South China Sea

East of the southern Vietnamese coast, the South China Sea opens toward the scattered reefs and islands of the Spratlys. This expanse formed part of the maritime world linking ports of Southeast Asia with China. Sailing ships depended on the monsoon cycle: winds from the northeast prevailed in the cooler season, while the southwest monsoon brought a different pattern in summer. Knowledge of reefs, winds and currents mattered far from the shelter of land.