Pattle Island (Simplified Chinese: 珊瑚岛; Pinyin: Shānhú dǎo; Sino-Vietnamese: San Hô đảo; Vietnamese: Đảo Hoàng Sa) is a coral island belonging to the Crescent Island group of the Paracel Islands. During the period of Vietnamese and French colonial occupation of the islands, Pattle Island was chosen as the main base. 100% of the island was near the mainland, near the center of the archipelago and near many other islands, so it was easier to control than Woody Island, the largest of the Paracels.