A little luxury

Hongzhou Yacht Marina, the largest commercial yacht base in Hainan province, has undergone a major transformation in recent years.

"A decade ago, Hongzhou Yacht Marina was a bustling fishing harbor — with a multitude of boats moored — that an unpleasant odor emanated from that greatly inconvenienced residents and visitors," said Cui, whose company later repurposed it into the yacht marina.

Yachting, once a luxury pastime for the affluent due to the high purchase price of the boats and maintenance costs, is now accessible for more people, he said.

"Initially, yachts were predominantly used for commercial services," Cui said. "However, owners soon realized they could lease their vessels during downtimes to help defray maintenance expenses."

This shift gave rise to yacht chartering and pooling in 2014, a flourishing business that has advantages for both owners and tourists who want to experience opulence on the seas.

The implementation of hourly yacht rentals has increased the affordability of yacht tourism, said Gao Yongning, deputy director of the cruise and yacht department of the Sanya Central Business District Administration.

With the increasing availability of yachts and the maturation of the market, rental prices have plummeted from over 10,000 yuan ($1,400) to less than 1,000 yuan, making yachting increasingly accessible and boosting its popularity.

"For a three-hour yachting escapade for my family of four, the cost is now under 1,000 yuan," said Zhang, a visitor from Sichuan province.

Sanya is now home to five yacht marinas, with the Hongzhou Yacht Marina having a capacity of 450 berths and hosting around 420 yachts year-round.