Another point of interest in the Yalong Bay Resort area is the Seashell Museum. The entrance fee there is 21 RMB per person. In the museum, you’ll see there different species of seashells that vary in size, shape and color. Just like in the museum found in Butterfly Park, the seashells are displayed in glass enclosures. Aside from the seashells, corals may also be seen there. (more…)

If you are appreciative of the beauty of nature, Butterfly Park in Sanya, Hainan is just amongst the points of interest to go to. It boasts of a 1.5 hectare garden with our colorful winged friends thriving there. According to the sign I saw inside the park, the best time to go around the butterfly park is on sunny days at 9am to 11am. Between 12pm to 3pm, the butterflies like to swing around. Thus, between the said time duration, it would be very hard for you to capture a photograph of a butterfly. The entrance fee is 21 RMB per person. (more…)

Upon arrival in the city, I was indirectly introduced to the Beijing 2008 Olympics Mascots. They are Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying and Nini. Surprisingly, if I would exclude the second syllable of their names, I would get Bei, Jing, Huan, Ying, Ni. I am not sure what Huan Ying Ni means. I guess it is Beijing Huan Ying Ni and if translated to English, it means Beijing Welcomes You.

On our trip to the city earlier, our main goal was to shop for something to bring home. But before that, we had a taste of what KFC in China is like. KFC in China is different from the ones in the Philippines in a lot of ways. First, KFC in China has a menu with Mandarin and English translations. Second, KFC in China do not serve rice. Third, they do not have chocolate mousse and brownies for dessert. Fourth, the French fries that they serve there are the typical French fries like the ones you get to eat in a typical western fastfood. Lastly, instead of serving coleslaw, they serve corn and vegetable salad. (more…)

If you want to shop for something cheap, well Shopping Village is not the place for you here in Sanya. It is located in the Yalong Bay National Resort District. The places where tourists frequent are the same places that you should expect anything expensive. Even though they sell expensive stuff there, it’s nice to roam around the place and have the ultimate photo tripping. (more…)

As I was waiting for a taxi to go to the conference venue that I’m currently attending, there was a local tourist who was taking pictures with her camera phone. Then, she walked towards me and spoke to me in Mandarin. I don’t know what she was really saying but I immediately understood her that she wants to have her picture taken. She even told me how to take the picture with her camera phone. This is the power of using gestures as a tool for communication. She was pleased with her photo while I just missed a taxi that passed by. (more…)

Eat like the locals, travel like the locals and certainly, I cannot speak like the locals. I was having a hard time communicating with the locals here simply because I cannot speak Mandarin. It was as if I have to play pictionary or a game of charades with them just to make them understand me. This morning was quite a frustrating morning for me because we do not understand each other. And this is when gestures became useful for me. (more…)

I’m staying in Yalong Bay Zhiyuan Resort Hotel. The Standard Twin Room with a garden view costs 288 RMB per night. The room is fairly decent with two beds, a TV, electric thermos, mini refrigerator, and of course, two pairs of Nike slippers. Apparently, there was no available room that is suited for one person only. (more…)