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Destinations >> Mekong River Delta :> Mekong River Delta - Can Tho Can Tho is a province in the Southern of Vietnam, located on the bank of the Bassac River (Hau Giang river), in the Mekong Delta, 170 kilometers southwest of Ho Chi Minh City. The province neighbours on five provinces: Dong Thap on the Northeast, An Giang on the North, Hau Giang on the South, Kien Giang on the west, and Vinh Long on the east. Can Tho has a complex of rivers and canals in which Hau river is considered as the benefactor of the region as yearly floods deposit large quantities of alluvia on the rice fields. That makes Can Tho “the green lungs of the Mekong Delta”. The marshy Lung Ngoc Hoang mangrove forest, positioned by nature to escape the clutches of the occasionally threatening Hau River and the waters near Bac Lieu, also offers a shelter for wildlife. There, fish, crabs, tortoises, and yellow boas and snakes, seek their seasonal shelter at a place where war-time troops often sought strategic refuge. Can Tho has two distinct seasons: the dry and the rainy seasons. The province is endowded with sunshine all year round with a high humidity. There is almost no storm sitting the province. Average temperature is 27°C. :> Can Tho’s History The history of the city can be traced back to the 16th century, when the area was first invaded and developed by several ethnic groups, including the Vietnamese, the Hoa, and the Khmer. These people turned it from a swampy area into a populous region and used the delta soils for fertile rice fields. At the end of the 18th century and the begin of the 19th century, the area was the battlefield between armies of the Nguyen dynasty and the Tay Son brothers. When the French invaded Vietnam, Can Tho was under French colonial rule. The city grew into prosperity and a port was developed. During the Vietnam War, the United States and South Vietnam built military installations for the thousands of troops stationed at Can Tho and the city expanded tremendously. :> Can Tho Today Today Can Tho is the city population of 150,000. It is an important industrial and farming center. Local manufacturing industries include shipbuidling, rice processing, textiles, and farm machinery. Other important agricultural goods include coconut oil and sugarcane, and the city’s outdoor market sells a wide variety of fruit and marine products. Can Tho is also a fruit basket of the region. Specialities include durian, mangoes, jackfruit, melons, and many shellfish and ocean fish. Transportation in the area is centered on the river, local roads, and Vietnam’s major north-south highway. A large nearby airport serves much of the Mekong Delta, and two major ports are located nearby. The city is home to a large pagoda built in 1946 in the style of Khmer Theravada Buddhism. Can Tho is home to several educational institutions including Can Tho University (founded in 1966), a training college for teachers, and several vocational colleges that teach commerce, finance, medicine, and agriculture. The Department of Agronomy at Can Tho University houses Vietnam’s largest research center on rice, one of the country’s most important staple foods. International experts are determining whether the area, and especially its river water ecosystem, could sustain another National Nature Reserve. :> Can Tho Attractions The places that you can not miss when visiting Can Tho are the Ong Pagoda’s museum, Ninh Kieu Wharf which is well-known for its beautiful location, Khmer Pagoda, Binh Thuy temple and the Binh Thuy ancient house. Can Tho also has an unique system of floating markets including Cai Rang, Phong Dien and Phung Hiep. Cai Rang is the largest floating market in the Mekong, but the markets at Phung Hiep and Phong Dien are more relaxed and less crowded. Also of interest are the abundant orchards, garden houses along the rivers and canals which are spacious and peaceful. Visiting these houses, you may taste the local specialties and hear don ca tai tu, amateur music performance of the southern people.
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