The crystal-clear waters makes Yalong Bay an ideal location for snorkeling, surfing, and other water sports. [Photo/VCG]

At the heart of Hainan lies the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, spanning 4,269 square kilometers. The nature reserve features 81 peaks reaching a height of over 1,000 meters, including Wuzhi Mountain, Jianfengling, Yinggeling and Diaoluo Mountain. Ancient, towering trees and lush vegetation thrive, with over 4,000 plant species and 500 animal species making their home here. The high concentration of healthy negative oxygen ions and cool, pleasant climate make this area a prime destination for wellness retreats.

Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park. [Photo/VCG]

Hainan Coastal Scenic Highway: The Poetry of Distant Places
As a new Hainan vacation landmark, the 988.2-kilometer-long Hainan Coastal Scenic Highway connects 12 coastal cities and counties. The western route includes Chengmai, Lingao, Danzhou, Dongfang, Changjiang, and Ledong, while the eastern route takes travelers to Wenchang, Qionghai, Wanning, and Lingshui, with Sanya located in the south end of the highway and Haikou in the north. Whether you’re a road-tripper chasing ocean breezes, an adventurer seeking thrills, or a traveler longing for a slower pace, this route gives you the opportunity to discover the poetry of distant places.

A section of the Hainan Coastal Scenic Highway. (Image source: https://lwt.hainan.gov.cn)

Flavorful Island Cuisine: A Taste of Hainan
Wenchang Chicken: The Soul of Hainan Cuisine
Recognized as a Hainan province-level intangible cultural heritage art, Wenchang Chicken is best enjoyed as "white-cut chicken" — crispy-skinned and tender, served with a dipping sauce mixed by each diner to taste from ingredients including calamansi juice, mashed garlic, and more. The broth from cooking the chicken enriches the rice, creating fragrant chicken oil rice, a dish often called "the taste of Hainanese nostalgia."
Qingbuliang: Sweet Coconut Milk Comfort
A bowl of Qingbuliang combines over 10 ingredients — red beans, barley, coconut meat, grass jelly, and more — drenched in chilled coconut milk, making this sweet treat Hainan’s ultimate defense against the heat. Enjoying a bowl at a night market as the sun sets behind palm trees is the epitome of island life.
Zaopocu Hotpot: A Spicy-Sour Gift from the Sea
This hotpot features a tangy broth made from fermented rice lees, paired with seafood, crunchy bits of pork, and vegetables for a bold, savory flavor. The most famous version comes from Puqian Town in Wenchang, a traditional fishing town where the seafood is always fresh and a pot of Zaopocu is always on the bubble.
Intangible Cultural Heritage: The Pulse of the Ages
Li Brocade: A Story You Can Wear
Li Brocade, known as a "living fossil of Chinese textile history," is famed for techniques such as double-sided embroidery and mysterious symbols — each telling a different, ancient tale. Today, Li patterns inspire modern fashion and cultural products — a Li scarf is both a testament to local heritage and a cherished Hainan souvenir.
Coconut Carving: A Thousand-Year-Old Sustainable Craft
Hainan’s coconut carving techniques transform discarded coconut shells into intricate pieces of art. With bold yet precise strokes, these carvings blend Li culture and other Hainan motifs with modern minimalism, capturing the island’s spirit in timeless masterpieces.
Qiong Opera: The Melody of Island Life
Qiong Opera, also called Qiongzhou Opera or Hainan Opera, is a traditional local theater art and a national intangible cultural heritage art. With lyrical tunes expressing joy, sorrow, laughter, and longing, these performances narrate 800 years of island tales. The graceful movements of performers, dressed in vibrant costumes, harmonize with the rhythm of the tides, turning the everyday speech of the Hainan people into flowing poetry.
Hainan is more than just the sea — it’s the purity of turquoise waves and silver sands, the warmth of bustling streets, and the timeless pulse of intangible heritage. We invite you to stroll through palm groves, dive into the deep sea, and savor ancient traditions, discovering poetry in every corner where nature and culture converge.