Tourist destinations of Can Tho (Cantho)

This post will show you tourist destinations in the downtown of Can Tho. Please click for tourist destinations in suburb around Can Tho here.

Ninh Kieu Wharf

Ninh Kieu Wharf is located close to the center of Can Tho on the bank of the Hau River, a tributary of the Mekong River. It is the city's main trading center.
Hundreds of boats ply up and down the river bringing products from the rest of the Mekong Delta region. Close to Ninh Kieu Wharf is the Can Tho Harbor, which was built according to modern design to accommodate ships weighing up to 5,000 tons.

Floating market in Can Tho

Visiting floating markets is one of the most attractive tours In Can Tho. Floating markets are situated on the banks of wide stretches of river. Cai Rang and Phong Dien Floating Markots are two of the major markets in Can Tho as well as in the Mekong Delta. Everyday in Hit) early morning, hundred of boats gather to form a market. Trading activities take place till day, but the most exciting time is in the early morning when boats are loaded with agricultural products. In floating markets, trading activities take place in boats. Buyers should see the goods hang on the poles at the boat prow. Other food services also take place in boat. From the floating restaurant on the Hau River, diners can enjoy the specialities of the province and watch the hundreds of boats sail by.

Cai Rang Floating Market: just 5km from the centre of Can Tho City in the direction of Soc Trang Province. The market is at its bustling between 6am and 9am. Cai Rang can be seen from the road, but getting there by boat is more interesting. From Ninh Kieu Wharf it takes about half an hour to reach the market.

Phong Dien Floating Market: Approximately 17km from the centre of Can Tho City in the same direction to Cai Rang Floating Market. The local fruits and local products are displayed in this market. The best time to visit this market between 6am to 9am.

Cantho float market

Ong Pagoda

Ong Pagoda is located in the centre of the city, on Hai Ba Trung Road, near the Ninh Kieu Wharf.

Built from 1894 to 1896, Ong Pagoda is roofed with double tiles. The edges of the roof are covered with lines of dark green glazed pipe-shaped tiles, and on the top of the roof there are a number of multi-colour porcelain figures, such as two dragons flanking the moon, carp changing into dragons, and phoenixes. On either end of the rooftop, there are statues of people holding the sun and the moon.

Quan Cong, a General of the three-kingdom period in ancient China and an example of loyalty to his King, Nam Hai Bodhisattva Kwan Yin, Thai Bach Tinh Quan, the Genie of the earth, and Dong Vinh are all worshipped here.

Ong Pagoda is where the cultural and religious activities of the Chinese living in Can Tho are held.

Binh Thuy Communal House

Another tourist destinations in Cantho for those who want to discover Mekong culture is Binh Thuy Communal House

Known in the past as Long Tuyen Communal House, is located in Binh Thuy Ward, 5km from the center of Can Tho City. To reach the Communal House, follow Nguyen Trai Road past Cach Mang Thang Tarn Road and Le Hong Phong Road.

On 9 November 1893, the Communal House, which was built in the 19th century, was named Bon Canh Thanh Hoang by Emperor Tu Due. Since that time, the communal house has been rebuilt once and the roof has been covered with tiles. It was completely renovated in 1910.

The architecture of the Binh Thuy Communal House is different from the communal houses in the North. The front and the back buildings are square, and each side has six rows of columns. All the bases of the columns are very wide, which make the buildings more stable. The roofs of the two front buildings were built overlapping each other.

The main temple, at the rear, has three roofs. The top of the roof is covered with ornamentation of people, lions, and fish transforming : into dragons. In the front of the building, there are cement columns.

Inside the ancestor-worshiping house, there are altars, which are dedicated to Nghi Ha and Nghi Trung. In the square house, there are altars dedicated to Huong Chuc, Tien Giac, and Hau Hien. The middle room dedicated to Hau Than is very close to the rear partition and the Huu Ban and Ta Ban altars are on either side.

An opera house for performances of classical Vietnamese drama was built in front of the communal house.

Later, the communal house was also dedicated to the spirits of the land, such as Dinh Cong Trang, Nguyen Trung True, Bui Huu Nghia, and Vo Huy Tap.

Every year, the local people organize the Thuong Dien (the land breaking) ceremony I and the Ha Dien (initiating farm work) ceremony in honor of the God of Agriculture. The festival involves many folk games, such as duck races, tug of wars, and cooking contests.

Please click for tourist destinations in suburb around Can Tho here.