What to Buy in Châu Đốc: Souvenirs Actually Made There

The most authentic souvenirs in Châu Đốc are palm sugar (*đường thốt nốt*), handwoven Cham textiles, fermented fish paste (*mắm*), and sun-dried river fish (*khô cá*). All four items are produced locally in An Giang Province rather than imported from wholesale factories elsewhere. You can find nearly all food specialties inside Chợ Châu Đốc (Châu Đốc Market) on Bạch Đằng Street, while textiles are best purchased directly in weaving villages across the river. Expect food items to cost from $1 (approximate) per unit, making them practical, lightweight items for traveling.

Authentic palm sugar is made by boiling the sap of palmyra palm trees harvested in nearby Tri Tôn and Tịnh Biên districts. Traditional palm sugar comes in three forms: solid blocks wrapped in palm leaves, soft paste packed in plastic jars, and crystallized granules. High-quality palm sugar has a rich caramel smell, melts smoothly on the tongue, and is not overly hard or crunchy. Pure palm sugar blocks cost from $1 to $3 (approximate) per kilogram. Store paste versions upright in your luggage to prevent sticky leaks during travel.

Châu Đốc is known across the Mekong Delta for fermented fish (*mắm cá linh*, *mắm thái*) and dried fish (*khô cá lóc*, *khô cá sặc*). Vendors at Chợ Châu Đốc stack these specialties in large mounds throughout the market aisles. If you plan to carry these items on flights, ask the vendor for vacuum-sealing (*hút chân không*). Most sellers will wrap jars in multiple layers of plastic and tape to contain all aromas. Prices for dried fish start from $5 (approximate) per 500 grams depending on the fish variety.

Handmade Cham textiles are woven in the village of Châu Phong, located across the Hậu River from central Châu Đốc. Local artisans use wooden handlooms to produce traditional patterns on cotton and synthetic silk. You can buy scarves, sarongs, shoulder bags, and decorative table runners directly from family workshops. Prices start from $3 (approximate) for small purses and from $8 (approximate) for full-length shawls. Purchasing directly from village weavers ensures your money directly supports the local weaving heritage.