“Cai Rang” floating market has attracted many tourists at home and abroad, the England travel magazine “Rough Guide” voted “Cai Rang” to be one of the 10 market – most impressive in the world, this is destination tourists will not be ignored in adventure exploring the nature and man in Mekong delta. The “Cai Rang” floating market is one of the largest and most ancient floating markets in Vietnam, the unique in this market is specializing in trading of the specialty fruit of the Mekong River delta.
“Cai Rang” floating market of Cai Rang situated on the “Cai Rang” river, near the Cai Rang bridge and far away from the center of Can Tho city about 6 km of roads and 30 minutes if you go by boat from a “Ninh Kieu” barge (Can Tho).
Like other floating markets in the Mekong Delta, the “Cai Rang” market was formed to meet the demand for trafficking, barter when road and traffic facilities were undeveloped. People gathered on the river by boats, dinghies or junks. In spite of widely developing of road traffic network, floating market still exist and develop more and more bustling bringing potential economic and tourism for Mekong delta.
This market usually holds pretty early and is most bustling from the early morning until about 8 or 9 hours, these goods are sold on the boat, each boat only sells a commodity. Before each row boats has a pole, on which hang items sold on the boats. If the boat sells sweet potatoes, then the pole will dangle few potatoes, even if the boat is selling mangoes on the tree will hang a few mangoes. The picture of pole hang fruit becomes the culture of the waterways, as well as a method of marketing and advertising goods are very interesting.
To Cai Rang floating market, many visitors are surprised to witness the moving of the boat repeatedly collide, but no one is troubled; the quarrels rarely occur in trading, the conflict, the fight is not almost happening. In addition, the principle of purchasing is not taking too high price to the sellers and buyers are beneficial, saving time and cost, quickly transport the commodities to the place. Everyone are tacit conventional and purchasing rules on the river, therefore, they should have to reach an agreement and make orderly trading for themselves, becoming a “floating market culture” unique and distinct.
