If you can tear yourself away from the sun lounger, southern Hainan has plenty of ethnic culture and tropical landscapes to offer the adventurer
An aerial view of Phoenix Island, Sanya, Hainan Province, March 30, 2018 (Photo by VCG)
Sanya, the tropical paradise on the southern tip of the island province of Hainan, has long been a destination for those in China seeking rest, relaxation and recuperation. With miles of quiet beaches, golden sands, and magnificent palm trees, Sanya reflects the serene holiday idyll of Hollywood fantasy. However, away from the sun loungers, swimming pools and coconuts, Sanya has a rich and fascinating history and culture. This alternative side of Sanya should surprise no one. After all, Hainan is renowned for its ethnic diversity, including over one million Li people and substantial populations of Miao, Hui and Dan people, among others. Moreover, Sanya itself has been populated for at least 10,000 years, being home to some of the world’s oldest unearthed human remains. There have even been ancient Persian graves discovered along the coast, emphasizing Sanya’s importance in the history of ancient maritime trade routes. Nevertheless, far too few international tourists venture away from the coral reefs, warm blue water and majestic cetaceans to discover the allure of Sanya’s cultural, religious and historical treasures.
‘Spa for the Ears’
Nestled into the rainforest mountains 40 kilometers to the west of Sanya lies Nanshan Buddhism Culture Park. While the park attracts many local visitors, it covers an extensive area, ensuring that it is easy to find areas of solace and tranquillity. On a recent visit, one lady described walking through the flower gardens, adjacent to a lake, as “a spa for the ears.” The park was founded in 1998 as a Buddhist resort. It stretches along a sublime portion of seafront and encroaches into the pristine adjacent natural topography. The park created rainforest hiking routes, including a magnificent trail which guides visitors through “Longevity Valley,” an area dedicated to the stories of those who have lived beyond 100 years. The path ascends the mountain along a gentle stream and culminates at a small clearing where visitors can recuperate as they gaze out upon the gardens, lakes, temples and the ocean below them.
Aside from forest hiking trails, the park includes a wide range of other attractions, and areas to explore, including its holiest feature, Nanshan Temple. Nanshan Temple is a large Ashram-style temple, with magnificent sea views. The temple, and the various other religious buildings spread across the mountainside contain numerous important idols and religious relics, including 33 statues of Guanyin Bodhisattva and the Jade Guanyin Bodhisattva Statue, the largest of its kind in the world. However, the park’s most magnificent feature is the 108-meter Guanyin of Nanshan. The enormous goddess has been built on a small island in the ocean, much like the Statue of Liberty, only taller. Visitors cross to the island using a permanent bridge, and then ascend to the Guanyin’s feet using an internal staircase. The staircase is accessed through a large hall featuring religious idolatry called Yuantong Palace and rises through a four-layered lotus seat with 108 petals on which the statue stands. From the Guanyin’s feet, tourists can gaze out to sea, or turn to appreciate the full splendor of the park and its many shrines.
After exploring the park visitors will naturally be keen for some refreshment. Luckily, the Culture Park contains numerous snack shops, some of which even break with Buddhist tradition and sell meat products. However, the main culinary attraction in the area is the five-A rated vegetarian restaurant, which has become rather famous in China. Thankfully, it warrants all the attention it receives, thanks to its reasonably priced provision of high-quality Chinese vegetarian food. The restaurant has buffet and à la carte options, and thankfully, despite being a Buddhist restaurant, alcohol is available. The only difficulty is that the restaurant closes rather early in the evening, depending upon the season and day of the week.
The 108-meter-tall Guanyin of Nanshan statue near Sanya, Hainan Province (Photo by Michael Jones)
Inland Treats
For those who venture further inland, Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County offers an opportunity to see a more authentic and traditional side of Hainan life. Almost two-thirds of the county’s population is ethnic Li, while there is also a significant Miao population. The entire county is fascinating, both through its ethnic heritage and its stunning natural scenery, however without a local guide it can be difficult for foreign visitors to access the local communities. As a result, most visitors head to the Li and Miao Village, an area of preserved houses, which has been converted into an outdoor museum to display traditional local cultures to tourists. While the village may lack some authenticity, feeling a little bit like a tribal ethnic Disneyland at times, it nevertheless offers a fascinating and genuine insight into the traditions and customs of these minority communities.
As with many similar attractions in China, there is a performance staged multiple times throughout the day, in which dozens of dancers and acrobats portray a traditional legend in local costume. While this performance can seem a little contrived and might even feel slightly like colonial Orientalist voyeurism, it is thoroughly entertaining, especially for children. There are more thoughtful displays of traditional arts and crafts, including music and weaving. However, perhaps the most interesting element of the village are the preserved houses, which are genuine examples of how people in the area lived until relatively recently. Faced with the reality of these authentic and beautiful yet basic homes, the scale of societal change in China over the last century becomes even more impressive.
Fundamentally, Sanya and its surrounding region is a fascinating and beautiful place. Indeed, with a pristine golden coastline it is only natural that visitors will spend a significant portion of their visit to Sanya on a beach, in the sea or sipping a cocktail on a yacht as they try to spot a dolphin. Both Nanshan Buddhism Culture Park and the Baoting Li and Miao Village are perfectly positioned to offer a comfortable day trip from Sanya. Moreover, the region has countless further day-trip destinations to offer visitors that are away from the sand and the sea. So, whether you fancy a hike through the Tropical Paradise Forest Park above Yalong Bay, visit a fishing community that shares its home peninsula with hundreds of wild macaque monkeys on Nanwan Monkey Island, or an entertaining evening of theatrical performances at Sanya Romance Park, it is definitely worth leaving the sun lounger for an adventure. Indeed, the pina colada by the swimming pool will feel all the more deserved after spending some time exploring the deeper cultural beauty of this island paradise.
Old Version
