A cluster of eight small, forested islands off Hoi An, protected as a marine park, with coral reefs, fishing villages and quiet beaches
The Cham Islands rise steeply from the sea east of Hoi An, their hills covered in forest and their shores broken by small sandy coves. Hon Lao, the main island, reaches over 500 metres and has the only settlements: Bai Lang, where boats from the mainland land beside the village market, and the quieter fishing village of Bai Huong further south. The seven smaller islands around it are uninhabited.
Most visitors come on a day trip by speedboat for snorkelling over shallow coral, a seafood lunch and time on the beach, but the islands are also a place to slow down: there are no resorts, and a handful of homestays let visitors stay overnight, walk the coastal road and watch the fishing boats come and go.
The islands lie on old sea routes along the central coast, and Chinese charts mention the anchorage centuries ago. When Hoi An was a busy port, ships used the islands for shelter, fresh water and transshipment. Hai Tang Pagoda on Hon Lao dates from 1753, and a shrine built in 1843 honours the god of the swiftlets whose nests, harvested from cliffs on the islands, have long been a valuable local product.
The islands' reefs and seaweed beds became part of the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park, and UNESCO later recognised the islands together with Hoi An and the Thu Bon estuary as a biosphere reserve. Local rules introduced around 2009 banned single-use plastic bags on the islands, and from June 2026 Da Nang has set a sightseeing fee collected by the reserve's management board.
Most islanders make their living from the sea, through fishing, seaweed and seafood, and increasingly from homestays and small restaurants serving visitors. Life follows the weather: when the north-east monsoon brings rough seas, boats stop running and the islands become cut off. The community enforces the ban on single-use plastic bags and polystyrene, and bags are often collected at the pier, so bring a reusable one.
Day trips leave Cua Dai pier near Hoi An in the morning by speedboat, usually stopping at one or two snorkelling spots before lunch in Bai Lang and an afternoon on a beach. Visitors who stay overnight in a homestay can walk or ride to Bai Huong, swim in quiet coves, visit the pagoda and the swiftlet shrine, and eat seafood caught that morning. Experienced snorkellers and divers can reach better coral around the outer islands with a private boat or a dive operator.
Crossings are most reliable from about March to September, with May to August usually the calmest months. From October to February the north-east monsoon often brings rough seas and same-day cancellations, and many island businesses close in the depth of the wet season.
Checked against the sources on 29 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
Hoi An old town is about 19 kilometres to the west, reached via Cua Dai pier. Da Nang lies further north along the coast, and the Cham ruins of My Son are inland, south-west of Hoi An. Most visitors combine the islands with a stay in Hoi An.
Vietnam · 11 nights4★ HotelVietnam · 7 nights4★ ResortThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 29 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
