Cham islands
Encyclopedia
The Cham Islands constitute a group of 8 small islands of Quảng Nam, which form a part of the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park
Cu Lao Cham Marine Park
Cu Lao Cham Marine Park also known as Cham Islands Biosphere Reserve is part of the eight islets of Cham Island, located in South China Sea under the administration of Tân Hiệp Commune and Hoi An town, in Quang Nam province, Vietnam...
, a world Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
recognized by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, in South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. The islands are approachable from Cửa Đại beach. The islands are also recognized as Vietnam’s national scenic site.
The islands grouped under the Cham Islands are: the Hòn Lao (Pearl), Hòn Dài (long), Hòn Mồ (tomb), Hòn Khô mẹ, Hòn Khô con (dry), Hòn Lá (leaf), Hòn Tai (ear) and Hòn Ông (east wind). The Cham Islands are under the administration of Tân Hiệp Commune of Hoi An
Hoi An
Hội An , or rarely Faifo, is a city of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is located in Quang Nam province and is home to approximately 120,000 inhabitants...
city in Quang Nam province.
The occupation of the people of the islands is mainly fishing.
Cu Lao Cham Islands' ancient landscape offers many sand beaches, forested hills and the sea. Facilities for camping, swimming and scuba diving are available. The corals and marine life are an attraction in these island waters.
Geography
The agglomeration of the one large island surrounded by seven small islands cover a sea area of 15 square kilometre; located in South China Sea, 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from the coast and 19 kilometres (11.8 mi) to the east of ancient Hoi An town.The largest island, circular in shape, has an area of 1317 hectares (3,254.4 acre) with an average altitude of 500 metres (1,640.4 ft); the two peaks seen on the island are: one a 517 metres (1,696.2 ft) peak in the centre of the island and another 326 metres (1,069.6 ft) peak at the western end. On this largest island, the two fishing villages are Bai Lang with docking piers and the smaller village is called Bai Huong. Bai Chong Beach is the most impressive beach on the island. The islands fall under the administrative jurisdiction of Hoi An
Hoi An
Hội An , or rarely Faifo, is a city of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is located in Quang Nam province and is home to approximately 120,000 inhabitants...
and acts as a defensive wall for the ancient town.
Seafarers were attracted to these ancient islands for favourable anchorage facilities off the Bai Lang village on Hon Lao island where fresh water supply was also located. This is corroborated by early Chinese charts from 700 AD.
The islands are approached by canoeing over three hours journey or by speed boats in about half hour from the nearest coastal shore point.
History
Archaeologists claim that Cu Lao Cham was first settled by Cham people about 3,000 years ago. However, business contacts were established with other countries about 1,000 years ago. The Cham islands were used for transhipment to the mainland by the ChamChampa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
. Many architectural monuments dated to the 18th and 20th century are reported, which include Than Yen Sao shrine built in 1843 at Bai Huong, and Hai Tang Pagodas built in 1753 on the western hillside of Hon Lao. Small monuments, Dikes and basins to grow rice on terraces are also seen in the interior forest areas.
Resources
The rich aquatic resources of the islands consist of 165 hectares (407.7 acre) of coralCoral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
and 500 hectares (1,235.5 acre) of sea weeds. 135 species of coral, four species of tiger shrimp and 84 species of mollusc are also found in the waters surrounding the islands; some of these species are listed in the Vietnam’s and the World’s Red Book of Endangered Species. Medicinal plants have also been inventoried on the islands.
The traditional resources of the Cham people of the islands comprise rice farming, fishing, trading in pepper, cinnamon bark, ivory and wood with neighbouring countries, accessed through the port of Hoi An.
The islands are known for the Salanganes (Swallows) whose nests have been a source of revenue to the local people. These are in demand as a delicacy, favoured by the rich and famous. The popular expensive Chinese dish made out of these nests is the bird's nest soup
Bird's nest soup
Bird's nest soup is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. A few species of swift, the cave swifts, are renowned for building the saliva nests used to produce the unique texture of this soup....
. The nests and nest harvesters can be seen on a clear day on the hills of the islands. Thus, Swallow nest harvesting has become an industry in the islands, which provides important revenue to the state. The annual Swallow harvest is reported to be about 1.4 tons, valued at US$4,000 per kilogram.