A sojourn of surf and sun

Many of the resort's spacious guestrooms, boasting large bathtubs and double vanities, open toterraces with postcard ocean views. Their tasteful design, which Hilton calls "contemporary southern Chinese," makes handy use of exotic building materials. With floors of smooth volcanic lava stone, you’ll want to go barefoot the whole time.

For the adventurous of heart, scuba diving at the Hilton Sanya is a must, especially since no license is required for diving at less than ten meters. The Hainan-based aquatic sports company Dive Best offers beginner-friendly diving onsite. Certified instructors first bring would-be divers to a swimming pool to learnthe basics. There, they teach beginners how to breathe properly through the oxygen hose – use your mouth, not your nose – expel water from the mask underwater, relieve pressure felt in the ears when descending and communicate underwater with hand signals.

Once you've demonstrated proficiency with the basics, a speedboat will take you on the express route out to sea, where your diving instructor awaits.

The initial thrill of plunging into the sea quickly gives way to a sense of calm. Several meters beneath the ocean’s surface, the world is largely devoid of sounds audible to the human ear. The pervading serenity helps assuage the discomfort the water pressure causes in the ears as you descend. Gripping your nose firmly and exhaling into your mask does help.

To ensure safety, Dive Best's instructor swims side-by-side with novices at shallow depths, where at midday, ample diffused sunlight illuminates the water. Our instructor first led us through a maze of deep purple and crimson coral reefs. Next, we swam through the opening between two large rocks to discover a school of luminescent-yellow tropical fish.Pulsating sea anemones the color of mature rose petals covered one of the rocks below us. A massive asphalt-colored sea cucumber lay on the ocean floor, its bristles swaying gently with the water’s currents. Since the slippery echinodermis a traditional Chinese delicacy prized for its health benefits, we feared it might end up on someone’s plate later.

"Oh, not that kind," said our instructor, as we reached the surface. "It's not edible."

Once you're safely back on land, take a breather by the pool and order fresh coconut juice. Lounging poolside and sipping the cool nectar from a straw inserted in the greenish drupe has a certain exotic charm. You may find yourself yearning to listen to a vintage Harry Belafonte record.

After sunset, take a romantic promenade through the resort’s impeccably-landscaped gardens, brimming with huge tropical plants that thrive in the balmy climate year-round. Canopied and cushioned timber chairs, large enough to accommodate two persons, are placed strategically for couples to enjoy a siesta together under the evening sky.

Revel in the clean air. Not only can you breathe easier, you can see easier. The couple at the table next to us stares in amazement at the immaculate night sky, stars twinkling. Deciding the scene merits a Weibo – China's most popular blogging site – post, they snap away at the sky with iPhone cameras.

Neither of them can remember the last time they saw the stars.