Race guide for Sunday 20 December 2026, Can Tho
Can Tho Heritage Marathon 2026
An independent guide for international runners: race week, kit pickup, the start, the course, the finish and where to stay.
Race in 52 days
Updated 29 Oct 2026. Race facts come from the organiser’s 2026 regulations and race info page. Start times and kit pickup for 2026 had not been published yet; we show the 2025 times for planning and will update this guide.
- Race day
- Sun 20 Dec 2026
- Distances
- 42 kmplus 21, 10 and 5 km
- Marathon cut-off
- 6 hr 30
- Start and finish
- Song Hau Park, Can Tho
Can Tho Heritage Marathon is the Mekong Delta’s big road race, run by DHA Vietnam, the organiser of the Hanoi and Ha Long heritage marathons, through the delta’s largest city in its coolest month. The thing to plan around: in 2025 the marathon started at 03:00, and a late arrival at the start area means you do not race.
On this page
Race week at a glance
Kit pickup before race day, then a very early start.
Fri 18 – Sat 19 Dec
See your email
Race kit pickup (expected; place and hours emailed to runners)
Can Tho city
Sun 20 Dec
From about 03:00
In 2025: 42K 03:00, 21K 04:30, 10K 05:30, 5K 07:00
Song Hau Park, Cai Khe, Ninh Kieu
For your driver: Công viên Sông Hậu, phường Cái Khế, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
Distances, start times and cut-offs
Cut-offs from the organiser’s regulations; start times from the 2025 edition.
| Race | Start (2025) | Cut-off |
|---|---|---|
| Marathon 42.195 km | 03:00 | 6 hr 30 |
| Half marathon 21.1 km | 04:30 | 3 hr 30 |
| 10K | 05:30 | See regulations |
| 5K | 07:00 | See regulations |
15 minutes late is DNS
Runners arriving at the start area more than 15 minutes after the start are not let in.
Gun time and chip time
Both are recorded. Check the regulations for which one decides prizes.
A World Marathon Majors qualifier
Listed as an age-group ranking race for the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Collect your race kit
Kit pickup time and place are emailed to registered runners. The kit includes your BIB with timing chip, a singlet, a bag and race instructions.
Bring two things:
Your passport
Original, for ID at the counter.
Your QR code
Sent after you sign the online waiver.
Runners living outside Vietnam register online through the race website. If you have trouble paying, the organiser offers alternative methods on request.
Getting there
Can Tho is the hub of the Mekong Delta.
From Ho Chi Minh City
About 3–3.5 hours by road or limousine van. Come down on Saturday morning at the latest.
Fly to Can Tho
Can Tho International Airport has domestic flights from Hanoi and Da Nang. It is about 20 minutes to the riverfront.
Walk to Song Hau Park
The park is in Cai Khe on the Hau River, close to the main hotel area of Ninh Kieu.
Book your 02:00 ride
For a 03:00 start, stay within walking distance or arrange a car the evening before.
The course
Flat roads along the Hau River.
The course runs on flat city roads and bridges around Ninh Kieu and Cai Khe, close to the Hau River. Most of the marathon is run in the dark, finishing as the city wakes up. Course maps for 2026 are published on the organiser’s website.
Weather
17–22 °Cthe organiser’s expected race-morning range
December is the start of the dry season in the delta and the coolest time of year. Humidity stays high, and it warms up quickly after sunrise, which is one reason the long races start so early.
Where to stay
Ninh Kieu riverfront.
Hotels in Ninh Kieu and Cai Khe, along the river, are closest to Song Hau Park. Many visitors combine the race with a floating-market trip on Sunday or Monday morning.
Rules worth knowing before you travel
Strict start rules, like the other DHA races.
Late arrivals are DNS
More than 15 minutes after your start, you cannot enter the start area.
Only you can run on your BIB
Wear it on the front, visible for the whole race.
Register online from abroad
Runners living outside Vietnam register on the race website.
Check your kit at the counter
Exchanges are not accepted later.
Still to confirm
Show the three open questions
These details matter to a visiting runner and had not been published for 2026 in a form we could quote. The organiser’s race email is the authority.
| Open question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 2026 start time for each distance | Decides your race-morning plan |
| Kit pickup dates, hours and place | Decides your arrival day |
| Cut-offs for the 10K and 5K | Matters for walkers and families |
Sources
Show sources
Race facts come from the organiser, DHA Vietnam, with the Can Tho Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Travel, weather and planning notes are our own.
- Organiser’s race regulations — cut-offs, start area rules and timing
- Organiser’s race info page — start and finish at Song Hau Park and kit contents
- iRace event page — 2026 date and expected weather
- JustRunLah — 2025 start times
Keep reading
- Vietnam race calendar, Oct 2026 – Jun 2027
- Racing in Vietnam 101: heat, transport and travel insurance
- All race guides
Racing in Vietnam? Ask the community
Our Facebook group is where international runners swap race-week tips, find people to travel with and share their finish photos. English only, no BIB trading.
Vietnam Sports Events is an independent guide for international runners. This page is not produced or endorsed by the organiser or the title sponsor. Details change; the race website is always the authority. Read our disclosure.