Cham Islands near Hoi An

Is the Cham Islands trip worth it?

Yes, if you want a day in the sea: it’s the clearest snorkeling within easy reach of Hoi An, and the boat ride is short. The village, the pagoda and the market are a pleasant extra rather than the reason to go.

Skip it if you get seasick — the speedboat bounces hard on open water — and skip it in the rainy season, when the water turns murky and trips get cancelled. If you only have one day in Hoi An, spend it in the Ancient Town instead.

Want the islands to yourself? Stay the night. After about 15:00 the tour groups leave and Hon Lao goes back to the fishermen.

Cham Islands tour price and entry fees

The fixed charges are official: a 70,000 VND reserve entry fee and a 20,000 VND island sanitation fee. Under a Da Nang People’s Council resolution in force since 10 June 2026, children under 16 and students pay no entry fee, and entry is free for everyone on Tết, 29 March, 26 May and 2 September.

Unofficially, a return speedboat ticket from Cua Dai with both fees comes to about 350,000 VND. Group day tours from Hoi An run about $35–40 and usually include hotel pickup, the boat, fees, snorkel gear and a seafood lunch. A private boat costs more but lets you choose where to stop and for how long.

Bring cash. Visa and Mastercard work in bigger Hoi An hotels and restaurants, but on the island — at the pier, beach cafés and the market — it’s Vietnamese dong in cash. Grab rides to the pier can be paid by a linked foreign card.

Snorkeling at the Cham Islands

Snorkeling is the main reason to come. Most tours make one or two stops with masks off the neighbouring islets, most often Hon Dai (Hòn Dài) and Bai Xep beach. You’ll see soft and hard corals and small reef fish in shallow water, so a life jacket is fine for floating.

Visibility is best from March to August on a calm day. After a storm the water clouds up and a snorkel stop becomes more of a swim. Life jackets are compulsory in the reserve, both on boats and while snorkeling.

If you want to go deeper, Bai Ong beach and the pier sell scuba dives and helmet ‘sea walks’ — unofficially 200,000 to 1,000,000 VND. Check with a doctor first if you have heart or blood-pressure problems.

What to see on Hon Lao

• Bai Ong beach — where most groups land for lunch: loungers, cafés, freshwater showers and boats out to the snorkel spots.
• Bai Lang and Bai Huong — beaches by the fishing villages, quieter, with homestays for an overnight stay.
• Hai Tang Pagoda (Chùa Hải Tạng) — an 18th-century Buddhist temple at the foot of the western hill.
• The old well in Xom Cam — around two centuries old; islanders say its water cures seasickness.
• Tan Hiep market by the pier — dried squid, island herbs and souvenirs, and cheaper food than the beach cafés.
• Eo Gio (Eo Gió) — a windy saddle about 3 km from the village with sea views and a lighthouse; good at sunrise.
• Marine Life Conservation House — a small exhibit on the reserve’s corals and fish.

Cham Islands from Da Nang

There’s no need to base yourself in Hoi An: most Cham Islands tours also pick up from Da Nang hotels, just earlier. Either way you sail from Cua Dai on the Hoi An coast; we found no reliable scheduled boats from central Da Nang.

Expect about an hour’s drive each way, so a Da Nang day trip runs roughly 7:00 to 17:00. If you’d like Hoi An’s lanterns afterwards, ask the tour to drop you in town instead of back at your hotel.

Cham Islands or My Son Sanctuary

Into the sea — go to the Cham Islands. Into history, or the forecast is stormy — choose My Son, which runs all year.

Water and beaches around Hoi An: compare

Every waterside place in Hoi An rated by YesGo. Tap a column header to sort.

How to do it right

• Take the earliest boat: before 10:00 Bai Ong is still quiet and the sea is usually calmer.
• A stormy forecast is a reason to switch days, not to ride it out — give a wet day to My Son instead.
• Purple rock crab (cua đá) is harvested under permit and in season — order it only where that’s clearly stated.
• Staying the night? Homestays in Bai Lang and Bai Huong are basic; book ahead and ask about the last boat back.
• Eat near Tan Hiep market — it’s cheaper than the beach cafés.
• Don’t stand on coral or feed the fish: it’s a reserve rule, and coral cuts feet.

Questions