Vibrant Mekong Delta: Cai Rang & Phong Dien Market Immersion

Overall, a nice experience and slow ride down the river to see (mainly) Phong Dien and Cai Rang market. Phong Dien was a small market of less than 10 boats. But what it lacks in scale was made up for by the authentic environment. In some ways, it is rather sad and you wonder how long this market will survive. Catch it before it is gone forever! Cai Rang, was much bigger, and wasn’t that crowded when we arrived. Though there were many boats selling coffee and breakfast to cater to the tourists, there were still whole-sellers here paddling their wares. We also had tea and fruits on one ò the boats. We also visited a noodle making factory and a small fruit garden/farm. Interesting but not the highlight. Nga is a good guide that takes care of you. Overall, a good experience and (in my view) worth the effort to get wake up at 4am. If I can make a suggestion, I would say to take the car to Phong Dien before making the way down the river by boat. You will miss the sights in the morning of people getting ready but could get more sleep.

We had a great time with Phong. We really appreciated his kindness and patience in explaining the history of the area and its culture. A very good fruit tasting awaits you with him! I highly recommend

We had a great experience. This tour requires you to wake up earlier than most, but it's definitely worth it. You get to see the sunrise over the Mekong River and the floating market.

If you want to experience the true spirit of the Mekong, Phong is the perfect guide! With passion and warmth, he took us through the floating markets of Cai Rang and Phong Dien, immersing us in local flavors and daily life. The visit to the noodle factory was unforgettabl! We watched the traditional process and tasted incredibly fresh noodles. And the fruit? We enjoyed mango and pineapple, freshly picked, sweet, and juicy. With fascinating stories and breathtaking landscapes, Phong made this tour truly special. If you're in south Vietnam, you can't miss it!

This trip was just what we hoped for visiting the quieter Phong Dien Market first at sunrise, seeing the local ladies on their boats selling their produce. We were able to take many photos of the authentic setting without being obscured by other tourists in bright orange life jackets. Tasty breakfast of noodles overlooking the river and we tried many local fruits. Phong was a great guide and Meen(?) a skillful skipper. We helped make noodles and tried a plateful. The last stop was Cai Ráng market where we were still able to appreciate the market after the majority of other tourists had left.

If you want a tour that isn’t as touristy as the others, this one is perfect. We went to Phong Dien first which does not have as many vendors, but it was well worth it. After the first floating market, we went to Cai Rang. The whole experience was unforgettable. From our driver, Vung, who was right on time, to our tour guide, Gin (and tonic) who was knowledgeable, friendly, and a great photographer, as well as our boat driver who was hilarious, we had an awesome time that was a once in a lifetime experience.

We took this tour in October 2024 with Nga. She is an absolutely amazing guide - she is knowledgeable, thoughtful, organized, fun, and speaks very good English. Her tours are a must!

I was expecting to see more of the Mekong and the floating markets, its why i booked the tour. We only saw 1 when there's 7 or 8 good ones to see. To spend time seeing 2 fish farms instead of what the cruise is called was quite disappointing. It felt like we were doing odd stuff to just fill in the hours. The guide was obliging.

I took a guided tour of Cai Rang and beyond, starting at my hotel, Green Village, near Can Tho. My guide, Ngi, was fantastic. She has extremely good English and is very friendly and easy-going. The boat started right at my hotel and we cruised for about an hour to reach Cai Rng where I had a choice of breakfasts. I chose BBQ pork baguette which was 😋 We then stopped at a café on the river bank where I had a very rich, velvety coffee, then back on the boat to visit a rice noodle factory. They let me "help" 🤣 and I found it both fascinating and impressive. Next we stopped at a boat for a fruit platter and chat with the girls who help their parents run the business. On to the street market for fresh produce which was very colourful and authentic. Ngi was happy to explain everything but didn't overlaid me with facts, perfect balance. She also picked up two bags of snacks for me to take, one was coconut rice crunchy stuff (yummy) and also some prawn crackers. I absolutely loved my adventure with Ngi and can hand on heart recommend.

You have to get up very early for this tour, but it’s absolutely worth it. The tour guide, An, is very knowledgeable of the area and the boat skipper has got to be one of the most badass ladies I have ever seen anywhere in the world. As are pretty much all the people (mostly women) who still go about their lives and trades on houseboats and barges in the Mekong delta. A unique and fascinating experience into a slowly disappearing world. Go see it while it still exists.