Rough days seem over for Hoi An's top tourist beach

Severe erosion had threatened to wash Cua Dai Beach away, but now it is hoping to reclaim its position as one of the most beautiful in Asia.

Deckchairs have returned to Cua Dai's sandy beach, and so have the tourists, who are once again enjoying the temperate climate and warm water.

Cua Dai has been considered one of the most beautiful beaches in central and southern Vietnam, and in 2015, TripAdvisor users voted it the 18th greatest beach in Asia.

But that was before it started to get swept away.

Strong waves demolished a concrete embankment in October 2014 and ate into nearly 200 meters of the beach along three kilometers of coastline. Scientists blamed the erosion on upstream hydropower plants that had robbed the beach of its sand.

Local authorities have spent around VND70 billion ($3.08 million) building a new embankment, installing iron pilings and pumping sand into the area to revive Cua Dai, which they view as a valuable tourism resource for Hoi An.

Sacks of sand used to stop the waves remain on the beach, many of which are now covered in moss.

Tourists continued to visit the beach in recent years, but for many it was for a sense of nostalgia, and all they could see was fierce waves crashing onto the shore and threatening to breach hotels and restaurants.

The owner of a beachside restaurant said business has started to pick up, but not all tourists are aware that the beach is returning to its former glory, and some are taken by surprise by the rejuvenated seafront.