The Cham Islands are a small cluster of eight islands off the coast of Central Vietnam near Da Nang and Hoi An. These islands are like a little slice of paradise and have completely stolen my heart.
They are home to some incredible pieces of paradise with turquoise waters and white sand beaches. They’re also not as touristy as Da Nang or Hoi An (especially outside the day tour hours).
I’ve visited Cham Islands twice: once on a tour and once overnight. Here’s everything you need to know to visit Cham Islands from Da Nang or Hoi An.
Brief Introduction To Cham Islands Vietnam
Most people traveling to Vietnam haven’t heard of Cham Islands, and they are not as popular as other attractions in the area, like Ba Na Hills, but that just makes them more special. Here’s a little information about the beautiful islands before you begin planning your trip:
Where are the islands located?
Google Maps Pin For The Ferry To Cham Islands | Speed Boat Travel Time: 20-30 minutes
The Cham Islands are located in central Vietnam, approximately 11 miles (18 km) off the coast of Hoi An, Quang Nam Province. You can take the public ferry from Hoi An, which carries cargo and motorbikes, join a tour, or take a private speedboat.
Hòn Lao (Pearl) is the only inhabited island in the Cham Islands group. It is where the ferry takes you and where any tour begins. It’s a small island with a small village, a handful of beautiful temples, and a great community.
What makes the islands so special?
Cham Islands, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, are among Central Vietnam’s best places to visit. They are connected to the Cham People, the same civilization you’ll find at My Son Ruins.
The main reason to visit is the Cham Island beaches. I spent much of my childhood and portions of my adult life in Hawaii, and I was blown away by how beautiful the beaches were there.
The water is cool and crisp (perfect if you’re visiting during summer), the sand is smooth and soft, and the waters are almost always calm.
It’s also a very cultural place, with temples and local markets scattered around the island. Even though there are daily tours, the island is way less chaotic than Hoi An and other beach destinations, so it feels more like an oasis.
Day trip vs. overnight trip to Cham Islands
I’ve done both a Cham Islands tour on a day trip and stayed overnight. Both experiences were great, so it comes down to personal preference. A day tour is perfect if you’re short on time and don’t want to stay the night. But if you have the time, you should get a guesthouse on the island and enjoy the isolation.
Pros and cons of joining a Cham Island tour
Pros of a Cham Island Tour:
- You don’t need to plan anything
- You get to visit the main island and some of the other uninhabited islands
- Includes meals and equipment
- You’ll learn a lot about the history and culture
- You only need one day, with transportation taken care of
Cons of a Cham Island Tour:
- You only get one day
- You’ll visit the island during the busiest time when other tours are there
- You will only get 1-2 hours on the main island
- There’s not much flexibility in the itinerary
- You won’t get to explore the island on your own for long
Pros and cons of visiting on your own for an overnight trip
Pros of visiting on your own:
- You can explore the island in the early morning and evenings when few people are around
- You get to visit more of the beaches and temples on your own
- You can catch a beautiful sunset and/or sunrise (one of the best places for sunset and sunrise in the region)
- You can rent a motorbike and explore some more untouched parts of the island
- You get more time to chat with locals and learn about the history
- You have ultimate flexibility and freedom
- It’ll feel more authentic and less controlled
Cons of visiting on your own:
- You’ll need to plan for it in your Vietnam itinerary, most people don’t make the time for Cham Islands for more than one day
- There’s a little more planning that goes into it
- You should be comfortable renting and driving a motorbike on the island
- It’s a bit more expensive to stay overnight on your own vs. a day trip
How To Get To Cham Islands (From Da Nang or Hoi An)
Here’s a brief rundown on how exactly to get to Cham Islands from Da Nang or Hoi An:
Speedboat to Cham Islands
Speedboat Ferry To Cham Islands: Google Maps Pin
Distance from Da Nang: 24.5 miles (40 km) | Distance from Hoi An: 5.5 miles (9 km)
The ferry to Cu Lao Cham (Cham Island) is just outside Hoi An, past Cua Dai Beach, and takes 20 minutes each way. The speedboat terminal is right before the public ferry terminal, near the lighthouse.
When we went by private speedboat, we paid 450,000 VND ($17.25 USD) for a round-trip ticket. This includes the entrance fee to the island (Cham Islands UNESCO Biosphere Reserve). There’s a parking lot if you’d like to park your motorbike.
Here’s the speedboat schedule from Cua Dai Port to Cham Islands as of 2025:
- 8:00 AM
- 9:00 AM
- 9:30 AM
- 1:30 PM
- 2:00 PM
When you book your round-trip ticket at Cua Dai Port, they’ll ask you to confirm your return day/time. When we were there, there were only two return ferries from Cham Island to Cua Dai Port: 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM. Make sure you double-check all arrival and departure times when you buy your ticket, because the schedule might change often.
Public ferry to Cham Islands
The public ferry leaves just behind the speedboat port but has a much more limited schedule:
- Cua Dai Port to Cham Islands: 9:00 AM
- Cham Islands to Cua Dai Port: 11:30 AM
One advantage of taking the public ferry is that you can bring your motorbike on it, so if you’re already renting one in Da Nang or Hoi An, you can bring it along. However, I wouldn’t really recommend it. When you factor in the cost of the ticket, the cost to bring your motorbike over, and the conservation fee, it comes out to around the same price as the speedboat and takes twice as long.
We tried to take the public ferry from Cua Dai Port, but the lady who worked at one of the speedboat companies tricked us into thinking it wasn’t running that day (we later found out that it was), so beware of that.
Guided tour to Cham Islands
The first time I visited Cham Islands, it was with a guided tour, and I thought it was a very well-organized and fun experience. You won’t have to navigate to the port, book speedboat tickets, or plan anything else.
I recommend this Snorkeling Cham Island by Speedboat From Hoi An/Da Nang. The tour includes round-trip transportation from your accommodation, the speedboat tickets, lunch, a short tour around the island, and plenty of time for snorkeling and relaxing on the beach.
What To Do On Cham Islands (When Visiting Independently)
If you’re traveling on your own and staying the night (NOT on a guided tour), here’s a brief rundown on what you can do on the island:
Enjoy the beaches
My favorite thing about Cham Island is its incredible beaches, so make sure you have plenty of time to enjoy them.
Here are some of the best beaches with Google Map locations so you can pin them easily:
- Bai Lang
- Stone Giant Beach (Ray Ong Bang Coffee and Food is just opposite this beach, and our favorite restaurant)
- Bai Xep (my favorite beach for sunset on Cham Island)
- Bai Bim
- Bai Ong Beach (my personal favorite, but costs 20,000 VND to enter because it’s on private land)
The beaches are rarely busy, especially in the mornings and afternoons, after the tours have left. Bai Ong Beach was the most beautiful beach, but because it was on private property, it cost 20,000 VND (0.75 USD) to enter.
Go snorkeling
Where there are beaches, there’s snorkeling. Stone Giant Beach, listed above, is one of the best snorkeling spots. You’ll just have to swim a little away from the beach on either the right or left side.
I snorkeled on our Cham Islands tour, and the water was super murky just off the island. So, I wouldn’t say it’s world-class snorkeling, but it’s still fun.
Ride a motorbike around the island
The island is tiny but fairly hilly and has some incredible viewpoints. We rented a motorbike on our first day there and drove around the island.
Some roads were blocked off or closed, so you can’t make a perfect loop, but you can explore different corners and smaller villages away from the pier.
There are lots of monkeys, so be cautious while driving and make lots of stops for photos.
When driving around the island, also drive to Bai Huong. This small village is on the other end of the town and has a small handful of cafes, homestays, and temples.
Visit the museum
Near Bến tàu Cù lao Chàm (the marina on Cu Lao Cham), there’s a small museum called Cham Museum. While we were there, most of it was under construction, but one room was open and dedicated to the conservation of marine life.
The museum has many marine samples in glass cases, including sharks, eels, and stingrays. Some of them were cool, some were a little creepy, but they were still worth walking through.
Just outside the museum, there’s the Giếng Chăm cổ (Old Cham Well), which is also worth checking out. The ancient well is sacred; many people believe it brings good luck, health, and fertility.
Explore some of the temples
Some really interesting temples on Cu Lao Cham are worth visiting and exploring.
Most are small, with few people around, so you don’t need much time. Here’s a list of a few we stopped at with their Google Maps link so you can pin them for your visit:
- Chùa Hải Tạng (beautiful pagoda that’s well maintained)
- Miếu Bà Mụ (really old temple, not well maintained but beautiful nonetheless)
- Tịnh xá Ngọc Hương (beautiful Buddhist temple on the other side of the island)
There are a few others, so if you pass them, make sure to walk through them. Some of them aren’t even listed on maps yet.
What To Do On Cham Islands (When Joining a Tour)
The itinerary and plans are already mapped out if you’re joining one of the Cham Island tours. Here’s what you can expect from most tours:
Short tour of the main island
You’ll first head to Cham Village on the inhabited island and explore the island. Our tour was a group walking tour through the village, where we visited one of the temples, walked through the market, and went to the museum and sacred well together.
Our tour allowed us to join the walking tour or go off alone for an hour. My friend and I decided to hire a motorbike driver (50,000 VND each plus tip) who took us to further temples, viewpoints, and several beaches.
Snorkeling
After a tour of the island, you’ll head back to the pier and on the boat, then go to a secluded snorkeling spot. You’ll have about an hour to snorkel or relax on the boat.
The snorkeling wasn’t the best here (because of visibility), but it was still fun.
Lunch and relaxation time on a secluded beach
After snorkeling, you’ll return to the boat and go to a secluded island/beach. On the beach, you’ll have a lunch buffet (which was surprisingly good) and free time to explore the beach, swim, and lie in the sun.
This was a highlight of the trip for me. The water was nice here, the beach was long enough for a short walk, and there were plenty of places to relax in the sun or the shade.
There were also a lot of monkeys (not aggressive) on the island, hanging around the dining area, and they were fun to watch.
Should You Visit Cham Islands on a Tour or on Your Own?
I’ve done both, and both are enjoyable experiences.
You should visit Cham Islands on your own if you can, though. You’ll need a little more time for your Central Vietnam/Hoi An/Da Nang itinerary, but it’s worth it. It’s one of the best short trips in the area, and it’s so fun to explore by motorbike.
If you’re short on time or overwhelmed by the idea of visiting by yourself, a guided tour is the way to go. The one we went on was very well planned and fun.
They are two very different experiences, both of which are great.
Where To Stay On Cham Islands For An Overnight Trip
There are a handful of homestays and guesthouses on Cham Island; most are also very budget-friendly. Here are a few recommendations:
- Tuan Thanh Homestay: This is where we stayed and loved it. It’s just a 5-minute walk from the pier, right in the village, and a short walk from the nearest beach. The family who runs the homestay is lovely, too. The rooms are basic, but the views overlooking the pier and the ocean are incredible.
- Homestay Vân Đức Cù Lao Chàm: Another popular, family-run homestay right in town.
- Chàm’s Corner Lookout Homestay & Restaurant: This popular, newly renovated, family-run homestay is in a good location. It has stunning views overlooking the water (great for sunset) and good food.
There are plenty of homestays to meet the demand, but make sure you book at least a few days in advance, especially during the busy season in Hoi An.
Things To Know Before Visiting Cham Islands
If you’re visiting Cham Islands, there are a few more things to know and prepare for:
The private boat operators can be aggressive
The first time we went there by ourselves, we planned to take our motorbike using the public ferry, but the lady working at the speedboat company told us it was closed, and we had to take the speedboat. We found out later (from our guesthouse owner) that the public ferry was still operating as usual.
The employees selling tickets for the speedboat can be aggressive, and you might have to haggle because I’ve heard a wide range of prices. In 2025, we paid 450,000 VND ($17.25 USD) per round-trip ticket.
It’s an isolated island
If you’re staying the night, you must understand that it’s a small island with two small fishing villages. There are a few small convenience stores, a handful of guesthouses and homestays, and other small shops. But it’s not like a city; there isn’t too much over here, so don’t expect to find a Walmart, Lotte Mart, or anything on the island, and prepare accordingly.
There are restricted military zones on the island
There are a few roads with restricted access on the island. These are a bit further from the main Cham Village but are hard to miss. There’s always a security guard standing guard who will happily point you in the direction you can go.
On a similar note, when we were there, you couldn’t drive around the entire island or the lighthouse because the roads were closed. Some landslides closed down the roads.
It’s still worth driving as far as you can because many of these roads gain elevation and have beautiful views overlooking the island and the ocean, but just be wary of some roads.
There are entry fees and ecological fees
As of 2025, the entrance fee to the island is 70,000 VND ($2.70 USD) per person, and the ecological fee is 20,000 VND (0.75 USD). The fees are there to help protect the Cham Islands UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
No plastic bags
There are supposed to be no plastic bags on Cham Islands, and you shouldn’t bring any on the island, either. Conservation is very important here, so pick up ALL your trash and don’t leave anything behind.
Bring enough cash
There are no ATMs, and cash is king here, so you must bring plenty before arriving. You shouldn’t need too much money if you’re traveling alone, and you’ll need even less if you’re joining a tour because everything is included.
My Thoughts On Visiting Cham Islands
Honestly, Cham Island is one of my favorite places in Vietnam (and that says a lot, because I love so many places in Vietnam).
The Cham Island beaches are some of the best in the world, and the people there are so friendly and welcoming to tourists. It feels so isolated from the rest of the world.
It’s the perfect escape from Da Nang or Hoi An. I highly recommend visiting on a day trip or for a few days.
Would you visit Cham Islands? If you’ve been there, feel free to share in the comments or ask any questions if you’re planning a trip!
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