But for the flights to Sanya, Hainan province, the "Chinese Hawaii" where domestic travelers, young and old, often travel to for their first leisure trip, the flight can feel like you have trespassed onto a kindergarten tour, or found yourself at Disneyland.
Over the upcoming 'Golden Week' Hainan will attract many holidaymakers. Twenty-four years ago, it was a very different island, with tourism in its infancy.
With few visitors to these rock pinnacles embedded in the sand of a long sweeping bay, people on the beach were mostly fishing families gathered around their small wooden boats.
One of the biggest challenges to travelers is knowing what the best local dishes are and where to try them.
I recently had the pleasure and privilege to be on the judging panel for an English speech competition here in Haikou.
I was invited by the Haikou FAO to attend a Hainan Cultural Festival in Memory of Madam Xian.
Much has been made recently of Haikou's application for the designation "Civilized City".
Overview
Haikou 
Sanya 
