HAIKOU /CHINA/, July 19. /TASS/. The resort city of Sanya, located on the southern coast of Hainan Island, enjoys immense popularity among tourists during the summer months, attracting waves of vacationers from around the globe, Hainan Ribao newspaper reported.

According to the publication, Sanya holds a “secret coolness hidden in the tropics.” Specifically, great interest is sparked by leisure activities that help visitors forget about the heat – such as yachting, diving, surfing, visits to forest parks, parachute jumping, and exciting shopping sprees in duty-free stores.

The island’s favorable natural landscape, situated along the 18th parallel north, offers an ideal combination of beach holidays and mountain excursions. The sea breeze consistently brings refreshing air from the ocean, helping temper the intensity of the sun’s rays.

Sanya becomes particularly pleasant at dusk, when night markets come to life and vacationers can take part in various cultural and entertainment events, for example, the light show held at the large-scale Atlantis water park. Notably, the city officially launched its cultural tourism season on July 3, which will run through September.

Local tour operators are offering enticing beach camping routes and holding promotional campaigns with discounts, while a wide array of cultural and recreational attractions continues to draw large crowds, thereby stimulating the growth of Hainan’s consumer sector. Sanya also hosts numerous engaging sporting events throughout the summer.

Sanya is China’s premier resort city, home to over 1 mln residents. According to official estimates, in 2024 its GDP exceeded 100 bln yuan (around $14 bln), marking a 5% increase. The city’s average annual temperature reaches 25.4°C and its coastline stretches for roughly 260 km. The surrounding waters include 19 bays and about 40 islands suitable for tourism, allowing local authorities to successfully promote yachting, cruise tourism, beach holidays, and family vacations.