Can Hoi An's Cua Dai Beach be saved?

The image shows a lifeguard on Hoi An's Cua Dai Beach. He doesn't have a whole lot of work to do. The beach is all but gone. A different kind of rescue operation is under way here. The heavy equipment is attempting to reverse the impact of erosion that has caused one of Vietnam's most popular beaches to disappear. Vietnam’s coastline is breathtaking in its beauty. I was besotted the first time I set eyes on it crossing the Hai Van Pass between Danang and Hue back in 1990. These days, travellers get a more mixed view. Spectacular coastal vistas abound, but so do examples of the damage that tourism and development are causing to that stunning coastline. This is one of the most prominent cases of poor coastal management. Only a few years ago, Cua Dai was one of Vietnam’s most popular beaches. Each day crowds would descend from the luxury resorts that line the strip and nearby Hoi An town. The beach erosion is not only an environmental disaster, it’s an economic disaster too. Most of Hoi An’s beach traffic is heading north to the once serene An Bang beach. We’ll continue watching the expensive salvage operation - hoping that it succeeds and that lessons are learned by Vietnam's other coastal provinces.