The Hainan Island Free Trade Port in southern China recently hosted events showcasing intangible cultural heritage to celebrate the Spring Festival. During this festive season, visitors can enjoy sunny weather, a deep cultural history, lush rainforests, and warm hospitality.
The Spring Festival celebrates the Chinese New Year and was officially added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity last December. Hainan has scheduled 300 events this year to display its rich cultural heritage.
Activities include traditional performances such as Hainan Opera spear tricks, the Lantern Festival flower exchange, carp lantern celebrations, the Qionghai Nanzhong dragon dance, and the Sanya Phoenix Island Carnival.
Guests can also watch demonstrations of Li brocade weaving and sample unique local foods like Zhegu tea, coconut rice, and brown sugar rice cakes. With so much to see and taste, a trip to Hainan Island promises memories that will last a lifetime.
Hainan has created eight tailored travel routes to make the winter holidays more enjoyable. Visitors can relax on romantic beaches or drive around the island. Visitors can also choose from 72 packages, focusing on themes like ethnic culture or food combined with cultural experiences.
Hainan Island Chinese New Year
Since late last year, China’s visa-free transit policy has been extended from 144 hours to 240 hours, with two new ports of entry added on Hainan Island. International travellers can now access the island through any of its three airports: Haikou Meilan, Sanya Phoenix, or Qionghai Boao.
“I experienced both the traditional and modern sides of Hainan—arcaded buildings, street food, and surfing,” said Liu Wenxin, a tourist from Singapore. “With the new 240-hour visa-free policy, I’d love to come back and explore more.”
According to the Hainan Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, TV, and Sports, the province’s three main airports have restarted operations after the pandemic. They now connect Hainan Island to 70 international and regional destinations, including Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Hong Kong, and Macao. New routes to the United States, the UAE, and New Zealand make it even easier for overseas visitors to travel to the island.
To enhance convenience for international tourists, Hainan has introduced various payment options. “I can pay for anything by scanning my phone or tapping it,” said David, an American tourist who used Alipay to buy a souvenir on Haikou’s Qilou Old Street. “From landing at the airport to exploring attractions, all I needed was my phone. It couldn’t be simpler!”
Spring Festival in China
The Spring Festival in China, also known as Chinese New Year, is the country’s most important traditional holiday. It marks the beginning of the lunar calendar and is celebrated with family reunions, festive meals, and cultural customs. The festival typically lasts 15 days, starting with New Year’s Eve and ending with the Lantern Festival.
Preparation for the celebration begins weeks in advance. Homes are thoroughly cleaned to sweep away bad luck and make way for good fortune. Decorations in red, symbolizing happiness and prosperity, are hung, including lanterns, couplets, and paper cuttings. Red envelopes filled with money are given to children and younger family members as a goodwill gesture.
Food plays a significant role during the festival. Families gather for a large reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, featuring dishes like dumplings, fish, rice cakes, and spring rolls. Each dish symbolizes wealth, happiness, and a good year ahead. Firecrackers and fireworks are also a big part of the celebrations, believed to ward off evil spirits and bring joy.
The Lantern Festival marks the end of the festivities. People light and release lanterns into the sky or carry them in parades, and traditional dragon and lion dances are performed. Whether in bustling cities or quiet villages, the festival brings people together, emphasizing family, renewal, and hope for the future.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
