Haitan, not Hainan

Let’s say you’ve already been to Hainan, China’s version of tropical paradise. Or even better, you’ve been to Thailand, or Goa, any of the international hotspots known for sun and fun, average Joe tourist style. You wonder if there are still beaches with no shadows cast by chain hotels and aggressive trinket peddlers. A place where the crashing surf isn’t drowned by piped-in music.

Big as it is, China still has relatively unknown destinations, even in the southern beach category. Although China’s fifth biggest island, Haitan remains virtually unexploited. Maybe it’s the strong yet largely hidden military presence. After all, Haitan is a stone’s throw from Taiwan. Whatever the reason, it beckons those who could do with a south seas jaunt, minus the customary trimmings.

Forget the palm trees and jungle cover; the first thing that draws the eye on Haitan is rock. Frantic tectonic activity at the sea floor and the fast-running current of the Taiwan Strait have left Haitan with an endless tumble of granite as varied as the verdure on other islands. Rising from the waters outside its biggest town, Suao, are megaliths resembling boats, limbs, and whatever else a sun-soaked mind can conjure. Marine abrasion on the more than sixty kilometers of Haitan’s coastline have left stone rose petals, crabs and other petrified life forms awaiting a relaxed imagination. Plenty of clean forest lies inland, and often runs down to the shore, where giant orchid vines perfume the air.

The runaway geomorphic pace of Haitan has resulted in a variegated coastline. Some of its twenty-eight beaches are dark with volcanic silicone, slapped by dark swells. Others boast conventional white sands and crystal blue waters . Non-stop wind sweeps Hatian clean of any loose sand, whatever its color, so that the beaches bear weight easily, making them ideal for running, volleyball, all the surfside activities. Gusty as they are, Haitan’s waters are a windsurfer’s paradise, but you’re unlikely to find many boys of summer about.

Near Suao’s beach is an inlet, Dragon Phoenix Head swimming area, perfect for safe swimming. It faces east and is ideal for watching the sunrise. Further south, a bay long ago was closed off against the sea, and a few eons’ rain has turned it into a fresh-water lake.

But the most remarkable meeting of rock and water is Xianren Well, Heaven-Dweller’s Well. The sea bored it through a dozen meters of metamorphic cliff. At the bottom of the pool, three caves lead out to deep water. A small craft guided with skill can navigate from the sea into the caves. But in high winds and tide, anyone sane will linger near the well’s rim and listen to the water roar through the caves like thunder. A stone alley,running through two mall-size rocks, leads away from Xianren Well to gentle beach scrub.

The people of Haitan are much like their island, gentle and friendly, yet rugged. Little submission to global tourism’s compromises here; fishing sustains them, as it has all Hatian locals on back to the Neanderthal settlement that first plied its waters. The peace of their fishing villages is palpable, unsullied by the desire to hustle an RMB off visitors. Elders sun themselves by their front doors, playing with their grandchildren. By afternoon, fishermen with tanned hides and ropy muscles gather outdoors, discussing catches and likely courses. Bronzed women mend nets under awnings. The kitschy photo ops are virtually limitless.

As may be expected, the abundance of local stone has been employed for shelter, giving Haitan’s roads and houses an astonishing quasi-Mediterranean effect not to be found elsewhere in China. The stone houses are cool in summer, warm in winter, and a best defense against the rare tsunami flood.

Seafood is naturally tops on the bill of fare, caught offshore and prepared before your eyes. The winds bring little rain to Pintan, so that sweet potatoes and peanuts substitute for rice as side dishes. Those looking for big-city grub will have to search hard just to find a lonely-looking UBC Coffee. Fortune grant that Haitan’s winds keep the golden arches at bay for many a long season.

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