Nga Nam Floating Market is a bustling river tourist destination with countless interesting sights to explore. The local people are proud to have maintained the trading tradition at the Nga Nam floating market for more than a hundred years. At the intersection of five canal branches radiating in five directions, this long-standing floating market is both a place for boats to trade and a gateway for the journey to explore the final leg of the southern land. Visitors coming here will gain a better understanding of the typical culture of the Mekong Delta and see the bustling trading scene of its rustic people.
The best time to visit the Nga Nam Floating Market
Nga Nam floating market usually opens quite early, at 4 a.m., and lasts until 8 a.m., then gradually disperses. The busiest time is usually from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., with hundreds of boats gathering, creating a bustling noise along the riverbank. This is the ideal time to experience the floating market, where visitors can buy fresh produce and greenery. Although this floating market is a place to make a living for people in the area. But it is those lifestyles and activities that make this market more unique.
Near public holidays, the Nga Nam floating market is open from morning to night, making the atmosphere even busier.
How to get here?
Nga Nam floating market is the intersection of five rivers going in five directions: Ca Mau, Vinh Quoi, Long My, Thanh Tri, and Phung Hiep. Previously, this place only had 4 rivers converging. Since the French dug the Phung Hiep canal, creating the 5th river branch here. People from the provinces in the Mekong Delta came here to trade more and more, and the Nga Nam Soc Trang floating market was born from there.
The Nga Nam floating market is located in Nga Nam ward, about 60 km from the center of Soc Trang. When you come to the market, you have to rent a boat to visit the whole market. The most recently updated rental price for a boat is 500,000 VND/boat/2 hours, and it can carry 4-6 people.
What does the Nga Nam floating market sell?
The variety of goods at Nga Nam floating market is very rich and diverse, from famous, delicious rice, vegetables, and fruits to agricultural products, seafood, and daily living and household items…
During the first time visiting the Nga Nam Soc Trang floating market, visitors will be surprised by the sight of hundreds of boats carrying items going back and forth in the market. The main items sold in the market are fresh produce and garden fruits, such as rambutan, coconut, rice, fish, and shrimp.
Besides boats selling goods, the market also has mobile food boats ready to satisfy tourists’ hunger. On these boats are rustic dishes and specialties of the delta river region, including porridge, noodle soup, fish sauce noodle soup, and fish noodle soup. noodles, pork ribs & rice, etc.
The seller sits in the middle of a pile of food, and his task is to quickly produce hot, delicious bowls of vermicelli and noodles. Especially the prices of the dishes are very low, like a plate of rice with ribs for only 20,000 VND, a full bowl of fish porridge for only 15,000 VND…
In addition, visitors can also sit on the boat to enjoy fruits such as mango, guava, plum, banana… to agricultural products such as pineapple, cassava, squash, gourd…; all are very fresh and delicious as most of them have just been harvested, bought by small traders from orchards nearby, and then taken straight to the market to sell.
Enjoying the sweet, juicy garden fruits amidst the charming river scenery will be one of the most memorable memories of the trip.
For tourists who like to drink coffee and are connoisseurs of coffee, the “Floating Cafe” at the Nga Nam floating market will bring you a special flavor. Sit and enjoy morning coffee on the boat, swayed by the waves, sipping a cup.
Watching the bustling floating market scene will certainly evoke an indescribable, unforgettable feeling.
How do the locals sell their products?
Unlike land-based shops, advertising and offerings at floating markets are very unique. People have come up with the idea of attaching a long bamboo pole to the front of the boat.
On the pole will hang the items that the seller wants to introduce to buyers, also known as the “bẹo” tree. Sellers do not need to advertise; buyers just need to look at the tree to know where to stop to choose the items they are looking for.
That’s why people here don’t need signs or sparkling LED lights. This is one of the very typical features at Nga Nam floating market in Can Tho.
Nga Nam Floating Market
- Best for: solo, family, student, couple…
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Source: collected by An
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