Cocoa culture fuels tourism in Wanning

In Wanning, a coastal city in China's tropical island province of Hainan, the rich aroma of local cocoa blends with the sound of ocean waves, offering visitors a unique vacation experience. Known for its surfing and diving spots, the city is gaining recognition for a new attraction — its growing chocolate culture.

The recently viral chocolate town in Xinglong has become a symbol of this emerging trend. It was in 1954 when returning overseas Chinese brought back cocoa seeds from Southeast Asia, igniting the beginning of cocoa cultivation in China.

Over the decades, Hainan's tropical climate and distinctive local culture have nurtured cocoa beans with a unique flavor profile. Today, building on this heritage, the town has developed into Hainan's first chocolate-themed cultural destination, integrating production, research, tourism and hands-on experiences. It features a cocoa workshop, a cocoa seed museum, an educational center, chocolate shops, themed restaurants, a cafe-bar, and boutique cocoa-themed accommodations.

The chocolate-making experience is particularly popular among families, with the workshop often filled with eager participants. Children learn to grind cocoa beans into powder and witness the entire process of turning beans into chocolate.