Ocean Flower Island: China’s largest artificial island in the world

Hainan is a popular holiday region in southern China. Because the island is too small for the tourist rush, an artificial island was raised off its coast. Ocean Flower Island is the largest man-made island in the world.

But the project has already caused two scandals in its short history.

Although the Chinese island of Hainan is not so well known in this country, it is considered THE holiday paradise par excellence in China. There are not only miles of sandy beaches locally, but also tropical forests. The island is therefore often compared to Hawaii. After all, the US archipelago is on the same latitude as China’s Hainan.

65 million Chinese traveled to Hainan in 2021 alone. If the Chinese government decides to allow tourists from abroad to the island after a two-year corona-related entry ban, more space will be needed. The solution is said to be Ocean Flower Island. It is the largest artificial archipelago in the world, made up of several islands, and was built off the coast of Hainan.

Exceptional tourist attractions

Have you heard of the gigantic The Palm Jumerirah in Dubai, which we also reported on? With a total area of ​​800 hectares, Ocean Flower Island off Hainan is even larger: the three islands that are connected to each other have already been filled up, and most of the buildings are already finished. Numerous hotels and residential complexes are included, and 200,000 people are expected to live on Ocean Flower Island off Hainan in the future.

A number of tourist attractions have already been completed on the main island. For example, China’s only snow-covered water park with a mountain landscape is located on Ocean Flower Island. And that in the tropical climate of Hainan with annual average temperatures of 27 degrees. You can also visit an opera house, a museum, a botanical garden and an aquarium on the main island. The congress center, whose buildings look like blooming peonies, stands out in particular.

Another attraction is the glass bridge in the Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest, which at 400 meters is one of the longest of its kind in China. The Skywalk was opened in 2018 and provides a view of the “Tropical Paradise Forest”. Holidaymakers can shop on the island in duty-free shopping malls, and weddings are also possible at eight different locations on Ocean Flower Island. Culinary one would like to be part of the world class here. There are twelve restaurants with Michelin stars on the island off Hainan.