Story and Photos By PAUL MU
muvitet@gmail.com
SANYA is famous for its beautiful tourist scenery — basically all the best landscapes are there. Haikou, also known as “Coconut City”, on the other hand, is known for food and relaxation.
Coconut trees symbolise Hainan and are grown everywhere — red and green varieties, while the golden coconut is known for its rich fragrance.
Hainan Island is small — only about 35,000 square kilometres, with a population of around 10 million. There are three main ethnic minorities here: the Li, the earliest inhabitants, followed by the Miao who later migrated from Hunan, and the Hui who are Muslims, mostly living near the coastal areas.
Haikou — an old district regarded as a fifth-tier city in China. Life here moves at a slower pace, much like Sabah, where coffee shops are filled with people gathering to enjoy a drink.
There is a place called “Laoba Tea” (Old Dad Tea), similar to a kopitiam. You will mostly see elderly uncles and aunties sitting inside. There is a saying: “Poor tea, simple snacks.”
One stick of bitter tea can be brewed eight times — enough for an entire day. People sit, drink tea, chat and eat steamed snacks such as chicken feet, noodles and various traditional pastries.
Haikou Bay — a place to see the uniquely designed Yundong (Cloud Cave) Library. It is simply a place to read, featuring about 10,000 books. Visitors can also enjoy coconut drinks at the park and relax at the cafés.
People often take a stroll along the Zizai 2.5km coastal promenade for a healthy walk while enjoying the attractive architecture of Sky Mountain, Huacai Huayi Plaza and Haikou Bay Plaza.
Next to it is the Four Seasons Bridge connecting Haidian Island, built to reduce traffic congestion. An underwater tunnel was also constructed so vehicles can travel directly beneath the water to the other side.
Qilou Old Street — originally, the arcaded buildings here, now more than 100 years old, were introduced by Indians and the British.
The buildings are connected by covered walkways so people can walk between shops without getting wet during the rainy season, especially when drainage systems were poor in the past.
Today locals still do business here. The street is filled with places to walk, food stalls, cafés, souvenir shops, street artists, snacks and even coconut-themed influencers.
The area has been turned into a pedestrian street and can become crowded with tourists.
You will notice some Malaysian influences here as well, including “liang cha” (herbal tea).
International elements can also be seen — KFC, pizza shops and British-style cafés. Many foreigners are around, including Malaysian students, as Hainan University is located nearby.
Hainan zhegu herbal tea — this tea is usually packed into small balls. You simply drop one into hot water. It is considered a cooling tea, commonly drunk during summer and often served in restaurants.
Danzhou — the attraction here is the man-made Ocean Flower Island (Haihua Island), somewhat resembling Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah.
It consists of three islands, including one that houses what is said to be the world’s largest single hotel with more than 5,100 rooms.
The hotel features different themed zones — forests, glaciers and deserts — with four castles. In the evening, visitors can watch a 10-minute light art performance at the European-style Fairy Tale wedding complex.
Sanya — located at the southern tip of Hainan Island, about 286km away from Haikou, which takes roughly three hours by road.
Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone —the main attraction is the Guanyin statue standing in the sea at 108 metres tall.
It is one of the most famous landmarks in Sanya. Regardless of religion, visitors often treat it as a sightseeing attraction. Visitors can also enjoy a vegetarian lunch there.
When people visit Nanshan, they usually do not ask for too much. What they wish for most is peace and good health.
Luhuitou Hill — located atop a peak at 275.1 metres is one of Sanya’s landmarks.
According to local legend, a beautiful fairy fell in love with a young Li ethnic hunter.
She transformed herself into a deer to attract him. The hunter chased the deer across 99 mountains and 99 rivers.
When the deer reached the edge of the sea with nowhere to go, it turned its head back.
Just as the hunter was about to shoot it with his arrow, the deer suddenly transformed into a beautiful woman.
The two later became husband and wife. That is why the place is called “Deer Looking Back”.
From the top of the hill, visitors can overlook the entire city of Sanya, including its beautiful night view and the famous Phoenix Island, once called the “Dubai of the East”.
Shopping — Hainan is a free trade port. However, shops that serve foreign tourists must meet strict standards, including European Union quality standards, so that products purchased here can be brought back to other countries without issues.
One of the main products sold here is shark fish oil, often called the “cleaner of blood vessels”.
Helicopter — one of the most eagerly awaited activities for visitors. Many describe it as a lifetime experience, despite the brief thrill of lifting off the ground and making a small circle over Haitang Bay.
Binglanggu Li and Miao Cultural Heritage Park — we were served traditional bamboo-inspired cuisine, a signature dish of the Li ethnic group.
We were given a guided tour to meet elderly Li women with tattooed faces who demonstrated their traditional spinning, dyeing, weaving and embroidery skills.
These crafts are listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in urgent need of protection.
The Li ethnic group is also fond of wearing silver accessories from the head to the neck, hands and waist.
In ancient times, merchants travelling along trade routes carried silver items to test water. Silver turns black when exposed to poison.
Yalong Bay International Rose Valley — a massive 183-hectare rose plantation founded by Yang Ying, known as “China’s Chanel Lady”.
The roses are processed into high-quality essential oils, perfumes and facial masks.
These products were once transported in large quantities to European and American markets.
Many foreign companies would simply attach their own logos and change the packaging, turning them into brands such as Chanel, Estée Lauder, L’Oréal and Shiseido before selling them back to consumers.
After national leaders learned about this situation, they called for resources to be better utilised so Chinese consumers would not need to go abroad to obtain high-quality and affordable skincare products.
Sanya Romance Park — a spectacular performance considered a must-see attraction. The organisers even offer a money-back guarantee if visitors are not satisfied.
So far, there has been no record of refunds. Most viewers describe the performance as breathtaking, with performers displaying a high level of skill. The show also features advanced stage technology and special effects.
The performance presents 10,000 years of Sanya’s history, including the legend of Luhuitou Mountain.
Guanyin statue standing in the sea at 108 metres tall.
