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Cai Be Floating Market

Getting around: Cai Be is in Tien Giang province, roughly 1.5-2 hours from Can Tho by road or as part of a Mekong Delta boat tour. Most visitors reach it via an organized tour that combines it with Vinh Long or My Tho rather than going independently.
Hours: Busiest from around 5am to 8am when farmers bring produce to sell; by mid-morning most trading boats have dispersed.

Cai Be Floating Market sits at a wide confluence of the Mekong where boats loaded with pineapples, watermelons, and rice sell wholesale to other traders each morning. It's smaller and calmer than Cai Rang, with a colonial-era church visible on the riverbank as a backdrop.

Boats here hang a sample of what they're selling from a tall pole — a low-tech signboard system called "bẹo" — so you can tell a pineapple boat from a mango boat at a glance.

Cai Be Floating Market FAQs

How is Cai Be different from Cai Rang?

Cai Be is smaller, quieter, and more wholesale-focused, while Cai Rang near Can Tho is larger and more of a spectacle. Cai Be tends to feel less touristy.

Do I need to book a tour in advance?

It's easiest to book through a Mekong Delta tour operator, since Cai Be isn't a simple side trip from Can Tho on your own.

Is the market still active as an actual trading hub?

Yes, though like most Mekong floating markets it has shrunk over the decades as roads have improved and land-based trading has taken over some of the volume.

What should I bring?

A hat and sunscreen — you'll be on an open boat with little shade during the hottest part of the morning.

Can I buy fruit directly from the boats?

Yes, vendors will happily sell small quantities to visitors passing by, usually at a slight markup from wholesale prices.

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