Many new routes are exploited

In the past, river tourism in Can Tho often had a few familiar routes: Ninh Kieu wharf to Cai Rang floating market, or routes to explore small canals. However, in the past few years, Can Tho has had new and more diverse destinations. Notably, the local river routes are being exploited by Victoria Resort Can Tho, Victoria Cruises, Victoria Mekong Cruises. Accordingly, in addition to the river route to explore Cai Rang floating market and familiar craft villages, there are also extensive river networks connecting Can Tho to other Mekong Delta provinces and international destinations.

“Discover the Mekong” and “Mekong Impression” are two river products currently in operation with their own unique features. Of which, “Discover the Mekong” takes tourists on a river cruise with the Mekong Princess on the Can Tho - Vinh Long route, exploring the unique cultural beauty of the Kinh, Hoa and Khmer ethnic communities. “Mekong Impression” is a river cruise with the Cai Be Princess of the Victoria Cruises to Vinh Long - Cai Be (Tien Giang) to explore the river culture of the island gardens and traditional craft villagess. Ms. Vo Xuan Thu, General Director of Victoria Resort Can Tho, said: “The Mekong region is large with many interesting values and extremely special stories of local people for tourists to explore. Through the journeys, tourists will better understand and love the beauty of the people and country of Vietnam. We bring authentic experiences of local culture in each land on the journey”. Evaluating these river products, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Suong, General Director of Hai Au Can Tho Hotel Restaurant and Tourism Limited Liability Company, said: “From a travel perspective, these river journeys meet the diverse needs of different types of customers and markets. The products are very diverse and flexible, including in-depth experiences and closeness to local culture. These are river product lines that can be exploited in multiple directions. In particular, we are planning to exploit and connect with customers from the Middle East”.

In fact, Victoria Mekong Cruises' cruise routes are very popular, especially international routes, such as Can Tho - Phnom Penh route (Cambodia). The current demand of tourists for international routes is increasing and Victoria Mekong Cruises has launched an additional 8-day, 7-night product with the following itineraries: Can Tho - Siem Riep (Cambodia), Ho Chi Minh City - Siem Riep. These are itineraries to explore the river culture along the Mekong River and the Mekong Delta. Currently, these tours are almost fully booked for 2025 and 2026. Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Anh, Deputy Director of Spotlight Travel, said: “With Victoria Mekong Cruises' river products, we have previously connected and brought customers effectively with 4-day-3-night journey. Currently, the products have been renewed and expanded to 8 days and 7 nights, with flexible and diverse round-trip routes. I consider these to be interesting and potential products to exploit many different customer groups”.

In fact, river tourism routes in Can Tho have been exploited more diversely, not only boats but also yachts and canoes. Specifically, such as river products from canoes of Mekong Delta Explorer and Events Co., Ltd. Currently, this unit has about 40 inter-route products from Can Tho to the Mekong Delta provinces, in which the most prominent are itineraries to explore river mouths and islands.

Overcome obstacles, promoting advantages

According to the Master Plan for tourism development in Can Tho City to 2020, the period to 2030, Can Tho's strength is identified as an urban river, a convergence of “Mekong River Civilization”... Accordingly, Can Tho Tourism Department also organized many surveys, orienting the construction of typical river product routes.

At the end of September, the Tourism Development Center of Can Tho City organized a survey with the participation of many travel agencies in the city, in order to evaluate and build a suitable river tourism route. The delegation surveyed the inter-river route from districts of Ninh Kieu, Cai Rang and Binh Thuy with a variety of destinations on the river branches and small canals along the route of Cai Rang floating market, Kara Homestay & Café, Ut Truyen folk toy making spot, Nhat Tam Farm vineyard, Talison Son Islet floating restaurant... Ms. Le Thi Hong Nhi, Head of Sales Department of Western Discovery Company, said: “Through surveying the routes, I found that there are destinations to exploit, such as the Cai Rang floating market, Kara Homestay & Café and Ut Truyen folk toy making spot. This journey has a variety of experiences to learn about river culture, craft villages and accommodation, and the route is quite suitable when it can combine river and road routes”. Meanwhile, Mr. Truong Van Vinh, Director of Can Tho Office - IDO Trading Travel & Event Co., Ltd., said: “From a travel perspective, I think that river tourism products are an advantage of Can Tho and over the years these products have also been promoted well with the journey to explore floating markets and canals. In this survey, I found that the potential for river tourism is still very much. The beauty of this journey is that it can go into small canals and see the lives of people in the river area. This route also has a variety of experiences in farms, craft villages, communal pagodas, etc. However, there are still limitations in infrastructure. At high tide, the bridge is too low, making it difficult for boats to pass, easily getting stuck, making tourists feel uncomfortable. Therefore, I also suggest investing in infrastructure or considering smaller boats to suit the route”.

The potential of Can Tho's river tourism is considered to be very large, with a dense system of canals, notably heritage destinations and relics along the route. However, there are still many limitations in terms of transport infrastructure, wharves and etc. Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Le, Director of Tourism Development Center of Can Tho City, said: “River tourism is one of the products that will receive investment attention in the coming time of Can Tho city. In the near future, Can Th city will coordinate with Ho Chi Minh City to survey the river tourism routes of Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho city and Mekong Delta provinces, assess the current situation and orient the construction of typical routes”.

Promoting the strengths of rivers and streams is being paid attention to and invested in by the city's tourism industry. The River products here are focused on building towards experiencing the daily life of merchants on floating markets, the lives of people associated with fields and gardens on islands and riverside areas... Therefore, the products will be exploited based on the advantages along the Hau River, Can Tho River and the system of islands and sandbanks. In particular, Cai Rang floating market (Cai Rang district), Son Islet (Binh Thuy district), Tan Loc Islet (Thot Not district) all have their own projects and investment plans. In addition, Can Tho also plans to build 3 waterway bus routes on Hau River and Can Tho River: Ninh Kieu - Thot Not, Ninh Kieu - Phong Dien and Ninh Kieu - Cai Rang.

In fact, in order to develop river tourism, it is necessary to have a master plan, including inter-regional traffic planning, focusing on product planning. At the same time, it is necessary to upgrade waterway transport infrastructure, build wharves, ports and develop support services; develop specific tourism products based on the unique historical, cultural and ecological values of each river. There should be links between localities in the orientation of developing river products, building riverside nature reserves; paying attention to pollution control and environmental protection measures...Can Tho city has currently developed a project on river tourism, and is coordinating with Ho Chi Minh City to build a typical river tourism route.