From t'ai chi classes to Buddhist statues, cycle tours to new spas and luxury hotels...Tom Chesshyre picks a dozen fabulous holidays
CHINA is the big story in world tourism, with the country regarded as one of the most exciting long-haul destinations by major tour operators.
1.HAINAN ISLAND
China's biggest island is about 300 miles (500km) southwest of Hong Kong, and it has the country's best beaches. Until a couple of years ago, few people visited. Then the Sheraton opened in Sanya, the most popular resort, on the southern tip of the island... and it became the official host hotel of the annual Miss World contest.
The result has been a huge profile boost- lots of media coverage of smiling beauty queens- and big hotel chains: Marriott (already open), Hilton, Crowne Plaza and Shangri-la are moving in. The "China's Hawaii" nickname came because it is on the same latitude as the real Hawaii- and because Chinese and South Korean vistitors have a penchant for wearing garish Hawaiian shirts. There are interesting traditional hill villages, local markets and hot springs to explore. But don't take your surfboard- the waves are tiny. Kuoni, Britain's biggest long-haul operator, is offering breaks from next year.
2.GUANYIN - ONE OF THE WORLD'S TALLEST STATUES
The Guanyin (Buddhist Goddess of Mercy) statue was unveiled in April, 40 miles outside Sanya on Hainan - becoming one of the world's tallest statues at 108m (a couple of metres highter than the Empire State Building). What's extraordinaty is not just that Guanyin is set in the grounds of what can only be described as a giant Buddhist theme park.
Market stalls sell T- shirts, cans of Coca-Cola, pretzels, straw hats, and mugs with digital pictures of the tourists who buy them burnt on. Then electric buggies, with plastic elephant-head bonnets, take you on a tour of beautiful grounds, past temples, picnic area, golden Buddha gardens and vegetarian testaurants to a viewing platform, where there's the smell of incense and the sound of temple gongs. You can take out to the foot of the statue. It's incredibly other-worldly-and a whole lot of fun.
3.TAI CHI
Almost all top-class hotels now offer t'ai chi lessons, led by t'ai chi masters in the morning. Many lessons are pitched at domestic tourists and are at the crack of dawn, at around 6.30am, although you can arrange later times.
Participants are put through a series of moves such as "parting the Horse's Mane", the "Golden Cock Stand", "Reeling Fore Arming" and "Pulling the Peacock's Tail in the Arm" - most of which involve balancing on ome leg and thrusting arms forward in slow-motion karate chops. It's a regreshing way to start the day, and great for jet lag. Most lessons last about 20-30 minutes, and there is no shame in wobbling about a bit. Ask at reception when you arrive to see if your hotel offers t'ai chi. It's usually free.
4.THE COMMUNE
An hour and a half's drive north of Beijing, the Commune by the Great Wall hotel opened in Shuiguan in 2002, designed by 12 prominent Asian architects. It has 11 large, stylish villas which start at 490 a night, tucked away on a hillside by the Great Wall. Staff dress in black uniforms with red stars, and it all feels very James Bond.
But the Kempinski group was brought in last month to introduce slicker service and oversee the construction of 37 new villas, with rooms from 140, poening next October. Details: www.commune.com.cn
5.TAKE ME TO SHANGRI-LA-ALL 19 OF THEM...
The latest Shangri-La hotel was unveiled last month in Shanghai-the Pudong. Shangri-La-bringing the five-star chain's stable of Chinese properties to 19, with another 15 planned by the end of 2008. The Shanghai hotel has undergone a major refurbishment and 375-room extension, making it the largest luxury hotel in China, with just under 1,000 rooms.
There are now 12 designer restaurants, a glass-encased swimming pool, and the "Jade on 36 Bar", one of Shanghai's funkiest-designed to look like a giant jade jewel box with a fuchsia pink interior. Rooms start at about 130 a night. Details: www.shangri-la.com.
6.MARKET TRADING
The European Union and China have overcome their "brawars" stand-off on EU clothing import quotas- but how do you get the best price at a market in China? It's an aacquited skill, but guides in Beijing and Shanghai suggest you take the stallholder's starting price... and quarter it.
Clothes markets are often now in department stores spread over several floors. The trick, say guides, is never to show too much interest and always to walk away when you're unhappy with an offer. The result (and it worked for me) is to have attendants rush after you exclaiming "Come back sirl", offering a better price. It can be hectic but you can always telax with a cheap foot massage: most markets offer this service.
