Shimei Bay
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Shimei Bay. [www.yayalife.cn] |
Southeast of Shimei Bay is the South China Sea, which blesses the site with a splendid beach stretching as long as 6 km. The surroundings are embraced by lush hillsides intertwined by crystal-clear brooks meandering into the sea. With almost no man-made developments, the area retains a tropical, primitive charm that is unique to Hainan Island. It is an environmentally sustainable tourist site of sublime beauty.
Along the shoreline is a fine sand beach free of any pollution. The seawater near the shore is clear enough for visibility of up to 9 m.
Behind the beach along much of the site is a broad area of rolling sand dunes. In addition to small pine trees, deciduous trees, shrubs, grass and other groundcovers, there are both man-made and natural aquaculture ponds of varying sizes.
To the east of the Shimei Bay is a small valley covered with cultivated crops, through which meanders a small brook. The government forbids any development on the hill to the north of the site.
A highway connects the bay to the Ocean Bay Golf Club. This 18-hole golf course is said to be the only golf course in Hainan, possessing a full scenic view of the sea. It is highly popular among golfers.
Roughly 1.7 km off the shoreline exists a small island, Jiajing Island, which lies in an area of about 14.2 hectares. It has been likened to a tortoise moving slowly into the vast ocean. Rich and colorful corals are bred in the waters surrounding the island.
Due to its mild climate and especially warm weather in winter, Shimei Bay attracts a lot of high-end meetings and gatherings. The annual meeting of the Top 500 Global Chinese Merchants 2009 was held in November at Shimei Bay. Chinese super model Ma Yanli is slated to hold her second Ma Yanli Fashion Night in December here due to her appreciation for Shimei Bay’s natural and pure surroundings.