[advertise]广告[/advertise] Jesse Warren HAINAN has often been referred to as the Chinese Hawaii. While this might be a stretch, you can at least get a taste what the Pacific archipelago has to offer. Most people are familiar with the popular travel destinations Sanya and Yalong Bay in the south. They are nice, but if you are looking for something closer to the Hawaiian ideal, you might want to venture up the east coast. If you’ve read my previous travel columns, you might notice a trend here: get off the beaten path and reap the rewards. The crown jewels of the east coast are two crescent-shaped bays of Riyue Bay and Shimei Bay. What you won’t find is the hustle and bustle of Sanya, nor the exclusivity of Yalong Bay. But you will find long, arcing stretches of white sand bordering emerald green water along a mostly undeveloped coastline, lined with palm trees and framed by lush green mountains. The village of Riyue Bay is so small it could hardly be called a village. In fact, it’s a single road lined with a few hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions. Tourists bus in to visit the old Taiwanese village, watch ancient seafaring ritual performances, and have photos taken on the beach with camels, horses, and sea turtles. And as soon as they arrive, they are gone. Further down are a few hotels, notably the Riyue Bay Watersports Hotel, which provides basic but charming and spacious rooms with balconies at bargain prices. And beyond that, an expansive and mostly deserted beach save for a few rudimentary seafood restaurants. “It was a pleasant surprise to find such a nice beach with affordable rooms and so few tourists on it,” says Dave Learn, a Shenzhen expat. Behind the beach is a row of abandoned condos, helping contribute to it’s deserted status, and offering free shelter for the brave backpacker. Riyue Bay is also perhaps the focal point of Hainan’s burgeoning surf scene. There, expats from around China descend on the beach to sample the waves, surf schools from Sanya and Haikou run courses and trips, and several locals have taken up the sport, a harbinger of things to come. While recently sharing a surf session with two Hawaiians, they both remarked on the view of the beach, palm trees, and mountains from the water: “It’s crazy how much this looks like the North Shore of Oahu, the mecca of surfing.” If Hainan was ever analagous to Hawaii, there you have it straight from the horses’ mouth. If you prefer to live in luxury while enjoying Hainan’s east coast, head up to Shimei Bay and check into the 5-star Le Meridien Hotel. It has a private beach, exclusive access to its own island, and according to The New York Times, “the most authentic sense of place.” For avid golfers, Ocean Bay Golf Club and Kangle Hot Springs & Golf Club are nearby, with their own lodging options at lower prices. For the active adventurer, these beautiful bays offer endless activities, from scuba diving on Jiajing Island, rainforest hiking, fishing, kayaking, parasailing, and more. For those looking to relax, it’s also the perfect place to do nothing, soak in the hot springs, or simply recline with a good book on the beach. The nearby cities of Lingshui and Wanning have more variety of food, shopping, and nightlife if you need a taste of civilization, although they aren’t particularly pleasant. Thanks to the new eastern expressway, accessing the east coast is easier than ever. Hire a van for a couple of hundred yuan, and you’ll be there in about 1.5 hours. Alternatively, take the public bus for a slightly longer and more cramped ride, but at fraction of the cost. Roundtrip flights from Shenzhen to Sanya can be found on eLong at bargain prices in advance. It’s uncertain how long this sightly stretch of coastline will remain relatively undeveloped. Rumors have it that Riyue Bay will see the introduction of luxury hotels in the near future. Hainan’s march towards tourism expansion is inevitable. If you want to get a taste of the Chinese Hawaii in its most raw, natural, and affordable form, the east coast of Hainan is awaiting. Source:Shenzhen Daily