Our Cham Islands Day Tour

Full day tour visiting marine park & village of Bai Huong with sightseeing, lunch & coral reef snorkelling

Location

Approximately 9 nautical miles due East offshore from the Hoi An river inlet are seven islands known as Cu Lao Cham (Cham Islands) which are inside the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An.

Itinerary

- Depart by boat from Tara 63 Cua Dai Street by 8 am

- Arrive at Hon Tai Island 10 am for snorkeling until 11 am

- 11.30 am arrive at Bai Huong village for vegan lunch inside a private village home of a Bai Huong Tourism Cooperative member

- Then choose to rest, village walk, swim or snorkel until departure latest 2 pm (depends on weather)

- Return to Hoi An Tara arriving by 5 pm latest. Tour ends

- Itinerary can be shortened on the day to Guests wishes

Voyage time

Passage takes approximately 2 hours each way by our Lifeboat to Bai Huong village. We prefer to use our Norwegian built Lifeboat as it makes a real journey out of the day trip, as an ocean going Lifeboat it is the safest all weather vessel in Hoi An and because it is slow it has the lowest pollution level of all comparable diesel powered vessel.

In mild weather at extra cost speedboat passage is available with a voyage time of 30 minutes. Speedboats tend to slam into waves making a rougher and much less comfortable passage; with increasingly rough weather speedboats are forced to return in rougher weather which comes in daily after 1 pm.

Departure time & place

8 am departure from Tara Co. Ltd. (parent of Karma Waters) at 63 Cua Dai Street we return there by 5 pm (depending on weather).

Registration

Registration with Cu Lao Cham Marine Park Administration (a simple formality) is required to visit Cham Islands with passengers full name & nationality. Passports are not needed.

Things to see & feel

Bai Huong is where our Customers experience people and life in a unspoilt Vietnamese island fishing village. Bai Huong is more matriarchial than patriarchial (evidenced by men making and repairing nets) and with only 500 people it has the feeling of a large family.

The largest island is Hon Lao with two fishing villages; the largest village is Bai Lang (population approx. 2,500) and the smaller and less tourist visited village is Bai Huong (population approx. 500). At Bai Huong fishing village we operate our activities in cooperate with Bai Huong Tourism Cooperative - we are providing Homestay in Bai Huong, a product we developed together with this village.

By approximately 10 am we arrive in Cu Lao Cham off Hon Tai Island for upto 2 hours snorkelling (weather & water conditions permitting).

We depart for Bai Huong village for 11.30 am vegan lunch at a private home owned by aBai Huong Tourism Cooperative member.

After lunch our Customers can take a nap or walk around the community to visit the Pagoda, birds nest temple, five elements temple or sit down to take a rest, have a cup of coffee, watch the fishmen weaving their fishing nets - as well as find other ways of experiencing the culture of this unique island village. There is a good beach in the village so our Customers can continue snorkelling and swimming.

Normally departure from Bai Huong for Tara Co. Ltd. by 2 (depending on weather) and return to Hoi An by latest 5.00 pm.

Snorkelling season

The best season for snorkelling is during the calmer summer months of June through the end of August when ocean sediment is settled and sun light is strongest.

Sometimes April - June there is also reasonable snorkelling if we can get to the islands as the weather can be rough sometimes.

Autumn & Winter (starting 1 September thru April) is normally rough weather with monsoon storms lashing the coast. Rarely we can go to the islands or go snorkelling.

Sometimes there are jelly fish so it is suggested to wear a T-shirt in the water for protection.

Global warming is making even more extreme weather conditions and the season of good weather in Central Vietnam is being significantly reduced!

Guide

English speaking Guide is provided on this tour.

Weather conditions

Sea conditions control our ability to book and operate Cham Island Day Tours ! With increasingly unpredictable weather conditions it is increasingly difficult to predict snorkelling conditions, departure times, etc.

Local sea conditions governed by the shallow river-ocean inlet make passage difficult or impossible during the heavy monsoon season when ocean swells create large breakers across the inlet and inlet is closed to all vessels during sea conditions of Beuford 5 and above.

Therefore passage to Cu Lao Cham is normally possible June to August; rarely possible September to November; sometimes possible during the rest of the year December to May.

In extreme low river water levels customers may have to be dropped off at the river inlet to catch a taxi to their Hoi An hotel (cost approx. US$5). We are unable to make river passage to Tara.

Rate per passenger for 2013

Rate US$90 per passenger*. Minimum 2 persons. Infants free. Children upto 12 years old 50% discount.

Book Now for online payment by PayPal (to "Tara"). For Refunds & Cancellation.

Tour rate includes snorkelling fees for Cu Lao Cham Marine Park Administration.

*NOTE 5% discount for citizens of Denmark or New Zealand!

DANIDA has spent a lot of money, time & effort on helping marine parks in Vietnam and in recognition of the assistance & the fact that we as a business benefit we offer 5% discount to all Danes! Thank you Denmark!

New Zealand Government NZAID grant in 2011 in support of poverty reduction by responsible tourism in Bai Huong. Thank you New Zealand!