This Dragon Boat Festival, three storytellers from China, Malaysia, and Russia explore Hainan’s festive traditions, each in their own way, highlighting the island’s cultural richness through local heritage, overseas Chinese customs, and folk customs.

This Dragon Boat Festival, discover Ding'an's signature zongzi – a taste of tradition, a provincial intangible heritage, and a true summer classic of Hainan. Come for the flavor, stay for the island. 

Hainan’s international tourism ambassador from Malaysia Trayson contrasts Dragon Boat customs of Hainan and Malaysia, sharing identical roots with unique local flavors. Zongzi embodies the lasting Chinese culture passed down among overseas Chinese.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, Polina, host of Hainan International Media Center, visited Haikou’s Qilou Old Street to discover local festive flavors. She learned the customs of hanging mugwort , “washing dragon water,” and how to made a savory zongzi. With mugwort in the air, dragon water for blessings, zongzi warming the heart, and family together—this is the simple, genuine spirit of a Hainan’s Dragon Boat Festival.