evidence: Hainan (海南; Hái-nâm in Hainanese, Hǎinán in Mandarin) is an island province of China, famous for its tropical beaches. It has a thriving tourist industry and is being heavily promoted as "China's Hawaii". Understand [edit]Hainan is China's southernmost province, south of Guangdong province and across the Gulf of Tonkin from Vietnam. "Hainan" literally means "South of the Ocean". [...] For much of its history, Hainan was considered a backwater and used as a place of exile for failed officials. It was administered by the Qing Dynasty and Republic of China as a prefecture of Guangdong Province. It became a separate province in 1988, making it China's smallest province, and the only island province administered by the PRC. The entire island has been declared a Special Economic Zone.