Hainan's boom not for everybody

It's hard to believe that 20 years ago, Haikou was studded with hulking grey ghosts -- half-built concrete tower blocks, abandoned by developers who had run out of funding. Today, every available square meter is sought after. 

The mood in the island?s northeastern capital Haikou is as laid back as ever, a pleasantly planned and greened city, but with a new density of tall buildings. A yachting marina is under construction and an outlandish semi-open theater has been built to permanently house ?Hainan Impression,? Zhang Yimou?s Hainan version of his signature "Impression" series, lavish theatrical performances by indigenous people that capture the spirit of the location.

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Alecia Elliott Alessandra Ambrosio Alexis Bledel Ali Campoverdi Ali Larter Alice Dodd