72 hours in Sanya (3)

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By Jiang Xinhua (Shanghai Daily) 09:03, September 22, 2013

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Day 2 Fun at Tropical Forest

9am

Ready for an adventure in a tropical forest? Want to explore the culture of the Li and Miao ethnic minorities? Wear comfortable shoes, carry your backpack and let’s go!

You can take the No. 15 bus which travels through Sanya Bay, Dadonghai and Yalong bays. Located 25km southeast of Sanya City, the tropical forest features lots of pretty scenery, magnificent views of Yalong Bay — the “first bay” in China — and Haitang Bay, as well as romance.

Covering 1,506 hectares, the rainforest, with refreshing negative ions, has 1,500 species of tropical plants and 190 kinds of wild animals. Two-thirds of the scenes of the hit film “If You Are the One 2,” directed by famous Chinese director Feng Xiaogang, were shot here.

10am

If you get off at Yalong Bay station and walk along Liupan Road for 100 meters, you will arrive at the west gate of Yalong Bay Tropical Forest Paradise. Taking a small, open-sided tour bus on the steep mountain road, you will see a magnificent view of Yalong Bay on your left and, on your right, boulders and caves in different shapes, including the Fly Stone, Dragon Tongue Stone and Entwining Dragon Cave.

You may feel you are riding on a roller coaster because of the wriggly road and sharp turns. You may get surprised at the crest of an incline — the descending buses will wait until an ascending bus tops the crest and its passengers, at the driver’s behest, will yell at the other bus to make the trip more exciting.

11am

After the breathtaking trip, we arrive at Orchid Valley. Walking beside the huge waterfall with various species of orchids all around, you will perceive a light aroma and fresh mist and hear frogs and birds.

You will appreciate the intensely colorful Vanda orchid, which can exist only in sunny spots in the tropical rainforest. In Chinese literature, the orchid is the symbol of purity and elegance and is used to describe a gentleman with noble character in poems. The pavilion at the Fly Dragon Pool is the best place to appreciate Feilong Falls. There is a saying that the fifth son of mythical South Ocean King always practices kungfu here and turns into a dragon and flies toward the South Ocean.

The surface of the pool is as smooth as a mirror and dotted with lotus. Many turtles that have been alive for more than 100 years swim in it and are said to bless people with happiness and a long life.

12:30pm

It’s time for lunch. Your stomach will no doubt be rumbling after a hike and you have plenty of choices at the Tropical Paradise Square, which is 450 meters above sea level. You can enjoy the most famous dishes in Hainan cuisine, including tender Wenchang chicken and Dongshan lamb, which is braised in coconut milk. Freshly picked coconuts are available at stalls and you just need to put in a straw and enjoy the milk. You can also send your best wishes to friends at a postal box at 18° 15’ N latitude, which is about as far north of the equator as Hawaii.

Every hour, there is a show given by Li and Miao performers. Join the Li Dachai Dance in which dancers step between moving horizontal wooden poles to rhythmic beats.

2pm

Refreshed by the authentic food and entertainment, it’s time for more hiking. Along the path, you will see many wonders of the tropical rainforest including the peculiar Root Stone. The roots of trees grow and encase nearby stones. The root is strong enough to lift up the stones as the tree grows. Walking across the arch bridge, you arrive at the Huge Stone Area.

The path between two stones is wide enough for only one person. The light is dimmed by lots of couple banyans, so be sure to carry a flashlight. After 30 minutes of climbing on the steep Immortal Ladder path, we arrive at the Giant Buddha Stone.

It is said that it was venerated by the Li and Miao people, who used to pray while standing on it for rain and good luck. There is a local saying that when you are lying on the stone, you are the closest to paradise and feel like a fairy. Take a load off and enjoy the panoramic view of Yalong Bay, Haitang Bay and the South Sea.

Day 2 Swing on a bridge

5pm

Let’s try something exciting and thrilling. The Guojianglong Rope Bridge is the longest and highest cable suspension bridge in Hainan. The bridge is 168 meters long and 40 meters above the bottom of the valley. Walking on this one-way bridge, you can feel the ropes trembling as the wind blows past when you reach the middle point. Looking at the all lush greenery below, you may feel surrounded by a sense of romance and out-of-this-world tranquility. Looking over South Sea on your left, it feels like you are walking in a fairy land between the sky and the sea. The bridge also has a beautiful name — Lovers’ Bridge. When couples walk across the bridge hand in hand, they will be together forever.

8pm

If you feel tired from all the exercise, it would be a good time to unwind and stroll along barefoot on the sand at Yalong Bay Beach. Feel the gentle breeze, hear the whisper of the sea and gaze at the fishing boats and lighthouses by the shore. As night falls, the silver moonlight is sprinkled on the sand. Everything is so peaceful that want to slow down the clock to make sure the moment is engraved in your memory.

How to get there:

Yalong Bay Tropical Forest Paradise

Tickets: 175 yuan (US$28.6) for adults; 115 yuan for kids

Tel: 0898-3827-8830

Address: Yalong Bay National Resort

You can take buses No. 15, 25, 27 and 29. Get off at Yalong Bay station and walk along Liupan Road for 100 meters. It’s worth mentioning that buses in Sanya pass right by many attractions. Tell the bus driver where you want to go and the driver will remind you when you arrive.