For many foreign tourists, Sanya in southern China's Hainan province is a tropical dream: soft sandy beaches, coconut groves and a gentle sea breeze.
However, a growing crowd is discovering that the real Sanya comes with a twist.
Instead of lounging on a beach towel, they lie on a therapy bed; instead of sipping cold coconut water, they take slow sips of bitter herbal tea — all while dotted with fine acupuncture needles. And somehow, they love it.
Five years ago, Alina Dudko from Saint Petersburg in Russia tried acupuncture for the first time to address some of her health issues.
"I felt a bit dizzy, which scared me," she recalled, adding that the doctor also prescribed her a course of herbal decoctions to take, something she was skeptical about at first.
"But after about five acupuncture sessions, I noticed positive changes in my condition, so I decided to fully commit to the treatment," she added.
Today, Dudko, who now speaks fluent Chinese, works as a therapy translator at a traditional Chinese medicine clinic near the Dadonghai scenic area in Sanya.
Acupuncture and herbal decoctions, which she once doubted, have become what she calls a self-care habit.
"TCM teaches us to look at health in a holistic way, not to fix problems only after they appear, but to take care of ourselves in advance through lifestyle, diet, rest and emotional state. I really agree with this philosophy," she said.
Her daily work includes talking with patients, accompanying them during consultations, facilitating communication between them and the TCM practitioners, and explaining the basic principles of their treatments in plain, accessible language.
"I place great importance on honest, smooth communication with patients. I avoid complex terminology. I strive to be a bridge between practitioners and patients, to help people understand why a holistic approach to their health is so important," Dudko said.
This is the sixth year since the 30-year-old settled down in the coastal city, which offers a perfect balance of work, health and quality of life.
"I really love the climate here. I love the feeling of being close to nature. I also love that I can combine work with plenty of rest. Here, people pay more attention to their physical condition, their health and their inner balance," she added.
Wu Chunmei, a colleague of Dudko, noted that with the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port and a visa-free policy now applicable to citizens of 86 countries, more foreign tourists, mostly from Russia, are frequenting the clinic.
"Because winters in Russia are long, locals generally suffer from excessive cold and dampness in the body, rheumatic joint pain and back strain. They come to Sanya during winter to escape the cold and enjoy the warm climate, so it's very convenient for them to get TCM treatments at the same time," Wu said.
According to Zang Jinpeng, a practitioner at Sanya Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, the city's unique environment is naturally suited for wellness and recovery. As early as the early 2000s, large numbers of foreign tourists began visiting Sanya and gradually came to experience and appreciate TCM.
The proportion of days with excellent air quality exceeds 99 percent annually, and the island boasts abundant coastal zones, forests and hot spring mineral resources, as well as over 133,000 hectares of land under cultivation for Chinese medicinal herbs.
In addition, TCM hospitals, therapy clinics and wellness institutions across urban and rural areas form a network that covers everything from basic therapies to high-end services.
Sanya Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital alone has served over 130,000 overseas visitors from more than 40 countries and regions.
Zang noted that the hospital has established a professional TCM health assessment center, which uses the four diagnostic methods of TCM, namely inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry and palpation, along with specialized instruments for constitution identification.
What travelers find here is no fleeting novelty, but a quiet cultural immersion that increasingly feels like a "very Chinese moment". Lie down. Receive the fine needles. Sip the dark decoction. Experience the tuina massage. Then let the island do the rest.
