Getting around the Mekong Delta
Hubs · Can Tho city
Can Tho: the delta's crossroads
Can Tho sits where the expressway from Ho Chi Minh City meets the roads west to the Cambodian border and south to Ca Mau. It has the region's main airport, several intercity bus stations and a riverfront from which the boats to Cai Rang leave before dawn.
Contents
Why Can Tho works as a base
Since 1 July 2025 Can Tho city has included the former provinces of Soc Trang and Hau Giang, which makes it the administrative centre for a large slice of the southern delta. For travellers it is the one town from which you can reach almost every other part of the delta in a day: Ho Chi Minh City and Chau Doc by coach, Ca Mau by the new expressway, Vinh Long and Sa Dec in about an hour, and northern Vietnam by air.
It is also the most practical place to see a floating market. Cai Rang, about 6 km from the centre, is reached by boat from the Ninh Kieu wharf. The market is much smaller than it was and busiest in the first hours after dawn, so boats leave the wharf very early.
Sources: Dai bieu Nhan dan — Resolution 202/2025/QH15, 12 Jun 2025; Viet Nam News — Cai Rang floating market, 3 Nov 2018 · checked .
Arriving and leaving by road
Coaches from Ho Chi Minh City arrive at a terminal about 4 km outside the centre. Ticket listings name New Can Tho bus station (91B Nguyen Van Linh), O Mon, the Cai Rang area and the airport among the drop-offs; one operator's main Can Tho pick-up is the central bus station on National Highway 1A in Hung Thanh, Cai Rang. Taxis and Grab cover the last stretch.
| To | Road km | Usual time | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City | ≈ 165–180 | 2 h 55 – 4 h 45 by bus | Listed, 12 Oct 2026 |
| Vinh Long | ≈ 40 | 45–50 min | Est. |
| Sa Dec | ≈ 60 | just over 1 h | Reported, Jan 2026 |
| Soc Trang | ≈ 61 | 1–1.25 h | Est. |
| Long Xuyen | ≈ 62 | 1–1.25 h | Est. |
| Tra Vinh | ≈ 79 | 1.5–1.75 h | Est. |
| Rach Gia | ≈ 110 | 2–2.25 h | Est. |
| Chau Doc | ≈ 119 | about 4 h by bus | Listed, 12 Oct 2026 |
| Ca Mau | ≈ 134 | about 1.5 h by car | Reported, Jan 2026 |
"Est." means our estimate from road distance at 50–60 km/h; buses take longer. See the route planner for how each time is worked out.
Sources: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism — Can Tho; redBus Vietnam — Saigon to Can Tho listings; redBus Vietnam — Can Tho to Chau Doc listings; VnExpress — Sa Dec travel guide, 17 Jan 2026; Tuoi Tre — Can Tho–Ca Mau expressway fully open, 19 Jan 2026; OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM demo server); Grab Vietnam — service locations · checked .
The airport
Can Tho International (VCA) is about 9 km north-west of the centre, around 20 minutes by road. In 2025 it carried only domestic passengers. Routes named in 2026 reports include Hanoi, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, Con Dao and Da Lat; whether Phu Quoc is still served is unclear, as reports differ. The airports and flights page has the details.
Sources: Wikipedia — Can Tho; Vietnam National Authority of Tourism — Can Tho; Tuoi Tre — ACV proposes international routes for Can Tho, 14 May 2026; Viet Nam News — Can Tho–Da Lat route resumes, 30 Jul 2026; afamily — Can Tho airport routes, 18 Sep 2026 · checked .
The river: wharf, islets and the sea
The Ninh Kieu wharf on the riverfront is where boats leave for Cai Rang and the islets in the Hau River; small local ferries also link the mainland with the islets. Can Tho is also, unexpectedly, a starting point for the sea: Phu Quoc Express lists a Tran De – Con Dao fast-boat route from Tran De fishing port in the former Soc Trang, with a ticket office in central Ninh Kieu.
On every passenger ferry and tourist boat you should be handed a life jacket; see boats and ferries for the rules.
Sources: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism — Can Tho; Phu Quoc Express — official site; vbpl.vn — Circular 15/2012/TT-BGTVT (original text) · checked .
Where to stay for easy connections
- Ninh Kieu riverfront — central, walkable, and close to the wharf for an early Cai Rang boat. The most practical choice for a one- or two-night stop.
- Near the Cai Rang side of town — closer to the main intercity stations on the way out, useful if you are catching an early coach towards Ca Mau or Ho Chi Minh City.
- Near the airport — only worth it for a very early flight; the centre is about 20 minutes away.
Whichever you choose, ask your hotel how far it is to the station your bus actually uses: the ticket names it, and it may not be the one closest to you.
When Can Tho is the wrong base
If your trip is about the Cambodian border, the Tra Su forest or Sam Mountain, staying in Can Tho means about four hours by bus each way to Chau Doc — base yourself there instead. If you are heading to Phu Quoc, Rach Gia or Ha Tien are the departure points. In October and November, riverside streets in Can Tho can flood at the highest tides; in 2025 residents were advised to limit travel at 05:00–08:00 and 16:00–19:00 on those days, which is exactly when Cai Rang boats and early buses leave.
Sources: Ministry of Agriculture and Environment — 2025 Mekong flood outlook, 3 Oct 2025; redBus Vietnam — Can Tho to Chau Doc listings · checked .
Can Tho in pictures
Common questions
Questions readers send
How far is Can Tho bus station from the centre?
Coaches from Ho Chi Minh City use a terminal about 4 km outside the centre. Several operators drop at other stations or at the airport, so check your ticket.
Can I do Cai Rang floating market and travel on the same day?
Yes. Boats leave the Ninh Kieu wharf before dawn and the market is busiest early, so you can be back by mid-morning and take a bus to Chau Doc, Vinh Long or Ca Mau afterwards.
How long from Can Tho to Ca Mau now?
About 1.5 hours by car on the expressway that opened in full on 19 January 2026, according to Tuoi Tre. Buses take longer.
Related
Read next
Hubs · An Giang
Chau Doc
Buses, the Phnom Penh speedboat, Sam Mountain and the road to Ha Tien.
Hubs · An Giang coast
Rach Gia and Ha Tien
Fast boats to Phu Quoc, Hon Son and Nam Du; Rach Gia airport; roads to Chau Doc and Can Tho.
Plan · Legs and times
Route planner
Distances and usual journey times, leg by leg, with the basis for each figure.
Ways to travel · Air
Airports and flights
Can Tho, Rach Gia, Ca Mau and Phu Quoc airports: routes, status and getting into town.
Ways to travel · Road
Buses and vans
Bus stations, sleeper coaches versus limousine vans, tickets and arrivals.
Start planning
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