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Text by Liu Yudan Photos by Liu Chi
 
 
Hainan Island is China's tropical playground. World-class beaches, five-star hotels, superb golf courses, fabulous food and a fascinating culture make it one of China's most desirable locations.
Sightseeing in Hainan
Tianyahaijiao Tianyahaijiao, meaning the end of the earth, is a place to which ancient emperors exiled treacherous ministers. Sparsely-populated, desolate and with no possible route of escape, people who came here could only stare out the vast impenetrable ocean in front of them.
Now, it has become a famous tourist attraction with blue, vast mist-covered water, white drifting sails and coconut trees.
The four huge rocks engraved separately with tianya, haijiao, nantianyizhu and hainannantian add to the ancient feel and charm of the place.
Yalong Bay Located 25 kilometers east of Sanya, Yalong Bay is eulogized as one of the worlds most perfectly formed bays. Boasting its Central Plaza, Seashell Museum and Butterfly Valley it doesn't come far off.
The Central Plaza ----The Central Plaza is a nice demonstration of mysterious oriental civilization in ancient times. The biggest pull is the large-scale environmental art work-the Totem Sculptures. With 27 meter high pillar as the center, the magnificent sculpture symbolizes the primeval worship of Chinese people for peace, harvest and affluence. The colorful fountains around the edges of the plaza complement it well.
The Seashell Exhibition Centre----Many visitors are fascinated by the multi colored corals, beautiful shells and abundant marine life the centre displays. Here in the sea village specimens from the world's four greatest oceans come together to form a marine garden of awesome beauty.
The Butterfly Valley----China's most dense collection of butterfly species. China's rarest butterfly species are abundant. The Juan Die (like a young girl) and Peking Papilio (praised as the queen of butterflies in Hainan) can both be viewed here in their most natural habitats.
The Boao scenic spot The Boao scenic spot has both beautiful islands and waters, with a unique combination of elegant natural landscapes and historic sites. The Boao port is vast with two islands, Dongyu Island and Mandarin Duck, providing wonderful scenery. White soft sand, cool crystal clear water and coco trees swinging in the wind, Boao is a typical tropical paradise.
Holiday Beach Holiday Beach lies near Qingling Avenue in the west of Haikou city. Stretching 6 kilometers the beach is heavily forested with villas, hotels and even the odd amusement park tucked away behind the tree line. The Beach is divided into sports, dining, entertainment and bathing sections. One especially attractive feature is the Roman astyle theater which puts on water ballet, platform diving and other shows.
Wanquan River Wanquan River is the cradle of Qionghai civilization. The river is reputed to have bred generations of gentle and clever people who have made outstanding contributions to China's historical progress. The 162-kilometer-long Wangquan River runs through vast tropical rain forests, picturesque farms and stunning meadowland. Drifting along the Wangquan River is a pleasure not to be missed.
Xinglong Tropical Plant House One of China's earliest tropical plant houses to be opened to the public, Xinglong Tropical plant house is seen as a pearl of Hainan tourism. The house is famous for its unique tropical plants and for a few especially precious species. It functions as a scientific research centre, a teaching museum, a sightseeing spot and even a conservation park. A green world with tropical scenery unmatched anywhere else in China, Xinlong continues to receive a warm welcome from visitors.
Fun in Hainan
Swimming Hainan is not short of beautiful beaches. Clean water and fine sands offer relaxation and a real taste of natural beauty to all those who come.
Seawater temperatures vary from 18o C - 30o C permitting year round swimming. The most famous beach resorts are 鈥?/SPAN>The Remotest Cape of the Earth Resort鈥?/SPAN> and 鈥?/SPAN>Yalong Bay' in Sanya.
Sports Hainan Island offers various kinds of dryland and water sports. Hainan's water is perfect for swimming, diving, fishing, surfing and speed boating. The soft sands are good for beach volleyball, badminton, hiking, bicycling and tennis. Indoor sports fans are also well supplied with options ranging from snooker to indoor golf.
Spas Hainan's natural geothermal springs and health spas were once the exclusive retreats of officials and nobles. Now common visitors seeking to relax tired muscles and soak away their worries are free to take a cheeky dip without risk of breaking imperial law. People suffering from arthritis and other chronic disorders are especially recommended to take advantage of this geothermal opportunity.
Food You need not step off Hainan Island to sample all eight branches of Chinese cuisine. Beijing, Guangzhou, Fujian, Jiangsu, Hunan, Sichuan, Shandong and Shanghai are all amply represented. Hainan also has four specialities, Wenchang Chicken, Jiaji Duck, Dongshan Mutton and Hele Crab. Tropical fruit is a local favourite and international cuisine, western and Asian, is also available.
Honeymoons Hainan is an ideal honeymoon island. From November 18th to 2st every year, lovers from all over the world gather at the Remotest Corner of Earth Resort, or 鈥?/SPAN>Tianya Haijiao', near Sanya City to take their wedding vows or renew their promises. In Chinese 鈥?/SPAN>Tianya Haijiao' means eternal love.
Nightlife When darkness falls, Hainan Island is illuminated by thousands of lights. Nighttime fun seekers can revel in Sanya's ever growing collection of clubs and ktv joints. For those who prefer quieter options a barbeque by the seaside is always a pleasure.
Shopping What would a holiday be without shopping? Hainan Island has everything from street pedlars to five start hotel boutiques. Local styles abound and handicrafts of the Yi , Miao, and Hui ethnic peoples are also not hard to find.(Text by Liu Yudan Polisher: Jim Checker: Liu Yudan Photos by Liu Chi)
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