Dozens of large wooden and iron boats gather on the Cai Con River in Can Tho City, forming a bustling waterborne market where the only thing being traded is firewood - creating a rhythm of life unlike any other on the delta’s waterways.

When people think of Mekong floating markets, images of boats piled high with tropical fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat meals come to mind.

But on Cai Con River, located in Nga Bay Ward of Can Tho City, a very different market scene unfolds.

Hauling firewood from Ca Mau to Can Tho

The firewood sold here is brought in by boat from Nam Can District in Ca Mau Province, with each shipment weighing anywhere from several dozen to over a hundred tons.

After hiring workers to load the boats, traders make the long journey north to the Cai Con River, where they dock for two to five days to sell the firewood to charcoal kilns in Phu Tan Commune and nearby areas.

Truong Thi Phuong, 55, from Tan Phuoc Hung Commune, is among the market’s most seasoned vendors. She recalls that the firewood market took shape around 2014, originally located about 500 meters from its current site.

In recent years, the boats have moved closer to Phung Hiep Bridge and Nga Bay Market to make it easier for buyers to inspect the goods.

Living on the water, working by the ton

“We live on the boats as if they were our homes,” Phuong said. “After buying firewood, we anchor for a few days to sell it, then head back down to Ca Mau for another shipment.”

She explained that they work this trade about nine months a year. During the months when firewood is scarce, they switch to ferrying rice for hire across the border to Cambodia.

For these merchants, the boats are their most valuable assets. A wooden boat costs about 300 million VND (USD 12,300), while iron boats can cost up to 1 billion VND (USD 41,000). “At my age, I can’t do heavy labor anymore, so owning a boat means having a way to survive,” Phuong shared.

Generational trade and river life routines

Binh, 27, who lives in Nga Bay Ward, said his boat carries around 80 tons of firewood, while larger ones can handle up to 150 tons.

Each trip from Ca Mau to Can Tho takes 17–23 hours depending on the load. With a selling price of 2,000–2,500 VND per kg (USD 0.08–0.10), he earns a few million dong per trip after expenses.

“My father did this job for over a decade. I grew up on these boats and now work alongside him,” Binh said. “The hardest times are stormy nights, when big waves keep us up all night. Sometimes I stay on the boat for two or three months before taking a few days off at home.”

Yen Oanh, 29, another veteran firewood trader from Nga Bay, said her boat carries about 70 tons per trip.

“My older son used to help me on the boat, but now he lives onshore with his grandparents to attend school,” she said. “I still keep my 3-year-old daughter with me. Maybe when she turns five, I’ll send her to school, too.”

Their boats double as floating homes: hammocks swing in the prow, a small gas stove sits near the railing, and clothes hang to dry along the deck.

Children scurry barefoot across the planks, already well-acquainted with the ebb and flow of river life.

Tran Tuyen