With a country changing as quickly as China is, travel information can become quickly out of date. Experiences of even a few years ago can be vastly different than what a a traveler might encounter today. Following the triathlete credo of "be prepared for everything", below you will find a distillation of an account from the November 17th print edition of the Wall Street Journal from one of their writers who just got back from his own China trip.
First off while much is made of China's "new" tourism, understand that it is already the world's fourth-ranking tourist destination (and this is before the coming Olympics blitz). That said, it does have it peculiarities and here are a few quick observations from the WSJ writer that might give you an idea what to expect.
Domestic flight queues. A word of warning, on domestic flights don't expect an orderly line or boarding by row number, Chinese typically just crowd the gate and the airlines sometimes overbook. It pays to be early and attentive.
Pollution. While much has been written about China's pollution problem (including the Wall Street Journal writer who developed a cough on his trip from the bad air in Bejing), Hainan's cities aren't nearly as big nor industrialized as the metropolises on the mainland. While care should indeed be taken, visitors for the Ironman China race should not encounter significant issues.
Shopping.As with much of Asia the first shopping experience will probably be street vendors who pester everyone with cheap wares--especially post cards, watches, hats, fans and t-shirts. The WSJ writer was even pursued for blocks. Haggling is part of the process and the quality of this merchandise is often suspect. (T-Shirts are often referred to as "three-generation shirts" meaning they first fit the buyer than then after a washing will fit their child and after another washing their grandchild.)
Eating. As we noted in an earlier posting, most of the hotels that are frequented by tourists offer Western-style breakfasts. Even though Hainan is one of the two provinces in China where coffee is grown I have unfortunately not been able to locate a Starbucks on the island (though they are in other parts of the country).
Awe-Inspiring. While much is made of the lines, pollution, and pestering merchants, rare is the returning visitor that does not remark about the awe-inspiring sights. China is an amazing country and an incredible location for a triathlon race. I think everyone who has the ability to participate will feel lucky to race in such a location. No matter what happens it is certain to be eventful.