A team of Chinese experts have uncovered not just one or two, but three ‘singing beaches’ in the tropical island province of Hainan. The three musical sand beaches are in Qingshui Bay in Lingshui, Shenzhou Peninsula in Wanning, and Mulan Bay in Wenchang.

An aerial view of Shenzhou Peninsula in Wanning. [Photo: Liu Yang / New Hainan App]

In October, 2020, a team of Chinese experts first identified the auditory phenomenon on the three Hainan coasts. These were the first ‘singing beaches’ found in China, and the discovery was considered a major breakthrough for the Chinese geography community.

‘Singing sand’, also known as ‘whistling’ or ‘musical’ sand, is usually found in deserts or beaches. Although it may sound mystical or even magical, the musical notes produced by singing sands are entirely natural. The earliest record of singing sand in the world documented the musical sounds of Mingshashan in Dunhuang in China's Gansu province. No coastal singing sands had been found in China however, until the recent discoveries in Hainan.

Mulan Bay in Wenchang. [Photo/New Hainan App]

“The presence of singing sand signifies a high-quality beach, thus proving that these beaches have an excellent ecological environment,” explained Qu Jianjun, a researcher at the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory in Zhuhai. The discovery of singing sands on the coast of Hainan not only adds to the long, long list of different geographical phenomena found in China, but also to the long, long list of must-visit attractions in Hainan.

How are singing sands formed? According to Qu, there are many factors involved in their creation, including the mineral composition and particle size of the sand, wave action on the beach, and more.

Qu Jianjun conducting scientific research on beach sand in Hainan. [Photo/New Hainan App]

The main mineral component of the singing sand on the coasts of Clearwater Bay, Shenzhou Peninsula, and Mulan Bay is quartz. The sand grains in these three areas are all fairly round, with ‘V’-shaped impact and corrosion craters. This kind of porous surface structure is needed to create singing sand.

In addition, the three beaches are all located on Hainan’s east coast, where they are subject to strong wave action but weak currents. Waves are the main force determining beach shape.

The lighthouse at Clearwater (Qingshui) Bay in Lingshui. [Photo/New Hainan App]

Experts conducted acoustic analysis and comparison of coastal and desert singing sands. They found that coastal singing sands had a narrower audio spectrum, with a higher proportion of high-frequency, sharp sounds.

All around the world, singing beaches are rare, and are usually quite popular travel destinations. Hainan’s newly discovered singing beaches are all under ecological protection.

In June, 2022, after the discovery of Hainan’s singing beaches was announced, they became another great reason for travelers to visit. Protection of these incredible locations is also a priority — experts recommend carrying out a scientific survey of the musical sand beaches around Hainan Island as well as strengthening protection measures and ensuring appropriate use.

Source：Hainan International Media Center Presents