How to Go from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho

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Located at the heart of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Can Tho is a glorious city characterized by the Mekong River, the canals that channel off it, and the floating markets for which it has become famous.  Can Tho is the hopping-off point for other locations down here in the South of Vietnam – the Con Dao islands, the island of Phu Quoc, or for some, one step on the journey to Cambodia.  Here’s our guide on how to get from Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho – we’ve covered the overland details, and flight options too.

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Mekong River Can Tho

Can Tho 2 Day/1 Night Tour

This 2 day, one night trip to Can Tho from Ho Chi Minh City is the easiest way to visit if you only want to spend a short time here and then return to Ho Chi Minh City.

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Where is Can Tho?

It’s about 170 kilometers (106 miles) by road from Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho.     Can Tho is the biggest city in the Mekong Delta, but it has a small feel to it.  It’s not really on the big traveler route, and many of those travelers will visit on a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, so on an evening it definitely quietens down, but has a great local feel. 

Exactly How to Go from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho

There are several options for getting to Can Tho from Ho Chi Minh, and the two decisions that you have to make are

  1. Are you returning to Ho Chi Minh City after visiting Can Tho?
  2. How long do you want to spend in Can Tho?

If you plan to return to Ho Chi Minh City afterward, then your best option for this trip is to take a trip that returns to HCMC.  There are several options from a one (very long) day trip, but you won’t see a huge amount of Can Tho, to a 2 day and 1 night trip. With an overnight stay you’ll get to experience the morning Mekong Delta Floating Market which is the primary reason to come to Can Tho.  I’ll cover that first.

If you’re heading to Can Tho and then going onwards, then a bus, minivan, or private transfer are your best options.  There are currently no flights that go from Ho Chi Minh Airport to Can Tho Airport.  Although Can Tho Airport (VCA) is an international airport, there are no flights to Ho Chi Minh City, although you can fly here from Hanoi, Haiphong, and the Con Dao Islands.

More than 15 years ago there was a boat that traveled from Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho, but there is no longer a public ferry that does this.  Some specialist cruises might offer this.

Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho Multi-Day Tour

If you’re not planning on heading onto either Phu Quoc, the Con Dao Islands, or even Chau Doc and then onto Cambodia,  and just want to visit Can Tho for a day, then a two-day trip is the best option for this route.  It will give you enough time to see the highlights and return to Ho Chi Minh to continue your Vietnam Itinerary.

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There are single-day trips available, but you’ll spend probably more time on a bus than you will in Can Tho, so I recommend this two-day trip to Can Tho from Ho Chi Minh City.  It’s a reasonably timed start (07:45) from HCMC and you’ll get to explore the Vinh Trang Pagoda en-route to My Tho, take a boat trip on the Mekong River, visit local villages continue to Can Tho, where your accommodation is in a local hotel.  After exploring Can Tho for the evening, you’ll get to see the famous Cai Rang Floating Market – it’s an early start as the market starts early too, but it’s a fabulous experience.  Don’t miss having boat noodles from one of the vendors in the middle of the Mekong River. 

Boat Noodles on the Mekong in Can Tho

You’ll get to visit a Rice Noodle Factory (and try your hand at some of the tasks too) before returning to your hotel to check out.  Your return to HCMC includes cultural stops along the way, including the chance to try one of Vietnam’s famous foods from the area, “bánh xèo.”  There’s also lunch, a cycling tour of the villages, and then the return to Ho Chi Minh City.  This is a packed two-day trip but covers a great number of the best things to do in South Vietnam and is well worth it.   Check availability for this trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho.

Taking the Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho Bus

This is the main way that people travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho.  And it’s not a difficult trip.  It takes just about 4 hours to travel the 170 kilometers (106 miles) to Can Tho from Ho Chi Minh City. 

And there are buses pretty much around the clock that run this route.  The first bus leaves Ho Chi Minh City at 00:00 and the last one at 23:00, so you can pretty much take your pick.  However, you should bear in mind that there are different departure points within Ho Chi Minh City, and not all of them are convenient.

You can check the departure times of buses to Can Tho here.

Recliner Seat to Can Tho

Most of the buses leave from Mien Tay Bus Station in HCMC.   That’s the western bus station and it’s about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from Pham Nga Lao in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City.  You’ll be able to get a taxi or a Grab out there.   (Note that Grab in Vietnam is charges a 4% foreign card fee, so you might want to opt for paying cash) These buses are the cheapest options to travel from HCMC to Can Tho.  Don’t forget to add on the cost of getting to the bus station and you’ll usually need to check in about 60 minutes before departure time.

Book the cheapest way to go to Can Tho from HCMC here

These buses also arrive at Can Tho Bus station, which is, yes, you’ve guessed it, miles out of Can Tho.  (It’s a huge bus terminal and is about 6 kilometers from downtown Can Tho).  Most bus companies (including Phuong Trang) arriving in Can Tho do include a hotel transfer, but if not, then you’ll need to grab one at the bus terminal.  There is a moderately helpful information desk.

Can Tho Bus Terminal

An alternative is to use the minivan/limo van service of Vu Linh.  They depart from their offices in HCMC, which is only about 3 kilometers (1,9 miles) from Pham Ngu Lao.  Again, however, they arrive outside of Can Tho, so you’ll need a Grab at the other end too.

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Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho Train

While I’d love it if there was a train there, there just isn’t.   The Vietnamese railway terminates in the south at Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and doesn’t go any further south, so you’ll need to take land transport to Can Tho from HCMC.

Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho Flight

Technically you can fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho, but you’ll have to do it via Con Dao or even Hanoi, and that is a ridiculous amount of carbon to be using.  So until they bring in direct flights from SAI to VCA, flying from Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho is not an option.

Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho by Boat

The last time I saw any reference to a boat from Ho Chi Min City to Can Tho was before 2009.  So unless you’re taking a specialist cruise around South East Asia this isn’t an option.

Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho Private Transfer

This is definitely the most convenient way to travel between Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho.  Door to door service.  And no hassles getting taxis and Grabs to and from distant bus stations.  This Private Transfer Option, works out about the same price if there are three of you when compared to three minivan tickets.  And for the convenience of door-to-door, then that’s an incredible price.

Key Routes to Travel in Vietnam

Want to know more about different forms of transport in Vietnam? Our guide to Vietnam transport is here. And here’s how to travel some of the popular routes around Vietnam, your options, and how we did it.

Map of Bus Stations for going from Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh City

You can also see the bus stations from Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh City here

Map of How to Go from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho, Vietnam

The quickest way to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho

The quickest way to go to Can Tho from Ho Chi Minh is to take a private transfer.  There’s no having to get to a bus station and waiting around to check-in.  In Can Tho you’ll be taken straight to your hotel too.  Much, much easier and a lot less waiting around.

The easiest way to go to Can Tho from Ho Chi Minh City

The easiest way to get to Can Tho from Ho Chi Minh City is, to take a multi-day tour if you don’t plan on spending longer than a day here.  If you are planning on moving on – and not going back to HCMC – then take a private transfer to Can Tho from HCMC.

The cheapest way to go from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho

The cheapest way to get to Ho Chi Minh City from Can Tho is to take the bus, but don’t forget to add in the cost of getting to the bus station in HCMC and also from the Can Tho bus station to your hotel in Can Tho.  Check the bus timetable here.

The best way to go from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho

If you’re looking for just a one or two day visit to Can Tho, then opt for the 2 day trip.  If you plan on visiting elsewhere after Can Tho – we went from Can Tho to the Con Dao Islands – then take a private transfer if that works with your budget, alternatively take the bus.

Travel Tips for Exploring Vietnam

Final Words on How to Go from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho

When you’re in Ho Chi Minh, Can Tho and the Vietnam Delta seems like a long way away, but it’s only about 4 hours to get there overland.  It’s a great option if you want to take a multi-day trip from HCMC, but it’s also easy to get to by bus, minivan, or private transfer.

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AUTHOR

Sarah Carter
Sarah Carter is an avid reader, writer and traveller. She loves hiking, sailing, skiing and exploring the world through food. She left a successful career in IT security and compliance in both the UK and US to travel the world with husband and partner in adventure, Nigel.

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