Cham Island Tour Snorkelen - Zonnebaden - Mooi strand - Speedboot

My partner and I booked this boat tour expecting a relaxing and well-guided day, but it turned out to be one of the most disorganized experiences we've had while traveling. The chaos started right away: I was contacted by three different WhatsApp numbers, each giving me conflicting instructions about our pickup. One said we’d be picked up by a bus, another mentioned a taxi, and in the end, it was a taxi, thankfully, the driver was very kind, which was one of the few positives of the day. Once we arrived at the harbor, we were separated from the group and left waiting a long time without any clear communication. No one could properly explain in English what was happening or what we were supposed to do. Eventually, we were brought to a boat, and after more than an hour of waiting, we finally reached the island. As expected, it was very crowded – but that part we had anticipated. The two "sightseeing" stops were a complete disappointment. First, we visited an old water well that honestly wasn’t worth the stop, and then we were brought to a so-called museum that consisted of 20 identical jars with the same dead fish in each. Nothing educational, nothing interesting. Next, we were dropped off at a commercial restaurant where we had to wait yet again before snorkeling. Only at this point were we told that if we wanted to actually see the coral properly, we would each need to pay an extra 1,000,000 VND – almost the same price as the whole tour! This should have been mentioned clearly beforehand. The snorkeling was okay, but we barely saw anything worth mentioning. The lunch was surprisingly good, but although we were told water was included, we didn’t receive any and were later charged for our drinks. The last part of the day was three hours of free time on the beach – which was nice, but honestly something we could have easily done on our own without paying for a full tour. The return trip went smoothly – mostly because we were suddenly allowed to join another group, which made things more efficient. But by that point, the day had already been a letdown. This company markets the tour as a “budget” option, but €70 for two people in Vietnam is far from cheap, and this tour definitely wasn’t worth it. Poor organization, zero communication, and a lot of waiting around – we wouldn’t recommend it.

I had high hopes for the Cham Islands tour, expecting a relaxing day of snorkeling and cultural exploration, but it was a major letdown. The snorkeling, which was the main draw, lasted a mere 45 minutes with terrible visibility due to the sheer number of tourists in the water. We barely saw any sea life, which was incredibly disappointing for a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The rest of the trip felt like a tourist trap. Time on Cham Island was spent being herded toward shops pushing souvenirs, with little to no insight into the island’s culture or history. Lunch was a bland, shared meal for three that lacked any local flavor. To top it off, we were seated next to a group with rude behavior—spitting, snorting, and coughing—which made the experience even less enjoyable. Overall, this felt chaotic and like a waste of time. I’d recommend skipping this or opting for a private, eco-focused tour to avoid the crowds and get a more authentic experience.

What could have been a great day was poorly run, tour guide was pushy and didn’t seem to Care at all. Then to push for a tip at the end that topped it off. Would not recommend this tour to anyone, find another company