During this year’s National Day holiday, Hainan hosted over a hundred cultural, tourism, and sports events across coastal scenic areas and the countryside, as the island moves toward deeper vacation experiences beyond natural scenery alone.
On Oct. 6, Ms. Xu from Zhejiang Province in eastern China was packing her bags and preparing to return home. Looking back on her time in Hainan, she said what left the deepest impression was not the waving coconut palms or the deep blue sea, but the variety of local experiences in the island’s streets and countryside.
More vacationers are now moving beyond Hainan’s popular beach hot spots. A wide array of entertainment activities and vibrant nightlife is presenting a changing local cultural tourism landscape.
On Oct. 2, visitors wore local Li attire as they explored Hainan’s cultural diversity at the Betel Nut Valley Li and Miao Cultural Tourism Area.
At Haikou’s Qilou Historic Street, Qiong (Hainan) Opera and flash-mob style bamboo pole dance performances entertained the crowds. Visitors strolled past century-old qilou buildings and paused to watch the folk performances or try local dishes such as Hainan Rice Noodles and Pepper Soup.
Li Guilan from Guangdong said her past trips to Hainan were mostly about taking souvenir photos and then leaving. This time, walking along the ancient streets, listening to opera performances, and browsing traditional shops gave her a feel for the local lifestyle. She noted that these cultural experiences added a deeper, more meaningful dimension to the journey.
In Wanning on the east coast of the island, the Riyue Bay surf scene remains extremely popular with younger travelers, who enjoy taking surfing lessons and the thrill of riding the waves.
At Tanmen Fishing Port in Qionghai, families joined local fishermen for authentic ocean experiences. They walked through the streets of the traditional port, visited the China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea, and gained a firsthand understanding of the region’s maritime culture.
The mountainous central region also drew plenty of visitors. The local specialty market in the mountain city of Wuzhishan bustled with activity, with stalls overflowing with Shanlan Rice Wine, Three Color Rice, and many other local mountain products.
Visitor Chen Jia, who brought the whole family along for a mountain drive, said she did not want to fight the crowds at the popular beaches. Coming to the mountains to browse the market, enjoy the forest breeze, and slow down made for a much more relaxing vacation. According to Chen, the best parts of the journey were hiking in the rainforest and exploring the local markets.
During the National Day holiday, visitors challenged themselves on the rock face at the Baishi Peak Scenic Area in Qionghai.
It is clear that vacation preferences are changing. Just taking photos at the beach no longer satisfies travelers seeking extended stays. These bold adventurers are venturing beyond the well-known beach resort areas in search of immersive experiences that offer a genuine sense of local culture.
Hainan continues to align with emerging travel trends toward more in-depth vacation experiences, moving beyond the old model of relying only on the beauty of natural scenery to attract visitors.