Nga Nam Floating Market in Soc Trang is a bustling river tourist destination with countless interesting things to explore. The local people are proud to have maintained the trading tradition at 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 understand more about the typical culture of the Mekong Delta river, and see the bustling trading scene of rustic people.
The best time to visit Nga Nam Floating Market
Nga Nam floating market usually opens quite early at 4 a.m. and lasts until 8 a.m. before gradually dispersing. The busiest time is usually from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. with hundreds of boats gathering, making a bustling noise all over the riverbank. This is the most ideal time to experience the floating market, visitors can buy fresh food and green items. 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.
A corner of the market in early in morning
Near the publish holidays, Nga Nam floating market opens almost 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, 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 Mekong Delta came here to trade more and more, and the Nga Nam Soc Trang floating market was born from there.
Local people waiting for tourist to come and rent boat service
Nga Nam floating market is a market located in Ward 1, Nga Nam town, Soc Trang province, about 60 km from Soc Trang city. If you want to visit Nga Nam floating market, starting from the center of Soc Trang city. 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 which can carry 4 – 6 people.
What does 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; from agricultural products and seafood to daily living and household items…
During the first time visiting Nga Nam Soc Trang floating market, visitors will be surprised by the sight of hundreds of boats carrying items goes back and forth in the market. The main items sold in the market are fresh foods and garden fruits such as rambutan, coconut, rice, fish, shrimp…
Besides the boats selling goods, the market also has mobile food boats ready to dispel the hunger of tourists. On these boats are rustic dishes and specialties of the delta river region includes porridge, noodle soup, fish sauce noodle soup, fish noodle soup. noodles, pork ribs & rice, etc.
A lady is selling fish sauce noodle soup
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 cheap, 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 just 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 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 of coffee.
Coffee and soft drink serves by local people
Watching the bustling floating market scene will certainly bring an indescribable and unforgettable feeling.
How do the local sell their products?
Unlike land-based shops, advertising and offerings at floating markets are very unique. People have come up with the idea of taking a long bamboo pole and tying it in 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 Soc Trang.
- Best for: solo, family, student, couple…
- Tourist spots nearby: Four Faces Pagoda, Bat Pagoda, Khmer Museum, Kh’Leang Pagoda, Som Rong Pagoda, Chen Kieu Pagoda, Som Rong Pagoda, Clay pagoda…
Source: collected by An
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