Cai Rang Floating Market is one of the best-known floating markets in the Mekong Delta and a classic early morning experience when staying in, or cruising through, Can Tho. The market sits on the river outside the city and is best visited soon after dawn, when trading is at its liveliest and the light is soft over the water.

This is a wholesale market rather than a polished tourist attraction, although it has become much quieter than in past decades as road transport has improved. Even so, it remains a fascinating glimpse into the Delta’s river-based trading culture.

Boats gather on the water loaded with pineapples, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, watermelons, bananas and other seasonal produce. Many sellers advertise what they’re carrying by tying samples to tall poles above the boat, a simple and clever system that allows buyers to see what’s for sale from a distance.

Smaller boats weave between the larger vessels selling coffee, noodle soup, snacks and everyday supplies, adding to the movement and colour of the morning. For travellers, the charm of Cai Rang Floating Market lies in the atmosphere: engines rumbling, produce being passed from boat to boat, breakfast being cooked on the water and the Mekong beginning another working day.