This paper examines current approaches to heritage management and conservation of the Cham temple-towers in Vietnam from the perspective of the local Cham communities. This investigation seeks to elucidate certain problems that have arisen in recent years when the core community is excluded from site management plans, and to situate these issues within the growing discourse of “cultural heritage preservation” largely adopted across the country. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the conservation of Cham cultural heritage located along the coastal plains of central and highland Vietnam due to its distinctive architectural tradition, cultural practices, history, religion, and identity. These sites are living heritage, the tangible focus of many cultural practices of the local Cham communities. However, the current heritage management practice regards these sites as “monument” or ‘dead heritage’ that belong to the past, not as the living heritage of the modern Cham communities. The management is placed under the responsibility of government officials and heritage professionals who may not represent ethnic minority views. This practice isolates the minority communities from the heritage sites that they value and increases tensions and fosters mistrust between the local Cham and cultural agencies. The scope of conservation in general has gradually changed from emphasizing the role of heritage professionals to involvement of the local community. This paper argues that fostering a sustainable heritage management practice requires an inclusive strategy that takes into account indigenous Cham voices, notions of tradition, spirituality, and indigenous rights.