Land of the Sea and Sun

The second place we visited on the island of Hainan was Guanyin of Nanshan which is about 25 miles west of the center of Sanya City. Guanyin of Nanshan is a Buddhist statue that was finished in 2005. It took six years to build. The statue is 354 feet tall. It is a statue of the bodhisattva Guanyin. The statue has three faces. One of the faces looks inland while the other two face the South China Sea.

A peacock

Some monks

Temple door god - Buddha's warrior attendant

Holding the statue of Guanyin of Nanshan

Guanyin of Nanshan

Guanyin of Nanshan

Windy underneath the statue

Underneath the statue

The beads side of Guanyin of Nanshan

Looking at the coastline with temples on it from Guanyin of Nanshan

Guanyin of Nanshan

A hand

The Ocean

On the island of Hainan, we stayed near the city of Sanya on the southern coast of the island. The first place we visited was Tianya Hiajiao which is celebrated as the southernmost point although that is not the case. Tianya Hiajiao has lots of boulders on the coastline. These boulders have famous sayings inscribed on them. Here are some pictures.

Lanterns on the walk to the sea

A sculpture

On the beach with the Pacific Ocean/South China Sea behind me

The statue Guanyin of Nanshan is across the bay

A view of the beach

This rock reminded of Balance Rock near Blood Mountain in Georgia

Walking towards more rocks

Southern Heaven Rock - One column under the South Sky: From the age of Heaven to the corners of the ocean.

Trail through the rocks

Me

Flight path went over the beach

Path above the beach

On A Slow Boat to China

After spending four nights in Zhanjiang, we spent a day traveling to the southern coast of Hainan. Part of the trip involved taking a ferry from the southernmost part of mainland China across Qiongzhou Strait to the north side of the island of Hainan. Hainan is also China’s southernmost province and its smallest province. The ferry over to Hainan wasn’t that slow, but for whatever reason the ferry back to the mainland was slow. Anyway here are some pictures from the ferry.

Leaving mainland China

The deck of the ferry

Ferries docked

Mainland China is behind us

Emergency vessel?

Ferry anchored in the middle of Qiongzhou Strait

Me

Cosco Shipping

Approaching the city of Haikou which is the capital of Hainan

Lake of Fire

After a foggy morning in Zhanjiang Harbor, we had a beautiful afternoon at Huguang Lake. We were able to take a city bus to this beautiful lake. Huguang Lake is a maar lake which means its origins are volcanic. We took the 7 km walk around the lake and had a wonderful afternoon. Here are some pictures.

Giant turtle at the entrance to the park

The turtle had small dragon buddies

The walking path around the Huguang Lake

Supporting the Rapids and the Dawgs while in China

A statue of a woman and a cow

Ouch

Looking out at Huguang Lake

Walking through palm trees

Walking towards a small arched bridge

A tourist "train" passing by

A statue of guy stroking his goatee

Jiang Ziya fishing

Huguang Lake

Late afternoon shadows

Interesting light on the plants

Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats

Zhanjiang is a rapidly redeveloping city. We went to Zhanjiang Fisherman’s Wharf. The redevelopment of this section of town has just started, and it has started at the Wharf. In reading about this area after I got home, I found out that the area was previously known as the floating village of Bifengtang. The fishing boats could take shelter here from the weather and be close to a commercial area. Now this area is being redeveloped for yachting and leisure activities. You got to wonder what happens to the people who get displaced in the modernization of China. As tourists, we used the newly developed Fisherman’s Wharf to take a boat ride around Zhanjiang Harbor. The weather was cloudy. The fog would roll in every night in Zhanjiang. On the day of our boat ride, the fog did not burn off completely until after lunch. So our boat ride was cloudy, but it was still enjoyable. Here are some pictures.

Looking at boats from Zhanjiang Fisherman's Wharf

More boats from the Wharf

Shipyard dinosaurs of Zhanjiang Harbor

Looking out at the water while on our boat ride

Zhanjiang Bay Bridge

Zhanjiang Bay Bridge

Zhanjiang Bay Bridge

Zhanjiang Bay Bridge

Zhanjiang Olympic Center Stadium

View of the Sheraton Hotel from the water

Zhanjiang Bay Bridge & Zhanjiang Olympic Center Stadium

Zhanjiang Bay Bridge & Zhanjiang Olympic Center Stadium

An anchored boat

Zhanjiang Fisherman's Wharf