China Beach was merely the backdrop for a hit TV show. Nowadays, hawkers sell seashells and stalls grill up local delicacies for a new invading force apart from the pass: foreign tourists. This is healthy tidings for China Beach. After decades of confusing infamy, it’s finally gaining acclaim for what it has always been, even when nobody noticed: A beach, one of the finest in Asia. Restitution for the white sands blanketing a breathtaking bay outside Danang, in central Vietnam, started a few years ago, when renegade surfers held a competition in the choppy waves of China Beach.

With around 2,000 miles of coastline, Vietnam is luckily endowed with a number of white sand and beautiful beaches. The best ones are in the southern part of the country where the sun shines almost year round. With a long, sandy coastline, and with clusters of palm fringed islands, those beaches can boast to suit any preference and for any time of year. Also several nice beaches in the north near Hanoi, but the period most suitable for swimming is limited from May to July or August due to weather conditions.