Meliosa Gormley Many foreigners living in mainland China appreciate the variety of landscapes, weather, customs and food the Middle Kingdom has to offer, but also like to take holidays abroad – if not back in their home countries then perhaps on the beaches of Southeast Asia. With international borders having been sealed by coronavirus restrictions for the past year and a half, however, the resort city of Sanya, on Hainan Island, the southernmost province of China, has proven to be a valued substitute, and a welcome distraction from the pandemic. “Before [the pandemic struck] we would have been more intrepid travellers whereas now, we just need somewhere to escape to, recharge and relax,” says Meliosa Gormley, “something that Sanya can definitely offer us.”