Floating market falls year

From Soc Trang city, go more than 60km by road along National Highway 1A, to Phu Loc town (Thanh Tri district), then turn onto National Highway 61B and go about 24km to Nga Nam town. This is one of the administrative units in the key economic region of Soc Trang province, with relatively synchronous roads, including Quan Lo Phung Hiep connecting National Highway 60. In addition, Nga Nam has waterways. connecting localities and neighboring areas such as: Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Hau Giang, ... with 5 tributaries converging into Cho Noi - a busy commercial spot with charming and unique river scenery. A corner of Nga Nam inner market

From Soc Trang city, travel more than 60km by road along National Highway 1A, to Phu Loc town (Thanh Tri district), then turn to National Highway 61B and go about 24km to Nga Nam town. This is one of the administrative units in the key economic region of Soc Trang province, with relatively synchronous roads, including Quan Lo Phung Hiep connecting National Highway 60. In addition, Nga Nam also has a waterway. connecting localities and neighboring areas such as: Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Hau Giang, ... with 5 tributaries converging into  Cho Floating - a busy commercial spot with charming and unique river landscape.

A corner of Nga Nam inner market (photo: Kim Phuong)

According to historical documents, the new land of Nga Nam was officially exploited in the early 19th century in the policy of reclaiming the Mekong Delta of the Nguyen Dynasty. By the end of the 19th century, the land of Nga Nam (now a town) still had many dense forests, mostly melaleuca and reeds, sparsely populated. The French colonialists considered this land an area of ​​exploration. In the plan to exploit Indochina from 1900 to 1924, the French colonialists allowed them to dig many strategic large canals, in order to exploit new land and convenient in management and public inspection such as: Quan Lo canal. Phung Hiep - Ca Mau, Ngan Dua - Cau Sap, Gia Rai - Pho Sinh, Long My - Phu Loc.

The word "Nga Nam" was born when 2 canals (Xang canal and Quan Lo Phung Hiep canal) cut through a natural river, forming a tributary that flows to 5 intersections. channel. Nga Nam River flows into 5 intersections: Nga Nam - Long My, Hau Giang province; Nga Nam - Phung Hiep, Hau Giang province; Nga Nam - Phuoc Long, Bac Lieu province; Nga Nam - Phu Loc, Soc Trang province; Nga Nam - Vinh Quoi, Soc Trang province. Since then, the name Nga Nam was also formed.

In order to establish a ruling apparatus, exploit the people of the new land, in 1926 the French colonialists separated 2 Tong Nhieu Phu and Thanh An, establishing Nga Nam District and Phu Loc District (the predecessor of today's Thanh Tri district). In 2003, Nga Nam district was established on the basis of separation from Thanh Tri district. By the end of May 2014, Nga Nam town was officially established with a natural area of ​​over 24,000 hectares, a population of over 19,000 households, with over 80,000 people. Up to now, the whole town has 02 historical sites ranked at national level: Ba Chua Temple in My Dong hamlet and Victory Monument in Nga Nam area; 03 historical sites ranked at provincial level: Minh Tien Holy House, Thanh Tri District Party Committee Base Area and O Chum Pagoda.

Due to its convenient location, residents from Rach Gia, Soc Trang, Can Tho, Vinh Long, and My Tho have flocked here to reclaim land, set up a business as well as people from all over the region to gather here to exchange and buy. sold and gradually formed Nga Nam market.

The reason it is called a floating market is because the exchange and sale of goods take place in a rather special place: On the river! All wholesale and main activities are on the boat. Both sellers and buyers use canoes and boats to move and conduct transactions on the river. Large boats, small boats, canoes five leaf, dinghies... go up and down the row from when it's still foggy, until dawn, it's considered a market.

Soc Trang province in particular and the southwestern provinces in general with its tropical monsoon climate, plus relatively fertile soil due to the annual accumulation of fertile alluvium from the Mekong River, has created favorable conditions for agricultural crops to grow. The plants, fruits, vegetables, tubers and fruits are very diverse and rich in both quantity and quality, so farmers often do not use them all after harvesting, moreover, this item has a short shelf life, from That comes from the need for exchange and trade between small farmers. They often carry harvested crops, gather on a river to exchange, buy and sell. Over time, this spontaneous habit has become their second job in their spare time, some have completely switched to trading and continue to pass it on to their descendants.

Nga  Nam Market is the busiest and most active from about 3-4 o'clock at night to 7-8 o'clock in the morning when the market begins to close. Boats go to replenish goods, then pour into the canals, small canals; and the big boat is parked somewhere to wait for unloading enough goods, to continue on to the distant markets. Like many markets at other river wharfs. Nga  Nam  market plays the role of a wholesale - retail wholesale market, in the form of a departmental market for anything. But it's the Three Year market on the shore, and in the river, it's mainly agricultural products, seasonal fruit trees in the year "like any season".

People who trade in the floating market often liken their business to "whatever they sell, they sell - whatever they buy, they buy". In the flood season at the beginning of the season, there is a shortage of green vegetables, gourds, etc., the boat people flock to Nga Nam to sell goods. The season of rambutan, mangosteen, plum, longan… from the garden falls to Nga Nam. Going on a trip must be worth it, so you have to choose how big the boat is to make a profit, worth a long trip.

Followed along the bank to go to Xeo Chich canal to Bac Lieu, still leaving the path between the river and the houses on the bank sparse. It seems that here still retains a part of the image of the "ancient Nga Nam chou" with boats, canoes and shells parked on a thick bank. The dangling "trees", which are cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, melons, onions, garlic, chili... are the goods that boats and boats sell. It can be said that the "Floating Market" has most of the products of the Mekong Delta, from the famous rice of the "rice bowl", to the fresh vegetables, tubers and fruits of the garden. Then shrimp, fish, crab, frog ... precious gifts that nature favorably bestows on the lower Mekong region.

The busiest and busiest is around 5 am. The words spoken in this "floating market" are still bold in the old countryside, displeasing travelers. The market was crowded with the invitations of the boat friends. Then the mobile shops: porridge shop, noodle soup, noodle soup, soft drinks...,  will serve the full needs of customers. The images that make up the beauty Floating Floating Loving Year, many people go far away to remember…

One type of tool that is an effective advertising medium that helps to easily transmit information between the seller and the buyer is the "baby tree". The elderly here also do not know when the "baby tree" appeared, but when entering the  floating market , the "bamboo tree" is the first point of view of customers. In the past, each boat had a staple item. The Ca Mau boat is made of mangrove charcoal, three khacs, fish sauce, mats; Soc Trang's boats are pia cakes, sesame seeds, sausages to all kinds of sticky rice, plain rice; Hau Giang's boat is Cau Duc grove; Kien Giang boat is sweet potato…

But it is not necessary to have a specialty that you have to hang up that specialty sample. For example, no one hangs three ki or fish mam on the "bao tree", because it's too small to be seen from afar.... Or large fruits such as jackfruit, coconut, pumpkin, which cannot be hung, should be placed in front of the boat or loaded on the hood of the boat. Traders rowed around the market, glancing horizontally and vertically to find where to buy what they needed. Consumers standing on the shore also observe the "tree" to detect items to buy. On the other hand, residents of the floating market also have things that "hang but don't sell, sell but don't hang", that's because the boat is also a place for daily living, so they often dry clothes, which is an item not to be used. For sale, the second is that some boats in the past sold all kinds of lu, khap, palanquin, but because they were too large, the seller could not hang them. Another interesting thing is, when on the "tree" tied a piece of coconut leaves, the owner wants to sell their own boat.

The tree is usually made from old bamboo, bent straight, about 4-5 meters long, the base is sharp because it is easy to plug and pliers when parked, the top is punched and can be skewed through to hang goods. Buyers just need to stand far away, look at the "trees" to observe and find the type of goods they want to buy. For many generations, it seems that there is no form that can replace the "baby tree" in advertising in the floating market.

For the people of Nga Nam, going to the floating market every day is a habit. There are many people who cross the long distance by canoe or boat to the market, just to eat a bowl of porridge, a bowl of noodle soup or to buy fruits, vegetables, household appliances, etc. Although there is a road, there is a bridge. When going to the market, people still like to swim by canoe to travel the river and visit and interact with traders. The love of the "floating market" is expressed in every gesture, simple, friendly words, carefree laughter, etc. Many people here have houses on the shore but rarely leave the floating market. boats, canoes and trips.

Nga Nam floating market today still retains the typical soul of the Western floating market, is an ideal tourist destination for tourists to come here to learn and explore. The market is being continuously called for investment and exploitation by functional sectors to serve commercial development and attract tourists. The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang province has invested 10 canoes for the Department of Culture and Information of the town to exploit to serve tourists. The floating market has welcomed many domestic and foreign tourists to experience, many photographers have come to take pictures of the floating market, including a photo taken by photographer JetHuynh of the floating market in the early morning that was published by the Magazine. RoughGuides travel - a famous British travel magazine voted as impressive photo in 2015.

Sitting on a canoe taken by a canoeist to walk around the floating market, visitors can fully feel the idyllic, rustic and rural beauty of a town located next to the river.

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Update day : 23/08/2023