Hainan Island
Hainan Island is the southernmost province of China, often referred to as “East Hawaii” by tourists due to its unique location and weather conditions. Indeed, the combination of lush flora, warm weather and sea waters attracts travelers here all year round. The entire territory of Hainan Island is covered with mountains, lush forests and plantations and is washed on four sides by the warmest waters of the South China Sea.
Video: Hainan Island
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- Recreation and Wellness: Hainan’s health resorts
- Beach vacation and entertainment in resort towns
- Cultural and natural attractions
- How to get to Hainan Island
History, geography and climate
For a long time, the inhabitants of the island had no idea of its amazing history, but an era of careful and accurate mapping allowed scientists to compare the coastline of Hainan and the Laizhou Peninsula. The results astonished everyone: it turned out that once these lands were a single whole, but the active tectonic movement of plates in the region led to their split, and the island began to gradually move away from the mainland.
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It’s no coincidence that Hainan is compared to Hawaii, as the weather here is truly paradise. Even in January, when we are used to wrapping ourselves in warm coats and scarves, the islanders bask in the sunshine at an air temperature of 25 °C. Of course, in such weather conditions and the water in the South China Sea almost does not cool down, all year round at 26 ° C. Thus, the climate itself would be enough to attract tourists from all over the world, but Hainan has many surprises both in entertainment and recovery opportunities.
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Vacation and recovery: Hainan health resorts
Hainan Island is one of the most popular centers of alternative medicine in all of Asia. It organically combines comfortable hotel complexes on the seashore and all kinds of medical institutions. A special advantage of recovery procedures on the island is the materials with which doctors work. The fact is that the flora of the island is so diverse that the locals have been perfecting their skill of extracting the most useful substances from each plant for centuries. Thanks to this painstaking experimental work, Hainan has been able to become world famous for its phytotherapeutic practices.
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Most often tourists go to Xinlong Valley, where there are many thermal streams. Both radon and potassium-sodium therms can be found here at the same time, with water ranging from +45 °C to +65 °C. The small town is surrounded by tea and coffee plantations, the products of which can be easily purchased at the local markets. Despite the compact size of the settlement, travelers can stay in comfortable villas and hotels, the level of service in which is not inferior to European hotels.
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Another popular destination for thermal water treatment is Nantian. The attraction of the springs is that they are designed in the form of many small hot pools. After receiving a preliminary consultation with a specialist, patients spend hours lounging in the thermae, relaxing and satiating their bodies with health.
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Dadunkhay Bay is one of the most popular vacation destinations. There are hotels of all kinds of categories, and white-sand beaches from afar attract those wishing to plunge into the azure waters of the sea. Along the coastline there are stores, cafes and markets where you can buy anything you want. This place is a favorite among young people, as it is easy to find bars and discos of different styles and formats.
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Yalunvan Bay is geared towards wealthy tourists, so most hotels have 5-star status. Coming out of the hotel, you immediately find yourself on an individual beach with white sand and clear water. The cleanliness of this area immediately led to the emergence of diving clubs. Here regularly organize exciting dives to the bottom, where you can observe the fantastic life of exotic sea creatures.
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Sanyawan Bay is the most economical option for a beach vacation. This is due to not the most convenient infrastructure, because in order to approach the sea, tourists have to cross the road every time. But saving money on the hotel gives travelers the opportunity to visit more attractions and unique places on Hainan Island.
.Cultural and natural attractions
The center of tourist life on the island is the city of Sanya. It is characterized by convenient transportation, which allows you to visit any corner of Hainan. Driving only 20 minutes along the coastline, you can find an amazing park with a curious name – “The Edge of the World”. In our understanding a park area should be covered with lawns and trees, but in China there are quite different ideas on this matter. “The edge of the world” – a huge beach on which chaotically scattered giant boulders, left as a memory of past volcanic activity on the island. Almost every boulder has its own name, and some of them are so popular that they are depicted on local banknotes. And the name of the park itself duplicates the inscription on one of the stones. It says that this place is the most extreme point of the land part of the whole China.
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Also 35 kilometers from Sanya is a huge temple complex, where Taoist monks, representatives of one of the most revered beliefs in China, constantly come together. According to legend, this is the place where the southern dragon, ruling a quarter of the world, resides. A visit to this area does not require any inclusion in religion, but allows you to familiarize yourself with such unusual rituals of a completely different culture.
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The Flying World Park is always open for bird lovers. There are more than 200 species of birds, which are not only in cages, but also take part in various shows and entertainment programs.
.How to get to Hainan Island
There are two international airports located on the territory, which daily receive several dozen airplanes from different parts of the world. For residents of the Russian Federation are available several ways of flights, each of which has its own advantages.
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It is convenient to fly to Hainan to the airport in Haikou, where Hainan Airlines operates direct flights from Moscow. Usually such a flight takes about 10 hours, its main advantage is the possibility of obtaining a visa right at the airport. To do this, you need to have a passport (received not later than 6 months before departure), one color photo 3.5×4.5 cm, an invitation from an individual or a legal entity and $65 to pay for the visa itself. Thus, by choosing a direct flight, you will be free from the need to visit the Chinese embassy and, moreover, you will be able to extend your visa two more times for a total of 30 days, just by going to the airport.
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In addition, many flights are hosted by the city of Sanya. The recently renovated local air gateway building is equipped with all the technological advances of modern science, and the new terminal has allowed several times the flow of tourists.
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There are two easy ways to get from the airports to the resort towns on Hainan Island. For passengers whose plane has landed in Haikou, some airlines provide free shuttle buses. If your ticket does not include the extra service, you can take a bus or cab to your hotel, which is parked right next to the gate. Sanya Airport offers the same options, but due to its close proximity to resort towns, transportation usually takes about 15-20 minutes and costs about $2.
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Moving around the island itself during your vacation is also easy. There are buses constantly running between the cities, transporting tourists to the most popular destinations, and cab services are always available for those who wish to visit remote corners of Hainan. Within the cities, the easiest way to get around is on foot or by using the so-called cycle rickshaws, which will take you to the right place for a reasonable fee.
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