Cham Island

The Cham islands are a small group of Islands that was gifted from the Cham people to the Central Vietnamese people in the 18th Century. Story goes, a King from the Cham Dynasty wished to marry a princess from Vietnam, and the "gift" to her family was to give this area in the Central region to the Vietnamese people. Today there still lives 3000 Vietnamese natives on the largest of the 7 Islands. The Island is still remote and primitive, having just received electrical power 2 years ago. Prior to that, it was still powered by generators. On the Island exists a Buddhist Temple and a school for children. Mainly the inhabitants of the Island make a living through either fishing or, now, tourism. Children who grow up on the Island after school will relocate to the mainland where opportunities thrive to exist. Ultimately this conundrum, will leave the inhabitants to become less and less, yet the future of this resilient group will be bright. One smaller Island close by is known for having swallow birds nest to give birth to their young. The nest are made from the saliva of the swallow bird. This "birds nest" is a rare delicacy of certain parts of East Asia. Approximately 1 kg of "birds nest" can sell for $5000.00 USD. Maybe someday.