Skydivers discover Hainan's beauty

HAIKOU — "This time, I came to Hainan not for the sea, but for its sky," Su Na said cheerfully as she waited with her husband for their first skydiving experience.

Like many frequent visitors to China's island province, the young couple from northeastern China enjoy admiring Hainan's scenery not just on the beach but also from high above, thanks to the help of professional skydiving coaches.

According to Zhang Enming, general manager of Sanya Tarhe Skydiving Club, a record single-day figure of 166 clients participated in the sport during this year's Spring Festival.

Already popular elsewhere around the world for decades, aero sports such as skydiving, paragliding and hot-air ballooning are growing rapidly in China, and Hainan has seen the combination of aero sports and tourism thrive in recent years.

Besides its natural beauty, blue seas, golden beaches and lush tropical forests, the island's warm climate and 300-plus sunny days are also suited to aero sports, said Xu Liwen, secretary general of the Hainan Aero Sports Association.

Statistics show that since 2020, local companies operating low-altitude tourism activities have been growing. Activities are available in eight cities and counties on the island, and they have generated investments of 200 million yuan ($29.1 million).

"It's so beautiful! It's a completely different way of seeing the sea!" 28-year-old Beijing resident Lu Yisi shouted excitedly after landing on the beach, still caught up in the bird's-eye view of Hainan that she had just enjoyed during her skydive.

Yin Tao, an Accelerated Free Fall instructor at the Ledong Yinggehai Skydiving Center in Ledong Li autonomous county, said that when people jump out of a plane, they are able to fully experience their feelings and liberate themselves from their sometimes boring daily routines.

As aero sports have risen in popularity, the creation of the Hainan Free Trade Port has led to an increasing number of domestic and foreign professionals settling in Hainan.

Guo Rui, general manager of Ledong Yinggehai, started his company in 2017 in Tianjin and moved it to Hainan in 2020, believing that the province would become "a paradise for aero sports and low-altitude tourism".

Safety standards and regulations are also improving. All centers are required to enforce strict safety measures, including following meteorological indicators and prohibiting fatigue flights.

"Nowadays, many skydivers ask about the qualifications of their coaches, wind speeds and direction," Guo said.

Lee Nam, a master rigger and coach from South Korea currently working for Sanya Tarhe, sees safety as the top priority.

"If I keep safety first, check the wind, check the weather, check the airplane and check my body, then skydiving can be safe," Nam said.

According to Xu, the island's preferential policies, including visa-free entry for tourists from 59 countries, the arrival of talented individuals and zero tariffs on some imports, should encourage aero sports to prosper.

Hainan has hosted several national-level aero sports events in recent years and is endeavoring to create a national sports tourism demonstration zone by 2025.

"By then, tourists will be able to experience leisure skydiving on the east coast and watch competitive aero sports events on the west coast. This is the new direction of aero sports development in Hainan," Xu said.

Xinhua