The picturesque island of Hainan is located in the South China Sea and is considered the smallest province in the Middle Kingdom. For a long period it was closed to strangers. But lately its popularity has been increasing.
Why do travelers choose Hainan?
Judging by the reviews of tourists, the coastline with a length of 1,500 kilometers, with white sand and clear water, as well as tropical forests in the central highlands became its distinguishing features. This largely determines the choice of Chinese and foreign travelers. Although, in fact, this is just a consequence of the government’s development plan for the region. Its goal, by 2020, to turn Hainan into a world-class resort that could easily compete with Singapore.
The new tourism infrastructure includes the construction of 60 luxury international hotels and the creation of duty-free trade, as well as the expansion of the airport and infrastructure that could cope with the increasing demand.
Hainan has no bad weather
A visit to the archipelago at any time of the year is interesting. But from mid-autumn it becomes especially pleasant. So, Hainan in October is characterized by warm weather. The average air temperature is +27.8 ° C, and the sea is +28.0 ° C. From February to November they wear shorts, t-shirts, sandals and sunglasses. As tourists write in reviews, solar radiation even in the middle of autumn remains strong, therefore, in order to protect yourself from burns, you should not forget about sunscreen. October on the archipelago is among the best months for a beach holiday.
Already not so hot as in June, the rainy season ended, and a fresh wind blows from the sea, so the golden sands surrounded by coconut palms are becoming the most attractive.
Hainan beaches
Along the entire perimeter of the archipelago are magnificent beaches and well-equipped resorts. Most of them, according to travelers, have green-blue and crystal clear waters, crumbly sand in the shade of coconut trees.
On almost every beach you can go in for sports and visit the excellent restaurants with excellent quality seafood.
In the evenings, sweet-sounding bars are open where you can listen to music or dance. It is no less interesting to watch the lights of cruise ships in the dark from here.
Festivities
Hainan in October celebrates one of the most important holidays on the Chinese lunar calendar - Tianya Haijiao Joy Festival. The event takes place on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. A festive evening is held under the slogan: "A bright full moon rises from the sea, let us cherish the present moment, regardless of where we come from."
According to tradition, tens of thousands of lamps and lanterns turn on with the rising of the night celestial body. As tourists write in the reviews, the participants of the event look at the moon and lanterns, sing folk songs and dance, eat cakes in the shape of the moon and simply enjoy life. The party ends with colorful fireworks.
Gastronomic features
Hainan cuisine mixes the traditions of local dishes and mainland China. The menu is dominated by shrimp, crabs, fish and other inhabitants of the sea.
Exotic fruits are available year-round, and often they are much cheaper than in the rest of the country. Local farmers grow raw rice, so restaurants often offer pickles with it on. So, from the archipelago came here a recipe of a popular dish in the Middle Kingdom - Hainan chicken rice.
Judging by the reviews of tourists, guests and residents enjoy healthy natural foods. The island is covered with coconut trees, which means it’s a sin not to try fresh coconut milk!
Of alcohol, beer is popular. A lot of imported, but also there is local, based on a tropical fruit - pineapple.
Hainan Temples
For many centuries, the archipelago has remained faithful to the canons of Buddhism, as, indeed, all of China. Hainan in October, according to tourists, recommends visiting such religious shrines:
- Wugong Temple is an attractive and intriguing building of the Ming Dynasty period. In the reviews of tourists it is mentioned that the building is surrounded by winding bridges, ponds filled with lilies and exotic palm trees.
- Nanshan Temple - a Buddhist temple complex, which houses a huge statue of the many-armed and many-headed goddess Guanyin. This is the largest monument on the planet made of pure gold.
- The Confucius Temple, built in the XI century, is carefully preserved and for all the time it was reconstructed only once.
Other Hainan Attractions
In addition to religious places, the archipelago has many noteworthy routes, but there are some that are worth a visit. The must see list includes:
- Hainan's highest mountain is Wuzhi (Five Fingers). It houses the National Reserve, which is home to rare animals and birds.
- The Hainan Ethnographic Museum tells about how the archipelago survived the 20th century, about fierce resistance to the Japanese occupiers, about the struggle of the nationalists and about the ethnic minorities that inhabit the archipelago.
- Volcanic Geopark in Haikou, covering an area of about 108 square kilometers of countryside. The main attraction was the cooled volcano. You can go down the stairs into it, like into a cave.
- The streets around Zhongshan Lu in the historic center of Haikou recall the French colonial past. Some of the houses have been restored, and some are charmingly showered. The old city, as reported by reviews of tourists, tends to be both a dining room and a shopping district. There are nice cafes, bookstores and Hawking markets that sell handicrafts and spices.
Outdoor activities and extreme sports
In addition to beaches and cultural attractions, Hainan in October provides many options for leisure and sports. Great golf courses are open here. The game is becoming more popular and local tournaments are held annually.
It is worth trying surfing - the best waves are in the southern region of the archipelago. Diving offers exploration of water caves and sunken ships. Every year, bike races are organized on the island.
No less successful are walking tours of national parks and forests. Reviews of tourists report that travelers will be able to observe rare birds on the route.
On the northeast coast in Wenchang is a huge coconut plantation - Dongjiao. Here you can get acquainted with the traditional way of life of villages, see how locals harvest coconuts. And in the end, travelers will find themselves on the beautiful Hainan Prima Resort beach.
Hainan in October: tourist reviews
Travelers are inclined to believe that the best time to visit the archipelago is March-May and October-November. It is too hot in summer, and in winter the sea is already cool for swimming.
Some reviews sound a warning: you should be careful with water sports on Hainan. The problem is that the state regulation of parasailing, diving, boating and catamarans in the archipelago is not strict, and often tourists without any preparation receive equipment for rent, and besides, it is not of the best quality. Without adequate security measures, this can turn out to be harmless and even fatal.
However, everyone unconditionally called Hainan a special corner of China, completely unlike the mainland. The sky here is unusually blue, and sand and palm trees resemble the Hawaiian Islands. Often it is referred to as "mini-Thailand", where the resorts also have many Russian and Chinese tourists, not Europeans. Due to the popularity of the island among Russians, there are a lot of Russian shops and restaurants in Hainan, and most of the locals speak a little Russian. This is how it appears from the reviews of tourists in Hainan in October.