Hainan day 6-Haikou

Date: 28 August 2008

It was our last day trip in Haikou
After breakfast, we went to a shopping center
nearby for some last minute shopping

By 12pm we went back to our relative's house for lunch.
After that, they send us to Haikou Meilan International Airport
When we reached airport then only
knew that our flight delay for an hour.
So we have to wait in the airport
for 3 hours before our flight departure.
When we reached JB it was almost midnight.

Last but not least,
we must thanks our relatives for thier hospitality
they showed us during our stayed in Haikou
and this was indeed a truly memorable journey.

For all of you who visit my blog
We spend about RM2000(including air ticket)
for a 6D5N free and easy trip to Hainan Province.

Hainan day 5-Qionghai

Date: 27 Aug 2008

The hotel we stayed last night
and view of Qionghai city taken from our hotel room

After checked out from hotel in the morning
we had coffee and fried noodle at one of the coffee shop

Then walked across the road
we visited one of our relative there
and chatted with them for almost 2 hours

view of their house

Gathered all our families member
we started our journey back to the village
it took almost an hour to reach there

design of the house in the village

Lunch prepare by our distant relatives

the village photos

We have spent almost 3 hours chatting to our relatives
by the time we were back to Haikou it was already 7pm
and we had our dinner at Hannan Restaurant

Hainan day 4-Sanya, Xinglong, Qionghai

Date: 26 August 2008

Today we have visited
Sanya Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone and Xinglong,
In the evening we check in to a hotel in Qionghai

1st: Sanya Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone

Nanshan (South Mountain), facing Chinese South Sea, situated 40 miles west of Sanya, the only tropical seaside city in China, is the southernmost mountain in China

Nanshan has been deemed an auspicious and blessing land in Brahma. According to the record from Buddhism scriptures, the Guanyin Buddha vowed twelve oaths to save all living beings. To dwell at South Sea permanently is the second oath of the twelve. Master Jianzhen, the renowned monk in Tan Dynasty, tried in vain five times to sail eastward to Japan for Preach of Buddha's teaching. On his fifth sail to Japan, he was drifted to Nanshan. While staying in Nanshan for one year and a half, he set up a temple and did missionary work, and then, finally succeeded in his sixth voyage to Japan. The Japanese travel monk name Konghai also landed Nanshan on his way to learn Buddhism in Tang Dynasty. The well know syaing "Good fortune as vast as East Sea, Long life as great as Nanshan Mountain" shows further the Nanshan's origin of relations between Chinese traditional culture of Auspicious and longevity.

Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone is a rare extra large-scale eco-cultural tourism zone with an area of 50 square km including sea area of more than 10 square kim. Backing on its beautiful sea and mountain landscape and rich historical culture resource, Nanshan will be built into several cultural theme parks and resorts including Buddhism Park, Historical Site in India, World of Auspicious and Longevity, Statues of Fairy Tales, Gate Scenery District, relevant hotels, vacation villas and other facilities.

The park consists of sites and sceneries with Buddhist Culture including "Nanshan Temple", "Nanshan Guanyin Stature on South Sea", "Savior Garden", "Auspicious Garden", "Longevity Valley" and Small Moon Bay". There are attractions like "Gold and Jade Guanyin Statue" which has been put into the World Guinness Record, the world largest Stone ink "Dragon-Phoenix Stone Ink", "Brahma Bells Garden", and further more a marvelous phenomenon and world focus, the giant Nanshan Guayin Statue with "three fingures in one" standing on the South Sea with the height of 108 meters, call "The No.1 Statue project in the world as well as in the century". This project toook construction period of 6 years and had a Grand Buddhist Revealing Ceremony on April 24, 2005. It was really a great event of Buddhism occuring only once in a thousand years.

the resort villas we stayed
the reception area
view of the 'guan yin' statue, swimming pool & outside reception area
Nanshan Temple
Nanshan Temple
The largest Dragon Ink-stone

Buddhist Stone Pillar & Buddhist Tree Garden
108 meters Nanshan Guanyin Statue on South Sea

outside the reception area

2nd: Xinglong

Located on Hainan’s eastern coast, Xing Long is in Wan’ning City. It is one and half hours drive from Haikou Meilan Airport and just one hour drive to Sanya Phoenix International Airport.

Xinglong has been famous for its mineral hot spring for centuries, from which nowadays the hotels piped water directly into the rooms at regulated temperature. It is said that the hot spring bath has the curative effects for those with skin diseases, arthritis and other illnesses.

Coffee and tea are very two economic crops in Xing Long. Although the locally grown coffee is not well-known internationally, many travelers to the area still compare the coffee to the fine coffees of Brazil and Columbia.

We bought some coffee from Xinglong coffee factory and
We also had our coffee at one of the coffee house
here in Xinglong they like to add coconut milk in the coffee
I still prefer my coffee with milk

3rd: Qionghai City

On the vast south coast of China and the east coast of Hainan lsland with delicious coconut tastes, there is a beautiful and magic place called Qionghai city – Town of Chinese hot spring, young and full of charm, a Chinese excellent tourist city. This fertile land has a long history, many distinguished people, prosperous culture, honest folkway and rich resources. This is a famous town of overseas Chinese, where there is the beautiful & rich Wanquan River and the well-known brilliant history of the Red Women Army. It is a window of opening to the outside and a platform for dialogue among Asians. The Boao Forum for Asia taking place here attracts worldwide attention. Qionghai is called the bright pearl on the east coast of Hainan Island.

Qionghai City is famous with its Jiaji Duck and Hot-spring Goose.

Qionghai Jiaji Duck was born more than 150 years ago. Ducks are brought up by cage-feeding and cramming. Through this unique method, ducks are excellent and favored by local people for thin skin, tender flesh, brittle bones and tasty, which is entitled One of Four Fantastic Dishes in Hainan province.

Hot-spring Goose is a hybrid kept by farmers living adjacently to the Wanquan River. When the geese are small, farmers always unleash them into the wild to hunt down their own food that chiefly comprises of grass seeds. When weight-putting stage comes, farmers cram the geese with cereal feedingstaff. Hot-spring Goose is nutrient, fatty but not greasy, delicate, aromatic and delicious. For Hot-spring Goose, people usually to poach well and then eat with homemade sauce.

After visited Xinglong,
we drove all the way to Qionghai for dinner
and we had Hot-spring Goose for our dinner...yeah.
We had our dinner at 6pm (a bit too early ..huh)
I didn't feel that hungry yet
so I just ate a little bit that night :(
but the goose meat was tender and delicious
(shouldn't drink coffee just now then I can enjoy my meal :P)

After dinner, we had a 15min drive to Qionghai city center
We checked in to a hotel and stayed a night here.
Tomorrow we have to visit our relatives in the village

Qionghai night view taken from the hotel room

Haikou-day 3 "Sanya"

Date: 25 August 2008

Have our breakfast early in the morning
as we need to drive from Haikou to Sanya
it will take about 3 hours to reach our destination

Our breakfast

Map of Hainan Province

Sanya is situated on the southernmost tip of Hainan Province. Sanya has many natural advantages. Possessing a number of excellent harbors, Sanya is an important port for import and export of trade with foreign countries. Therefore, Sanya is also named the 'South Gate of China' to stress its importance while it plays a vital role in the life of the southern part of China in areas of the economy and politics to transportation.

However, for most visitors, Sanya is a noted tourist resort with mountains, sea, river and city. The favorable climate is hot in summer but warm in the three other seasons so attracting large numbers of followers from both home and abroad every year. The whole of Sanya is related to the sea. Here you can enjoy a unique tropical oceanic landscape that is totally different from the other provinces of China

When we reached Sanya it was already 12pm
we have lunch at our relative friend's restaurant
After lunch, we have 3 places
that must visit by this afternoon
before we checked in to our hotel
at Sanya Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone

1st visit:Yalong Bay (Asian Dragon Bay)

Yalong Bay boasts unparalleled beauty. The 7.5-kilometer (4.7- mile) long, crescent-shaped bay with an area of 18.6 square kilometers (about 7.2 square miles) is one of the famous scenic spots in Hainan Province.

Yalong Bay boasts the five essential elements of modern tourism: sea, sands, sunshine, lush green plants and fresh air. In 1992, the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization once marked that this bay embraces the unique and unparalleled natural settings, sands, crystal sea water, endless seashore, unspoiled hills and pristine vegetation, making it a paradise for holiday travelers.

2nd visit: Sheraton Hotel

Located on the pristine Sanya Bay on Hainan Island,The resort is just 25 minutes away from the Sanya Airport.

“The Official Resort of Miss World” for three consecutive years, the beach front Sheraton Sanya Resort in the Yalong Bay National Resort District overlooks white beaches and inviting tropical gardens. Known as the “Hawaii of China”, Hainan Island is a paradise for creating memories.

3rd visit: Tianya Haijiao

Tianya Haijiao(literally 'edge of the sky, rim of the sea'), which is 24 kilometers (about 15 miles) away from the downtown center, just as its name means that it will take you to the end of heaven and earth. Ancient history recalls a beautiful love story that relates to this particular beauty spot that is enhanced by a blue sky and pure, clear seawater of Tianya Haijiao. There are three famous huge rocks here that attract lots of visitors, and many who take photos in front of them, as the Chinese characters of Tianya, Haijiao and Nantian Yizhu are respectively engraved on them.

In the evening we check into Nanshan Leisure Villas
We had vegetarian cuisine for our dinner
and watched the cultural dance & show after dinner