On August 24, the “Hainan Meets Palawan: Calling Filipino Content Creators to Experience Hainan Culture” tour came to a close. Over seven days, the four Filipino content creators traveled across Haikou, Wenchang, Qionghai, Wanning, Lingshui, Baoting, and Sanya, immersing themselves in Hainan’s natural scenery, intangible cultural heritage, folk customs, and island life from a first-person perspective. Through their lenses, they told audiences in the Philippines and ASEAN a real and diverse story of Hainan.

The four content creators—Roce Ordoñez, Kevin Montillano, Sela Guia, and Innah Bee—are well-known Filipino creators in travel, lifestyle, music, dance, and theater, with a combined following of about 30 million across platforms.

From Qilou to Fishing Village: Feeling the “Real Warmth” of an Island City

The journey began in Haikou on August 19. In the morning, the content creators visited Haikou's Qilou Historical & Cultural Quarter. Built by returned overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia, this historic district bears witness to a century of port-opening history and serves as a quiet footnote to Hainan’s inclusiveness and openness. Roce Ordoñez said, “The architecture is beautiful—full of life, vibrancy, and stories.”

Filipino content creators visit Haikou's Qilou Historical & Cultural Quarter.

Filipino content creators ride the “Laobacha Haikou Bus” and taste Hainanese Laobacha tea.

After leaving the old street, they boarded the “Laobacha Haikou Bus.” Roce playfully learned a few phrases in the Hainanese dialect—“Lu o” (hello) and “Wa ai lu Haikou” (I love you, Haikou)—drawing laughter from everyone on board. At noon, a bowl of Qingbuliang, a local dessert, brought a moment of slow-paced comfort amid the bustling city.

Filipino content creators taste Hainan Qingbuliang at Yeyutang.

In the afternoon, the content creators visited Rongshanliao Fishing Village, which has a history of more than 200 years. They kneaded dough for wood-fired pizza, picked up paintbrushes at Shihuai Art Museum to capture the coastal sunset, and browsed by the window at Xinsheng Bookhouse by the sea. Kevin Montillano remarked, “It’s so close to the city, yet so quiet it feels like another world.”

From Coast to Orchard: A Double Delight for the Eyes and Palate

On August 20, the tour moved to Wenchang and Qionghai. At Wenchang Windmill Coast, the blue sea and white windmills made a picturesque scene, and the content creators immediately switched into photo mode. At the Puqian Three Grannies Zaopocu Cultural & Leisure Manor, the authentic Zaopocu hotpot won high praise from Sela Guia: “The tangy and spicy flavor is very similar to Filipino cuisine.”

Filipino content creators taste Hainan Zaopocu.

Filipino content creators visit Puqian Three Grannies Zaopocu Cultural & Leisure Manor in Wenchang.

Four Filipino content creators taste various fruits at the Window of World Tropical Fruits.

That afternoon, the “Window of World Tropical Fruits” in Qionghai brought together more than 700 tropical fruit varieties from around the world—from slim finger-like lemons to mamey fruit shaped like sweet potatoes. Innah Bee felt as if she had stepped into a fruit “blind box”: “Several of these I’ve never seen in the Philippines.” But when she spotted dragon fruit, she smiled again: “I often eat this one, so seeing it here feels very familiar.”

From Coffee to Waves: Where Homecoming Memories Meet Youthful Energy

On August 21, the tour reached Wanning. In the morning, the content creators visited C.P. Xinglong Coffee Cultural Park, where they picked fresh coffee cherries with their own hands and listened to stories of returned overseas Chinese who reclaimed the land to grow coffee. Kevin Montillano said, “The Philippines also has its own coffee culture, but Xinglong coffee places more emphasis on traditional flavor and a rich, mellow taste. Coffee can serve as a bridge for cultural exchange between China and the Philippines.”

Filipino content creators try surfing at Riyue Bay in Wanning.

In the afternoon, they arrived at the national surfing training base at Riyue Bay, where Roce Ordoñez tried surfing for the first time in her life. With encouragement from her coach, she successfully stood on the board and glided along the wave, bursting into laughter. “Riyue Bay is so beautiful, and the water is so clear. I will definitely tell my Filipino followers: this place is not only beautiful but also incredibly fun.”

From Monkey Islet to Li Village: Cultural Resonance Across Mountains and Seas

On the morning of August 22, aboard the cross-sea sightseeing cable car at Nanwan Monkey Islet, Kevin Montillano held up his phone, barely daring to blink as the Tanka fishing villages spread out below. “The first glimpse truly amazed me,” he said. In Monkey Islet Park, wild macaques diving and splashing in the water drew bursts of laughter.

Filipino content creators ride the cross-sea cable car.

Filipino content creators try the bamboo dance on site.

That afternoon, at the Binglanggu Li & Miao Cultural Tourism Zone, Li young men and women greeted them with “Bolong,” instantly closing the distance. Sela Guia took a sip of Shanlan rice wine, and her eyes lit up: “This taste is so familiar! We also have similar rice wine and clothing back home. Being here today doesn’t feel like visiting—it feels more like visiting relatives.” During the live performance “Binglang Ancient Charm,” dancer Innah Bee quickly joined the bamboo dance interaction: “The Philippines also has a bamboo dance. Although the movements are different, the joy is universal.”

From Fishing Village to Duty-Free City: Tradition and Modernity in Harmony

On August 23, the content creators visited the fishing village on Sanya’s West Island. With over 400 years of human history, century-old coral-stone houses, coconut shadows, sea waves, and quiet village lanes, the island left a deep impression. Roce Ordoñez said, “Walking along the fishing village paths, the sea breeze is gentle, and the whole island exudes a rare sense of tranquility.” Kevin Montillano remarked, “Quiet, clean, and full of local life—this understated beauty is actually more memorable.”

Filipino content creators visit Sanya’s West Island.

Filipino content creators visit CDF Sanya International Duty-Free City.

During the trip, the content creators also visited CDF Sanya International Duty-Free City. After picking out some cosmetics, Sela Guia remarked, “Same brand quality, but such friendly prices. It doesn’t feel like shopping—it feels like being on vacation.”

At the Journey’s End: A Trip, Countless Echoes

The four content creators shared their reflections on the journey.

Innah Bee was most impressed by the Li and Miao cultural experience at Binglanggu: “I learned about the culture of the Li and Miao people, danced the bamboo dance, and saw Hainan’s history with my own eyes. I will definitely come back to Hainan to explore more deeply.”

Sela Guia, on the other hand, couldn’t stop thinking about Xinglong coffee: “I don’t usually drink coffee, but when I tasted theirs, it was so good that I couldn’t resist buying some to take home.” She especially noted that Hainan’s visa-free policy for Filipino tourists is “very convenient,” adding, “Hainan is so diverse—it’s truly a wonderful thing.”

Roce Ordoñez said this was her first time experiencing such an itinerary in Hainan, “and it was really so much fun.” She recommended West Island Beach and Xinglong Coffee Cultural Park to her followers: “West Island Beach is very beautiful, and I recommend everyone visit Xinglong Coffee Cultural Park to make chocolate and taste the coffee.”

Kevin Montillano spoke most emotionally: “I really love everything here—the coffee, the fruits—but what truly captured my interest was the ethnic minority culture. Seeing local people passing down their culture and protecting their traditions is exactly what I want to recommend to my followers. I also learned to surf in Hainan. The locals are warm and welcoming, and we fell in love with this place. This experience will forever remain one of my most beautiful memories.”

They traveled and filmed along the way, capturing Hainan in their cameras and in their hearts. This cultural exchange, carried out in the name of “experiential reading,” has sent Hainan’s story across mountains and seas in the most emotionally resonant way, reaching farther than ever before.