Sea Escape

Prices might seem a little steeper than in other parts of China, and it's quite different from a traditional China holiday. But if all you want is to put your feet up, soak up some sun and keep the whole family happy, Aranya is a pretty safe bet.　

Aranya is one of China's trendiest beach resorts, having grown considerably over the past few years. The resort combines sunny coastal views, European-inspired architecture and a long list of activities for the whole family.　

There are currently two major Aranya resorts in China: one on the southern island of Hainan and another in Beidaihe. Living in Beijing, the family and I decided to pack a week's worth of clothes, book a holiday home and enjoy the roughly 90-minute train ride down to Beidaihe.　

Once you arrive, the resort is divided into two main areas. The first houses most of the hotels, restaurants and activities, while the second is primarily residential.　

We stayed in the residential area, which turned out to be the perfect choice for us. The neighborhood is populated largely by families with holiday homes, making it ideal for our 6-year-old to make some new friends. I honestly can't remember a single day when she climbed onto the playground and didn't come back having made a new friend.　

The residential area also has small shops and a mixture of Western and Chinese restaurants. If you're hoping to spend your evenings bar-hopping and socializing with other young travelers, however, you might be better off booking a hotel in the main area.　

There is one thing you should know before arriving: you'll be using your phone a lot.　

Navigating the resort and accessing many of its facilities largely requires the Aranya app. The cafeteria-style restaurants, numerous shops and even access between the main and residential areas can all require it. Fortunately, the app is available in both English and Chinese, but I'd strongly recommend downloading it and getting everything set up before you leave. The last thing you want after a long journey is to be standing around trying to figure it out just to get inside.

The coastline is clean and well maintained, with plenty of restaurants, cafés and burger joints dotted along the shore. Despite spending plenty of time there during our stay, I barely noticed any cleaning staff, which I took as a good sign that visitors themselves were doing a decent job of keeping the beach tidy.　

For anyone looking to spruce up their social media accounts, Aranya is a photographer's dream.　

There are photo opportunities everywhere, from swings overlooking the sea to quaint little buildings and colorful shops. You could probably spend an entire week wandering around looking for the perfect photo and still have plenty of spots left to discover.　

If, however, you're hoping for a Beijing-style cultural bonanza by the sea, Aranya might leave you wanting a little more. There are certainly Chinese influences throughout, but traditional culture isn't really its main selling point.　

And that's okay. It knows what it wants to be.　

While there is plenty for young adults to enjoy, Aranya is ultimately a family destination. During our week there, it increasingly felt like a haven for moms and dads looking for somewhere they could relax while their children burned off some energy.　

On the first day, we visited one of the swimming pools, complete with an ice-cream bar on the side. It wasn't long before my daughter was racing around the pool and making new friends while the adults could enjoy a bit of peace and quiet.　

The next day, she headed to the stables to give a pony a bath. Aranya does offer horse riding for children, but I recommend not turning your nose up at the pony-washing experience. While being supervised by a trainer, it gives children the chance to interact with the animals, learn how to be gentle, and treat them with respect.　

After getting the pony spick and span, my daughter headed straight for one of the resort's enormous outdoor climbing areas. She got to have a fun day in the sun while Mom and Dad sipped coffee from the sidelines. Everyone wins.　

The following day, she tried her hand at motorboat go-kart racing. The organizers require a parent to accompany each child and have plenty of safety measures in place. If you're still a little nervous about putting your child on a motorboat, traditional land-based go-karting is also available.

Aranya is also a dream destination for pet owners. Many of the restaurants and shops are pet-friendly, public areas are equipped with bags for cleaning up after your four-legged friends, and the resort's pet spa is probably one of the best I've come across during my time in China.　

Our own fur-child enjoyed long walks along the beach, a selection of locally made doggy treats and, naturally, a full spa day. Frankly, I'm not sure who had the better holiday: her or us.　

One of the biggest surprises was the food. Aranya has an impressively varied selection of restaurants, particularly if you're craving international cuisine. During our week, we tried everything from Italian pizza and American-style burgers to French-inspired seafood.　

None of these options are particularly cheap by Chinese standards, but the quality was good, and the variety meant we never felt like we were eating the same thing twice.　

There is plenty of Chinese food too, ranging from a chilled canteen offering simple dishes for those moments when you have absolutely no idea what you're in the mood for, including some of the best Yunnan-style cuisine I have ever had.　

If this is your first trip to China, I would struggle to recommend Aranya as a priority destination. There are simply too many culturally fascinating places dotted across the country just waiting to be explored.　

But if you've already spent some time exploring China and just want to put your feet up, Aranya is a great pick.　

Grab a good book, order a sangria, let the kids run wild, take the dog for a walk and watch the sun disappear over the water. Sometimes a holiday doesn't need to be complicated.　

Sometimes you just need a beach.