Rural tours in Hainan rise in popularity
As a rising travel product, rural tourism in Hainan has attracted many domestic tourists to the scenic rural villages during the national holidays in recent years.
The rural tours offer visitors the chance to experience rural and agrarian life firsthand. The most common type of rural tours in China is called ‘Nong Jia Le’, which literally means "happy farmhouse." It features farm stays for a short period with authentic local food – usually the major selling point of the trip.
There are a range of new and old villages on the island, along with picturesque natural scenery and well-kept cultural traditions. The rural tours offer not only home stays but also well-designed trips to Hainan's most unique sites.
In 2014, Hainan rolled out a list of Top 10 Most Beautiful Cultural Villages, all with their own selling points. On the list, the Shihan Village in Qiongzhong was featured as it highlights the Li and Miao minority’s simplicity and an ancient village in Xiuying district in Haikou was featured for its spectacular volcanic landscape.
Hainan now has 134 rural-tour sites across the island. In 2014 alone, rural tourism attracted more than 6 million tourists, resulting in a total revenue flow of 1.7 billion yuan.