factory. That's where we learn the process of how they make rice noodles and to have a fresh bowl of Pho Noodle right beside the factory. Some of the Rice Noodle Factory have the Rice Noodle Pizza too. Pretty nice to eat.

We took the three hours tour through Can Tho River Tour (CaiRang Flaoting Market - Canal River Tour - Rice Boodle Factory), you can make a special request to make it a private tour so you can take your own sweet time explore these places and enjoy your meal. 

5. Trúc Lâm Phương Nam Zen Monastery

  

Go Vietnam got many monastery and pagoda, this is one of the place worth visiting for sight seeing, pray pray and of course take instagrammable photos loo. Pray for good health and make donation if you can. Just check out the photos and see if it is photogenic enough for you??

6. Ong Temple

Another very instagrammable location in Can Tho. Right when you step inside here you will be amazed with the architecture but more on how they decorate it with the spinning jossticks. Because of the jossticks and sunlights, we got some pretty interesting instagram photos. Of course, people come here pray pray also.

7. Mangrovový les Gian Gua

Gian Gua is actually a small place of worship which became famous thanks to its extraordinary banyan trees which covers a huge area. Local people come here to pray and make offerings. I would consider this as the most instagrammable location in Can Tho because I have never seen places like this before. Just head in there and find a beautiful (no other people) spot to take photos with the interesting growing tree trunks~ You can do bicycle tour around here but make sure you are ready for the hot weather.

8. Khu Du Lịch Sinh Thái Ông Đề Lung Cot Cau

If you love to experience kampung life a.k.a. the village life. Change your outfit to their local costumes, get yourself in the mud pond trying to catch snake head fish will be an unforgettable experience for you guys. After that you can do other sports like crossing the rope line and row your boat in the bigger pond. This place is suitable for team-building activities and family members who are outgoing.

I hope they improve the shower and bathroom so people are more willing to get themselves cover with mud hahhaa. Oh ya, bring your own shampoo, bath soap and towel too to clean yourself. Remember to rent their local outfit so it is more photogenic and you won't feel guilty making them dirty.

We had our lunch here and they served the delicious curry clay pot with frog (can dip with bread), signature steamboat and egg pancake. Grilled snake head fish is one of their signature dishes too.

9. Ninh Kieu Wharf Ninh Kieu Park

Best time to visit this area is right before sunset. You can have a chilling drink at the Lotus Restaurant beside the Ninh Kieu bridge. Watch the sunset from the bridge and see it turn on the colorful lights that add additional colors to the flower-like bridge. There are small scale cruises that you can go on and have dinner. The cruise will be moving around across the river.

We had our dinner at the Ninh Kieu Riverside hotel hence the view from there was pretty beautiful.

10. Ho Chi Minh Monument

One of the mini check point and location that's worth to see when you walk along the Ninh Kieu Park. It looks pretty nice at night.

11. Can Tho Night Market Street Food

One of the most important thing to do when you're in Can Tho. Just google Can Tho Night Market and you should able to find these street food. There are all sorts of local delicacies excluding the Japanese Takoyaki. Remember to try out the grill store selling all sorts of meat and vege satay, the colorful desserts shop where you can order various kind of topping in one glass. Oh ya, special thing to know about drinks in Can Tho, 80% of your drink are actually ice, so have more patience before you accidentally finish your drink in seconds, just let it melt so it won't taste too sweet nor too thick (especially Vietnamese coffee)

12. My Khanh Tourist Village

My Khanh Tourist Village is a very very huge village that I think can spend whole day in there if you want too. Other than visiting a crocodile farm that sell crocodile skin handbag, it was my first time seeing pig race and dog race happening at one same place. You can bet on them if you want, 20k Vietnam Dung per lottery ticket and if you win you bring bag a huge piggy bank.

We had limited time in here so it is for you to explore the rest of the attraction in here.

13. Cần Thơ Museum

If you love history, you will want to visit this place. Get a good english speaking guide so they can share you her knowledge easily. Most of the exhibited item and pictures are not in English so you will definitely need help if you wanna learn more.

14. Eat local delicacies Frog Eel steamboat

On my last night in Can Tho, me and friends tried out some local delicacies at this restaurant Cay Buoi 2 that has  snake head fish, all sorts of sea foods and also exotic food like frogs, rats and many more. I can never forget the frogs because they didn't peel off the skins and just grill it. Luckily it somehow still tasted good if you don't mind eating with the skin hahaha. Their specialty is the raw beef salad and it is highly recommended. PS: You may skip the mushroom steamboat.

15. Bonus :Hong King Festival with night market and delicacies

The 8th annual Southern Traditional Cakes Festival took place in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho from April 12-16. The event is organised every year on the occasion of the Hung Kings’ death anniversary (10th day of the third lunar month). It aims to preserve the traditional culinary art, promote local cake trademarks, and expand markets for the local products.

Themed “Taste of the southern region”, this year festival feature 100 stalls displaying a wide range of cakes originated in Vietnamese southern localities while 100 others will showcase staples of other provinces and cities across the nation. The festival was held at 108A, Le Loi Street, Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu District.

We were here during their huge celebration of Hung King Festival. There's this place where all the people will flock in to this place for a celebration. You can try all sorts of local cakes and foods here if you don't mind the crowd. We takeaway some of the recommended local food and have it at a sky bar instead.

That's all about Can Tho, Vietnam from me. Actually there's so much more about Can Tho that I've yet to explore. Looking forward to be back here again. If you love staying at somewhere peaceful and quiet, far away from the busy street. Do consider Azerai Resort Can Tho. I always love to come back to this place after finish explore Can Tho in the day. They have in house spa and relaxing ambiance that one may like. Will share more about Azerai Can Tho in my next travel post.

Azerai Resort Can Tho

AirAsia just started their direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Can Tho recently. The whole flight took just around 1 hr and 50 minutes and the airport looks pretty new although it is already more than 10 years. You won't feel congested in here because Airasia is the first international flight to land here. Which means, it is a good time to explore Can Tho before anyone else. Explore Can Tho before it is getting swarmed with tourist from all over the world okay?

AirAsia Flight from Kuala Lumpur to Can Tho (AK575 and AK576)

Do let me know if you have any question about Can Tho, Vietnam. I will try to reply it as much as I can. Hope you enjoy this photo based travel tips about Can Tho in Vietnam and find it helpful.

Till then see you next time! Thank you once again! Beautiful Can Tho

All travel photos posted in this blogpost are captured using the #GalaxyS10+ #withGalaxy

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