Cham Islands

Cham Islands, Vietnam

A wide sunrise view of the Chàm Islands from a wooden boat deck, with morning light catching the forested hills.

Eight small islands off Hội An, with forested hills, quiet beaches and a marine park that rewards snorkellers in summer.

The place

The Chàm Islands, known in Vietnamese as cù lao Chàm, form a cluster of eight small islands in the South China Sea. They belong administratively to the city of Da Nang, although the usual departure point is Cửa Đại beach near Hội An, roughly sixteen kilometres away. The largest island, Hòn Lao, is almost round and rises to a central peak of about 517 metres, so most of the group is steep, forested land rather than flat sand. Smaller islets such as Hòn Dài, Hòn Mồ and Hòn Ông lie around it. The whole group is part of the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park, which UNESCO recognises as a biosphere reserve, and it is also a national scenic site. Expect a landscape of sandy coves tucked between granite hills, with patches of natural forest covering roughly a quarter of the main island. Wild monkeys live in those trees and come near the paths, so food is best kept packed away. Life here still centres on fishing. The two villages, the larger Bãi Làng and the smaller Bãi Hương, feel like working fishing communities rather than resorts. Much of the appeal lies underwater: the protected waters hold corals and reef fish, and some zones allow snorkelling only with a permit. Visitors who come for a day or stay in a simple homestay usually find the pace slow and the facilities basic. Water, sun protection and cash are worth carrying.

Its story

The Chàm Islands have a long record of use. Archaeologists suggest that Cham people first settled here about 3,000 years ago, and that trading contacts with other countries had formed roughly 1,000 years ago. The islands served as a transfer point, where cargo was moved between boats and the mainland, which made them a useful stop for coastal traders. Later builders left religious monuments behind. The Thần Yến Sào shrine, built in 1843 at Bãi Hương, is among the most visible, and the Hải Tạng pagoda, put up in 1753 on the western slope of Hòn Lao, still overlooks the sea. Small walls, dykes and basins for terrace rice growing survive in the forested interior, a reminder that people once farmed land that now looks wild. The bedrock belongs to a granite mass along this stretch of coast, linked to the Hải Vân complex of the early Triassic period and made mostly of biotite and two-mica granites. Over the centuries the group moved from a trading stop to a fishing community. Today its administration sits within Da Nang, and the monuments and the marine park are the main reminders of the islands' older roles.

What to see

Culture

Life on the Chàm Islands runs on fishing, and the two villages are working communities before they are places for visitors. Bãi Làng, the larger village, has a handful of restaurants and a busy waterfront, while Bãi Hương is quieter, with only a few small coffee shops and the old Thần Yến Sào shrine. Religion is visible in the shrines and the Hải Tạng pagoda, which are places of worship and not stage sets. Fishing boats and nets belong to people earning a living, so ask before photographing anyone at work. Wild monkeys visit the forest edges and should be left alone. Visitors are also expected to respect the marine park, staying out of protected zones without a permit and keeping noise down in the villages in the evening. When you enter a shrine or pagoda, take off your shoes at the step, dress modestly and speak quietly.

What to wear

Island-specific records of dress are thin, so this account stays general. Cham communities in central Vietnam are known for their own weaving and embroidery traditions, using cotton and silk, and older women's clothing on the mainland has traditionally included long wrapped skirts and loose blouses. Such garments are rarely worn on the islands day to day, and any traditional outfits seen there are more likely to be ceremonial than ordinary. What people wear now is practical: T-shirts, shorts or long trousers, rubber sandals and wide-brimmed hats. Fishing families dress for boats and sun. Visitors should dress for heat and strong sun. Lightweight, quick-drying clothes with long sleeves help against sunburn and against jellyfish, and a T-shirt for swimming is sensible. Covering shoulders and knees is wise at the pagoda and shrine, and a light sarong or shawl is easy to carry for that purpose. For rocky landings and the village road, sturdy sandals or reef shoes work better than flip-flops.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. June to August, when the sea is almost always calm enough for boats and the snorkelling is at its best. From September to December the north-east monsoon brings breaking swells that make the islands nearly unreachable, and January to May is only sometimes possible. Mornings are calmer than afternoons, and summer squalls often build in late afternoon.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Fly into Da Nang, then travel to Cửa Đại beach near Hội An. Boats leave from Hội An's public pier or from Cửa Đại. The slow wooden ferry takes longer than the speedboat, and it does not run in rough weather.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources