Journey to the East - Dim Sim Land Adventures

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Interlude: Paradise in China - Sanya Be

May 2nd 2006 04:49

Hainan Resort

Sanya, situated in the southern Chinese island of Hainan, had only received much international attention after China had feverishly promoted it as a tourism hot spot by hosting Miss World 2003 in this already established local holiday destination

As an interlude to the Shanghai series, we would like to briefly take you to the sandy shores of Sanya city - the tropical paradise in China's south-most state: Hainan Island. It is a holiday destination frequented by local mainlanders during the Chinese summer of July, where the boiling beaches are spotted with holiday-makers. The scene was described vividly by a local as "boiling sea dumplings".

Therefore the best time to visit Sanya is the Chinese winter. Which coincides very well with the Australian summer. The tropical spot (being the south-most point in China) retains the pleasantly warm temperature of around 30 degrees during its winter months. The beaches are practically deserted as you are free to frolick about in the most ridiculous poses without fear of being spotted by handsome fellow beach-goers.

Local shell collectors

The shores are amazingly unpolluted, and offer a breath-taking range of sea shells that linger in the shallow parts of the ocean. Tiger prints, pearly swirlies, butterflies...the list goes on. The locals (especially children), take advantage of the tourists' facination with these shells by diving into the rockier parts along the shore to retrieve larger, finer specimen for a value-price of RMB 20 (My mother, when we went to visit, with her Asian tendencies kicking in, tried to bargain them down to RMB 10, much to my embarrassment).

Resort at Sanya

Sanya is also abundant in luxury resorts. Most of which have obtained exclusivity to the most beautiful parts of its beaches. A stark contrast induces a heavy feeling when one makes the transition from the local beach dwellings to the luxurious interiors of the resorts. However, the true experience of Sanya is not contained within those marble walls, nor is it captured in the Chopin Mazurka so brilliantly performed by the hotel pianist.

Locals at the Dock

The beauty of Sanya gleams through the sweat of the local fishermen and the cheeky grin of the children selling coconuts as they earnestly advise "you gotta chop your own coconuts for good fortune".

Next on Sanya: The locals, the history, the cultural destinations.

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Posted By: Bunbury - Category: Hainan Island

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3 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Cibbuano

May 3rd 2006 01:32

Hunt Famous
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Fat Cult
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ah, I always wanted to go to Hainan... the pictures look idyllic...

Comment by Bunbury

May 3rd 2006 02:28

I don't know what it's like now after the Miss World Comp, whether it's still as peaceful. But when I was there it was just gorgeous, without all the commercialization for somewhere that's so perfect for a summer getaway.

It ain't that expensive to get there either, and the stuff there is cheap as! You should definitely go!

Journey to the East - Dim Sim Land Adventures

Interlude: Paradise in China - Sanya Be

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