The social fabric of the island is made by diverse ethnic groups, housing up to 36 minority groups. I felt I had time travelled to a different era when I explored their tribal museum, ate the local delicacies and even tried my hand at old weaving techniques. Lying to the west of the city centre, the 22 kilometres long Sanya Bay is the largest on the island. Sanya has a cultural heritage spanning over 10,000 years. Just 45 minutes’ drive north of Haitang Bay, Sanya’s topography wears an altogether different hue – crystal clear turquoise blue waters give way to lush green tropical forests. Rich in natural and cultural resources, the evergreen rainforest has more than 1,500 kinds of tropical plants and over 190 kinds of wild animals. But this public beach gets noisy even on weekdays so I headed to the crescent-shaped Yalong Bay and the secluded Haitang Bay to unwind amidst stunning sceneries and underwater action.Paradise foundWith over 300 days of blue sky, pristine pure air quality and a coastline of 250 km, Sanya is China’s largest and favourite tropical playground.. While there are 36 bays on the island, Sanya Bay, Yalong Bay and wholesale Patio umbrellas Haitang Bay are the most gorgeous to soak up the sun, sand, sea and scenery.
The island with its craggy coastline, blue crystal waters, powdery-white beach and quirky photo installations is an ideal backdrop not just for adventure seekers but also for wedding and lifestyle photographers. My typical day would start with a stroll on the sandy-white beaches lined with palm trees overlooking the clear azure waters; and would culminate with savouring the tangerine sunsets, golden sands and lapping waves. But this tropical haven was not always a preferred holiday destination. The beach is lined with coconut palms and landscaped with manicured promenade and gardens. The structure has several circular glass observation decks along the bridge, jutting out of the mountainside and provides unobstructed and panoramic views of the sea and the park. My curiosity to learn about the ethnic tribes of Sanya took me to the Binglanggu Hainan Li & Miao Cultural Heritage Park. Its fortune changed in 1988 when it was designated as a special economic zone. I came to see ‘The Romance Show of Sanya’ with no expectations but witnessed a visual feast filled with great surprises. All you need to do is take a 10-minute ferry from the downtown Sanya. Today, the island is drawing refugees of another kind: from the urban population who want to escape the daily hustle of megacities. Over the past thousand years, they have added to the cultural diversity of the island through their unique customs, clothing, and entertainment. Everything was fascinating, especially the face tattoos of the Li tribe called the ‘living fossil of body art’. The park serves as an ideal backdrop for exciting mountaineering expeditions, science tours, folk culture experiences and even health retreats. Rooted in the 10,000 years’ history of the island, it obliterated the boundaries between performing arts and special effects.
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