A quick guide to Cu Lao Cham Island, Quang Nam

Cham Islands consists of eight small islands off the coast of Hoi An, one of which is a recognized UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Cu Lao Cham Marine Park attracts travelers looking to enjoy a day of scuba diving and snorkeling, while on Hon Lao Island you can find fishing villages and pristine beaches that are great for sunbathing and water sports.

An untouched paradise for adventurers

What appeals to tourists in Cham Island is its wide variety of leisure activities in a picturesque and pristine setting. Traditional forms of recreation range from swimming on crystal-clear beaches, sunbathing on long-stretching white-sandy coast to exploring the forest.

For those who are interested in marine life exploration activities, there are available facilities for water sports such as swimming, water skiing, paragliding, kayaking, kite flying, boat racing and scuba diving. This kingdom of aquatic animals is a collection of marine algae, sea grass, sea creatures and especially coral reefs. Tourists are expected to encounter a beautiful marine world with an abundance of colorful fishes, lobsters, mollusks under the clear water-surface.

How to get there

Interested tourists can book a tour from Hoi An, which departs daily in the morning to the island. The tour usually includes guide, transportation and a decent meal on the island.

If you want to explore the island on your own, take a taxi to Bach Dang pier. Boats usually depart at 7:30 AM and fare is $2 per person. Make sure you sit on the second level for the best view on the way to Cham Island.

Best time to go 

The best time to visit Cham Islands is from March until September, due to the sunny weather and great water conditions. If you are planning to dive or snorkel during your visit, you should visit there between June and August. There are plenty of dive centres and tour companies offering day trips to Cu Lao Cham Marine Park, where you can find a variety of colourful corals and marine life.

The Cham Islands are inaccessible during the monsoon period, which takes place between October and February. The islands experience strong winds and waves that make traveling dangerous so there are no trips available at this time of the year.

What to see

The most popular things to do on Cham Islands around the beach such as swimming, sunbathing, and enjoying water sports. The most popular beaches are situated on an islet called Hon Lao, these are Bai Cong Beach, Bai Ong Beach, Bai Bac Beach, and Bai Xep.

Located 2 km south of the main jetty, Bai Cong mainly caters to tourists and here you can find a spacious beachfront bedecked with sunbeds and parasols. There is also plenty of shops that offer equipment rentals for kayaking, jet skiing, and snorkeling.

Travelers can also enjoy a day of diving at Cu Lao Cham Marine Park, especially if they are travelling to Cham Islands between June and August. Home to a thriving coral reef system and marine life, this marine park is a popular spot amongst diving enthusiasts. You can either join a day trip that is organized by tour companies in Hoi An or engage the services of a local diving centre on Hon Lao Island.

See more: A day to experience the glorious Hoi An

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The interesting facts you might not know about Brunei

The Sultanate of Brunei is a very small Southeast Asian country located in the island of Borneo. It shares a border with Malaysia, and is a few hours’ drive from Miri and Limbang in the Malaysian State of Sarawak. The capital of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, is about 228 kilometres away from Kota Kinabalu, roughly 6 hours by land.

Brunei is not popular to tourists.

The first reason is that it is well and truly off the beaten track. Brunei does not get many tourists. Brunei has the oldest ruling Islamic monarchy in Southeast Asia. This is reflected in the number of mosques around the country. A trip to this small Sultanate should be on the list of any enthusiastic traveller.

Brunei gives you an immersive cultural experience.

Because you are able to explore Brunei at a leisurely pace, your cultural experience is more authentic. The economy is not dependent on the tourism industry, so the attractions exist to preserve culture and tradition. There are no massive integrated tourist traps that attempt to attract and milk money from foreign visitors. You get to experience the country’s traditional culture by observing the locals, dining at a local eatery, or visiting mosques and museums at your own pace. Unlike other cities in Asia, you do not have to travel to a remote village to experience Brunei’s culture as well.

Brunei is supremely safe and clean.

Brunei is an amazing destination hardwired for solo travelers and for those traveling abroad for the first time. Not only does it exude a peaceful charm, but it is supremely safe as well, making it the perfect destination for folks traveling solo. As a matter of fact, the crime rate in Brunei is so low that you can explore its capital freely, even solo at night. What’s more, the consumption of alcohol is illegal for Muslims and strictly restricted for non-Muslims, meaning you’re less likely to bump into drunken people behaving disorderly in Brunei.

You do not need to keep paying.

Oil made the Sultan and Brunei rich. Tourists do not need to keep paying entrance fees. Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, and the Royal Regalia Museum are all free.

People treat you well.

The people in Brunei were nice and showed us great hospitality. This includes not only the local Bruneians but also the migrant workers from Indonesia. You will be treated with the utmost level of respect.

Read more: Visit the most stunning mosques in Brunei

Food is awesome in Brunei .

The food in Brunei is a mix of Indian, Malaysia, Singaporean, Chinese, and Indonesian cuisines. Must-try foods during your visit are nasi goreng, ayam penyet, roti, kolo mee, chicken laksa meehoon, nasi katok, rending, and assam pedas.

Brunei has an emerging food scene so you will not have a problem finding good halal or non-halal restaurants and eateries.

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The reasons to visit Phu Quy island, Binh Thuan

Phu Quy island is about 120 km far from Phan Thiet city. Since most of visitors are impressed with the island’s wild and unharmed beauty, it is becoming a famous destination for travelers, especially young backpackers.

Friendly people

In reality, there are not many tourist destinations in which people happily welcome you as in Phu Quy Island. You will quickly realize it when entering the territory of this island. Many tourists who have visited Phu Quy island comment that local people here are very kind and enthusiastic, they can bring to you the peace of mind and lots of laughter. Thus, you should not be surprised if being invited to enter the house of locals for a drink and sharing interesting stories on the island.

Not so crowded beaches

Due to the difficulty in transportation, there are not many people visited this place. Only recently tourist has started to take an interest in this place. Usually, large crowds in the beaches kill the spirit of privacy and spoil the frolic activities. People litter around the beaches and destroy its beauty, due to the less number of people present you can enjoy the beaches peacefully without any unwanted interruption.

The chance to enjoy king crab with “dirty cheap” price

Visiting an island, you cannot miss enjoying seafood there. When it comes to Phu Quy Island, there is no other seafood surpassing this one: King crabs. Unlike other ordinary crabs, this type of crab is tremendous and plump, about 500g-1kg each one. When looking glance, it is like a giant spider, with bristling fur.

Due to the rarity and nutritional content of this crab, so since the ancient time, King crab have been chosen to offer to the king. Therefore, go to Phu Quy island, you will have an opportunity to enjoy this delicious specialty, which is still alive, at the prices ranging from 350,000-400,000 VND / 1kg.

Witness the landscape from the largest lighthouse in Vietnam

Your visit to the Phu Quy Island does not come to an end unless and until you rent a boat for visiting the islets located around the island.

On the top of the Nui Cam Mountain, located the largest lighthouse in Vietnam. You can almost see everything from the top of it, thanks to the relatively flat topography of the island.

Admire the largest whale skeleton in Vietnam

Phu Quy has nearly 30 cultural relics with various types of faiths. However, the most notable is Van An Thanh in Trieu Duong village, Tam Thanh Commune, built in 1781 and being a whale museum on the island. According to the legend of locals, the whales, also known as “Cá Ông”, had many times saved local fishermen and vessels from distress at sea.

Many fishermen here who had ever been saved by Ca Ong still alive, and most people on the island are very respectful the whale. Thus, when the whale died or pushed into seashore, people here hold a solemn funeral, and there is a festival of welcoming Ca Ong annually in Phu Quy Island. You can also visit the Ong Hai Nam gallery to see the whale skeleton of nearly 20 meters in length. This is one of the largest whale skeletons in Vietnam.

Read more: Discover the attractive destinations in Binh Thuan

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