JABAR EKSPRES – At least 60 teams of around 400 athletes are taking part in dragon boat races in Sanya City, Hainan Province, China.
The race is one of the traditional sports in Sanya that has a long historical background and is widely recognized, local authorities in Sanya said on Friday.
Participants in the race, which was held in conjunction with the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Jie) holiday season, came from various cities, including Lingshui, Wanning, Dingan, Qionghai, Changjiang, Chengmai, and other cities/districts in Hainan.
Teams from Hong Kong also participated in the race held on the tropical island south of mainland China.
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The race held on the Sanya River is divided into several numbers, namely 400 meters for men and 400 meters for women. The best four men’s teams will be entered in the 1,000 meters.
The Sanya Dragon Boat Association also used the event to promote dragon boat culture to campuses.
The Dragon Boat Festival holiday, which is usually also colored by bakcang snacks in China, takes place on Thursday (6/23) to Monday (6/26).
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Although the holiday officially starts on Thursday, Sanya City has been visited by tourists from various regions in China since last Monday.
All star hotels in the Haitang bay area have been filled with guests who take advantage of the week-long vacation.
Apart from marine tourism, Sanya is also one of the shopping destinations.
Chinese authorities have designated Sanya and Haikou, the capital of Hainan Province, as duty free shopping centers.