Days 8-9 (March 15-16, 2018):

Thursday and Friday were our rest days. I guess two days of rest out of ten is acceptable on March Break! Both mornings, we were up early, at the breakfast buffet by 8am and at the pool before 9am. We are normally beach people, but the crowds deterred us here, and besides, the pool set-up at the Marriott is exceptional, plus it is in a raised location giving an excellent view of the view and entire bay. With very few people using the facilities, it was definitely the route to tranquility we were seeking.

On Thursday afternoon, we walked the length of the beach. And oh, the sights we beheld! Picture Russians – lots of them – burned as red as tomatoes. It was hard to behold, honestly. Picture groups of 25+ older Chinese men in Speedos, all gathered in circles on the sand, having tea and playing games, all browned like dark leather; it’s clearly their daily social scene. Imagine loudspeakers every 100 meters all the way down the beach playing classical music, while a voice repeats the same warning about watching your possessions in Chinese, Russian and English. And the loop never, ever stops. Picture Chinese adults in the cheesiest palm-tree polyester – matching shorts and shirts, of course – and adults, lots of them, walking around wearing inflating swim rings like you’d put on your six-year old. I know, I’m sounding judgmental. I’m not really judging, rather I’m trying to highlight the cultural differences between here and home, that’s all. Honestly! Maybe now you can understand why we opted for the pool.

At the end of our walk, the appropriately-named Pineapple Shopping Centre provided a good window into the Chinese retail industry. The shocker was that, despite almost everything we buy these days being made in China, the prices on these goods in the country itself are as expensive or more than at home.

Friday was a repeat of Thursday, except that we took an afternoon cab ride to the heart of Sanya, where there is a tourist shopping market focused on pearls and other jewelry.

The only story I’ll add for Friday is that we had purchased a rate package that was supposed to include a daily voucher for use at the hotel’s food and beverage outlets. However, when we checked in, they interpreted it as ‘one voucher per stay’, versus one per day, and wouldn’t budge. I wrote a diplomatic email to the Marriott customer service in the USA, and on Thursday night, the hotel’s generosity started to flow. First, a bottle of wine and fruit was left in our room. Next, the Guest Services Manager called and asked if she could come to our room. She quickly showed up with two stuffed dogs that “should bring us lots of money in the Year of the Dog” as well as four vouchers. With just 24 hours left to our stay, there wasn’t much we could do with them, so she said we could combine them for one over-the-top last dinner.

So we booked a Korean BBQ dinner for Friday evening at Smoki-Moto Korean Restaurant. Stopping for a cappuccino at the lounge before dinner, it became apparent to us that the entire hotel staff was now aware of our voucher issue! The waiter said, “I am so sorry you are leaving at midnight tonight!” When we asked how he even knew who we were, let alone how he knew we’d be checking out at midnight, we realized the Director of Food Services had circulated our photocopied passport photos to the entire hotel staff, advising them that, if we showed up to use these silly vouchers, to treat us like royalty! And treated like royalty for dinner we certainly were: we had more Korean food than we could possibly consume, and the staff were amazing. A humourous but wonderful end to our stay in Sanya.

Some 'by-the-pool-rest-day' scenes from our hotel and grounds (The Sanya Marriott Dadonghai Bay).