This aerial photo taken on Dec. 26, 2023 shows the scenery of Mulan Bay along the Hainan coastal highway for sightseeing in Wenchang, south China’s Hainan Province. — Xinhua photo HAIKOU (Aug 19): Xi’an tourists Zhou Zhiju and her family, sit leisurely for a coconut drink at Mulan Bay along the round-the-island tourist highway in Wenchang, a city in south China’s island province of Hainan, after enjoying some seaside fun.
“Hainan’s round-the-island highway is new for us, so we took the children here to experience it during the summer holiday,” Zhou said. Despite having visited Hainan before, this was her first time traveling the highway. Zhou’s family of eight rented two cars and planned a half-month road trip around the island, starting at Mulan Bay in Wenchang.
“We will drive along the scenic route, stopping at every spot that captures our fancy,” she remarked, adding embarking on a self-driven journey allows them to explore at their own pace and totally immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of local flavours and cultural experiences. Since its opening on Dec. 18, 2023, the round-the-island highway has risen into a sought-after attraction.
Stretching nearly 1,000 km, the highway passes through 12 popular tourist destinations, including Haikou, Wenchang and Qionghai. Many tourists, including Tu Tingqi from Chongqing Municipality, returned to Hainan during the summer holiday to experience the road trip along the round-the-island highway. “The scenery a.