Do you love the sea, sand and a warm breeze? Forget the island of Sanya. Get your swimsuit on, grab a cocktail and come to Huludao!

Yep, I said Huludao. The place with the funny name is called after the bottle gourd that is also often used as the base of a traditional Chinese instrument. Seriously, this place has the same tropical feeling as Hainan but is way cheaper and less crowded than the island in the South China Sea. However, there is no cheap place to sleep for a foreigner and so I have to spend the night on the beach.

Still in the region that belongs to “the Northeast” in the provinceof Liaoning, Huludao truly is a pearl of this region. Blue sky and the sun just as bright and warm like in Hainan Island. No surprise that also here dozens of new apartment and recreation areas are built from scratch. However, it is still nothing compared to the construction madness in other tourist destinations. However, business people from Huludao already came up with the idea to offer Jetski rides on the beach.

For a short moment I think of painting a shield that says “Sanya”, take out my camera and happily scream “Hey guys, I crossed the finish line”. A cunning idea that however doesn’t feel as pleasing as I think about it. It is not even about reaching Sanya, therefore I am just too curious about who I will meet during the next three thousand kilometers. And so I pack my stuff, whistle a song and continue the way South.

Stay positive!

Joerg