The event meets Vietnam Tourism Day (July 9th) and is one of the practical activities to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of “Cai Rang Floating Market Culture” decided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to be included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage. This is also the 6th time the event continues to take place after a 2-year hiatus due to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Under the theme “Preservation and Development of Cai Rang Floating Market Culture”, the Tourism Festival “Cai Rang Floating Market Culture” is held over 3 days (July 9th-11th). This year, the festival is held on a relatively large scale with many abundant and diverse activities such as a Cultural program to celebrate Tourism Festival “Cai Rang Floating Market Culture”; a boat parade from Ninh Kieu wharf to Cai Rang floating market; book exhibitions, and quizzes; South Vietnam Karate Championship; So you're on the floating market; shaping and decoration competition from agricultural products, typical local products; promotion of tourism; introduce agricultural products, trade, and traditional industries; parading and displaying agricultural products on boats and ships; culinary activities, folk cakes, souvenirs; calligraphy and exhibition of the photographic series “Achievements of 15 years of construction and development of Can Tho City (2004 - 2019)”; folk games; general arts; Mekong Delta Composite racing shell; dragon boat races; exchange of songs Don Ca Tai Tu and Hò de Can Tho (song of amateurs); sports competition …
Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho city, addressed the opening ceremony.
Within the framework of the event, Can Tho City also held a conference to review the 3-year implementation of the "Preserving and Promoting Cai Rang Floating Market" project, thus defining the tasks, overcoming the difficulties and limitations in order to accomplish the task of preserving and developing Cai Rang Floating Market in the coming times.
Delegates attended the opening of the “Cai Rang Floating Market Culture” Tourism Festival
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, suggested that the People's Committee of Cai Rang District continue to promote propaganda and raise public awareness about tourism, especially among tourists and the locals in Can Rang Floating Market to deeply understand the cultural values of the floating market for tourism development; at the same time guiding and training people in tourism knowledge and skills; creating livelihoods for people through tourism activities in the floating market. In addition, Cai Rang District People's Committee focuses on creating quality tourism products, encouraging, supporting, guiding, and creating favorable conditions for production facilities and communities to participate in business activities. Thus, the district creates a safe and friendly tourist environment and improves civilized behavior to attract more and more tourists to Cai Rang floating market.
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With activities associated with rivers, in recent years, Cai Rang Floating Market (Cai Rang District, Can Tho City) has created a unique cultural value for Can Tho City and the delta region of Mekong. Cai Rang Floating Market was honored as one of the nation's intangible cultural heritage and voted "one of the 10 busiest floating markets in the world" as well as "one of the 6 most beautiful floating markets in Asia". It is also one of the main destinations for tourists who come to Can Tho.
Typical river culture at Cai Rang Floating Market According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Cuong, Chairman of Cai Rang District People's Committee, Cai Rang floating market is located on the Can Tho River, the strategic waterway of the Hau River - Xa No canal which is very convenient for trade with the neighboring provinces of the entire Mekong Delta region. Therefore, this market is an important anchoring place for many ships to buy and sell goods (on average there are about 200-250 boats, ships that trade goods; sometimes up to 300, 400 boats, of which the number of fixed moorings is about 150 and from other places is about 100). Cai Rang Floating Market was formed from the long-standing living habits of local people. The products of Cai Rang floating market are extremely abundant and diverse, including groups such as fruits; vegetables; ornamental flowers and plants; domestic crafts; food and animal products; household and essential goods… The activities of buying, selling, and trading goods here have created more jobs for hundreds of unskilled laborers and petty traders to make a living providing services on the river over the time with an average income of 3,000,000 - 5,000,000 VND/month. According to Mr. Cuong, most domestic and foreign tourists when coming to Can Tho City need to visit Cai Rang Floating Market, not only because this floating market has a unique culture of local residents, but also because the river culture is very typical of the southern region of Vietnam. Therefore, Cai Rang Floating Market has become the tourist brand of Can Tho City. Most international and domestic tourists consider Cai Rang floating market an attractive destination. |
Source: Thanh Xuan - Translated by Hoang Dat
