Malaysian visits ancestral home in Hainan Island

The view from the lotus platform at the foot of the statue, which was built on a man-made island. — Photos: TAN ENG KEAT

The city of Sanya, located on the southernmost point of Hainan Island, is often regarded as the “Hawaii of China”, due to its unique distinction of being the country’s only tropical city.

I had the opportunity to visit Sanya during a family trip to Hainan Island, the ancestral home of my in-laws, in December 2017, long before the Covid-19 pandemic that affected the whole world.