CAN THO - Transport

Ferry after ferry over the wide Hau River connects the severed stretch of Highway One to the north (via Vinh Long’s new bridge to My Tho and Saigon) with Can Tho. Can Tho serves as a land hub to most destinations of the southern Mekong Delta. A Japanese-built bridge across the Hau River is due to be completed in 2008.

Boat

Surprisingly, Can Tho has few useful boat services. Upon request, TU TRANG TRAVEL (tel 071-752-436; [email protected]; 60 Hai Ba Trung), in the center, sends fast boats on the four to five-hour trip to Saigon ($55 per person, minimum four people) at 1pm. They can also go to Chau Doc ($35 per person, minimum four people), a two-and-a-half hour ride.

Cantho Tourist sells tickets to Phnom Penh, which leaves Thursday ($45; seven hours including border stop). Boats to Ca Mau, near Vietnam’s southernmost point, leave at 7am, 8am and 9am; the (supposedly) three-hour trip costs $7.

Bus

Can Tho’s bus station is roughly 600m northwest of the riverside Hai Ba Trung street in the center. Regular buses go to Saigon ($4; 4-5hr), Chau Doc ($4; 2-1/2hr), Rach Gia ($4; 2-1/2hr), as well as Soc Trang, Ca Mau and Long Xuyen. There is no bus service to Cambodia from Can Tho.

An easy way to get to Vinh Long is take a xe om (motorcycle taxi) to the ferry, walk onto the ferry (free), and hail a local bus on the other side of the river to Vinh Long for about 5000D.

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