Market – it’s not only a place where trade and exchange of goods is concentrated, but also is the best place for you to explore the culture, cuisine, and lifestyle of people and a region. Located on the Hau River area, near city center, Long Xuyen floating market has become a tourist destination not to be missed when traveling to An Giang. This is the place where visitors can most clearly explore the daily activities of the people of An Giang and experience the unique cultural values and beauty of the Mekong Delta region.
The best time to explore the Long Xuyen floating market
Long Xuyen floating market operates from 5 am to about 10:30 am. However, to explore the busiest market, you should come here between 5 am and 8 am. The vibrant atmosphere of buying and selling, the bustling sound of people laughing and talking, and the steaming food from the selling boats create the attraction of the floating market.
Besides, going to the floating market early in the morning also helps you clearly feel the trading characteristics of people in the river region. Hundreds of boats from many areas gather here, bringing a variety of goods, from daily necessities to rice, fruits, and agricultural products. Retailers wait to buy goods from large ships and then go to other small markets to sell them.
Chatter, laughter, and enthusiastic boat owners offering their goods create a true riverside wholesale atmosphere.
How to get to Long Xuyen floating market?
Long Xuyen floating market is only about 2km from the center. There are many ways to get here, but taking the train from the O Moi ferry terminal is the most convenient. You can call a taxi or rent a motorbike to get to the ferry port. There will be many people here inviting you to rent a ferry; prices vary. Therefore, you need to find out information and ferry rental prices in advance to avoid being ripped off.
Normally, the ferry rental price for 2 hours will be:
- Group from 01 – 10 guests: 500,000 VND/boat
- Group from 11 – 20 guests: 650,000 VND/boat
- Group from 21 – 30 guests: 800,000 VND/boat
- Group from 31 – 40 guests: 1,200,000 VND/boat
The ferry will run around the market as requested. If you want to eat or buy something, you just need to tell the ferry driver to stop by. However, you should make reservations in advance, especially on weekends or holidays, to avoid being seated last.
Characteristics of Long Xuyen floating market
No one remembers when the Long Xuyen floating market was established, not even those who have been closely associated with it all their lives. When road traffic was not yet developed, people were still used to buying and selling by canoe and boat on the river, and the Long Xuyen floating market appeared. Today, despite convenient transportation and development, the floating market still exists and maintains its form of living intact. This is one of the unique cultural features of the people of An Giang, in particular, and of the people of the Mekong Delta, in general.
Living on the river, the boat serves as shelter from the rain and sun and is the main means of transportation for local people. The back half of the boat is used for family activities such as drying clothes or washing dishes. A large boat will have a small boat anchored next to it so the owner can easily move into the creek or onto the shore.
Although not as noisy and crowded as other floating markets in the Mekong Delta, Long Xuyen Floating Market starts the new day equally bustling, with boats and canoes moored tightly, close together in clusters to buy, sell, and exchange goods. Laughter and loud voices echoing across the river’s surface are a distinctive feature of the floating market.
The most special thing about Long Xuyen floating market is that all items are sold at very low prices. Buying and selling on the floating market happens very quickly, in a style where you already know the price and just pay and get your product, with little bargaining. The personality of the An Giang people is exactly like that.
A typical cultural feature of the floating market is that most goods are displayed at the top of a pole, called “cây bẹo”. This is an exclusive type of advertising for goods, available only on floating markets. Customers can look at the pole tree hanging in front of the boat to choose the product they want to buy. Each boat will sell different items, from vegetables and fruits to other necessities.
However, the form of business on floating markets is not always based on the type of hanging that are sold, especially clothes, food, drinks…
Don’t forget to enjoy a “floating breakfast” with local style, with delicious rustic dishes such as vermicelli noodles, fish noodles, silkworm cakes, or sip a cup of coffee, hot milk… to enjoy the feeling of eating while swaying along the waves, it will surely bring you an unforgettable moment.
Some notes when going to Long Xuyen floating market
- Choose comfortable clothes and sports shoes that are easy to put on and take off for the ferry. You should also bring a jacket, a hat, and sunscreen. In addition, you should also put your phone and wallet in a waterproof bag to avoid accidents.
- The last note is to go to the floating market very early. Even though the market is said to be open until about 10:30 a.m., by 8 a.m, there are already many boats gone. Going to Long Xuyen floating market after 8 am, the atmosphere will be very boring, it’s a waste of money to rent a ferry, and there’s nothing for you to explore.
Source: collected by An
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