Tropical China

I bet you didn't expect to see those two words together. I thought the closest I'd get to tropical here is sweating through these summer months, until I went to Hainan. An island located in the southern part of China, and home to the Li ethnic group, Hainan is a slice of tropical heaven in China. The first thing I saw when I excited the plane was one of the two pineapples at the airport. Pineapples typically represent hospitality, according Darryl and Williams Sonoma. This also set the tone for "things that remind me of Hawaii".

 

ShiMei Bay was the first stop. A remote part of the island, ShiMei Bay is a quiet enclave with access to a private island. Many water sports and plenty of beach to keep you happy. I recommend visiting soon, next year there will be better infrastructure (high speed rail) and more hotels. This private beach will lose its exclusivity.

Having a little fun while touring the property

Sanya is the Wailea of Hainan. One resort after another dots this beautiful beach. Sanya is where I found some of the most beautiful plumeria flowers, which is called 鸡蛋花 (egg flower) in Chinese. Probably for the most common plumeria, yellow on the inside, white on the outside.

Highlights included trying Hainanese foods: a fruit similar to lychee but a bit sweeter called 黄皮 (wampi), and a Hainanese local green been called 四角豆 (winged bean).

More adventures in Hainan to come in August... stay tuned...