Hainan Island's more than 1,900 kilometers of coastline are of different shapes and rich in resources
Personalized coastline around the island pearl chain
Hainan Daily reporter Su Qingming
Editor's Note
The "14th Five-Year Plan for Ecological Environmental Protection of Hainan Province" recently issued by the provincial government proposes that Hainan will build 19 "beautiful bays" pilot demonstration areas such as Puqian Bay, Haitang Bay, Yalong Bay, Yulin Bay, Houshui Bay, and Eman-Fishbone Bay.
Hainan Island has more than 1,900 kilometers of coastline with different shapes and beautiful scenery. The winding and beautiful coastal zone not only has rich ecological resources, tourism resources and cultural resources, but also a beautiful home for islanders to live for generations. This issue of Hainan Weekly takes you to understand the style and personality of the coastline of Hainan Island.
Qizi Bay, Changjiang Li Autonomous County. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Changjiang County CPC Committee
"Facing the sea, spring blossoms". The sea holds people's romantic imagination. The beginning and end of the sea is the coast.
Hainan Island, surrounded by the South China Sea, is the darling of the sea, the second largest island in China, with about 34,000 square kilometers of land and more than 1,900 kilometers of coastline.
The coconut wind stirs up the silver waves, and the south China Sea waves move. The coastline of Hainan Island is diverse, sometimes the shore is flat and white, sometimes the rocks are rocky, sometimes the mangroves are luxuriant, and sometimes the corals are colorful. More than 1,900 kilometers of coastline, more than 1,900 kilometers of journey, water and land blend, colliding with a different kind of wonderful. If the blue sea is a piece of amber given to Hainan by heaven, then the beautiful coastline is a string of pearl necklaces given by heaven to Hainan.
R&F Bay, Lingshui Li Autonomous County. Hainan Daily reporter Feng Shuo photographed
The four shorelines are of different shapes
When it comes to the coast, many people think of a flat and open beach, delicate and clean sand, but this is only a kind of coastal style.
Zhang Ben, honorary dean of the School of Oceanography of Hainan University, introduced that according to factors such as geology, geomorphology, ecology, and genesis, the coastal zone of Hainan Island can be roughly divided into four types, namely bedrock coast, sand (gravel) coast, argy coast and biological coast.
The bedrock coast, also known as the harbor coast, is represented by parts of the coast of Sanya and Lingshui in the southeast of Hainan Island, such as the area around Tianya Haijiao. Bedrock is a sea erosion landform formed by the impact of waves, which is characterized by steep terrain, tortuous shorelines and rapid water flow. The more typical landscape of the bedrock coast is the collision of waves against the cliffs.
Sand (gravel) coast, also known as accumulation coast, to the coast of Wenchang, Qionghai, Wanning, Sanya in the east of Hainan Island and the coast of the east, Changjiang, Danzhou and Lingao in the west of Hainan Island, which is characterized by the composition of the material is mainly loose sand (gravel), and the shore beach is narrow.
The muddy coast, also known as the plain coast, is represented by the estuary delta of major rivers such as the Nandu River and the Changhua River, which is characterized by the fact that the shore material contains more clay, silt, etc., and the shoreline is straight and the terrain is flat.
The biological coast mainly includes the coral reef coast and the mangrove coast. There are many coral reef coasts on Hainan Island, which is most typical of the Sanya National Coral Reef Nature Reserve; The mangrove coast is composed of mangrove plants and muddy tidal flats, and almost all major river estuaries on Hainan Island have mangrove coasts, which are most typical of the Haikou Dongzhaigang Mangrove Forest National Nature Reserve. The coral reef coast and mangrove coast have distinct tropical coastal characteristics.
Different landscapes of the coast have their own causes. Zhang Ben said that the bedrock coast is mainly formed by the movement of geological structures and the impact of waves. Sandy (gravel) coasts are formed by the accumulation of material from the plains being carried to the coast and then transformed by waves or winds. Argy coasts are mainly deposited by large amounts of fine-grained sediment carried into the sea by rivers under the action of currents and waves.
Haikou Dongzhai Port mangrove forest is full of greenery. Photo by Lee Hsin-juan
The coral reef coast of the biological coast, as the name suggests, is formed by the accumulation of the remains of tropical reef-building corals, while the mangrove coast originates from the large mangrove forests that grow in the area.
Careful observers may also notice that in the different coastal zones of Hainan Island, some of the sand is thinner and whiter, and some of the sand is thicker and darker. In this regard, Zhang Ben explained that this is related to the thickness, color and degree of erosion of the original plain sediments and the degree of erosion of the waves and currents, such as the color of the tidal flats is darker and darker because the mangrove coast is rich in humus and other substrates.
Different types of coastal scenery have different resource development and utilization values. Zhang Ben said that the bedrock coast is conducive to the construction of deep-water commercial ports, fishing ports, etc.; Sand (gravel) coasts contain a variety of minerals, such as the northeast coastal zone of Wenchang quartz sand ore resources are more abundant. All kinds of different coasts provide Hainan with rich and unique natural resources and ecological environment, which is conducive to Hainan's economic and social development.
Round the island to appreciate "poetry and far away"
Hainan Island has a coastline of more than 1,900 kilometers, with rich landscape resources and cultural resources, and is an excellent place to explore "poetry and far away".
In 2020, the Hainan Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Planning and China Railway Consulting Group Beijing Architectural Planning and Design Co., Ltd. compiled the "Hainan Ring Island Tourist Highway and Station Planning", which sorted out the environmental resources of Hainan Coastal Area.
The beautiful harbor is the main place for people to enjoy the coastal scenery. According to the plan, there are 68 major harbors in Hainan's coastal area, including Yalong Bay, Haitang Bay, Shimei Bay, Boao Bay, Moon Bay, Qingshui Bay and other well-known tourist harbors with beautiful scenery.
The lagoon, which has the "color of the lake and the sea", is also very charming. There are a total of 26 lagoons in the coastal area of Hainan, including 11 coastal lagoons, 8 desalinate lagoons, and 7 salinized lagoons. Dongzhai Port Lagoon is the largest lagoon in Hainan, with an area of about 56 square kilometers.
The headland is a wonderful stroke left by nature when "painting" in the coastal zone. There are 22 main headlands in the coastal area of Hainan, including MulanTou, Baohu Horn, Copper Drum Horn, Big Flower Horn, Deer Head Horn, Nanshan Horn, Yulin Island, Lingao Horn and so on. Wenchang Mulantou is the northernmost headland in Hainan, and there is a "rapid water gate" that claims to have the second highest sea flow rate in the world. Wenchang Tonggujiao is a prominent headland at the easternmost tip of Hainan Island, welcoming the first rays of sunlight on Hainan Island in the early morning.
The red cliffs of Danzhou Eman Bay. Photo by special correspondent Wu Wensheng
Hainan's climatic conditions and coastal advantages are very conducive to the growth of mangroves. According to statistics, the area of Mangrove Wetland in Hainan is 4700 hectares, accounting for about 20% of the country, which is a rare biological resource germplasm bank in China. Hainan's mangrove wetland resources are mainly distributed in Haikou Dongzhai Port, Wenchang Bamen Bay, Sanya Qingmei Port and Sanya River, Dongfang Sigenbei Li Bay, Danzhou Xinying Bay, Yangpu Port and other places. Among them, Haikou Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve has the largest area of coastal tu forest in China, known as "marine forest park". Wenchang Qinglan Mangrove Forest Provincial Nature Reserve (including Bamenwan Mangrove Forest National Wetland Park) is a protected area with the largest natural distribution of mangrove plants in China. Sanya Tielugang Mangrove Forest Nature Reserve has the oldest mangrove forest in China.
The colorful coral reefs are known as the "rainforest in the ocean". According to experts, coral reefs are widely distributed in the coastal areas of Hainan Island, covering an area of 140.04 square kilometers, of which there are mature coral reefs in Wenchang, Qionghai, Wanning, Sanya, Danzhou and Lingao.
With the sea as a companion, catch the sea and cross the sea, leaving a distinctive cultural imprint on the coastal area of Hainan. For example, the overseas Chinese culture and coffee culture of Wanning Xinglong, the sea-catching culture of Qionghai Tanmen, and the Yanjia culture of Lingshui are very distinctive.
Nowadays, the lighthouse rich in marine cultural characteristics has also become a cultural landscape resource that arouses people's interest. According to statistics, there are currently 25 lighthouses on the whole island of Hainan. Built in 1894, the Lingaojiao Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in Hainan and one of the hundred cultural relics lighthouses in the world. Wenchang Mulantou Lighthouse, with a height of 72.12 meters, has enjoyed the reputation of "Asia's first lighthouse" for a long time. Built in 2017, the "Tower of the Silk Road" in Sanya Yazhou is 105 meters high and is the highest beacon beacon beacon in China.
A salt pile in the Yinggehai salt pan in Ledong Li Autonomous County. Hainan Daily reporter Chen Ruolong photographed
Development goes hand in hand with protection
With unique tropical coastal resources, it is a unique advantage of Hainan's economic development.
"Go to Hainan to see the sea" attracts a large number of tourists to visit Hainan. Sanya Yalong Bay, Haitang Bay, Lingshui Qingshui Bay, Wenchang Moon Bay and other bay areas have become popular tourist resorts in Hainan. Among the 6 5A-level scenic spots in Hainan, 4 are located in the coastal zone (Sanya Large and Small Dongtian, Wuzhizhou Island, Nanshan, Lingshui Jiezhou Island). Under the strong promotion of coastal tourism, Hainan's tourism industry has entered the "100 billion club". At present, aiming at the beautiful coastal scenery, Hainan is promoting the construction of tourist roads around the island to create a new business card for Hainan tourism.
Surrounded by the sea on all sides, Hainan is the proper meaning of the topic to make the port economy bigger. Hainan has Yangpu Port, Basuo Port, Xinhai Port, Xiuying Port, Macun Port and other cargo passenger ports, as well as Sanya Yazhou Central Fishing Port, Lingshui Xincun Port, Qionghai Tanmen Port and other fishing ports. During the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, the development pattern of Hainan's "four parties, five ports and multiple port points" was further consolidated, and the expansion and upgrading projects of key ports were steadily advanced. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Hainan will establish a modern port cluster, optimize the layout of key ports and functions, and further revitalize the port economy.
The ocean is rich in fishery resources, and a large number of fishermen in Hainan receive natural gifts through sea herding and fishing, or make a living or make a fortune. Today, Hainan's fishery is accelerating its transformation and upgrading, and some fishermen are "going to the shore, to the deep sea, to the recreational fishery." Represented by Wenchang Fengjiawan Modern Fishery Industrial Park, Hainan is planning to build a number of modern fishery industrial parks that are "industrialized, large-scale, factory-oriented, standardized and ecological". At the same time, the pilot project of recreational fishery will be fully rolled out, and a number of recreational fishing towns and beautiful fishing villages will be created.
The development and utilization of resources cannot be at the expense of the ecological environment. In recent years, Hainan has compiled and revised the "Regulations on the Administration of coastal zone protection and utilization of the Hainan Special Economic Zone" and other laws and regulations, and carried out actions to rectify prominent problems in coastal zone protection and development. Haikou Dongzhai Port, Lingshui New Village, Li'an Lagoon, Sanya Iron Furnace Port, Sanya Coral Reef National Nature Reserve and other areas have implemented ecological restoration actions, through the removal of ponds to wet, replanting mangroves, corals, etc., to protect the shoreline ecology. In 2020, the overall water quality in the coastal waters of Hainan Province was excellent, with the proportion of excellent water quality area being 99.88%, and the proportion of excellent water quality stations being 95.6%. Marine biodiversity and ecosystem structures are relatively stable.
The "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of The Marine Economy of Hainan Province" proposes that in the future, Hainan will strengthen the protection of coastlines and sea areas, promote the conservation and intensive use of marine resources, and make every effort to build a national marine ecological civilization demonstration zone to add new vitality to Hainan's development.