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| Ninh Kieu pier |
The
name “Can Tho” itself is mysturious to many tourists. It can be explained by two different legends.
The
first one originated from the time when Nguyen Anh Lord was traveling by boat on
Hau River to escape from the chase of Quang Trung king, he heard a recital from
somewhere at a branch of the river. Therefore, he named the branch as “Cam Thi
giang” or Cam Thi River. People later called the land along the river as Cam Thi,
which was changed into Can Tho through time.
The
second one is that in the past, the land of Can Tho was home to parsley and rau thom (a kind
of herbs, the word “thom” means having pleasant fragrance.) That’s why local
people called it as “Can Thom”, which was also changed into “Can Tho”
eventually.
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| Can Tho Bridge |
Enriched
with 300 years of history, Can Tho has another name as Tay Do which means the
capital of Southwestern region. It is the center point which connects Saigon
with other Southern provinces in terms of economy, transportation, and cultural
exchange. Fertile alluvium and interlaced network of channels has turned Can
Tho into a land full of liveliness, diverse fruits, and convenient waterway
system.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:
The special point of the market lies on trading activities taking place on narrow boats. A buyer just needs to look at the stick in front of each boat which hangs samples of what it is selling, and then calls the seller. The boat of the seller will approach the boat of the buyer for trade. Tourists can even enjoy such delicious dishes as bun rieu, hu tieu (a kind of noodles), and che (a kind of sweet dessert). Besides Cai Rang, there are some other floating markets like Phung Hiep and Phong Dien where Southern countryside specialities like snakes and eels are sold.
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| Cai Rang Floating Market |
Moreover,
Can Tho attracts tourists by its various fruit orchards. It is also said that
Can Tho is a hot spot of tropical fruits like mango, mangosteen, longan, and
guava. Coming to the orchards, tourists can pick and enjoy fresh fruits right
at the spot. They are also invited to take a sip of wine by friendly orchard
owners. These kinds of fruits are sold with low price.
Other
destinations worth a visit are:
150-year-old
Binh Thuy Ancient House with architecture in French style and interior in
traditional Vietnamese style.
Bang
Lang stork sanctuary to watch astonishing views of thousands of storks and
snowy egrets filling the branches with white color.
Nam
Nha pagoda builted in 1890 has elegant architecture and historical values.
FOOD:
Food
in Can Tho is also worth a try. One of the most famous dishes is lau mam Da Ly.
Its ingredients include mam ca linh (a kind of dried and salted fish), side pork, shrimps, squids, and ca hu (a kind of fish). The
dish is served with two trays of various fresh herbs and vegetables like luffa,
cucurbit, bitter melon, and so on. The combined taste of the hotpot soup, fresh
seafood and vegetables, along with fish source makes customers truly feel the
simplicity and diversity of Southwestern soul.
Another recommended dish is banh xeo (Vietnamese-style savory crepe) with minced duck
meat and apical buds of adult coconut plants. Besides, tourists can visit
restaurants along the river and enjoy river breeze and some food such as deep-fried
Anabas with sliced green mango, and grilled medium- sized edible snail with
black pepper.
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| Banh xeo in Can Tho |
Only three hours on
long-route bus, you will find yourself lost in a city where the elements of
countryside and modern city are mixed together. With many peaceful sceneries
and delicious food, Can Tho will bring you a relaxing and enjoyable time, much
different from the hustle and bustle of life, for sure! 😉
TRANSPORTATION:
Ho Chi Minh City – Can Tho:
It takes 3 hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho. The buses to Can Tho depart at Ben xe Mien Tay (Western Bus Station, 395 Kinh Duong Vuong, Binh Tan, HCMC). Tourists can buy tickets there or contact directly the following bus companies:
*Phuong Trang bus:
Address: 272 De Tham, District 1
Tel: (08) 38375570
Saigon: Departs at Ben xe Mien Tay (Western Bus Station)
from 7 a.m till 10p.m
Can Tho: Departs every 30 minutes at Ben xe Nguyen Trai
(Nguyen Trai Bus Station).
*Hoang Long bus:
Address: 47 Pham Ngu Lao, District 1
Tel: (08) 39151818
Can Tho: Ben xe lo 91B
*Mai Linh bus:
Tel: (08) 39292929. Hotline: 0985 29
29 29.
15-seat and 45-seat buses run every 15 minutes, 24/24.
Ticket price: VND130,000 – 200,000
Boat to Cai Rang floating market:
From Ninh Kieu pier (at the center of Can Tho city), it
takes around 30 to 45 minutes to Cai Rang floating market by boat.
Visiting time: 6a.m – 8a.m.
It is advisable to get on boat around 5a.m so that you
can reach there at its busiest time.
Where to buy tickets:
*Mekong Delta Explorer:
+Contact: 0961 73 68 68 – 07103 819 219
+Price:
about VND50,000 to Cai Rang and VND80,000 if you want to visit a fruit orchard.
Paid right at the boat.
*Can
Tho tourist:
Address:
50 Hai Ba Trung, Tan An, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.
Contact: 07103. 811 605 – 3821 852
Price: VND50,000
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| Ninh Kieu pier Photo: Vietnam's Channel |
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Boat ticket office at Ninh Kieu pier
Photo: Vietnam's Channel
|
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Boat ticket price at Ninh Kieu pier
Photo: Vietnam's Channel
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Addresses
of some fruit orchards:
Mỹ Khánh: 335, Lộ Vòng Cung, Xã Mỹ Khánh, Huyện Phong Điền,
TP Cần Thơ.
Vàm
Xáng – Phong Điền:
số 002 Ấp Nhơn Lộc 1, TT Phong Điền, TP Cần Thơ.
Ba Cống: khu vực Bình Phó B
thuộc phường Bình Thủy, quận Long Tuyền, TP Cần Thơ
Khu du lịch sinh
thái Nhà vườn Thảo Nguyên: khu vực Bình Phó B
thuộc phường Bình Thủy, quận Long Tuyền, TP Cần Thơ.
(The names and addresses are remained in Vietnamese so that it is easier for you to receive guidelines or help from locals)
Writer: Khanh Khanh
Translator: Tuan Nguyen
Translator: Tuan Nguyen
