When touring Cham Islet, or Cu Lao Cham in the ancient city of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province you are bewitched by splendid landscapes with wonderful sandy beaches, forested hills and the glorious clear, blue sea.
The location is a popular spot for tourists to go camping, swimming and scuba-diving to explore coral reefs and beautiful marine life. However, with a small boat you can take a cruise around the islet and travelers will discover it is enhanced due to its rocky mountain walls.
Cham Islet, 20 kilometres offshore of Hoi An, has been named a global biosphere reserve by UNESCO’s International Coordination Council of Man and the Biosphere Program.
It takes about twenty minutes by boat or canoe but it is worth the short wait as you drift amidst the sky and sea and then as if by magic the islets appear in all their glory.
Cham Islands consists of eight islets with a total surface area of 40,000 hectares. Lao, Dai, Mo, Kho Me, Kho Con, La, Tai and Ong islets are home to only about 3,000 residents leaving the landscapes largely in pristine condition. The islet has 1,549 hectares of tropical forest and nearly 1,000 species of marine life.
The islets are cool and fresh all-year round, so tourists can come there anytime. The immense green of the forests harmonize with the blue of the sea to create an endless green airspace. White sand beaches and peaceful fishing villages make the islet more poetic and fanciful.
Cham Islet’s Huong and Ong beaches are popular options for tourists because of the smooth sand and the small waves. Cham Islet is also home to diverse flora and fauna, especially abalone and sanglaganes, birds which have long been considered a delicacy by aristocrats and the wealthy. The islet also boasts 135 species of coral which are exciting discoveries for tourists.
However, the islet is especially impressive with vertical mountain walls covered by rocks in varied and weird shapes. Small and large waves crash on them and toss white sponges and create interesting sounds. Rocky mounts change their shapes as you travel on your cruising boat. Sometimes the water is clear, sometimes vaporous as it lets travelers indulge into the vastness of this beautiful location.