Official Guide to Phong Dien Floating Market & Small Canals
[Updated Aug 1, 2025 ] The Phong Dien Floating Market has remained closed since the COVID-19 pandemic and is no longer in operation.
In the Mekong Delta, only two floating markets remain—each offering a unique glimpse into river life: the authentic, non-touristy Long Xuyen Floating Market, peacefully nestled along the route between Can Tho and Chau Doc, and the vibrant, tourist-favorite Cai Rang Floating Market in the heart of Can Tho city.
Phong Dien floating market is a very special market located on the Phong Dien river near Phong Dien mainland market. There are about 30 to 45 dinghies and sampans gathering here every day. The beauty of this market is about the local life and their trading culture takes place on the river.
By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Can Tho Visitor Guide | 7-floating-market Vietnam Cai Rang, Long Xuyen, Nga Nam, Phong Dien, Chau Doc, Cai Be, Tra On
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, tiny floating food boat serves fruits, food, hot noodle soup, coffee, soft drinks
Shop: Yes
Parking lot: Yes for boat
Blog: /phong-dien-floating-market-can-tho/
Address: Tay Do Bridge, Nhon Ai, Phong Dien District, Can Tho City. About 17km from Can Tho city center.
Added values: It is considered as one of the gems worth discovering for those who are passionate about simplicity and closeness and originality. You can explore Can Tho’s countryside, cool villages, and small canals by Can Tho sampan.
Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Phong Dien Floating Market? Or maybe you found it too crowded here? We've got 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), Can Tho rice noodle factory (1 hour by boat).
2. Travel Guide to Phong Dien Floating Market
Book & support directly to the locals, cut the middleman fees and save your money!!
Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559
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As a local expert, we do know that the Phong Dien floating market will be no more after 7:30 am. Because this one is very small and very local, there are about more or less 45 boats and sampans at this market, you can watch our drone video 4k to know more. Let’s tell you, we inspect this market a lot and it is always busy and real touching is at the sunrise and the locals start to go home about 6:45a.m. Top tip: Best enjoying time to be right at the spot is from 5:30am-6:30am. I hope you have an amazing sunrise on the Mekong Delta river.
The Phong Dien floating market absolutely stays on the river. The best way to discover this market is by boat or sampan. Anyway, there is a bridge nearby the market which gives you a bird’s eye view of this stunning market as well. So that you can get to Phong Dien by boat, scooter or car and locate where the market is. It is about 17km away from Can Tho center and takes about 2 hours by boat and 45 minutes by car or scooter. After the market the sampan will take you to many villages and small canals in Phong Dien. Top tip: The best experience is to see the floating market from the sampan.
3. What to Do – See – Eat at Phong Dien Floating Market
As you see, this is a very local floating market, so you sometimes find coffee and noodle soup at Phong Dien floating market. Besides, you may admire local women there, we see many of them are female who run boats and manage the small business as well. Along the way, you may see fishermen, sand boats, local ferries and more. Top tip: Smile and have a cup of coffee with the locals and enjoy the peaceful moments with the river life at the floating market.
4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong
Book & support directly to the locals, cut the middleman fees and save your money!!
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As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From Can Tho city center:
Route 1: Hotel in Can Tho center – boat station – Phong Dien floating market – Cai Rang floating - rice noodle factory – hotel in Can Tho center [half day]
Route 2: Hotel in Can Tho center – boat station – Phong Dien floating market – Cai Rang floating - rice noodle factory – fruit gardens – hotel in Can Tho center [half day]
Route 3: Hotel in Can Tho center – boat station – Phong Dien floating market – Cai Rang floating - rice noodle factory – fruit gardens – organic cacao farm – Local lunch - hotel in Can Tho center [full day]
If you do not have much time left, it is easy to check out spots in one full day by boat or with bike or with motorbike and car. But there are much more than tourist sites like these in Can Tho. Make sure you have more time to feel and explore more about the hidden gems and the culture, food, night life, wildlife and forest as well. Top tip: Stay in a homestay nearby, so you have more chances to visit it and surroundings. If you are looking for the package Can Tho day tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
5. Google Maps of Phong Dien Floating Market
Google Maps made a name for itself helping people travel from one place to another, avoid traffic (You probably know the route from your hotel to the gas station by heart, but what you can’t 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
Book & support directly to the locals, cut the middleman fees and save your money!!
Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559
hello@vemekong.com
Solo traveller? Travelling on your own means you will get out of any difficult situations by yourself. This, in turn, leads to more satisfying travel experiences and helps you improve your problem-solving skills. These days we rarely get the chance to sit with ourselves and simply be. That’s why you should consider 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 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: Make sure you have time and a good local tour guide.
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. Amazing Video flycam/drone of Phong Dien Floating Market (4k)
If a picture says a thousand words, it stands to reason that the video says many times more.
9. Incredible Tips for Photography, Specialists, KOLs, Media and Influencers
To get the best of the best for your unique writing, featuring, photo, video and insider’s stories. We do recommend you to have a local travel expert, the one who always gets more ground information and makes sure every single element is solved perfectly. Vemekong (very exclusive Mekong) team is your priority choice. Email and have a private talk with them to customize your journey smoothly, personal and the most ultimately amazing. You can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
10. Phong Dien Floating Market Opens during Lunar New Year?
Book & support directly to the locals, cut the middleman fees and save your money!!
Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559
hello@vemekong.com
We do not think so! 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 is fine. Top tip: If you make a visit to this market one week before Lunar New Year, you win the best days of the year for the market.
11. Pro Tips
4 am to 4:30 am is the best time to start the sampan tour from Can Tho boat station to Phong Dien floating market. Do not be late or else you need other faster ways.
If you plan to extend your travel to Can Tho homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.
Visit Can Tho or do any customized tours, please choose reputable providers with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys, jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours with the helmets and. Safety is a priority! Choose Can Tho responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.
Can Tho food & drink guide ranges from street food, authentic, fancy to fusion foods. As a tropical land of many fresh vegetables and homegrown gardens, which always make Can Tho cuisines fresh, close to nature and very traditional. If you are a food lover, don’t hesitate to put other bites onto your food lists such as Cong cake in Can Tho, Ut Dzach Fine Rice Vermicelli…
Bring your hat, sunglasses, and sunblock, scarf to wear when visiting temples, pagodas, and the cathedral.
Bring the raincoat if you’re planning a trip to Can Tho in the rainy season, as Can Tho always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.
Can Tho tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Can Tho Wildlife & Forest, Binh Thuy Ancient House, Organic Cacao farm, Can Tho Floating Markets, Can Tho Small Canals & Sampan Ride, Can Tho Fruit Garden, Can Tho Paddy Rice Fields, Can Tho Giant Ficus Tree – Secret VC base, Can Tho Rice Noodle Factory, Cai Rang floating market, Can Tho Old Market, Truc Lam Phuong Nam Zen Monastery, Can Tho to Con Dao – Express boat, Son Islet – Community-based Tourism…
Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in Can Tho, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!
“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.
Thank you
