Differentfromotherprovinces,HainanisthesecondlargestoceanislandandthesmallestlandprovinceinChina.AlthoughsceneryinHainanlacksthegrandnessoftheGreatWallandthemysteryoftheTerra-CottaWarriors,itsnaturalbeautyhasgainedagoodreputationamongthevisitorsandhasbeenwidelyknownaroundtheworld.Peoplecallit"theOrientalHawaii".

　　HainanislocatedatsouthendofChina,andoccupiesanareaof35,000squarekilometers(13,510squaremiles).ItsadministrativeregionsareHainanIsland,Xishaarchipelago,ZhongshaarchipelagoandNanshaarchipelago.ItsneighboringcountriesarePhilippinestowardstheeast,MalaysiaandBruneitowardsthesouth,Indonesia(NatunaIslands)towardsthesouthwest,andVietnamtowardsthewest.Thesurroundingseaareatotals2,000,000squarekilometers(772,000squaremiles).Duetothemildclimateandfavorableenvironment,Hainanisregardedasalonglifeisland.TheyoungoftentraveltoHainanseekingareturntonatureandtheoldwouldratherlivetheretoenjoytheirlives.Hainannowhasapopulationof7.11million,amongwhichaboutonemillionareethnicminorities.

　　EthnicMinorityGroups

　　TianyaHaijiao,Sanya,Hainan

　　Hainanisamultinationalregion,andtheretheethnicvillagesofLiandMiaoareverytypical.Thehospitablevillagerswilltreatyoutotraditionalfoodaswellaswonderfulsinginganddancingperformances.SotheLiandMiaoVillagesarewellworthavisitinHainan.Nowadays,Hainancuisineisverypopularallovertheworld,especiallythefreshanddeliciousseafood.Furthermore,Hainanisfamousfortheirbeautifulhandicrafts,likeshellcarvings.

　　ThecapitalofHainanisHaikouCity.Locatedinnorthernpartoftheisland,itisthepolitical,economic,culturalandtransportationcenterofthewholeprovince.InHainan,thecitiesHaikouandSanyaarewheremosttouristscongregate.

　　WhentoGo

　　Hainanisanidealplaceforyoutobeawayfromthecoldwinter.InJanuaryandFebruary,theaveragetemperatureis16Cto24C,and25Cto29CisinJulyandAugust.TherainyseasonsarefromMaytoOctober.ThebesttimetovisitHainanisbetweenNovemberandMarchthenextyear.IsuggestthosewhoarefondofswimminghadbettercometoHainan.It'sanexcellentswimmingandbathingplacealltheyeararound,andfarawayfromthecrowdedcities,itisyourbestchoiceforrelaxationandentertainment.

　　WhattoSee

　　Sanyaisfamousforitstropicalbeachlandscapes.TianyaHaijiaoandDadonghaiaretwowellknownbeaches.Justimaginethatyouarelyingonthesoftbeachunderbeautifulsunshineorthatyouarewalkingthroughthecoconutplantationunderthebluesky.Howwonderfuleverythingis!HistoricalheritagessuchasHairuiTomb(Hairui(1514-1587)whowasacompassionateandpopularofficerduringtheMingDynasty)andWugongTemple(FiverOfficials'Temple)inHaikouarealsoworthavisit.