4:55:40 PM | 4/12/2013
With a typical economy and culture of the water domain, Can Tho is considered an attractive destination for local and foreign tourists.
1. Cai Rang floating market
Location: Cai Rang floating market is situated in Cai Rang District, Can Tho City, about a 30-minute boat journey from Ninh Kieu Wharf.
Features: Cai Rang is one of famous floating markets in the Southwest region of Vietnam. Market-goers mainly trade in local fruits and agricultural products. Every morning, hundreds of boats of all sizes gather on the river. Sellers hang the merchandise on a pole placed on the boat's nose. They do not need to vocally introduce the items like sellers on overland markets because of too much noise.
2. Can Tho gardens
Location: Gardens appear along all roads and waterways in Can Tho City.
Features: Luxuriant gardens are attracting more and more domestic and international tourists. Typical destinations include My Khanh Tourist Garden, Sau Duong Garden, Binh Thuy Orchid Garden, arch-shaped gardens along Phong Dien and Phung Hiep rivers and many other family gardens in O Mon and Thot Not.
My Khanh is a 2.2-ha garden growing more than 20 varieties of fruit trees and ornamental plants, plus many living creatures like as snakes, crabs and shrimp.
3. Bang Lang Stork Garden
Location: Bang Lang Stork Garden is located in Thoi Binh Village, Thoi Thuan Commune, Thot Not District, Can Tho City
Features: Bang Lang Stork Garden is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in the Mekong Delta.
On the way from Can Tho City to Long Xuyen City of An Giang province, after going past Thot Not Town approximately 5 km, you will reach Bang Lang Stork Garden. Walking under the shade of luxuriant trees along small rivers, you will see tens of thousands of storks (white stork, gray heron, black stork and little cormorant) flying up and down in the space.
4. Binh Thuy Ancient Manor
Location: Binh Thuy Ancient Manor is located on Bui Huu Nghia Street, Binh Thuy Ward, Binh Thuy District, Can Tho City
Features: The double-roofed French-style mansion with five compartments was built in 1870 by the Duong family.
The house features French architecture characterised by the floor being one metre higher the yard. The high-ceiling house has four elegant bow-shaped staircases connecting the house with its large yard. All red, black flooring tiles and iron fences are made in France.
5. Chua Ong Pagoda
Location: Chua Ong Pagoda lies on Hai Ba Trung Street, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City.
Features: The pagoda is a place where Chinese Vietnamese in Can Tho practise their beliefs and culture. The pagoda was recognised as the architectural monument of the nation by the former Ministry of Culture and Information in 1993. Chua Ong Pagoda has retained its original unique architecture.
The pagoda was built on a campus of approximately 532 square metres from 1894 to 1896. The pagoda is roofed by yin-yang tiles and decorated ceramic dragons, moon, dragon-like fish and phoenix. On the two heads of the pagoda are two statues embracing the moon and the sun.
The Pagoda worships Guan Yu - a general of the Three Kingdoms era (China) and a mirror of loyalty - together with Nanhai Guanyin, God of the Soil, Dong Vinh and other deities.
6. Nam Nha Pagoda
Address: 612 Cach Mang Thang Tam Road, An Thoi Ward, Binh Thuy District, Can Tho City.
Characteristics: The pagoda was built in 1895 by Mr. Nguyen Giac Nguyen, a follower of Minh Su sect. Thus, this is also known as Minh Su Pagoda.
Previously, Nam Nha Pagoda was Nha Nam Duong Pharmacy which sold medicinal herbs and served as a liaison and meeting place for French resistance movements. Nha Nam was a major meeting place of patriotic scholars of Vietnam Quang Phuc Hoi (Vietnamese for Vietnam Restoration League).
In 1917 the temple was restored. The spacious yard was planted with more trees and a midfield bonsai, measuring over 2m high, was installed.
In the main temple stands an altar worshipping Giac Nguyen (pagoda founder), Lich Dai Sensei, and a three-religion altar with three bronze statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, Confucius and Laozi. The two wings of the main temple are two five-compartment buildings for male and female followers. The back of the pagoda is the tomb site - the resting place of Dong Du movement patriots and temple builders.
Today, tourists still find traces of revolutionary movements in this holy site.
7. Tay Do night market - tourism culture market
Location: Tay Do Market, about 1 km from the downtown of Can Tho City to the west of the Hau River, located inside the Can Tho International Exhibition.
Features: Tay Do Market is a major wholesale centre of southern provinces and an attractive entertainment point for tourists.
Opened some years ago, Tay Do night market is considered a unique, attractive cultural tourism destination in Can Tho City, not only for locals but also for tourists from far and wide.
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