Soon after Hong Kong entrepreneur Eric Chan Jink-chou had his new golf course up and running at Lotus Hill in Panyu, near Guangzhou, he started looking around southern China for a good place to build another.
'I discovered Hainan,' he says. 'I recognised the enormous opportunities in terms of land, resources and the sheer beauty of the countryside.'
That was in 2000. Today, Phoenix Hill Resort, with 27 holes and a spectacular hilltop clubhouse, is readying for its soft opening in September. There are plans for a low-rise villa-style hotel on the 200 hectare site, just inland from the strip of hotels lining the golden beaches of Yalong Bay.
During his frequent visits to the site, Mr Chan made some discoveries about Hainan. 'It's a very interesting island, but it's not known to the world,' he says. 'It's well known inside China, but has a rather bad reputation for lawlessness. It's regarded as the last frontier.'
Mr Chan is also the brains and muscle behind the Hainan Discovery Triathalon, which takes place on November 9. It involves a 1.8 km swim, 60 km bike ride and 12 km run to the finish line. This year, more than 300 athletes from a score of countries are expected to take part.
