Xa No Canal

Xa No Canal (Kênh Xà No) is a historic man-made waterway running through Vi Thanh in Can Tho municipality, Mekong Delta. Excavated in 1901-1903 during the French colonial period, it is about 30 km long and was the largest canal in the delta at the time. Notable for its role in irrigation, drainage, transport and settlement, it remains a scenic rural waterway lined with villages and agricultural land.

Visitors can expect a long, straight canal flanked by rural settlements, rice fields, orchards and small riverside houses on stilts. The setting is tranquil and agricultural. Visitors can view the waterway from road bridges and canal banks in Vi Thanh, take short boat trips to observe daily river life, local transport boats and agricultural activity, and explore the waterfront area of Vi Thanh city.

Excavated between 1901 and 1903 under the French colonial administration, Xa No Canal is approximately 30 km long, 60 m wide and was the longest and most significant canal project in the Mekong Delta at that time. It was constructed to improve navigation between Can Tho and the western delta, enhance drainage and irrigation, and promote agricultural settlement and rice cultivation in the Hau Giang area.

The canal is central to the water-based culture of Vi Thanh and the western Mekong Delta, supporting agriculture, inland water transport and daily life of riverside communities. It symbolizes the region's long tradition of canal building and water management and remains an important landmark for local identity in what is now Can Tho municipality.