Hainan: The evolution of paradise

The dust is just settling after the participants of the Boao Forum leave the tropical island of Hainan. Maybe a few have decided to stay behind to enjoy the pleasures of sun and sea after official business has concluded.

This island, at the southernmost tip of China, is like Land's End in the United Kingdom. In fact, a huge boulder on the beach in Sanya is marked Tianya Haijiao, or "the edge of the sky and sea". It is a common photo point for lovers declaring their eternal love.

Hainan is like a microcosm of both domestic and international tourism development in China. It used to be a cheap port stop for bargain-seeking Russians on vacation.