cham island vietnam
The Cham Islands aren’t just about diving. The lure of some of the most unspoilt islands in Vietnam and the chance to camp out under the stars on an incredible stretch of beach has made the islands the perfect escape between tailor fittings.
The marine-protected Cham Islands are located a 20 kilometre boat ride from Cua Dai harbour and are run by the military. Getting out to them in the wet season (October to February) is almost impossible as the seas become too dangerous to navigate, but in the dry the coral reef surrounding them become a micro-diver’s paradise, with 20-plus metre visibility from June till the end of August making it a great option for snorkelling too.
You don’t have to look hard to find a rainbow of tropical sea-life lurking among the hard and soft corals, with lion, angel, scorpion and parrot fish, anemones, sea cucumbers and my favourite, Christmas trees — no idea what they actually are, but I spent rather a lot of time clicking my fingers to make their sparkling fonds retreat from the sound vibrations, completely missing the moray eel my dive instructor was pointing out. If you are into underwater photography, this is the place to do it.
There are several different ways to get to Hon Lao (the main island) and a few options for staying over should you wish. The two PADI dive centres in town, Blue Coral and Cham Island Divers, are your best options for diving, snorkelling and overnight camping. Both offer safe and professional instruction and well maintained kit. There is a whole fleet of locally-run speed boats that you can book at any tour office or hotel reception in town, but be warned these boats get hugely overloaded with Vietnamese who don’t travel well (I was once treated to a durian projectile vomit shower) and can be quite dangerous. If you have your heart set on a James Bond-style arrival you’d be better off spending the extra on a private speedboat through either Cham Island Divers or one of the upmarket resorts.
Your third option is to go local and hop on the daily supply ferry – 08:30 Cua Dai Harbour, 100,000 VND per person which takes you to the main village harbour on Hon Lao. You need to buy a visitors permit which costs 30,000 VND at Cua Dai harbour before getting on the boat. It takes about two hours and returns from Hon Lao harbour at 12:00, so is only really an option if you plan to stay over. It’s an interesting experience which you get to share with livestock, the odd army recruit and if you’re lucky, a few friendly islanders returning home.
If you do plan to spend a few days here, avoid weekends and public holidays when the beaches fill with Vietnamese tour groups singing karaoke and knocking back obscene amounts of booze. During the week the beaches are almost deserted, making it feel like your very own private hideaway.
Several very basic guesthouses are on the island, with the best by far being the relatively new Cham Island Guest House. Rooms are large and breezy which is important as there is no power from 22:00 till 06:00 anywhere on the island. The guesthouse has a large kitchen, which the family are more than happy to share with guests. Another option is Homestay Bai Huong, nine small family homes with basic Western-standard facilities set up last year to help the fishing villagers with a more sustainable income. It’s a chance to really experience island life and become one of the family, who encourage visitors to join them in daily activities like cooking, fishing and football on the beach with the kids at sunset.
