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SIX FOODIE’S ESSENTIALS IN CAI RANG FLOATING MARKET- MEKONG ECO TOUR

Open since the nineteenth century, the Cai Rang Floating Market is the premier floating market in Vietnam and differs greatly from the ‘tourist traps’ of Bangkok. It is located on magical Mekong Delta region; which attracts hundreds of thousands of international visitors on their Mekong Delta group tours every year.

The Cai Rang Floating Market is just 6km away from Can Tho and is primarily used by families and local businesses for wholesale purchases rather than trinkets for tourists. In recent years, Mekong Delta small group tour has become a highly sought-after experience for travellers to Vietnam. This UNESCO cultural heritage site provides a fascinating look into Vietnamese life on the Mekong Delta; where visitors can begin to understand how the locals use this beautiful maze of water channels for work, transport, and residential purposes.

The market is open Tuesday-Sunday from 3am and is generally empty by midday when the heat of the day is at its highest. Visitors are encouraged to arrive before 6am in order to get the most out of the experience. This is when the market is busiest and most tourists will spend about three hours there.

Many visitors of the Cai Rang Floating Market have been surprised by the lack of trinkets available for purchase and leave feeling disappointed; however, these tend to be tourists who are visiting for the wrong reasons. The best way to experience this market is not with your wallet: it is with your eyes, your ears, and your stomach.

 

Here are six delicious things to enjoy for breakfast on your Mekong Delta group tours’ boat down the Cai Rang Floating Market:

 

1-            Vietnamese Coffee

A necessity for anyone waking up to 5am roosters/smartphone alarms. Expect to see more than a few sampans bearing the delicious Vietnamese brew; which you can order in a number of ways. Memorise the following phrases or ask the guide on your Mekong Delta group tours to order Vietnamese coffee like a pro and impress your local boat-barista:

a. Ca phe sua (da/nong)

    Coffee with milk (iced/hot)

b. Ca phe den (da/nong)

    Black coffee (iced/hot)

c. Ca phe den (da/nong) khong duong

    Black coffee (iced/hot) without sugar

2-            Banh Mi

Banh mi is a staple breakfast item in both Northern and Southern Vietnam. These delicious sandwiches are a go-to choice for Vietnamese cuisine, and there is something even more satisfying about biting into one while floating downstream. Barbecued pork and pickled vegetables are nestled in a warm, crunchy bun; then topped with coriander and a spicy-sweet chilli.

 

3-            Bun Rieu

This Vietnamese dish is a traditional meat and rice vermicelli soup with a fresh, sour flavour. It is usually best enjoyed in the summer months but is available year-round. It is popular for its fresh, sour flavour and high nutritional value: calcium from ground crab, iron from congealed pig’s blood, and plenty of vitamins and fiber from vegetables make this a hearty and healthy breakfast. Be careful though: the waves of the river can sometimes splash into your soup!

 

4-            Bun Thit Nuong

 

Much like bun cha in Northern Vietnam, bun thit nuong is a vermicelli noodle dish that is topped with grilled pork, pickled vegetables, and a fresh herb salad. The pork is covered with fish sauce prior to cooking, which creates a sweet glazy flavour that playfully mixes with the light charcoal taste of the grill. Highly recommended!

 

5-            Hu Tieu My Tho

Another classic breakfast dish in Vietnam; Hu Tieu My Tho is another pork-based soup dish that is served with glass noodles, bean sprouts, dried shrimp, and BBQ sliced pork. At the Cai Rang Floating Market, the soup may be served with the pork still on the bone. This gives the soup a more intense flavour that is a real treat to enjoy on the river. Enjoy with a sprinkle of fresh chilli to really excite your senses.

 

6-         Fresh Pineapple

This is a must-try for first-time visitors to Vietnam! Pineapple vendors will invite you onto their boat where they will demonstrate the best way to eat a pineapple. Pineapples are artfully cut into bite-sized slices, handled like a drumstick, for efficient eating. Pineapples are available all over Vietnam, but the magic of the Mekong Delta water gives them an extra juicy sweetness that is impossible to deny.